German public baths. First time in a german bath

German baths in Moscow in the classical sense are not common. As for sanariums, this novelty of the bath market is finding more and more admirers.

What is a sanarium

Sanarium is a type of sauna invented in Germany. It is characterized by a combination of more gentle indicators of temperature and humidity in comparison with other types of baths.

The air temperature in such a sauna does not exceed +60 degrees, and the humidity is no more than 45-50%. Thus, a very mild and pleasant climate is created in the sanarium, reminiscent of the atmosphere of a tropical forest.

IN Russian bath, Turkish hammam or Finnish sauna can be difficult to stay for a long time even healthy person. In addition, there are large lists of contraindications for visiting them. The creators of the new German sauna tried to minimize the number of restrictions on visiting it.

A sauna operating like a sanarium is not recommended if:

pregnancy;

Critical days;

Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;

Respiratory tract diseases during exacerbation;

problems in the central nervous system;

epilepsy;

Malignant tumors.

In modern high-tech saunas, which certainly include sanariums, air temperature and humidity levels are regulated using a control panel. Having created the most comfortable conditions for yourself, you can stay in such a sauna for up to 30 minutes, in contrast to the recommended 10-15 minutes for visiting a standard sauna.

The aromatherapy procedure in the sanarium, which is very popular in any baths, is also automated. This sauna is equipped with a special unit equipped with an ultrasonic essential oil spray generator.

Another possibility of this bath is color therapy. Special lamps are mounted in the walls and ceiling of the sanarium, which alternately emit white, yellow, red, green and purple light. This smooth change of lighting creates an unusually positive feeling, and on a chemical level, it stimulates the production of endorphins. In addition, sanarium saunas are equipped with stereo music systems with an extensive repertoire. Of course, both light and music can be adjusted or turned off completely using the remote control.

In terms of health benefits, this German sauna is on par with other types of baths:

Has a positive effect on metabolism;

Helps cleanse the body;

Helps fight viral infections;

Trains the cardiovascular, circulatory, respiratory and endocrine systems;

Regulates the work of the nervous system;

Eliminates pain;

Improves blood circulation in the limbs;

Helps with sleep and appetite disorders;

Restores strength;

Prepares skin for subsequent spa treatments.

German style vaping

The procedure for soaring in Germany and some other neighboring countries differs from the generally accepted in the world not by the design of the baths in which this takes place, but by the approach to the process itself.

Saunas or, as the Germans themselves most often call their public baths, thermal baths are usually part of a water complex or water park with various sports and entertainment pools, attractions, a restaurant area and spa rooms. For every average city, there are 5-10 such establishments.

Steam rooms in these baths are not divided by sex, age or any other sign. In all saunas, even sanariums, even ordinary ones, men, women and children are steamed at the same time. Moreover, a rule has been established everywhere, sometimes confirmed by a special sign, that one should be naked in the sauna room, maximum in a towel. Perhaps it's all about habit, but no one considers joint sweating erotic. Looking at each other, and even more so getting to know each other while taking bath procedures, is considered the height of indecency.

It's funny, but some 300 years ago, foreigners, including Germans, were deeply amazed at the Russian bath tradition of washing male and female together.

For example, the German scientist and traveler Adam Olearius, who served in the 17th century as secretary of the Schleswig-Holstein embassy in Russia, described his impressions in his Description of Muscovy as follows: and rub my body with heated birch brooms, which I could not bear, then, when from such heat they turn all red and exhausted to the point that they are no longer able to stay in the steam room, they run out of it naked, both men and women, and bathe cold water, and in winter they wallow in the snow, rub their body with it, as if with soap, and then, having cooled down in this way, they again enter hot bath».

Anyone who has ever been in a sauna knows that being there in any kind of clothing is sheer torment. However, since Catherine II forbade women and men to enjoy bathing procedures at the same time, washing together in public institutions we never returned. Nevertheless, those who wish to visit saunas in German, that is, without gender division, can use separate rooms with steam rooms, pools and relaxation areas in almost any bathhouse in our country, designed for relaxation in any composition.

The well-known blogger zazerkaliya told LiveJournal about how to still go to the bath, but not lose your own dignity. The post is interesting at least because it is written brightly and convincingly.

