German towns offer free summer swimming for children

The city of Gera in eastern Germany will provide free admission to its Naturbad Kaimberg for all students holding a school ID during the first school‑holiday week, from 6 to 12 July. The pool will be open daily from 09:00 to 20:00, and extra public‑transport services on line 18 will run between Zwötzen and Kauern to improve access.

In the neighbouring state of Hesse, an anonymous resident has paid the entry fees for every visitor under 16 at the Ziegenhain Freibad in Schwalmstadt for the entire summer‑holiday period, from the start of the holidays on a Friday until 9 August. The donor, who also uses the pool himself, chose to remain unnamed. The municipality expects the free‑entry programme to support families that cannot afford holiday travel, while noting that the non‑swimmer pool remains closed for renovation.

Both initiatives aim to encourage outdoor activity and community cohesion among children and youth during the hot summer months.