“Access to a lake in Germany is prohibited for those who do not understand German”

Berlin.- The managers of a lake bathing facility in Halle, in eastern Germany, have banned entry to those who do not have sufficient knowledge of German, considering it necessary for bathers to be able to understand the site’s rules and the lifeguards’ instructions.

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“We have to be sure that visitors understand our rules in order to guarantee safety,” said the recreation area manager, Mathias Nobel, in statements reported by several German media outlets, including the television channel NTV.

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The rule was created after an incident last weekend in which Nobel himself had to save a small child who had wandered too far into the lake, on one of whose shores the recreational area in the natural site is located, with access for bathers.

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“Our lake is 13 meters deep in some parts, that is too dangerous,” said Nobel.

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In a statement published on the Heidebad facility’s website, it is noted that “dangerous situations occur frequently because warning signs, information about depth, or instructions from lifeguards are not understood or are ignored.”

Above all, they emphasize, children must know how to behave in the water and be under the supervision of adults who know what they need to do. Furthermore, they add that people must be able to understand the lifeguards.

The new rule has already begun to be applied and there have been cases where people who appeared to have difficulty understanding the local language have not been allowed entry.

Halle is a city located in the federal state of Saxony-Anhalt where there will be regional elections in September and where the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) has 40% support in voting intention polls.