The Heidebad in Halle (Saale) has for the past few days only admitted visitors with sufficient German skills. The operator justifies the rule on safety grounds after an incident last weekend.
Manager Mathias Nobel told the Deutsche Presse-Agentur that staff must be sure visitors understand the pool rules. The lake reaches depths of 13 meters in places. Last weekend Nobel himself rescued a small child from deep water.
The rule has been in place for a few days. At the entrance, staff decide case by case if understanding problems exist. Nobel reported criticism but stood by the decision. He rejected English signs, saying nobody reads them.
Leipzig pools take a different approach. They display pictograms and rules in German, English, Arabic and Ukrainian. Spokeswoman Katja Gläß said all guests are welcome.
