From time to time into the pool hopping, fries and ice cream to eat on the Lawn chill out: you can easily spend a whole day in the outdoor pool. A look at German pool practices, and have a conversation with an expert.
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11 things you should know before the pool-visit in Germany
The outdoor pool is not in vain
The Germans call their swimming pools in General swimming pool. “Free” means in this context, however, is that the entrance is free. Sometimes, it is called – in allusion to the Season in which it is opened – even from the “Sommerbad”. The Kombibad offers a swimming Pool outdoors and indoors, and the forest pool is located, as the Name suggests, in the middle of the forest.
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11 things you should know before the pool-visit in Germany
Bring coins with
In the locker rooms can be stowed away in the lockers, not only his clothes but also his valuables safe. However, you have to insert a Euro, the locker lock; when you Open you get him back again. The use of the hair-dryer is usually for free, sometimes it cost 10 or 20 cents. With a few coins in the pocket so you are always on the safe side.
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11 things you should know before the pool-visit in Germany
Before and after Swimming: once in shower, please!
Before Plunging into the cool water, you should take a shower in any case, to sweat or sun cream-rinse off residues. Most of the German but only to soap and Shampoo, if you leave the pool. So make sure that the chemicals and chlorine from the pool water to remain on the skin. The body care takes place in community showers, where all the shells fall.
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11 things you should know before the pool-visit in Germany
Flip-flops don’t forget
Without flip-flops is hardly a German goes to the swimming pool. You are not required, but barefoot running around no one so fond in the swimming pool – you might get a fungal infection. Normal sandals are not allowed, otherwise a whistle from the lifeguard: “No street shoes-that’s a promise!”
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11 things you should know before the pool-visit in Germany
Jump, Yes – but not everywhere
It is forbidden to jump from the pool edge into the water. Jump is only allowed to boards of special jump, and towers. It is in almost every outdoor swimming pool. But if it is in the tank too full, blocked the lifeguard access. In order to avoid that someone lands the jump in the depth and possibly on a float.
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11 things you should know before the pool-visit in Germany
Annoyed Train Float
A empty swimming pool you will find on a summer’s day hardly. Who wants to swim lanes, are often unnerved, because you are constantly colliding with other swimmers. Foreigners in their home country lanes with ropes separated, not-in-wonder again and again about the fact that the German approach here is a systematic. A tip: to the indoor pool, there it is in summer, pretty empty.
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11 things you should know before the pool-visit in Germany
Non-swimmer’s pool for the Little ones
Children with a swimming or floating wings of an adult are allowed to Mature only on the side into deep water. It is only when you have made the “seahorse”badge, they are considered to be swimmers. They should not be still left unattended, because the lifeguards don’t have your eyes everywhere.
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11 things you should know before the pool-visit in Germany
Not without my Flamingo
In some pools, it is allowed to air mattresses to bring – also unusual as this. But before cranking up his pink Flamingo, you should ask. If it is true, are such huge parts namely a bit of a Nuisance for other bathers.
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11 things you should know before the pool-visit in Germany
Swimwear is compulsory
Even if German like to swim naked in the lake: In public pools is prohibited. You also can’t just hop in their underwear in the Pool, swimwear is compulsory. Muslim women access to the Burkini; this is allowed, but often racist comments. And in the summer, the piece of clothing lands back in the headlines, because some want to forbid.
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11 things you should know before the pool-visit in Germany
Not without my ceiling
The Name “Freibad” suggests it: The bathing takes place Outdoors. There is only a pool with a concrete border is not on offer, but also a sunbathing area under the shade of the trees. In addition to the towel, an extra blanket then the Gold value. Some women sunbathe Topless, which is partially allowed – in contrast to the Photograph: the Other bathers are not allowed to be photographed.
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11 things you should know before the pool-visit in Germany
No outdoor pool-a day without the picnic
If you relaxed for hours in the pool, in the Pool, takes a bath and then again in the sun, lazing, at some point comes the Hunger. Many bring in the cooler for something to eat. But who has nothing Packed, not have to starve: There is always a Snack. Classic French fries and ice cream, of course.
-
11 things you should know before the pool-visit in Germany
The outdoor pool is not in vain
The Germans call their swimming pools in General swimming pool. “Free” means in this context, however, is that the entrance is free. Sometimes, it is called – in allusion to the Season in which it is opened – even from the “Sommerbad”. The Kombibad offers a swimming Pool outdoors and indoors, and the forest pool is located, as the Name suggests, in the middle of the forest.
-
11 things you should know before the pool-visit in Germany
Bring coins with
In the locker rooms can be stowed away in the lockers, not only his clothes but also his valuables safe. However, you have to insert a Euro, the locker lock; when you Open you get him back again. The use of the hair-dryer is usually for free, sometimes it cost 10 or 20 cents. With a few coins in the pocket so you are always on the safe side.
-
11 things you should know before the pool-visit in Germany
Before and after Swimming: once in shower, please!
Before Plunging into the cool water, you should take a shower in any case, to sweat or sun cream-rinse off residues. Most of the German but only to soap and Shampoo, if you leave the pool. So make sure that the chemicals and chlorine from the pool water to remain on the skin. The body care takes place in community showers, where all the shells fall.
-
11 things you should know before the pool-visit in Germany
Flip-flops don’t forget
Without flip-flops is hardly a German goes to the swimming pool. You are not required, but barefoot running around no one so fond in the swimming pool – you might get a fungal infection. Normal sandals are not allowed, otherwise a whistle from the lifeguard: “No street shoes-that’s a promise!”
