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