Demokratie – Democracy

Menschen mit Behinderung – people with disabilities

In the 1930s, Diakonie Stetten set up an outdoor swimming pool for its residents. Later, an indoor pool was also built in the ‘Hangweide’ residential complex. The fact that people with disabilities bathed and swam separately served to protect them – but also reflected the discriminatory prejudices of mainstream society. A 1981 report on ‘swimming for the disabled’ in Weingarten criticises the reservations against people with and without disabilities swimming together. However, it also emphasised how well even paralysed people could move in the water. In the ‘Versehrtenbad’ Radolfzell, a ‘lake lift’ has made it possible to glide directly from the wheelchair into the water since 2001. The Diakonie Stetten outdoor pool is now an ‘inclusive natural pool’ run by an association for members – with and without disabilities.

Inclusion is our top priority, which is why everyone, whether young or old, with or without a disability, has the opportunity to become a member of the association.’
SIN-Bad Stetten e. V., 2020

The outdoor swimming pool of Diakonie Stetten, 1930s
Historical archive Diakonie Stetten

Bathing scene in the ‘Hangweide’ indoor pool, 1973
Historical archive of Diakonie Stetten

The ‘Stetten inclusive natural swimming pool’, 2024
SIN-Bad Stetten e. V., Kernen im Remstal

Article from the ‘Schwäbische Zeitung’, 1981
Haus der Geschichte Baden-Württemberg

The lake lift of the ‘Behinderten-und Rehabilitationssportverein Radolfzell’, 2023
BRSV Radolfzell

Internationaler Wettkampf – international competition

In Constance, swimming overcame Germany’s isolation after 1945: on 15 November 1948, VfL Constance and SC Kreuzlingen as well as the water polo players from SC Zurich and ‘Wasserfreunde Hannover’ met in the indoor pool on the banks of the Rhine. The hall could barely cope with the number of spectators. The Swiss accepted the fact that the world federation FINA temporarily excluded them from international events for taking part in a competition in Germany. Germany then joined FINA in September 1949. In 1951, a German-Italian swimming competition was therefore organised in Schwäbisch Gmünd without any problems. Over 5000 people watched Carlo Pedersoli win the 100 metre freestyle. Pedersoli later became a film star as ‘Bud Spencer’. In 2011, the town named the Gmünd outdoor pool after him.

The first international post-war swimming meet on German soil was an atmospheric event in the indoor pool on the banks of the Rhine, which was decorated in exemplary fashion with the flags of France, Switzerland and the city of Constance.’
Sports journalist Walter Lutz, 1948

Spectators at the German-Swiss swimming competition in Constance, 15 November 1948
Dietmar Dannecker, Scherzingen

Water divers at the German-Swiss swimming competition in Constance, 15 November 1948
Dietmar Dannecker, Scherzingen

The water polo players of VfL Konstanz at the German-Swiss swimming competition, 15 November 1948
Dietmar Dannecker, Scherzingen

Poster ‘International competition Italy – Germany’, 1951
Roland Wendel, Schwäbisch Gmünd Swimming Club

Spectators at the water polo match between Germany and Italy, 7/8 July 1951
Roland Wendel, Schwäbisch Gmünd Swimming Club

Carlo Pedersoli (lane 3) starts the 100-metre freestyle, 7/8 July 1951
Roland Wendel, Schwäbisch Gmünd Swimming Club

Kriegsversehrte Schwimmer – swimmers with war injuries

Swimming was considered an ideal sport for war invalids because of the floatation in the water. They were given reduced admission to indoor swimming pools. On Lake Constance, separate ‘disabled swimming pools’ were set up in Constance and Radolfzell, among other places. Behind this was the desire of those affected to be protected from ‘ curious glances’. However, society also did not want to see ‘damaged’ bodies and be reminded of the war. The Aalen Disabled Sports Group, on the other hand, made a public appearance in 1958 at the ‘District Championships for Swimmers’. Its founder was Günther Hecht-Rost, who had suffered a serious head injury. A group photo shows war invalids and younger members harmonising side by side. This was not a matter of course, as war invalids often considered themselves ‘superior’ to other people with disabilities.

[…] so that this group of people […] is out of the way of the curious or pitying glances and questions of healthy people and also does not cause the holiday guests a thoughtful hour by their sight.’
Constance sports group for the disabled, 10th of March 1957

Special mention was made of the good performance of the disabled swimmers from SSV Aalen, who received the greatest applause in the pool.’
Newspaper report, 14th of July 1958

Admission prices at Stuttgart’s Herschelbad, 1950s
City of Stuttgart, Betriebsmanagement Stuttgarter Bäder

War invalids and their families in the Radolfzell disabled baths, 1950s
Radolfzell town archives

The swimmers of the disabled sports club Aalen at the district championship in 1958
Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg Hauptstaatsarchiv Stuttgart

Günther Hecht-Rost (left) and Fritz Schüssler at the district championship in 1958
Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg Hauptstaatsarchiv Stuttgart

Günther Hecht-Rost at the district championship in 1958
Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg Hauptstaatsarchiv Stuttgart

Das 8-Stunden-Schwimmen von „Abseitz“ – 8-hour swim

The queer sports club ‘Abseitz Stuttgart’ has been organising an annual ‘8-hour swim’ since 2009. People of different genders, ages and sexual orientations compete together. The winner is the person who covers the longest distance. Since 2017, women and men have been categorised separately and the three best swimmers each receive a trophy. 2024 was won by Dagmar Megerle from Stuttgart. She joined Abseitz because other swimming clubs no longer offered her attractive training opportunities due to her age.

