Joint baths and saunas
Almost all saunas and baths in Germany are shared. This means that men and women, children and old people - everyone steams and washes together. The main problem for Russians is that they have to do it completely naked. You will not be allowed into the steam room, wash room, or swimming pool in a swimsuit or swimming trunks. Rubber slippers are also prohibited.
The Germans believe that any synthetic material in a humid and hot environment evaporates dangerous chemical compounds. This not only harms the person wearing synthetic swimwear, but also those around them. You simply will not be allowed into a German sauna in a swimsuit (or swimming trunks, if you are a man).
Even if you shyly cover up your sensitive areas, they will look at you in surprise as if you were a strange person. The Germans are not at all shy about their nudity. Teenage boys can safely swim next to the naked mothers of their classmates, and no one sees anything indecent about it.
General description of the bath complex
Baths in Germany and Austria are called baths or thermal baths, and this type of recreation, such as joint family trips to the bathhouse, is very common in these countries, so there are quite a lot of thermal baths in the cities.
Such baths are entire complexes that include not only steam rooms and a washing area, but also a whole range of additional services for a complete comfortable stay: cafes, bars, restaurants, massage and beauty parlors, entertainment areas, even hotels and gyms . So you can spend the whole day in such a complex, and not just one. If, of course, funds allow.
The zone associated specifically with the main bath procedures most often includes:
- Several steam rooms (Finnish saunas, Turkish hammams, salt saunas, infrared saunas, etc.), and there can be several of each type of steam room, divided in turn, for example, by the temperature maintained in them.
- Ice and hot water baths, as well as tipping tubs of ice water.
- Swimming pools. Often, in bath complexes, not only indoor but also outdoor pools are built, with the ability to swim from one to another without leaving the water.
- Lounge areas, music areas, relaxation areas with sun loungers. Like swimming pools, they can be either indoor or outdoor, in the fresh air.
- Other areas such as a jacuzzi, areas for steaming feet in hot water, water slides, “glasses” of cold water, etc.
- If the bath complex is built near thermal springs, then, among other things, there are pools with thermal water.
Of course, it is worth noting that each bath complex provides its own list of services and has its own zones, so if you are counting on any specific ones, it is better to familiarize yourself with their availability in advance.
Etiquette in German saunas
Men, women, children, the elderly - everyone washes naked in the same room. On rare occasions, some establishments offer separate swimming days, but this may only be once a week. On all other days, be kind enough to cast aside false shame!
If you enter the washroom wearing swimming trunks, you will be reprimanded and shown the door. So those who want to visit a German sauna should tune in to a nudist mood and, first of all, get used to their own nudity. Russian people, who are much more shy by nature, have difficulty accepting such orders. Some people, even after living in Germany for many years, simply avoid visiting the sauna.
But the fact is that German friends or even business partners can easily invite you to their home sauna. And in this case, you will have to strip naked and take a steam bath with everyone else. In this case, you should behave appropriately: do not blush, do not cover your most intimate parts and, of course, do not closely examine the figures of those around you.
What now
The family bathhouse is slowly but surely gaining popularity in our wide open spaces. The modern bath industry sensed the market conditions and demand for quality family vacations in time and is trying to satisfy this demand to the best of its ability, ingenuity and capabilities. Foreign experience in operating establishments of this kind is also a good help here. The trend has become so fashionable and timely that many establishments that had a reputation as a semi-gangster den with blackjack and girls of low social responsibility are in a hurry to correct their image and take the true path, which is the bathhouse for the family. In general, what is good and attractive about a family-type public bathhouse:
- Due to the specifics of the contingent, there are much fewer problems both with hired personnel and directly with visitors.
- As you know, about 60 - 65% of the profit of a bath business is not the main income, but specifically related products and services. Agree that the circulation of non-excise kvass, fruit drinks, and juices in the long term guarantees a more stable profit than beer, vodka, and cigarettes.
- Therapeutic and sports massage are now more in demand and popular than the massages that were widespread in the 90s.
- The orientation of the bathhouse business under the slogan “to the bathhouse with the whole family” guarantees communication exclusively with the relevant control and supervisory authorities, and not with the police and prosecutor’s office. Naturally, the family in this case has nothing in common with the Sicilian mafia formations.
