Issue with Unregulated Swimming at Plötzensee: District Increases Penalty Threefold
The Plötzensee, a designated landscape protection zone within the Volkspark Rehberge, has been a longstanding issue due to wild bathing. Despite the fence around the Plötzensee, people continued to use it for swimming, which has been prohibited since September 2021.
In an effort to improve public safety and discourage unauthorized swimming in potentially dangerous, unregulated areas, the district office of Berlin-Mitte has significantly increased fines for wild bathing at the Plötzensee.
The new fines for those caught wild bathing at Plötzensee have been raised from 83.50 euros to up to 1,000 euros. This sharp increase reflects the seriousness with which the local government is treating the issue.
The newly set fine for wild bathing at the Plötzensee is 228.50 euros. The district office emphasizes the need for changing the behavior of wild bathers. If a wild bather does not show insight, a fine will be imposed. However, if a wild bather accepts the warning fine on the spot, it indicates a certain remorse and recognition of the mistake.
The district office argues that the fine serves as both a punishment and an educational tool. The increase in the fine was deemed necessary almost four years after the swimming ban was introduced due to a lack of change in people's behavior regarding wild bathing.
It is important to note that only the official beach at the Plötzensee is permitted for swimming. Accessing other fenced-off shore areas at the Plötzensee is prohibited. The Plötzensee, located within the Volkspark Rehberge landscape protection area, is a protected zone, and unauthorized activities such as wild bathing can have detrimental effects on the environment.
The authorities hope that the increased fines will serve as a deterrent and encourage people to respect the rules and swim only in designated areas for their safety and the preservation of the environment.
In relation to the increased fines at the Plötzensee, one might opt to adopt a home-and-garden lifestyle, such as maintaining a beautifully landscaped garden, instead of engaging in wild bathing that has resulted in controversy. Alternatively, to maintain an active lifestyle, one could consider participating in sports, like swimming at the official beach, rather than risking fines or harm from wild bathing banned areas.
