.xml files keeps re-appearing

Newbie question: I am new to GitLab, Git, Pycharm and Python.

I am wondering why certain files keeps reappearing on GitLab (hosted version). A bit of history (According to the PyCharm log etc.):

• On november 29 I did a git rm *.xml in the PyCharm terminal. This nicely removed all unwanted xml-files from PyCharm and my project directory. I also added n empty .gitignore (know knowing whether I need to add that to Git and push it to GitLab or just having it in my Project directory.
• I commited and puched to GitLab and all .xml files disappeared on GitLab
• On november 30 I did a change to a Python file, using PyCharm. No .xml files were made not pushed.
• On november 30 I added an image in a subfoler. Still no .xml files in the project directory.
• I don't recall seing any .xml files in the proct on GitLab yesterday, but today I see vcs.xml, ide.general.xml, filetypes.xml, editor.xml and other files and according to GitLab, they should have been pushed 4 days ago. But I still don't see any .xml files in the project folder.

Quetions:

1. Why are the files made in the project folder, rather than in a hidden folder like .idea ?
2. How on earth do they keep being pushed to GitLab?

Regards Henrik