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The most pleasant
The procedure of swimming in such places is very pleasant and relaxing. In public saunas you cannot speak loudly or make any noise at all. This may prevent other guests from enjoying their stay. You can sit or lie on the shelves only on special bath towels, which are 2 meters long. You cannot touch wood with bare skin. It's not hygienic.
You should arrive at the beginning of the “aufguss” - pouring out the stones - on time. It is important. During aufguss, a sauna employee pours water with honey, eucalyptus or orange aromatic oils on the stones and diligently disperses the steam. At the same time, he entertains visitors: he tells them jokes and jokes. You cannot leave the hall at this moment, so as not to let off precious steam. You can only leave if you feel sick.
Then you can start swimming. Some saunas play pleasant music during Aufguss and hand out free salts, creams or ice cubes for the skin. After the procedure, you may be offered a cup of tea, fruit or ice cream. All this is already included in the entrance ticket price. Aufguss in saunas are held according to a schedule, so it is customary to arrive on time so as not to disturb the special beauty of the ceremony.
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It’s been a long time since I read V. Soloukhin’s story about how, back in Soviet times, he visited a German public bathhouse and was impressed. About the topic of German washing with an erotic slant without complexes and without anything at all, see below
Many Russians when visiting Germany encounter serious cultural barriers that separate our countries. The German mentality is very different from the Slavic one. This is explained by both cultural traditions and freer European views. The strongest culture shock among Russians is caused by German saunas and baths...
Joint baths and saunas
Almost all saunas and baths in Germany are shared. This means that men and women, children and old people - everyone steams and washes together. The main problem for Russians is that they have to do it completely naked. You will not be allowed into the steam room, wash room, or swimming pool in a swimsuit or swimming trunks. Rubber slippers are also prohibited.
The Germans believe that any synthetic material in a humid and hot environment evaporates dangerous chemical compounds. This not only harms the person wearing synthetic swimwear, but also those around them. You simply will not be allowed into a German sauna in a swimsuit (or swimming trunks, if you are a man).
Even if you shyly cover up your sensitive areas, they will look at you in surprise as if you were a strange person. The Germans are not at all shy about their nudity. Teenage boys can safely swim next to the naked mothers of their classmates, and no one sees anything indecent about it.
Etiquette in German saunas
Men, women, children, the elderly - everyone washes naked in the same room. On rare occasions, some establishments offer separate swimming days, but this may only be once a week. On all other days, be kind enough to cast aside false shame!
If you enter the washroom wearing swimming trunks, you will be reprimanded and shown the door. So those who want to visit a German sauna should tune in to a nudist mood and, first of all, get used to their own nudity. Russian people, who are much more shy by nature, have difficulty accepting such orders. Some people, even after living in Germany for many years, simply avoid visiting saunas.
But the fact is that German friends or even business partners can easily invite you to their home sauna. And in this case, you will have to strip naked and take a steam bath with everyone else. In this case, you should behave appropriately: do not blush, do not cover your most intimate parts and, of course, do not closely examine the figures of those around you.
Where can you hide
The sauna in Germany is divided into 2 zones. The first is the actual washing room and steam room. They are called Textilfrei, which roughly translates to “clothing-free zone.” In the remaining rooms - the lounge area, water slides and bar - you can walk around modestly wrapped in a towel or in swimming trunks. By the way, not all Germans do this. Many continue to shamelessly walk around in what their mother gave birth to. Not every Russian is able to accept, let alone understand, this.
The most pleasant
The procedure of swimming in such places is very pleasant and relaxing. In public saunas you cannot speak loudly or make any noise at all. This may prevent other guests from enjoying their stay. You can sit or lie on the shelves only on special bath towels, which are 2 meters long. You cannot touch wood with bare skin. It's not hygienic.
You should arrive at the beginning of the “aufguss” - pouring out the stones - on time. It is important. During aufguss, a sauna employee pours water with honey, eucalyptus or orange aromatic oils on the stones and diligently disperses the steam. At the same time, he entertains visitors: he tells them jokes and jokes. You cannot leave the hall at this moment, so as not to let off precious steam. You can only leave if you feel sick.
Then you can start swimming. Some saunas play pleasant music during Aufguss and hand out free salts, creams or ice cubes for the skin. After the procedure, you may be offered a cup of tea, fruit or ice cream. All this is already included in the entrance ticket price. Aufguss in saunas are held according to a schedule, so it is customary to arrive on time so as not to disturb the special beauty of the ceremony.
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