Swimmers in Berlin call for the repeal of the swimming ban in the Spree river
In the heart of Berlin, hundreds of residents gathered for a "swim demonstration" on Tuesday, challenging a 100-year-old ban on swimming in the city's main waterway, the Spree River [1]. The event, organised by the advocacy group Fluss Bad Berlin, aimed to highlight clean water and press for permanent swimming rights.
The Spree, once a popular bathing spot in the early 20th century, was closed due to pollution from the expanding metropolis [2]. However, industrial pollution is no longer a concern in the Spree, but sewage is still periodically discharged during heavy rainfall [3]. Proponents of swimming in the Spree argue that technology exists to monitor water quality and ensure it is safe for swimming [3].
The current status of the ban is that it still officially stands, but was briefly lifted during the protest event in August 2025 [1]. City officials in the Mitte district have expressed interest in reintroducing river swimming, potentially as soon as 2026 [3]. The campaign proposes designating a boat-free stretch of roughly 1.8 kilometres near Museum Island for safe public swimming [1][3].
However, not everyone is convinced. Some caution persists over occasional sewage discharges during heavy rainfalls, which can temporarily degrade water quality. Authorities and some residents may be concerned about hygiene, safety, and ecological impacts if swimming is broadly permitted [2].
Dilara, a 30-year-old marketing professional, was pleasantly surprised by her first time swimming in the Spree, despite living close by and jogging past it frequently [4]. Alisan Yasar, a 28-year-old lawyer, described the swim as "wonderful" but admitted that there are lingering preconceptions against swimming in the Spree among Berliners [4].
Katrin Androschin, one of the organisers of the demonstration, stated that it is not a luxury to make a public waterway from an already existing one [5]. She argued that a central location for river swimming could help prevent people from getting sick due to heat-related issues caused by climate change [5].
The reopening of the Spree canal to the public is a goal of the activists organising the swim demonstration. This move would follow in the footsteps of cities like Paris, where the Seine River was cleaned for the Paris 2024 Olympics and three swimming zones were opened to the public for the first time since 1923 [3]. Stretches of the Isar river in Munich have also been made safe for bathing after UV disinfection measures were introduced in the city's wastewater treatment plants [3].
While some have objected to the cost of opening the river to bathers, considering it a luxury that Berlin can't afford [1], the gathering saw participants wearing colorful bathing costumes and inflatable rafts [1]. The debate continues, with city officials considering the proposal and environmentalists pushing for a more sustainable and accessible city for all its residents.
References:
[1] The Local, 2025, Berliners stage 'swim-in' to demand lifting of century-old swimming ban
[2] Deutsche Welle, 2025, Berlin's Spree River: A century-old swimming ban and the fight for clean water
[3] The Guardian, 2025, Berlin's Spree River: a century of swimming ban could end as water quality improves
[4] Berliner Zeitung, 2025, Berliners take to the Spree for swim demonstration
[5] Tagesspiegel, 2025, Berlin's Spree River: activists demand permanent swimming rights
- In light of the ongoing discussions about climate change and its impact on health, Katrin Androschin, an organizer of the swim demonstration, asserts that having a central location for river swimming could help prevent heat-related illnesses among Berlin residents.
- As the Spree river has shown significant improvements in water quality, proponents of swimming in the river argue that with the application of monitoring technology, it can be made safe for outdoor living and integrated into lifestyle choices such as environmental-science, home-and-garden activities, and outdoor-living hobbies.
- While some city officials and residents express concerns regarding hygiene, safety, and ecological impacts of broadly allowing swimming in the Spree, supporters of the swim demonstration see it as an attempt to promote a more sustainable and accessible city, following in the footsteps of cities like Paris and Munich that have made efforts to clean their waterways for public use.
