A Wave of Change in Berlin: Swimming against the Spree Swimming Ban
Demonstrative Swimming Rebellion against Swimming Prohibition in Berlin's Spree River - Demonstrations against the prohibition of swimming in Berlin
Step into the pulsating heart of Berlin, where a surge of change is shaping the city's storied landscape. In the iconic Mitte district, near the resplendent Museum Island, a group of 300 rebels recently defied a century-old law by plunging into the Spree River. The daring swim demonstration, spearheaded by Flussbad Berlin, aimed to challenge the entrenched ban on swimming that Berlin’s government imposed a hundred years ago.
In a bid to highlight the feasibility of swimming in the once-polluted river, the protesters took the plunge. For years, Flussbad Berlin has been championing the cause for the reintroduction of swimming in the Spree and the accessibility of the Spree canal for swimmers.
"We no longer regard the swimming ban as justifiable. We now have the technology to monitor water quality in real-time," asserted Jan Edler, the association's chairman and the event's chief organizer. In 1925, the Berlin magistrate made a questionable decision, closing down the river baths of old Berlin due to the Spree water's uncertain hygienic quality.
Yet, the Berlin Senate Administration remains uncertain, citing safety and hygiene concerns. The city administration points to numerous legal regulations, such as shipping and bridge regulations, that seemingly stand in the way of public bathing in the Spree. Additionally, the administration draws attention to the issue of sewage from the city's sewer system that contaminates the river during heavy rain. The Bathing Water Ordinance does not provide guidelines for bathing areas in those locations.
Presently, investigations by the Competence Center Water into the water quality are under evaluation, with further findings expected this year.
The event's organizer, however, dismisses these concerns. "We are keen to raise awareness that the water quality is often good enough during the season that swimming is possible," explained Edler. He called for the establishment of pilot bathing areas from summer 2026. SPD's Mitte district councilor, Ephraim Gothe, shares this optimism, considering a bathing area on the Spree canal to be a realistic possibility.
- Berlin
- Spree
- Museum Island
- Swimming Ban
[1] "Swimming ban in Berlin's Spree may be lifted soon: activists", Berliner Zeitung, June 19, 2025.[2] "Swimming Permitted?: The Quest to Reopen Berlin's Spree for Public Swimming", Der Spiegel, June 21, 2025.[3] "A River Runs Through It: Berlin's Long History of Pollution and the Future of Swimming in the Spree", Focus Online, July 1, 2025.
- "The environmental science community is closely monitoring the ongoing investigations regarding the water quality of Berlin's Spree River, as the feasibility of lifting the century-old swimming ban hinges on it."
- "Local environmental-science advocacy group Flussbad Berlin, who have been pushing for the reintroduction of swimming in the Spree, believe that the establishment of pilot bathing areas and advancements in technology have made environmental standards suitable for sports like swimming."
