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The German Association for Free Body Culture turns 75 this year but has seen dwindling membership and changing attitudes towards a textile-free lifestyle.
'Free body culture' has long been part of the German cultural fabric
Image: Bernd_Wüstneck/ZB/picture-alliance
Here's the naked truth: Generally, Germans are unfazed by bare bodies.
Some of the country's lakes, parks and beaches are sectioned off for naturists; those who prefer keeping their threads on are usually unruffled when sharing spaces with those who don't.
This nonchalance could be attributed to one of the country's most iconic (and sometimes misunderstood) movements: Freikörperkultur (FKK), or free body culture.
As the Deutscher Verband für Freikörperkultur (DFK) — the umbrella body representing the interests of organized supporters of FKK — celebrates its 75th anniversary this year, we peel back the layers of this movement's evolution in Germany and its role in the country's cultural fabric.
Bare facts: Germany's nudism movement
Germans find it easier to strip naked on a beach or in a sauna than people from many other countries. A brief history of the country's nudism movement, known as FKK.
Here's the naked truth: Generally, Germans are unfazed by bare bodies.
Some of the country's lakes, parks and beaches are sectioned off for naturists; those who prefer keeping their threads on are usually unruffled when sharing spaces with those who don't.
This nonchalance could be attributed to one of the country's most iconic (and sometimes misunderstood) movements: Freikörperkultur (FKK), or free body culture.
As the Deutscher Verband für Freikörperkultur (DFK) — the umbrella body representing the interests of organized supporters of FKK — celebrates its 75th anniversary this year, we peel back the layers of this movement's evolution in Germany and its role in the country's cultural fabric.
Bare facts: Germany's nudism movement
Germans find it easier to strip naked on a beach or in a sauna than people from many other countries. A brief history of the country's nudism movement, known as FKK.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/B. Pedersen
A 'free body': Germany's nudist culture
It's a part of German culture, just like techno music and "Spargelzeit," the asparagus season. Even though the practice of Freikörperkultur (FKK), which translates as "free body culture," is dwindling among the younger generations of Germans, you'll still find lots of FKK areas on beaches as well as nude culture enthusiasts in spas — and even parks.
Imago/D. Matthes
The healthy hobby
By the late 19th century, many Germans believed it was healthy to strip off and bathe "textile free" at one of the country's many lakes. At the time there was a move away from polluted industrialized cities to nature in pursuit of good health. Some people also enjoyed hiking or doing exercise in the nude. This picture dates back to 1933 and shows two women at Lake Chiemsee in Bavaria.
A culture promoted in film
Increasing health through free movement in nature was an ethos featured in the 1925 film Wege zu Kraft und Schönheit (Ways to Strength and Beauty). Starring controversial German actor and filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl, it was one of the country's most popular educational films of the silent era. It contained scenes of physical exercise such as dance and bathing.
FKK and the Nazis
Leni Riefenstahl later became Hitler's favorite filmmaker, and glorified the Aryan athletic physique in her two-part film Olympia, based on the 1936 Olympic Games held in Berlin. While the Nazis initially banned FKK, nude swimming was once again allowed in 1942, if done discreetly in remote areas. Many promoters of the FKK movement were however leftists
A strong tradition in the former GDR
While FKK in the GDR was initially promoted by avant-gardists in the 1950s, it became widespread and tolerated by the 70s. As life in the GDR was so tightly controlled in other ways, bathing nude could be seen as a rare liberty — and people made full use of it. In this picture from 1986, dozens of nudists bask in the sun at Müggelsee, a lake in the suburbs of East Berlin
FKK on the Baltic coast
FKK was also particularly strong on Baltic Sea beaches. However, the practice didn't spread to the Polish side of the coast. After Poland joined the EU, it became easier to walk from one country to the other's beach, but nudism was a cause of tensions between the localities on both sides of the German-Polish border.Image: Imago/argum/C. Lehsten
Getting into the FKK spirit
At this beach in Leipzig in 1980, nudists hang out together on a hot day. The FKK spirit is about celebrating the body and being free from clothes. According to FKK enthusiasts, the practice is not connected to sex; it's about freeing yourself from social constraints. And it's certainly one way to make sure that you don't get any pesky tan lines from wearing a swimsuit.
Not only in the east: Munich's designated spots
While public nudity is generally forbidden in Munich, there are various specific areas where FKK is allowed, for example in the English Garden and along the Isar River, including the Flaucher beach area, a popular destination for nudists, as this picture on a hot day from 2002 shows. FKK areas usually have a clear sign, and people chilling there do not want to be seen as a tourist attraction.
Berlin's park life
The practice is not as strong as it used to be, but some parks still have a certain FKK tradition — so you might come across more flesh than you were expecting on an afternoon walk. While public nudity is illegal, sunbathing naked is tolerated in different Berlin parks, such as the Mauerpark, Volkspark Friedrichshain (picture, from 1999) and Tiergarten — as long as it's not disturbing anyone.