‘After a collective 487 kilometres in the water, it was time to dance and celebrate.’
(Abseitz Stuttgart e. V. about the 8-hour swim 2017)

Winner’s trophy from Dagmar Megerle, 2024
Dagmar Megerle, Stuttgart

Dagmar Megerle after her victory in the ‘8-hour swim’, 2024
Abseitz Stuttgart e. V.

Die Schwimmabteilung von „Uferlos Karlsruhe“ – swimming with ‘Uferlos Karlsruhe’

The swimmers of the queer sports club ‘Uferlos Karlsruhe’, known as the ‘Alligaytors’, have been demonstrating since 2019 that you can make a statement in swimming trunks. Founded in 1996, the club aims to promote the acceptance of queer lifestyles and combat homophobic attitudes. Andreas Emendörfer had the idea of putting on colourful ‘Funky Trunks’ swimming trunks for the ‘Alligaytors’. In the changing room and at competitions, they caused a stir and sometimes also amused looks.

Swimming trunks by Andreas Emendörfer, 2019
Andreas Emendörfer, Karlsruhe

Andreas Emendörfer at the Eurogames Vienna 2024
Photo: Klaus Nennung

Transfrauen im Sportbad NeckarPark – trans women in the NeckarPark sports pool

The swimming section of the queer sports club ‘Abseitz’ trains in the NeckarPark sports pool, which was opened in 2022. Members of Abseitz criticise the fact that the new building, which cost 44 million euros, does not offer changing and shower facilities for all needs. Trans women training at Abseitz were allocated the changing rooms for ‘teaching staff’ and people with disabilities instead of the women’s changing room. However, these changing rooms are tight for multiple people and offer not enough shower facilities. The ‘Mission TRANS*’ association is campaigning for trans people to be allowed to use the men’s and women’s changing rooms at least some of the time.

Changing rooms to be used by trans women in the NeckarPark sports pool, 2024
Abseitz Stuttgart e. V.

Interviews with Tanja Gemeinhardt and Sabrina Heinisch, 2024
Haus der Geschichte Baden-Württemberg

Sexismus und sexuelle Belästigung in Schwimmbädern – sexism and sexual harassment

The female body is repeatedly depicted in a sexualised way, particularly in advertising. This was also the case in the German Life Saving Association’s advertising poster from 1980, which used ‘mermaids’ to encourage men to learn to swim. In addition to its use in advertising, sexism can also occur on site in swimming pools – often favoured by a power imbalance between the sexes. However, not only sexism, but also sexual harassment and abuse occur regularly. Sexual harassment ranges from verbal abuse or covert photography to touching and rape. However, these transgressions are rarely reported, which is why the number of unreported cases is high. Prevention measures are intended to educate people and prevent criminal offences. In 2016, the Lake Constance district launched one of the first campaigns explicitly aimed at minors on this topic. In 2019, 81 percent of offences against sexual self-determination in swimming pools in Baden-Württemberg were committed against minors. Almost 55 per cent of victims were even under the age of 14.

Poster of the prevention campaign ‘Safe. On the way. In the swimming pool.’ 2021
Baden-Landeskriminalamt Baden-Württemberg

Leporello of the prevention campaign ‘No! Not with me!’ by the women’s and family representatives of the Lake Constance district, 2016
Haus der Geschichte Baden-Württemberg

‘Swim with me’ advertising poster by the German Lifesaving Association, 1980
DLRG Heidenheim-Brenz district

Swimwear show for the opening of the Tübingen outdoor pool, 1951
Tübingen city archives

Das Loretto-Damenbad – The Loretto ladies’ pool

Freiburg’s Loretto baths are the last women’s baths in Germany. This door separates the mixed ‘family area’ from the women’s section, which is forbidden to men. Male lifeguards are an exception. They used to only occasionally work in the women’s pool, but since 2017 they have done so regularly. At that time, there were conflicts between the ‘regular ladies’ and Muslim Alsatian women. From 2015, the latter arrived in larger groups, bringing numerous children with them and barbecuing on the sunbathing area. The local female visitors felt that this disturbed their place of retreat. The deployment of male supervisors drove the larger groups away from Alsace. Since then, a sign on the connecting door ‘warns’ in Arabic of the male presence in the ladies’ pool. Muslim women in Freiburg criticised the measure as discriminatory.