As you know, the Germans go to the sauna to bathe together - men and women. Naked. Last year, in Austria, a grouchy Austrian asked me and my girlfriend to leave the sauna because of our swimwear. Rather, he offered to undress. Here is such an intolerant man caught, if Arab women in burkinis came, he would not utter a word, for sure. But to hell with him. We then came for fun, we did a tolerance test, so to speak. In a tolerant Europe, there should be an intermediate option in the common sauna between burkini and naked all together.

No, the Germans do not provide an intermediate civilized option. In last year's post about the Austrian sauna "They told me to undress in the Austrian sauna" there were more than a thousand comments, and a third of them wrote angrily that they say this is their tradition and they don't like it - don't go. Unbelievable, but true, a third of those who spoke in such a way, what flexibility of opinion! If you are so flexible, when you come to the UAE, you immediately put on white clothes without panties, as is customary there, and wrap your women in black burkinis? No, do not put on and do not wrap. And when do you come to Africa to see wild tribes? Do you also wear loincloths like them? Traditions? And when you visit Asians, do you immediately start eating all the rubbish that they eat and chew? Some of them still offer their wives to the white master. How are you? Traditions.

So where are you in German bath Are you ready to take off your pants and your women and go to the sauna? Because the traditions are Germanic? What flexibility of consciousness however! That is, you put yourself above Africans and Asians, which is not an honor for you to sink to their level, but below the Germans, who, obeying their traditions, are ready to take off their panties for themselves and their women. Well, it's your choice. My choice is to believe that these traditions are savage. What prevents making separate saunas and not forcing women to humiliate themselves by steaming with other men in saunas is not entirely clear. Tea is not medieval. There are enough resources. Water and firewood, as in the Middle Ages, when the whole family washed with neighbors in order to save resources, there is no need to save.

Ski resorts gather skiers from all over Europe - both the south, where it is wild to bathe in common saunas, and the north, where this is, as it were, the norm. So why not make separate steam rooms at international resorts, and not impose your habits on vacationers, half of whom are not Germans at all?

I am now in Tyrol, in the Dolomites, which used to belong to the Austrians. Geographically, this is Italy, although the locals consider themselves Austrians, but most of the guests here are Italians from all over Italy. Full of Russians, of course, and other nationalities. What is the problem with making separate saunas? What nafig traditions, if these traditions everywhere in the world have outlived their usefulness two centuries ago.

By the way, the owner of my house, which I rent here in the Dolomites, told a funny story about how Americans came to rest in it. They asked where the thermal complex was, the hostess told, but warned that the saunas were shared there. The Americans did not understand her and asked her five times what she meant. Then, judging by their reaction, they did not understand or simply did not believe her. When they returned from the thermal complex, they excitedly told her that they were shocked by such a disgrace that naked men and women were steaming together. The Americans were shocked by this circumstance.

Yes, how to get into these cherished saunas after skiing in the mountains and not naked in front of other people's men and aunts? I wrapped myself in a towel. I just took a few towels to make a bed, as expected, and turn around with a second towel. I was ready to send three letters in Russian, literally, if some bastard intolerant of my towel would speak out that my towel interfered with her. They looked, but remained silent. But, to be honest, it's me again, for the sake of the experiment.

The sauna filled with naked men and women did not give me any pleasure. You have to be born German for this to be the norm. And yes, they look at women in the sauna, look at them. Do not tell fairy tales that in German saunas men suddenly turn into amorphous creatures and other people's boobs cease to excite them. On colorless German women and saggy everything that can sag, of course they don’t care. And on our girls, in full juice, they even look in the pool. And if our girls came naked to the sauna, everyone would be there. But our girls don’t humiliate themselves like that and know their worth - they don’t run around naked but in German saunas, which I wish you too.

It is difficult to write a reliable story if you yourself, with your own eyes, have not seen something. This article about the German bath helped me to write my very good friend - Andrey. There is no doubt about the reliability of the information, a person has been living in Germany for a very, very long time.

Fans and connoisseurs of the bath, sauna enthusiastically speak of Finnish bath. Someone says that there is nothing better than a Russian steam room. And only sophisticated connoisseurs know about the features of the German bath.

If you are going to Germany, read this article to be fully prepared and be sure to take a bath! The Germans also understand something in the steam rooms!