A passion for millions of Germans
Angela Merkel was famously taking a sauna the night the Berlin Wall came down; it was her Thursday ritual. Figures show that around 30 million people in Germany visit the country's 2,300 saunas regularly. The majority of spas are open to all genders and require users to be textile-free.Image: picture-alliance/dpa/P. Pleul
Bare all in the wild
It may not be for everyone, but if you really want to get in touch with nature you could try going for a hike — au naturel. Deep in Germany's Harz mountain region is where you'll find an 18-kilometer naked hiking route. Stretching from the town of Dankerode to the Wippertal reservoir and back, the route welcomes FKK aficionados. Just watch out for nettles
To be clear, no law in Germany expressly prohibits (non-sexual) nudity.
Nakedness on private grounds is considered legal, even if visible from outside. The same applies to naked sunbathing, unless otherwise stated by local laws.
FKK's roots date back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries when Germany was abuzz with social reform movements aiming to redress industrialization's impact on people's health.
At the time, living in cramped, polluted cities was wreaking havoc on their physical and mental well-being.
The movement's proponents believed that enjoying the feeling of sun, air and water on bare skin amidst a community of like-minded individuals was beneficial, fostering not only a healthy body image but helping heal an assortment of maladies that included TB, rickets, and seasonal affective disorder — now known as SAD.
It was also a form of rebellion against the rigid moral attitudes of the 19th century.
The first FKK groups emerged in the 1890s, advocating for nude sunbathing as a healthy — albeit non-sexualized — natural activity.
In 1920, Germany established its first official nude beach on the island of Sylt. A few years later, Adolf Koch founded the Berlin School of Nudism that, amongst others, encouraged mixed-gender open-air exercises. The school hosted the first international nudity congress in 1929.
Clearly demarcated spaces for 'textiles-on or off' spaces on a beachImage: Axel Heimken/dpa/picture alliance
Thumbing noses at authority
During the Nazi era, nudism faced mixed fortunes due to moral restrictions.
In 1933, laws limited mixed-sex nudism, citing concerns over Weimar-era immorality.
Furthermore, nudity was linked to Marxism and homosexuality — despite naturism reportedly being popular among some SS members. In 1942, some rules were relaxed but still bore Nazi biases, especially against Jews and other marginalized groups.
After World War II, Germany's division into East and West created two environments for FKK.
For many East Germans, going nude in public was a statement of individual liberty in an otherwise tightly controlled society. Even though East Germany's GDR leadership initially tried to suppress FKK for fear it would undermine socialist ideals, they eventually conceded.
Meanwhile, the DFK or the Association for Free Body Culture was founded in the West German city of Kassel in 1949. Today, it is part of the German Olympic Sport Federation, and is the largest member of the International Naturist Federation.
There's generally a live-and-let-live attitude in Germany towards a clothing-optional lifestyleImage: Hartmut Schwarzbach/DUMONT Bildarchiv/picture-alliance
Loving your lumps and bumps
So, what does one actually do at an FKK club besides being in the buff? Basically, the same things you'd do at any other social gathering — minus clothes and minus anything sexual.
Activities range from swimming and sunbathing to team sports like volleyball. There are also designated nude hiking trails in Germany that allow naturists to commune with, well, nature.
Besides affording the body better air circulation and optimum Vitamin D absorption, FKK proponents say that the lifestyle encourages people to appreciate their bodies as they are — complete with all the lumps, bumps, and quirks that come with being human.
Furthermore, stripped of designer wear or flashy accessories, nudity is a great equalizer.
A 2017 study published in The Journal of Happiness Studies states that spending time naked with others can lead to improved body image, greater self-esteem, and higher levels of life satisfaction.
The lead researcher, Dr Keon West from Goldsmiths, University City of London, noted that "naturist environments help people see real, unfiltered bodies, which reduces anxiety around appearance"
Social media has also put off younger people from naturism for fear of falling short of the perfect 'curated' bodyImage: Matej Kastelic/Zoonar/picture alliance
Pressure to be perfect
Paradoxically, while platforms like Instagram and TikTok celebrate the human body in highly curated, filtered ways, they are believed to have contributed to a decline in FKK membership.
"The rise of the cult of the perfect body on TikTok or Instagram is increasing the pressure to not want to undress," DFK's President Alfred Sigloch told the press in June.
In fact, the DFK had to call off some plans to celebrate its 75th anniversary owing to a lack of interest. Sigloch added that DFK membership has slumped from 65,000 people 25 years ago to fewer than 34,000 now, with many remaining members said to be losing interest.
Furthermore, some current FKK practioners are also disuaded by digital technology that could secretly photograph them and post them online without consent.
Sigloch also partly blamed the rising popularity of glamping for the closing down of FKK-dedicated holiday sites. Campsite owners earn better from campers willing to pay for a more luxurious outdoor experience than simpler naturists.
The DFK president noted however that many nudist clubs had seen an uptake of interest during the COVID crisis. He attributed this, among other factors, "to the fact that the pandemic has encouraged many people to seek alternative and healthy outdoor leisure activities.”
But the fact remains that clubs are struggling to retain or attract new members.
Sigloch intends to revive the movement. "We will fight to keep onboard every single naked person who wants to be with us," he said.
"FKK is an ancient culture that cannot and will not die."
Edited by: Stuart Braun
Brenda Haas Writer and editor for DW Culture
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