GERMANY: NAKED GERMANS WEARING ONLY SANTA CLAUS HATS TAKE THEIR ANNUAL CHRISTMAS DAY SWIM IN A BERLIN LAKE

Record ID: 646605

  • Title: GERMANY: NAKED GERMANS WEARING ONLY SANTA CLAUS HATS TAKE THEIR ANNUAL CHRISTMAS DAY SWIM IN A BERLIN LAKE
  • Date: 25th December 2004
  • Summary: BERLIN, GERMANY (DECEMBER 25, 2004) 1. WIDE OF SO-CALLED ICE SWIMMERS SINGING CHRISTMAS CAROLS BEFORE GOING FOR SWIM IN BERLIN'S ORANKE LAKE 2. CLOSE-UP OF WOMAN PLAYING ACCORDION 3. SWIMMERS SINGING CHRISTMAS CAROLS 4. CLOSE-UP OF MAN WEARING RED SANTA CLAUS CAP 5. SWIMMERS IN BATHROBES WALKING ON BEACH 6. "BERLINER SEEHUNDE" (BERLIN SEALS) EMBLEM ON BATHROBES 7. WOMAN UNDRESSING 8. NAKED SWIMMERS WALKING INTO WATER 9. BACK SHOT OF SWIMMERS WALKING INTO WATER 10. SWIMMER SHIVERING, PAN TO WOMAN IN WATER 11. SWIMMER ANDREAS BEYER, WEARING RED SANTA CLAUS CAP, FLOATING IN WATER 12. WIDE OF SWIMMERS IN WATER 13. (SOUNDBITE) (German) ANDREAS BEYER, ASKED WHETHER HE MISSED THE ICE, SAYING: "In Thuringia last week there was ice on the lake" (QUESTION: Santa Claus always goes swimming in ice cold water, right?) "But of course! (laughs) I've been doing it for years!" 14. (SOUNDBITE) (German) SWIMMER MICHAEL WEGLINSKI SAYING: "It's like a sauna effect: you get hot and then you cool yourself off." 15. SWIMMERS IN WATER 16. (SOUNDBITE) (German) UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE SWIMMER SAYING: "Like always, it's cold." 17. CLOSE-UP OF SWIMMERS IN WATER 18. SWIMMERS WALKING INTO WATER FOR SECOND ROUND 19. CLOSE-UP OF FACES 20. SWIMMERS IN WATER 21. WIDE OF SWIMMERS GETTING OUT OF WATER 22. BACK SHOT OF SWIMMERS 23. ANDREAS BEYER WALKING PAST IN RED ROBE AND WITH TOWEL 24. WIDE OF SWIMMERS DRESSING Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 9th January 2005 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BERLIN, GERMANY
  • Country: Germany
  • Reuters ID: LVA3O2HLUSF0S01KBO5BWZ0X3EIO
  • Story Text: Naked Germans take a dip at Christmas.


    About 30 Germans wearing nothing more than Santa
    Claus caps leapt into a Berlin lake for their annual
    Christmas Day swim on Saturday (December 25), believing
    that the dip in cold water is good for their health.

    The tradition dates back to at least 1980. The swimmers
    -- outnumbered by photographers drawn to the annual event
    -- built up their courage for the dip by singing Christmas
    carols and sipping mulled wine.

    The so-called ice swimmers, aged between 25 and 73,
    spent up to five minutes in Berlin's Oranke lake, where the
    temperature was one degree Celsius (34 degrees Fahrenheit).

    But some complained because there was no ice on the lake as
    in past years.

    Members of the club known as the 'Berlin seals' train
    year-round for the cold water Christmas swim and they
    believe the dips help them avoid illnesses.

    "It's like a sauna effect: you get hot and then you
    cool yourself off," naked swimmer Michael Weglinski told
    Reuters.


  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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