In this bath the motto is "rest instead of slide". Compared to modern spas, the autenhausen recreational facility looks like a relic from a bygone era. The swimming pool, picturesquely situated on the edge of the seblach district in the creek bed of the kreck, is nevertheless not to be reduced in size. The 40th anniversary of the facility will be celebrated this weekend.
People liked to swim in autenhausen even after the second world war: residents of the then still independent community used a weir on the kreck to cool off in the water. Since it was located in the immediate vicinity of the zonal border, however, land mines from the GDR border fortifications that had been sprayed into the water often clouded the pool.
In search of a safer place to swim, the municipality loved to dredge a pond in the erlenbachsgrund, but it was quickly overrun by algae. This is how the plans for a swimming pool behind the sports ground came into being. The construction was a great effort for the small community. On 25. June 1972 the new facility was put into operation. Since then, a lot has happened: the technical and sanitary facilities have been modernized, the changing rooms have been renewed, the roof has been renovated and a paddling pool has been built for the smallest bathers. When the sun and warmth are missing, the water is heated to a constant 25 degrees thanks to the heating system.
In view of the current weather conditions, only a few visitors dare to enter the open-air swimming pool. Nevertheless, lifeguard siegfried schmidt (better known as "der siggi") has his hands full: supervising the pool, maintaining the entire facility, mowing the lawn, cleaning the pools, checking the water quality, cleaning, tidying up and looking after the guests – especially those who belong to the groups booked into the neighboring campgrounds.
Read more