The moment when she is all by herself, dives into the water, which is still cool, takes her first puffs. For Kristine Bilkau, it is one of the most beautiful things to do every time you visit an outdoor pool. The writer and – even more important in this context – enthusiastic swimmer writes in her current book “Water Times: About Swimming” but also about the “ruptures” that everyone who is looking to cool down in the pool knows. Because yes, an outdoor pool also means: slalom swimming, because the lanes are often as full as the trash cans. Coping with hot tempers, your own first. Or get another sunburn while queuing at the snack bar. You’d have to hate the outdoor pool if you didn’t love it so much.
That’s exactly what people do in Germany: According to data from the German Swimming Pool Association (DGfdB), the individual open-air pools recorded an average of 382 visits per operating day last year. All rainy days, when hardly anyone gets lost in the bathroom, included. In view of all the problems that exist at the edge of the pool, the good numbers are downright surprising: The most serious thing is the lack of staff, which often leads to shorter opening times, says Ann-Christin von Kieter, spokeswoman for the DGfdB. In addition, a little more than a third of the approximately 2,800 outdoor pools will have to be extensively renovated in the next five years, as a survey by the Association of Municipal Enterprises (VKU) recently showed – but the funding is unlikely to be sufficient for this.
And then there is the biggest nerve factor of all. The name human. He leaves his rubbish everywhere, just not in the designated bucket. It’s getting worse and worse, especially with the cigarette butts, reports von Kieter. In addition, “lack of respect” for the bathroom staff can be felt. The expert also says that disputes like the Columbiabad in Berlin, which was closed again last Sunday, are “isolated cases” in the German open-air pool landscape.
Key factor for relaxation
So what else draws us to the sunbathing lawn and the chlorinated water? Science provides an answer. “Many studies show that places with water have the most positive effect on well-being. For example, people living on the coast have a better quality of life than people in the mountains. And if there is no sea, the outdoor pool is a good alternative,” explains psychologist Felicitas hey On top of that, swimming relieves stress better than any other sport because you make steady movements and you are forced to control your breathing. The latter is a key factor in relaxation. It’s not just Heyne himself who enjoys the fact that the cell phone stays in the locker: “If I have my head under water, nobody can want anything from me.”
The other thing about outdoor pools is more of a feel. An almost exaggerated nostalgia, says writer Kristine Bilkau. But that comes from somewhere. “I think it’s because of the long vacations. Hardly any families go on vacation for six weeks, some can’t afford a trip at all. For generations, the outdoor pool has therefore been the summer place for children and young people to be together and relax let off steam,” says Bilkau.
In addition to the beautiful memories of back then, of her regular seat and the large blanket on which she sat with her friends, there are now small, special moments for the author. “I like to go to the bathroom when it’s drizzle, when there are only a few visitors and you can see that everyone is totally happy. You know exactly what the other person is feeling. There’s a connection that develops in one way or another – with people you’re so wouldn’t meet at all.”
Sociologist advises serenity
That, explains the sociologist Professor Albert Scherr, is what makes outdoor pools so special: “It’s one of the few places in our society where everyone goes and everyone can go because there are no entry thresholds such as high entrance fees or a dress code.” Of course there are conflicts. “But what’s really exciting is that things usually go well. You experience diversity here and you can experience that it’s usually exciting and beautiful.”
And if you get annoyed or even angry at the sight of towel tramplers or people pushing ahead on the slide? “Reflecting on your feeling of ‘I might miss out’ is extremely helpful with serenity. Our culture has always taught us that everyone is entitled to everything. This is limited at the pool by the lack of space alone. The more you feel takes back, the more you can assess when it’s worth fighting for and when it’s not, the better off you are,” says the psychologist Katharina Ohana. You feel empowered when you don’t let yourself be carried away by your feelings.
Instead, one could focus more on what is actually good in the outdoor pool. For Kristine Bilkau, it is not only the moment of first appearance but also that of reappearance. Incidentally, in her book she describes it like this: “After I had swum 1500 meters and climbed the ladder out of the pool, a little cool wind on my wet skin, I felt like Wonder Woman. Swimming, as far as I know now, does not solve any Problems, but it can bring clarity and courage to face them.”
