On 13 August 1989, after celebrating his Sunday Mass, he was asked by the consul of West Germany in Budapest to help accommodate and take care of the East German refugees, who were flooding into Hungary and thus, paralysing the embassy’s work. Kozma agreed to that without the slightest hesitation. As he said it later: "A medieval interpretation of the church has come to life again: Shelter". Refugees from East Germany were accommodated by the Parish in Zugliget from 14 August. That very evening nearly a thousand people were sheltered but the following months a series of new sanctuaries provided for almost 48 600 people altogether. The consulate of West Germany even moved to the garden of the parish for a time. These events captured the attention of the leadership of East Germany as well; a list of 101 people was compiled of people they were planning to take to the International Court of Justice, with Imre Kozma in the lead, for helping those who violated the laws of "Sovereign East Germany".
