GERMANY: Germans start the New Year with a nice, cold swim

The unusually warm start to 2007 literally dampened the spirits at the traditional ice-swimming in Berlin on Monday (January 1st). Air temperatures of 11 degrees celsius and water temperatures on 4 degrees celsius turned the traditional new year's ice-swimming into a cold water bath for the outdoor swimming club, the Berlin Seals. But it still takes a lot of courage for the 30 swimmers at the Orankesee in the east of the German capital to strip off and climb into the almost freezing waters. "It is fun, it's healthy, you feel great afterwards, and it is such great company, it's just nice," the chairwoman, Christel Barth said. This so-called ice-bathing on January 1st also gives the swimmers the chance to wear silly hats as they wait for the oncoming carnival season. Top hats in particular are associated with chimney sweeps and therefore with good luck for the new year. And so, wearing nothing but hats, men women and children brave the icy waters - to the delight of the more warmly dressed spectators on the banks. Berlin has a strong nudist culture, particularly for nudist swimming - one of the few freedoms of expression they had as part of East Germany. The Berlin Seals have been organising their winter swim since 1983, the real highlight will be the Ice Carneval on January 13th though, when they expect naked swimmers to come and join them from neighbouring countries Denmark and Belgium - and are hoping for more typical january weather. "Today it is practically Spring," Barth said, "it's not a real New Year's swim, normally there should be such thick ice you have to break through and -10 degrees, that is the appropriate weather. We hope that in 14 days there will be ice." There are over 25 official winter swimming clubs in Germany, most meet once a week throughout the winter to go swimming outdoors - whatever the weather.

ITN Source | January 2, 2007

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