Of course, the German bath is completely different from our Russian steam bath with a massive stove. This is more like a sauna, not a bath in the full sense of the word. Although, there are some similar points, but more on that later.

But not all saunas are built near thermal waters, this is an optional condition.

Special german sauna

The Germans do not have such a reverent attitude to the bath, like the Finns or Russians. I asked my friend: “When you enter the sauna, it smells like a bathhouse. There is a feeling that you are definitely in the bath"?

It smells nice in the sauna and, of course, there is a feeling that you are in a sauna. But compared to the Russian bath, these are not the same feelings.

- Andrey

The bath complex itself is divided into two sectors. In one sector, there is a shower, a pool, and in the other, the steam room itself.

The arrangement of the sauna is quite ordinary: shelves and the stove itself. The German sauna does not hold tanks, basins, buckets and brooms.

Swim shorts or swimwear are not allowed in the German steam room. You can steam completely naked.

This is due to the Germans' belief that synthetic fabric is not environmentally friendly, for the same reason it is forbidden to wear slates or rubber slippers in a German bath. These are the rules of pedantic Germans ...

Another one of important rules visiting the bath - keeping silence. Do not distract visitors from the process. Only silence, enjoying the warm air and pleasant aromas!
If one of the ignorant visitors violates this ban, then he may even be reprimanded.

Yes, you won’t hear here: “Give it to the park”, no one grunts or groans at the shelf. Our peoples have a completely different mentality.

But they still know how to give in to the park in the German bath. They just do it their way...

Ceremony Aufgus (Aufguss)

Translated from German, Aufguss means infusion, pouring. I asked Andrey to explain, in plain Russian, what is the meaning of this procedure. And this is the response I got:

Water or ice mixed with aromatic oils… It is for this reason that there is an amazing aroma in the sauna.

The meaning of the procedure is that the stones in the furnace are partially doused with cold or hot water. When infused, the water evaporates and increases the humidity in the sauna. Evaporation of sweat on the skin is complicated and the body heats up even more.

At Aufguss, a special wooden basin is used, from which the stove is poured.

- Andrey

Ceremony Aufgus, there is nothing else than our Russian bath fun to give in to the park! Only each nation has its own park. We can have kvass, beer, birch infusion. But the Germans have aromatic oils.

How is Aufgus

The park is given to the park by a special person „Saunameister“ who is assigned to it. Before Aufgus they open the door and start a large number of fresh air.

The air from the street is driven into the sauna with a towel. This saunamaster then disperses the steam from Aufgus around the sauna with a towel.

- Andrey

The master's movements are more reminiscent of a kind of bewitching dance with a towel in his hands. It's like a real show: moral, physical and aesthetic satisfaction is guaranteed!

The schedule of the ceremony usually hangs in each steam room. You can easily navigate by the start time of Aufgus.

It is quite difficult to say exactly how long Aufgus takes. The duration can last only 6–8 minutes, but there are also record steam deliveries!

Aufgus can last more than 20 minutes. Regardless of the time, you cannot leave the sauna before the end of the ritual.

After the end of fragrant soaring, another ceremony begins - visitors drink beer!

The secret highlight of the German bath

If you are a shy person, then the following fact may shock you.

home secret highlight the German bath is that they do not have a division into male and female halves.

German sauna - shared. Here they like to visit the steam room with the whole family and consider it inappropriate to separate the visit by gender.

Steaming naked is the rule!

Men and women are warming themselves, splashing in the pool, washing in the shower together. And no hesitation! No swimwear!

But still there are saunas in which only women's days for visits. For some, this is a very pleasant departure from the rules. For example, it would be difficult for me to feel comfortable in a sauna completely naked next to men.

An anecdote immediately comes to mind:

“If a naked man accidentally ends up in a women's bath, women squeal and try to splash boiling water on him ... And if, by chance, a naked girl gets into a men's bath, on the contrary, all men are very happy, friendly. This once again proves the kindness of a man's heart.

Public baths in Russia

In fairness, it is worth noting that in Russia until 1743 there were no divisions into male and female baths.

They went to their own baths in the villages separately, but the city baths were all common. Hence the sayings, familiar to all of us: “There are no generals in the bath”, “Everyone is equal in the bath”.

