German public swimming pool availability

In late May 2026 the outdoor Freibad in Babenhausen opened its season with a traditional ceremony, free coffee, pretzels and a city‑wide volunteer‑recognition day. A pre‑opening ticket sale began on 22 May and the municipality forecast warm weather up to 28 °C, inviting local clubs to join the celebrations.

Berlin’s Kombibad Spandau Süd remains shut after a legal objection to the award of renovation contracts delayed the procurement board’s decision. The next ruling is expected in mid‑September, pushing any construction start beyond the 2026 bathing season and likely into 2027.

To offset the shortfall, the Berlin Volksbühne theatre erected a temporary outdoor pool – the “Volksbad” – in front of its historic façade. The €300 000, 25‑metre‑long basin (5 m wide, 1.3 m deep) offers free access, a beginner swim course, synchronized‑swim training and evening DJ sets, staffed with lifeguards, changing rooms and a fries stand. Under new intendant Matthias Lilienthal the pool will stay open free of charge until 1 October 2026. Tickets are allocated in two‑hour slots that can be booked online three days in advance; it operates weekdays 12 – 20 h, Thursdays 13 – 21 h, and is closed on Mondays, Sundays and during inclement weather. €90 000 covered the pool itself, the remainder funds staffing, safety and planning. Lilienthal describes the project as a “loving embrace of the city” and a protest against Berlin’s lack of public swimming facilities. Civic group Gemeingut in BürgerInnenhand praised the pool but condemned nearby SEZ demolition work, accusing the Berlin Senate and SPD officials of undermining social infrastructure and calling for a moratorium on the demolition.