Germans generally have a rather liberal perspective on nudity, with saunas and beaches among the places where locals like to get naked. Do you find Germany’s ‘free body culture’ liberating or intrusive? Share your thoughts in our reader survey.
We all come to Germany with certain ideas and expectations. Assuming you did just a bit of research before moving to the Bundesrepublik, you might’ve been prepared to battle a bit of bureaucracy, or to put up with less-than-punctual trains and face a not insignificant language barrier.
But were you prepared for the naked people?
Foreigners who live in Germany tend to learn quite quickly that the country takes a rather liberal approach to nudity. Here, a so-called ‘free body culture’ (Freikörperkultur – FKK) is celebrated, and not always in private or secluded places.
This is perhaps not so surprising to people coming from some other European countries, but can be quite shocking for the unexpecting American or Brit, or anyone coming from cultures that are less open to letting it all hang out.
From mixed-gender textile-free saunas to FKK beaches, even daily life in Germany is not always for the prude. And that’s to say nothing of the nightclubs that encourage adult themes.
Some argue that the German pro-nudity attitude is natural or even healthy — that it encourages body positivity. But people who can’t get used to it are effectively left to learn which places and activities to avoid.
How do you feel about nudity in Germany? Did it surprise you at first? Have you learned to embrace it, or do you avoid saunas and certain beaches?
We’d be glad to hear about your experiences in our reader survey, and to consider your answers for a future article. If you can’t see the below survey, click here.
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Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: thelocal.de
