While trying out a nude hiking route of the WNT, I encountered a patrol of German Ordnungsamt, wanting to stop me because of nudity. To be more precise, it is not completely new, but a alreay used one, which has been modified with new sections.
Hiking in the buff in western Westphalia – Archive photo 2019
I passed a car park, which is situated at a barbecue area and a children's playground with sandbox and swings. A few cars parked there – among them a vehicle of the Ordnungsamt of Kreis Coesfeld [en: Coesfeld District]. Two employees apparently took care, that because of COVID-19 people do not form groups.
“Stop, what are you doing?”, one of the gentlemen said to me. “I'm caring, to keep me in good health status: Therefore, I'm hiking”, I replied. “But not like that. That is not allowed.”, he replied.
“Yes, it is. I've been doing this for many years. In October 2018, regional daily newspaper Westfälische Nachrichten interviewed a spokesman for the police in Münster (Westf.) and a department head of the citizens' office in Senden about this.”, I explained.
During the conversation, I fetched out a small folded printout of the WN article “Freie Körperkultur im Venner Moor: ‘Nacktwandern ist keine Belästigung’” [en: “Naturism in Venner Moor: ‘Nude hiking is not a nuisance’”] out of the linen bag, which I carried on a shoulder, and offered it to the gentlemen at a distance compliant with COVID-19 for reading.
One of the gentlemen of the Ordnungsamt took the printout, unfolded it, and both read the article.
“We didn't know that. Please excuse the interruption. We wish you a nice hike in the buff.” was their reaction, they returned the printout neatly folded up. My hike was saved!
Hint: Maybe, it can also help you, if you have a printout of the WN article with you, when you are nude in Germany! Link to the article (PDF).
– Report and archive photo: Rainer