A lakeside swimming area in the central German city of Halle has sparked debate after introducing a new rule that bars visitors from entering if they do not have sufficient command of the German language.
The manager of the Heidebad lake swimming area, Mathias Nobel, confirmed the policy to the German news agency Deutsche Presse-Agentur (DPA) on Monday, saying it had been introduced out of concern for visitor safety rather than any desire to exclude people.
"We need to be sure that visitors understand our bathing rules and be consistent enough to guarantee the safety of our guests," Nobel said.
He explained that staff would assess the situation at the entrance on a case-by-case basis, with the primary concern being whether bathers understood how to behave safely in and around the water. Nobel acknowledged that the decision had drawn criticism but said the facility intended to hold its position.
A near-tragedy prompted the change
The rule was introduced following a serious incident the previous weekend, when Nobel, who is himself a qualified lifeguard, had to pull a toddler from water that was far too deep for the child to be in safely. The lake reaches depths of up to 13 metres in places, which Nobel described as simply dangerous.
He said the problem had become particularly acute on hot days, when large numbers of visitors arrived at once and existing information signs posted around the facility were not enough on their own to ensure safe behaviour.
Since the rule came into force a few days ago, a small number of visitors have been turned away at the entrance.
Communication between lifeguards and visitors is central
Nobel stressed that children especially needed to understand how to conduct themselves near water, and that they had to be supervised by adults who were equally informed. He also pointed out that lifeguards needed to be able to speak directly with visitors in an emergency.
If an entire group arrived without a single person capable of communicating in German, he said, he and his team had serious reservations about allowing them access to the facility.