When the door closes behind me, everyday life falls away from me.’
A ‘ frequent customer’, 2010

As a Muslim, the pool is the only way for me to go swimming in summer.’
Visitor Samara, 2010

Door between the family and ladies’ areas in the Lorettobad, mid-20th century
Freiburger Stadtbau GmbH

‘Trouble in the ladies‘ pool’, 2017
SWR Media Services, Stuttgart

Impressionen aus dem Loretto-Damenbad – impressions from the Loretto ladies’ pool

The Freiburg painter Almut Quaas is one of the visitors to the Loretto ladies’ pool. Between 2005 and 2021, she created over 50 paintings that capture the special atmosphere of the male-free zone. In the 1960s, female students criticised the women’s baths as a ‘discriminatory ghetto’, and a newspaper article in 1973 declared it a relic of ‘times of cramped prudery’. From the 1970s onwards, however, feminists defended it as a ‘non-violent space for women’ that was worth preserving.

Even the slightly larger woman can walk across the lawn here without anyone making a comment. If you want, you can leave your top off. The women feel free and unobserved.’
Visitor Erika Wagner, 2010

‘Readers by the water’, 2005
Oil on canvas, Almut Quaas, Freiburg im Breisgau

‘Women at the edge of the bath’, 2007
Oil on canvas, Almut Quaas, Freiburg im Breisgau

‘Rest in the ladies‘ bath IV’, 2007
Oil on canvas, Almut Quaas, Freiburg im Breisgau

Baden im „Burkini“ – Bathing in the ‘burkini’

The full-body swimming costume known as the ‘burkini’ was created by fashion designer Ahida Zanetti, an Australian of Lebanese descent, around 2000. In July 2013, Filiz Acar-Chebli wanted to swim in this swimsuit at the Schwaketenbad in Constance. She was forbidden to do so because the suit was ‘unhygienic’. It was also claimed that other guests could ‘feel insecure and threatened’ by this swimwear. Acar-Chebli defended her suit as an expression of her desire to integrate and participate in public life. Özkan Ezli from the University of Constance confirmed this interpretation: the ‘burkini’ does not stand for segregation, but for contact and interaction. The local council agreed with this assessment and authorised bathing in a burkini in Constance’s swimming pools in 2014.

I found the fact that a Muslim woman now goes to a swimming pool at the same time as scantily dressed German men interesting, because it contradicts a purist interpretation of the faith.’
Özkan Ezli, 2016

Full-body swimming costume by Filiz Acar-Chebli, 2013
Filiz Acar-Chebli, Constance

Interview with Filiz Acar-Chebli in the new Schwaketenbad Konstanz, 2024
Haus der Geschichte Baden-Württemberg

„Oben ohne“ Baden – ‘Topless’ bathing

Many public pools do not allow women to swim ‘topless’ like men. Pool regulations stipulate that swimming must be done in ‘suitable’ or ‘normal’ swimwear. This means that the female breast must not remain uncovered. In recent years, however, there have been increasing demands for more equality. Some pools have adapted their regulations as a result – for example, the pools in the city of Freiburg in 2022. But the issue is divisive: It’s not just local politicians who are arguing about whether women should be allowed to take off their tops, there is also a heated debate on social media. In Freudenstadt in 2023, this led to the rejection of local councillor Bärbel Altendorf-Jehle’s motion in favour of ‘topless for all’.

I believe that democracy and freedom, equality and emancipation as well as enlightenment simply require that women and men are allowed to go topless in every pool. And I thought that everyone thought so. That wasn’t the case.’
Bärbel Altendorf-Jehle, 2024

Application by the citizens’ campaign for “topless for all” in Freudenstadt swimming pools, 2023
Private property

Interview with Bärbel Altendorf-Jehle, 2024
Haus der Geschichte Baden-Württemberg

Krawalle in Kehler Freibädern – riots in outdoor pools in Kehl

Since 2016, swimming pool rules have been displayed in French and Arabic in swimming pools in Baden-Württemberg. This takes account of immigration from the Middle East and the neighbourhood to France. In June 2019, there were riots at outdoor swimming pools in Kehl, mostly involving French youths. On 19 June, the police had to evacuate the Kehl outdoor pool after dozens of people climbed over the fence of the pool, which was closed due to overcrowding. On 4 July, around 30 people demonstrated against these conditions. As a result, the outdoor pool fences were secured with barbed wire and strict admission controls were carried out. The situation eased. Pool supervisors across the country are complaining about increasing aggression from bathers. Statistically, however, crime in outdoor pools has decreased in recent years.

The tendency towards violence has increased and it is becoming increasingly difficult for us to ‘manage’ a pool in a regulated manner.’
Pool supervisor Edgar Koslowski

Many fear that the outdoor pool has become a place for fighting instead of splashing around. But the SPIEGEL data analysis shows that there is no widespread escalation of violence.’
Spiegel online, 23th of July 2023

Bathing rules in French and Arabic, 2016
Working group of public swimming pools Baden-Württemberg, Kirchheim unter Teck

Demonstration against the conditions in the Kehl outdoor pools, 2019
City of Kehl

An employee of the city of Kehl secures the fence of the Auenheim outdoor pool, 2019
City of Kehl

SWR reports on the riots at Kehl’s outdoor swimming pools, 2019
SWR Media Services, Stuttgart