And the division into visiting the bath was introduced by Catherine the Great. Joint baths existed for only one century, and this is quite a long time.

Conclusion

In conclusion of the story about the German bath, it remains to say that the days of the sauna are not strictly defined. You can walk at least every day.

Women's days are usually Tuesday or Thursday.

Now a few words about the prices for German sauna services. Andrei is talking about visiting cards, but for us these are subscriptions. So:

Pay and hourly rates. The cost depends on the institution, on the owner. I can't say exactly.

On the territory of the sanatorium, for example, visiting the sauna is often already included in the price. On the territory of the pool, the tariffs are lower than if you go specifically to the sauna.

A day card costs approximately 14 euros to 20 euros. Up to 15 hours cheaper, but not by much. There are 10-time cards.

Rates go up on weekends. It's cheap fun!

- Andrey

This is how we got the story about the German bath. Each nation has its own bathing culture, each nation has its own mentality and beliefs.

What seems wild to us, others do not cause hostility. People see the world and themselves in it in their own way.

I did not see anything bad, shameful or shocking in the bathing culture of the Germans.

For them, the sauna is a place of relaxation, physical and aesthetic pleasure. If you are in Germany, go to the sauna. Easy steam and new impressions!

For the first time in a German bath. Well, yes, they are all nudist.

One evening, about 2 months after I moved to Germany to my husband, after walking around the evening town, a glass of mulled wine in the cold and eating a huge French pancake with custard, my husband suddenly says to me: Yes, you know, one colleague invited us to the sauna tomorrow. He will pick us up at 8:30 in the morning.

What kind of sauna, I ask incredulously. I know these German saunas, although I have never been.

So, the husband says, there is a Russian sauna, they even say there is a swimming pool in the neighboring town, shall we go?

Well, why not?

Colleague is a punctual guy, well, we have already learned too. We left exactly at 8:30. On the street, everything is frosty, there is no snow, but there is definitely a minus 2.

We arrive in the city of Lingen, Freizeitbad Linus. Before us is a huge sports complex, glass and concrete, and inside you can see a pool and palm trees. Well, just a Parisian water park. And then a colleague says: Yes, if you have a camera with you, don’t take it there. You can't take pictures there. The Germans generally do not like being filmed. Leave it in the car.
Ha, wow, a secure facility, I think.

At the entrance we buy tickets, we are given wristbands and a chip for the sauna.

Already in swimsuits and with bags we pass through the pool area. Of course, this is not a Russian sauna, my husband misunderstood everything, but all together - a huge water complex. There are five different pools - sports, entertainment, hot, children's, with access to the street, with pipes, slides, fast flow, boilies, and I don’t know what.

But our path is to the sauna. There is a separate door leading to it. You apply the chip - and you go. And then the main shock awaited me. Three cherished letters were written on the door - FKK.

For residents of Germany and those who know German, everything is immediately clear. FKK - Freikörperkultur, culture free body. In short, a nudist zone.

The area was huge. Four different steam rooms: Finnish, Russian, bio, steam (hammam), relaxation room (really - couches and sleep on them), an ice water pool, a large outdoor area.

Well, what are we going to do, the husband asked, untying the rope on the swimming trunks. At this time, a colleague approached us, well, without anything at all. Do we have a choice?... I answered quietly and took off my bathing suit.

Then hysterical laughter began to disassemble me, so I had to hide in the shower. I saw a man who had... well, THERE was a ring with a balloon.

Actually, everything) I laughed, pulled myself together, took a big breath ... and then we spent almost half a day in this unforgettable place. I haven't experienced more pleasure in a long time.

Started from Finnish sauna, which can only be accessed from the street (minus 2, remember, right?)

We continued in the pool. Then the main ceremony began.

In the Russian-type sauna, that is, wooden and with a heater, at exactly 11 o'clock an uncle came with two buckets. One had ice in it. It has such an interesting shape - you can put it on your fingers) In the second - water with a ladle. He closed the door and began to pour water with some additives on the stones - well, everything is just like ours. But then he took a towel and began to disperse the steam - first gently, on top, then with a towel for each. It is something. The procedure was repeated 5 times, each time it was getting hotter and hotter.

