Nude news from Germany

[Gary Naturist]

Germany's FKK nudists (i.e. club nudists) are upset that there is increasing public nudity on the part of "wild nudists" i.e. members of the public at large. They think that these unofficial nudists are giving nudism a bad name.

Check out this newpaper report: http://www.expatica.com/germanymain.asp?pad=197,212,&item_id=33368

In Berlin last Saturday, encouraged by the heat wave in Europe, about 1000 people were nude in Tiergarten Park. The local politicians are trying to stop the nudity, but to little avail.

Gary

[Gary Naturist]

Germany's FKK nudists (i.e. club nudists) are upset that there is increasing public nudity on the part of "wild nudists" i.e. members of the public at large. They think that these unofficial nudists are giving nudism a bad name.

Check out this newpaper report: http://www.expatica.com/germanymain.asp?pad=197,212,&item_id=33368

In Berlin last Saturday, encouraged by the heat wave in Europe, about 1000 people were nude in Tiergarten Park. The local politicians are trying to stop the nudity, but to little avail.

Gary

[NudeAl]

To bad this dosen't seem to work in the states. It makes perfect sense to me to beat the heat I mean. I had heard that the FKK crowd were a little upset with all the unaffiliated naturists. Something about them not following proper nude etiquitte.

[barelybob]

Verrrry interrrrestink!!!!!! /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[missouriboy]

The local politicians are trying to stop the nudity...

Wouldn't it be nice if, instead of trying to clone everything that walks, science could isolate and eradicate the gene that causes certain types of people to think they're ordained to make all the personal decisions for everyone else?

[Trailscout]

Nudism in Germany is a complex issue. Frei Korper Kultur has its policies from years when nudity was much more tightly regulated in public places. Some of their concerns are still legitimate. Public nudity in Tiergarten Park puts the nude sunbathers in conflict with nearby Turkish Muslim immigrants and some of the more conservative West Germans, whose sense of order and propriety borders on compulsivity.

I think there will always be a place for designated FKK beaches and parks, and nudist clubs, but Germany may be in transition to a much broader acceptance of public nudity in places where it is reasonable to be nude.

The numbers of young people eager to enjoy nude recreation in Berlin is staggering. Fueled by nudists from the former East Germany, the current heat wave, and the efforts of nudist activist leader Peter Nieherke, nudism may be on the upsurge dispite the aging of the old-style FKK club population.

We owe a great debt to FKK and their original concept of physical fitness, healthy diet, their love of community and family are worth carrying into the new century.

It is possible that the new generation of ethnic Turks in Germany may relax their attitudes about nudity if they learn European culture and are not radicalized into a militant reactionary version of Islam.

The older generation of West Germans may never fully accept casual public nudity in parks and non-FKK beaches. Perhaps the generation who are now in their teens and twenties will be the ones who bring about a true culture of body freedom out in the open.

[Soleil Nu]

We are getting aggravated...

Let's face it: the FKK's upset about "wild nudists" as they call them has nothing to do with nudist etiquette or giving nudism a bad name. It has to do with power, money and control. All these free spirits don't put money in the FKK's pockets and this is what upsets them most. Furthermore, they know that when nudism becomes mainstream and part of everyday life, they will become obsolete. They're just trying to ensure their future survival. Whether this is the right thing to do or not is irrelevant to them.

And concerning those poor offended turkish immigrants, IMHO, they can all go to hell. Nobody's forcing them to get undressed so why don't they just leave the rest of us alone ? Next thing we know, one of these poor muslim girls will die of heat stroke because of these stupid clothes that she is still forced to wear even in 35+ degrees wheather. I know my comments may appear racist but I assure you this is not the case. I'm just tired to see minority groups of any origin, race, religion, belief system or whatever, always trying to force their views, values and way of life on the majority. This is the single most important problem in the US, where a majority of people (according to surveys) couldn't care less if there are designated areas created for nudist use, but where there is always a small number of loud mouth bastards trying to spoil it up for everyone else that doesn't think the way they do.

Sorry about all the ranting, but I'm really getting sick and tired of all this bull****.

Must be the full moon or something... /infopop/emoticons/icon_mad.gif

[Elery]

Rant on Soleil...This situation sort of puts traditional German nudists in bed with strip club owners and nudie mags. If everyone went naked who would pay for their products and services? As we have all come to realize nudity and bodily awareness leads to respect and acceptance for women and even the basest forms of pornography would wither and die. What is true and open can't be corrupted. I don't see this as being much of a problem in the US as most of the resorts would still operate even if they were not the only places to be freely nude. Wouldn't if be fun to see what would happen if a few thousand folks turned out naked, in Golden Gate Park lets say, totally naked and free...couldn't arrest everyone and it's hard to justify police force on a naked unarmed person...hehe Not to mention that the authorities turn the other way for the nude runners in Bay to Breakers and to prosecute nude sunbathers in the park would not be equal treatment under the law...

[Bob S.]

I agree with Soleil. The FKK is concerned with their bottom line. If public nudity became blase and was actually legalized, they would have no reason to exist. FKK resorts and beaches are the main places to go to get naked. The resorts make money. The beaches may just be good advertising spots. If society became nudity friendly, the FKK would have no reason to exist. That is unless they could offer something more at their resorts.

That's what they may have to start to do, making the resorts look better to the general public, offering more to do, attracting the young adult and family crowd. Right now, they have the retiree crowd. If you don't offer something for one group of people, they will not go.

Instead of the FKK admonishing the "wild nudists," they need to embrace the society that has given them so much more freedom than basically anywhere else on the planet.

Bob S.

[Trailscout]

Bob,

I don't disagree with you, but I need to call your attention to something, and this actually confirms your point even more: FKK has become a generic term like Frigidaire is for refrigerator. An FKK beach is simply the nude section of a public beach and has nothing to do with the FKK organization.

[techboy]

that's not quite correct. the FKK beaches are those that the FKK has said they aprove of. Being n FKK beach theoreticaly means they are sutible for family naturism, where as non-FKK beaches may or may not be. there is no financial tie though.

i think the FKK is guilty of doing with "wild naturists" what many textiles do with naturists in general, which is to atribute the qualities of a few to everyone. because there are maybe a handfool of wild naturists behaving inapropriatly they have decided all wild naturists are bad. I think we can all understand wanting to dissociate from those using the naturist name for less scrupulouse persuits, but I feel education, and not seperatism is the way to go.

[Trailscout]

Thanks, for your clarification, Techboy.

I agree that FKK should take a more positive proactive approach. With the emergence of massive numbers of people who are nude in public, there are bound to be a few who engage in lewd behavior. And I agree that the actions of a few should not taint the reputation of the whole.

If an FKK group encounters a couple engaged in sex in public, they should simply insist that they take it somewhere private and call the police if that doesn't get results.
FKK should regard wild nudists as fellow travelors and allies.

As long as people enjoy socializing and camping, nudist campgrounds will always have their role to play in society, but a limited one.

Look ahead a few years and try to expand your vision of what could be in store for us if we perservere:
Imagine a society where downtown office workers can go to a nearby city park on their lunch hour, peel off their clothes and splash in a fountain or relax in the sun!

Imagine a society where a group of teens walk nude to the neighborhood tennis courts for a match of nude mixed doubles.

Envision a town where nude people are regularly seen out washing their cars, children splash nude in front yard wading pools, joggers don't bother to dress on their summer runs, and the list goes on...

Nudists would still go to traditional campgrounds, but our options for nude recreation would be far greater than they are today.