Things You Should Know About Swimming Pools in Germany

Germany has lots of outdoor pools, and it’s easy to find one within driving distance. But those who’ve never visited a Freibad, or public swimming pool, could be surprised to find out that they are different as their American counterparts. Ovalpools

In Germany, there are no lanes or lifeguards posted at the sides of the pools like you might see in the US or other countries. Instead, the pool is definitely an open space for running, jumping, playing soccer or frisbee, or posing for pictures alongside the slide. You may also swim laps, however the pool usually doesn’t have sufficient lanes for several swimmers to do so. This is often frustrating to individuals from other places who are accustomed to having lanes reserved for those who want to swim laps.

At some pools, there’s a treat stand or restaurant where you could get ice cream or French fries, but it’s not at all times available. Actually, most Germans don’t bring snacks to the pool. If you should be hungry, you might need to return to your hotel for something to eat.

Fights and assaults at public pools in Germany have made headlines recently, especially after an episode in which a person attacked another at the swimming pool in the German city of Cologne on New Year’s Eve. The violence followed a row between two individuals from immigrant backgrounds that escalated from a battle over a kiss to a large brawl. But local officials insist the incidents don’t reflect typical behavior at the 2,800 state-run public outdoor pools in Germany.

The united states also includes a long tradition of swimming in rivers, and some cities have designated river bathing establishments which are favored by visitors. These “Flussschwimmbad” (“river bathing pool”) feature food vendors, changing rooms and sectioned-off areas for male and female swimming. And some cities have a Naturbad (nature pool), which can be an artificial pool filled up with water from the clean river that’s free of chlorine.

A big number of German towns and cities have a combined pool that’s both an outdoor and indoor facility. Those pools usually are kept open all winter, giving residents a chance to go for a swim or snowball fight in the cold.

In many ways, Germany is one big swimming pool as it tries to integrate the greater than a million Middle Eastern refugees and asylum seekers who’ve arrived in the united states in recent years. Some pools are near refugee housing centers, so you’ll see them filled with newcomers and longtime residents all swimming together. Social workers like Kurzhals help them find out about German pool culture, which doesn’t enable you to swim naked or wear a burkini in public. In addition to educating newcomers, the pools are an opportunity for refugees to rehearse their English and meet Germans. Come early july, Kurzhals helped run an application at a swimming on Columbiadamm Street that brought Syrian and German refugee women together to talk about their experiences.