Waypoint 14

Influence of WW2: Suppression & Co-option

The relationship between naturism and the Nazi regime in Germany was complex, marked by initial suppression followed by selective endorsement aligned with ideological goals. While early Nazi policies sought to dismantle many organised naturist movements, the regime later co-opted elements of naturism to promote its racial and physical ideals.

Naturism Under Nazi Rule

In early 1930s, the Nazi dictatorship viewed organised social nudism with suspicion, associating it with indecency and potential subversion. Many naturist organisations had socialist, pacifist or leftist associations, making them incompatible with Nazi ideology. Consequently, numerous nudist organisations were banned in 1933 as part of broader moral and political crackdowns.

However, later that year, the regime permitted certain nudist activities, provided they conformed to Nazi ideals of promoting physical health and the Aryan physique. This selective endorsement aimed to utilise naturism as a tool for advancing the regime’s racial ideologies, particularly through fitness programs and state-sponsored outdoor activities.

German Soldiers and Naturism in France

During World War II, German soldiers stationed along France’s Atlantic Wall engaged in nude sea bathing. Photographic evidence from the era documents this practice, reflecting a continuation of German naturist traditions, even within a military context. This suggests that despite the Nazi regime’s official restrictions, elements of naturism persisted informally among certain groups.

Post-War Influence

The Nazi regime’s fluctuating relationship with naturism - from suppression to strategic endorsement - reflects broader ideological contradictions. The practice of nude bathing by German soldiers on French coasts during the occupation may have contributed to the post-war development of naturist centres, as veterans and others sought a return to open-body freedom beyond authoritarian constraints.

In August 1953, the International Naturist Federation was founded in France, solidifying the region’s importance in the post-war naturist movement. By 1980s and 1990s, France had become the world's leading destination for naturism, attracting millions of tourists annually.

Naturism under Communism

Naturism was largely suppressed under Soviet-influenced Communist rule; however, Yugoslavia, - under Tito’s socialist but relatively liberal policies - became an unexpected hub for naturist tourism. In 1961, the first official naturist resort in Eastern Europe opened on the island of Koversada (Croatia). The Adriatic coast became a key destination for Western European and local naturists, making Yugoslavia one of the rare Communist nations where naturism flourished.

Illustration Idea: Archival photographs of banned German naturist organizations, images of German soldiers bathing nude on the Gironde coast, and early promotional material from CHM Montalivet’s post-war naturist movement.