German stereotypes: fond of nudity on the beach, sometimes even skiing

[Danee]

From: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/mar/15/german-stereotypes-nudity-beach-skiing

They are keener on being in the buff than Brits, and wearing a
swimming costume in a sauna remains verboten.

But peeping toms beware: visiting a German sauna isn't a particularly
erotic experience. True, Thermen, or bath-houses, are mixed, often
with communal showers, saunas and steam rooms. But many who frequent
them are over 60 and in some cases over 80 – a phenomenon that can
only increase as Germany's wrinkled population gets even older.

If you go for a dip, check the timetable: if you see the phrase textil-
frei, you can guess what's coming. The letters FKK also indicate a
nudist policy – it stands for Freie Körper Kultur (Free Body Culture),
a movement still going strong in Germany, especially in the more laid-
back east.

Many beaches on the Baltic Sea coasts, as well as around the lakes,
have an FKK section, and it is not illegal or uncommon to strip off in
public parks. In summer, Berlin's Tiergarten, the park next to the
Brandenburg Gate, is full of pink bodies. The capital's leafy
Grunewald is also a favourite destination for naked cyclists.

There is certainly a brand of German eccentric who likes to do
everything with nothing. This winter a woman in Bavaria announced
plans to make her village the world's centre for nude cross-country
skiing, and there was a naked sledge race in Braunlage in February.
But there are far more Germans who find their nation's reputation for
nudity embarrassing and who wish their compatriots would just put some
clothes on.


Spectators cheer on participants at the third international naked sled riding event in Braunlage, Germany. Photograph: Matthias Bein/EPA

[RD]

That's pretty interesting about how it isn't uncommon for anyone to be nude in a park or somewhere like that, and even in the Tiergarten. Can any German here go into more detail on this on what the legal situation is on being nude in public?

[Delta]

Public nudity is not banned per se, however there are a few laws that might be applied regardless. One criminalizes "exhibitionist activity", with no further qualifications regarding what constitutes that being made. Interestingly, female exhibitionism is not regulated at all, so something like  would be legal under that law (though it might fall under the following section). However, it is only pursued as a crimefollowing a complaint or due to "special public interest" - streaking at a football game comes to my mind here.
Next we have the public indecency law. It only applies to "sexual activity", so if the nudity is convincingly non-sexual, that law does not apply. Also, you need to cause discomfort to someone for it to be considered a criminal offence.
Finally, there is disorderly conduct, which serves as a catch-all term for everything. Its meaning pretty much depends on the environment, the mood of the police officer and how well he likes you, covering everything from walking around in a bathing suit to taking a dump on the sidewalk. There is no way to predict whether it will apply without knowledge of the local customs, though there should not be a problem if you stick to established areas. In practice, you might be asked to cover up and be fined if you refuse, so nothing too wild.

[Bobbert]

Thank you for the explanations, guys!

[Leah]

The article was a bit of fluff but yes some parkland areas such as Tiergarten in Berlin and Englischergarten in Munich it is not unusual to see large numbers of people sunning in the buff and I would recommend any travellers to try it out.  the clue is if you see 10 or more people naked you will be fine and in the right area.

As identified in the article the beaches of the Baltic and lakes have FKK areas though in my limited experience it just meant there are fewer naked people in the textile areas and fewer dressed people in the FKK areas.

So look for the signs when on the beach: