Berlin, a city of uninhibited self-expression, is a place where one can experience the most profound sense of liberation, especially when visiting a sauna. The concept of baring it all, with no clothes to hide behind, might seem strange to most, but it is part of the German culture that has been embraced by locals and tourists alike.
As a writer, I sought to experience this concept by visiting a reputable sauna during winter in Berlin. My journey taught me a lot about nudity and etiquette, revelations I'll share with you.
So buckle up! Here are a few things I learned, about nudity, myself, and being naked among others, while visiting a sauna in Berlin.
Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Nudity
Through the ages societies have diversified in step with customs, rituals and cultural norms.
Along with Scandinavians, Germans have developed a sense of disinhibition in their comfortable attitude to being naked among others. The German attitude towards nudity can be traced back to ancient times, where public baths were a common feature of daily life.
Today, nudity is widely accepted in many areas of German society, including beaches, parks, and saunas. It is seen as a natural and healthy expression of the human body, and there is no shame or embarrassment associated with being naked in public.
However, this cultural attitude is not universal in Germany and may vary depending on the region or individual. And Germans also place a strong emphasis on etiquette and respect for others when it comes to public nudity. For example, it is considered rude to stare or make inappropriate comments towards others who are naked.
This attitude is in contrast to that which Australian society has adopted, the country of my childhood and adolescence.
The idea regarding Germans' sense of disinhibition caught my intrigue and fuelled my curiosity, sending me to a reputable sauna while in Berlin during winter.
My Initial Reaction to Visiting a Sauna in Berlin
Coyly opening the reception door, I purposely avoid eye contact with the other guests who, from detection by my peripheral vision, appear to be in modest attire - perched upon their recliners.
I notice that the dressing room is in full view of the reception. It also happens to be the only fluorescent room within eyeshot and is filling, second by second, with German people de-robing. The complex thought process that ensues should send me sprinting from the complex, leaving only a trail of my footprints in the melting snow.
However, the repeated and steadily increasing volume of a resounding “Can I help you?” raises me from my trance and keeps me inside.
The pair of squinting emerald eyes in my face force my attention back to the situation at hand.
“Is this your first visit to our sauna?” she inquires, in harsh, whispered Germanic tones.
“Yes,” I reply, with noticeable hesitation wavering the stability of my voice.
After further investigation, she determines that I'm a novice at the sauna gig so she amicably outlines simple instructions I should follow in order to get the most out of the experience.
Baring My Soul - Getting Naked
After walking in the direction of her gesturing hand with my towels in tow, I begin undressing as though it's the first time I have ever done so.
Filled with trepidation, I firmly wrap a towel around my waist while manoeuvring my underwear out from underneath.
Glancing to the right, I detect indignant glares directed towards me. Surrounding me are six stark naked German men, towels hanging patronisingly around their necks.
As swiftly as I can, I close the locker and, with a passing smile, dash into the shower room.
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Commencing Rituals - the Naked Shower
As I enter, the barriers regarding modesty that Australian society has instilled within me since infancy, are forced to dislodge.
Hanging orderly along the wall - as though a group of soldiers standing to attention - are four shower heads, without cubicles, walls or barriers dividing them. The receptionist clearly explained the importance of showering before entering the sauna, indicating that it's compulsory (a piece of hygiene etiquette I learn is upheld in saunas across the country).
Attentive to the location and movement of the other guests, I make haste for the closest shower head - hanging my towel precariously close to the water’s edge - and begin to shower, facing the wall.
“Bist du hier für die Sitzung um zwei [Are you here for the session starting at two]?” queries a thickly accented German voice that has mysteriously appeared to my left.
In the absence of conscious thought, my hands leap downward in an attempt to preserve a sliver of modesty.
“Aha, you are not living in Berlin. You are just wisiting. I see.”
Before I can reply, he begins explaining the ethos of the sauna experience.
“This is a strange experience for some foreigners. You are not comfortable with your bodies. We are not looking at each other here in the sauna. It is not about sex but enjoying the heat when it is cold outside.”
Slowly releasing the grasp my hands have anxiously assumed in maintaining dignity, I feel a sense of liberation gradually begin to emerge.
After regaining composure, the receptionist motions us towards the large room at the back that contains the Finnish-style wood-fired sauna. “The session will begin now,” she indicates.
Full Exposure - Naked Among Others
Entering the room, my entirety shakes as the heat rushes through the doors and slaps me, like a coarse Saharan wind.
I bashfully withdraw the towel firmly wrapped around my waist, and lay it carefully on a section of available bench, then sit tightly on top of it. I'm perched between two burly Berliners.
Sitting shoulder to shoulder and completely exposed, I begin to understand myself more intimately. The 'sacredness' of the naked human form, an idea promoted by puritan ideals (common in mainstream Australian society), has been holding me captive.
Hot and Steamy - Comfortable Being Naked among Others
Glancing around the sauna, it becomes evident that the intruder in the shower was right: all eyes are either closed in a trance-like state of relaxation - heads directed towards the window outside of which fresh snowflakes are decorating the courtyard - or locked on their own bodies.
Water is poured on the hot coals, steam rising heavenward, which is captured by the towel being waved up, down and across (by the receptionist), sending it in hot waves towards each naked body.
As sweat trickles down my entirety - filling every crevice, I select a piece of sliced orange off the platter being passed between us. I suck on its cold, succulent and sweet core then lean back against the hot wall.
It is now that my body-image issues and insecurities become less apparent. I again feel a little more comfortable, despite my initial discomfort.
Although precious, I don't think our bodies (or minds) were designed to hold us as captives.
Note: this image is not from the sauna I visited in Berlin but it was captured inside one I have attended since then. It's uncommon to be allowed to take photographs inside saunas.
Is it some contemporary societies with their norms, constructs and constraints that have dictated the way we should look, act and feel?
Revelations about Being Naked Among Others
Entering the courtyard in my birth-suit and standing under snowflakes falling from the skies is exquisite. Not only is the sensation of contrasting hot and cold invigorating, being naked without feeling completely uncomfortable, in this moment, feels right.
As I'm joined by others dressed in like manner, the truth behind the conversation in the shower begins emerging. Some men are standing around, discussing business, while others appear engrossed in the recount of weekend events being relayed by their friends. Nobody's here for sex (at least not in this facility!).
As I'm standing naked beside them under the communal showers at the end of my visit, there is no compulsion to cover myself: my mental growth has not been superficial.
I have begun peeling back a layer that, for years, has filled me with the demons of body-image discomfort.
The German attitude to appropriate public nudity I have witnessed during the sauna visit has awoken with me a sense of positive body image, which I hope will over time release some of my trapped demons.
Lessons I've Learned about Being Naked Among Others
I have learned a valuable lesson on nudity during my sauna visit in Berlin. Being comfortable with our body should not be a privilege withheld for certain people or societies. Non-sexual nudity around others, especially those of the same gender, is about having a healthy attitude towards body image.
Although I don’t condone brazen acts of nudity performed in unsuitable social settings, I feel people should be comfortable enough within their skin to be naked around others.
Ultimately, whether we’re tall, short, thin, fat, hairy or bald, we are all born in like manner - without clothing. Anatomically, within either gender, our architecture is the same.
Embrace your body and liberate it by visiting a sauna in Berlin (or elsewhere in the world)!
There are many saunas in Berlin and throughout Germany. I chose to visit Olivin Wellness Lounge Sauna which happened to be within walking distance of my chosen accommodation, Pfefferbett Hostel.
Do some research, ask for local advice and choose a sauna that suits your budget and style.
