Amid a high number of fatal drowning incidents this summer, Peter Harzheim, president of the Federal Association of German Swimmers, has urged parents to take a stronger role in ensuring their children can swim. Speaking to the “Rheinische Post,” Harzheim stated that many parents are insufficiently focused on teaching their children how to swim safely. He criticized the casual approach, arguing that simply dropping children off and telling them to “just try” is not enough.
Harzheim was particularly critical of parents using smartphones by the poolsides. “When they are at the outdoor pool, they are stuck on their smartphones instead of dedicating time to their children,” he said, calling the prevalence of phones in recreational pools “a catastrophe.”
Furthermore, he highlighted the severe staff shortage in many public baths. The president of the swimming federation noted that they are missing over 3,000 lifeguards. This shortage, he explained, has direct consequences: pool operating hours must be shortened, which subsequently hurts the swimming abilities of young people.
Meanwhile, politician Janine Wissler of The Left called on the federal government to tackle the issue. According to Wissler, the “alarmingly high number of drowning victims is linked to the inadequate swimming skills of young people.” She argued that governments ignoring or underfunding dilapidated or non-existent pools are effectively accepting more drowning accidents each year.
Wissler believes that annual funding of at least one billion euros is necessary to maintain swimming facilities until the mid-2030s. In addition to increased and improved swimming instruction-so that all children can swim safely by the end of primary school-she called for free entry to pools for all children and free use of aquatic centers by sports clubs, schools, and universities. She concluded with a strong warning that Germany must not become “a country of non-swimmers.”
