During the sweltering summer of 2026, Germans have flocked to outdoor swimming pools in ever greater numbers to escape the scorching heat.
And with baking temperatures in Berlin reaching a record 39.9C (104F) this summer, there have been plenty of days when diving into cool water has seemed particularly appealing.
But as temperatures have soared, tensions have also boiled over.
And in Germany this has resulted in the politics around pools blowing up into a heated national debate – as left and right fight a bitter battle for control.
Of course this is not the first time that swimming pools have been caught up
To provide well-rounded coverage and a breadth of insight across various events, we rely on contributions from several staff writers, each bringing their own area of expertise to our publication.