-
11 things you should know before the pool-visit in Germany
Jump, Yes – but not everywhere
It is forbidden to jump from the pool edge into the water. Jump is only allowed to boards of special jump, and towers. It is in almost every outdoor swimming pool. But if it is in the tank too full, blocked the lifeguard access. In order to avoid that someone lands the jump in the depth and possibly on a float.
-
11 things you should know before the pool-visit in Germany
Annoyed Train Float
A empty swimming pool you will find on a summer’s day hardly. Who wants to swim lanes, are often unnerved, because you are constantly colliding with other swimmers. Foreigners in their home country lanes with ropes separated, not-in-wonder again and again about the fact that the German approach here is a systematic. A tip: to the indoor pool, there it is in summer, pretty empty.
-
11 things you should know before the pool-visit in Germany
Non-swimmer’s pool for the Little ones
Children with a swimming or floating wings of an adult are allowed to Mature only on the side into deep water. It is only when you have made the “seahorse”badge, they are considered to be swimmers. They should not be still left unattended, because the lifeguards don’t have your eyes everywhere.
-
11 things you should know before the pool-visit in Germany
Not without my Flamingo
In some pools, it is allowed to air mattresses to bring – also unusual as this. But before cranking up his pink Flamingo, you should ask. If it is true, are such huge parts namely a bit of a Nuisance for other bathers.
-
11 things you should know before the pool-visit in Germany
Swimwear is compulsory
Even if German like to swim naked in the lake: In public pools is prohibited. You also can’t just hop in their underwear in the Pool, swimwear is compulsory. Muslim women access to the Burkini; this is allowed, but often racist comments. And in the summer, the piece of clothing lands back in the headlines, because some want to forbid.
-
11 things you should know before the pool-visit in Germany
Not without my ceiling
The Name “Freibad” suggests it: The bathing takes place Outdoors. There is only a pool with a concrete border is not on offer, but also a sunbathing area under the shade of the trees. In addition to the towel, an extra blanket then the Gold value. Some women sunbathe Topless, which is partially allowed – in contrast to the Photograph: the Other bathers are not allowed to be photographed.
-
11 things you should know before the pool-visit in Germany
No outdoor pool-a day without the picnic
If you relaxed for hours in the pool, in the Pool, takes a bath and then again in the sun, lazing, at some point comes the Hunger. Many bring in the cooler for something to eat. But who has nothing Packed, not have to starve: There is always a Snack. Classic French fries and ice cream, of course.
Where I come from – Montreal, Canada – there are in swimming pools, no green Meadow – and when, exceptionally, however, the area is very limited.
When I visited for the first Time, an outdoor swimming pool in Germany, I was there is, therefore, very impressed by the generous sun. To Meet the Germans, I asked the press spokesman of the Berliner Bäder-Betriebe, Matthias Oloew, according to the origin of these plants.
DW: Can you say that the large green plants in the outdoor swimming pool is “typical German”?
Matthias Oloew: I can’t compare it with other countries, but include outdoor pools in Germany, typically lawns and also communal areas – a Café, Restaurant or Similar. Game devices does not belong to it, in order for a stay of several hours or a whole day for children boring.
Matthias Oloew is the press spokesman for the Berlin bathrooms enterprises
The outdoor pool in the sense, in the 1920s, after the life reform movement [note d. Red.: a series of social reform efforts in Germany and Switzerland since the mid-19th century. Century against the urbanization and industrialization, and for the state of nature to use] emerged.
You wanted to offer with the swimming pool a break, so the opportunity to bathe in light, air and sun, and of course in the water. And that was only with lounge areas on the beach and on the Lawn. Earlier it was even a cultural concept with a stage with theatre use, but this is not enforced. You can say that outdoor pools in Germany are an example of recreational architecture.
Can you give examples of Berlin’s outdoor swimming pools that have a particular architecture?
Crowd at Strandbad Wannsee – the plant stands under monument protection
The outdoor pools are some who have for your time a very special architecture. There are the Strandbad Wannsee in Berlin. Architecture from the 1920s, ‘ 30s, to Build a new life-reform movement: this is The Strandbad Wannsee, everything structurally to the expression. It has large terraces, there is great change in gears has. Since the principle was to be “see and be seen” in the architecture implemented. 20 years earlier, at the beginning of the 20th century. Century, it was still banned. The architects have created infrastructures that reflected the new democratic society.
Nowadays, indoor pool, outdoor pool are architectures such as, for example, the Sommerbad Neukölln on the Columbia dam, very interesting. The architects of the locker room building, arranged so that one looks from the top to the terrain and it looks like a plane landed – a nod to the old airport Tempelhof is right next door. There you will find also a garden design that is intended to reflect the diversity in Berlin: Every tree is a different kind, and it is also a whole range of exotics are.
The Sommerbad Neukölln from a bird’s perspective
You have also spoken of cultural uses. Even if there is no theatre stage in the outdoor pool, there is, nevertheless, sometimes events – this is also something Special in Germany.
Events are actually manageable, but it gives you, for example, the Open-Air cinema or swimming Pool Parties -that sort of thing. Generally speaking, the outdoor pool is, however, but rather a place of relaxation and contemplation. It is intended to allow a break from everyday life.
However, the free bathrooms that I know of in Berlin are often so full that it is very noisy. Sporty Swim can be difficult. There are bathrooms that are suitable for someone who wants to swim their laps in peace?
The bathrooms are full, if all want to go – namely, when it is summer hot. Free bathrooms are designed that on hot days many thousands of people have come. And most of the people go on hot days. On the other days the pools are not at all full, but then they are wonderfully empty, and because you can swim very nice and it is very relaxed!