After 15 minutes, we fell out of there, wet with sweat and steamed to the bone. All at once, without anything at all, hurried to the playground on the street and began to walk barefoot on the frozen grass. I can imagine how it looks from the outside...))) Naked men and women, from whom steam pours, walk in the cold, not noticing anything around...)

These sessions are held once an hour. Between them, you can have time to swim in all the pools (to go to common area, you need to put on a nasty cold swimsuit) or just sleep in the bedroom. You can also jump into an ice pool or douse yourself from a tub, it is also with ice water, hanging on ropes under the ceiling.

Then you can sit on a sunbed with your legs up and meditate, looking at a huge aquarium. Or soak your feet in special foot baths. Or eat - you can come there with your own food. Or buy in a cafe, right there, by the pools. In this area you can steam ...)))

In general, comrades, we got hooked on this matter.

A little about how dumb it was to take off your swimsuit. Maybe only at the first moment. Then you very quickly realize that, in general, no one cares about you, and all your cockroaches about the imperfection of your body are only in your head.

Yes, but it costs 14 euros per person for everything about everything, without time limit. Including a sauna with towel-waving sessions (remember: called aufguss, when you are in Germany and see a sauna with aufguss - immediately go there!)

For a long time I have already read the story of V. Soloukhin about how, back in Soviet time he visited the German common bath and was impressed.

About the topic of German washing with an erotic bias without complexes and without anything at all, see below

Many Russians visiting Germany face serious cultural barriers that separate our countries. The mentality of the Germans is very different from the Slavic. This is due to 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 - all bathe and wash together. the main problem for the Russians is that it is supposed to be done completely naked. Neither the steam room, nor the washing room, nor the pool will let you in a bathing suit or swimming trunks. Rubber slippers are also prohibited.

The Germans believe that any synthetic 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 will simply not be allowed into the German sauna in a bathing suit (or swimming trunks if you are a man).

Even if you embarrassingly cover up "causal places", they will look at you in surprise, as if you were a strange person. The Germans are not at all ashamed of their nakedness. Teenage boys can safely swim next to the naked mothers of their classmates, and no one sees anything indecent in this.

Etiquette in German saunas

men, women, children, elderly people- all bathe naked in the same room. In rare cases, some establishments arrange separate days for swimming, but this can only be once a week. On all other days, please cast aside false shame!

If you enter the washing room in swimming trunks, you will be reprimanded and shown to the door. So those wishing to visit the German sauna should tune in to the nudist mood and, above all, get used to their own nudity. Russian people, who are much more shy by nature, have difficulty accepting such orders. Some, 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 a home sauna. And in this case, you will have to strip naked and bathe along with everyone. At the same time, you should behave adequately: do not blush, do not cover your most intimate places and, of course, do not stare at the figures of those around you.

Where can you hide

Sauna in Germany is divided into 2 zones. The first is actually a washing room and a steam room. They are called Textilfrei, which roughly translates to "no clothes zone". In the rest of the rooms there is a lounge area, waterslides and a bar - you can walk modestly wrapped in a towel or swimming trunks. By the way, not all Germans do this. Many continue shamelessly walking around in what their mother gave birth to. Not every Russian is able to accept, let alone understand this.

The most pleasant

The very procedure of bathing in such places is very pleasant and relaxing. In public saunas, you can not speak loudly and in general make any noise in any way. This may allow other guests to enjoy their stay. You can sit or lie on the shelves only on special bath towels which are 2 meters long. You can't touch wood with bare skin. It's not hygienic.

Coming to the beginning of the "aufguss" - pouring stones - should be on time. It is important. During aufguss, a sauna employee pours water with honey, eucalyptus or orange aroma oils on the stones and diligently disperses the steam. At the same time, he entertains visitors: he tells them jokes, jokes. It is impossible to leave the hall at this moment, so as not to release precious steam. You can only leave if you feel bad.

Then you can start swimming. In some saunas, pleasant music is turned on during aufguss, salts, creams or ice cubes for the skin are distributed free of charge. After the procedure, you may be offered a cup of tea, fruit or ice cream. All this is already included in the price of the entrance ticket. Aufguss in saunas are held on schedule, so it is customary to come to them on time so as not to disturb the special beauty of the ceremony.
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