h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: Public Nudity in Munich, Germany - A71800409
Author: Mottenmann - U14556731

Dear Peer Reviewer,
from my point of view the Guide Entry is finished now. If you have any questions just let me know!

Welcome to h2g2, Mottenmann. You've chosen a very interesting subject and have got the idea of what this site is about.

I'm wondering if you've been here before in another guise, as, although you haven't got around to writing anything in your personal space, but have posted a whole entry in GuideML.

Very mysterious!

When I was last in Munich (the summer before last, I think), I didn't get the impression that there are many nudists in the Englischer Garten these days. It was certainly more fashionable a decade or two ago.

Your English is jolly good. However, one German trait that offends an English reader is that you omit to use the capital letter for Bavarian when you are using it as an adjective.

An ACE will be along shortly to welcome you to the site, and the Scouts and peers will join this conversation to discuss your entry. Don't be put off by criticism. That is what you uploaded your entry for: to be discussed and criticised. You will learn a lot, but don't forget: It's your entry in the end!

See you around!

Hi Trillian's Child,

I think I can clarify the mystery: I just updated my personal space. The introduction there should explain that I'm no absolute H2G2 beginner, but rather a sporadically emerging researcher. You know all that kinds of problems: long travels in space, time shift, missing the last space bus, ...

Thanks for your hint on Bavarian vs. bavarian - I'll correct that.

Concerning nudists in Englischer Garten: I think you are right. Being nude was more fashionable many years ago. Today, Munich nudists rather prefer going to less exposed places like the "Flaucher" which is an area at the Isar river about 5 kilometers upstream of the Englischer Garten.

Cheeers

Mottenmann

Isar is a lovely word.

Anything happening with this one?

I'm not sure, it's out there for all to see though.

A couple of comments in case Motterman comes back:

"about 500 meters to be exact)" It can't be about *and* exact.

"while a walk in a more southern direction towards the Bayerische Staatskanzlei would rather lead to him/her being taken into custody by a German or Bavarian official." Surely Bavarian officials are German officials? Or is this a state vs federal thing?

Also, the entry is about general public nudity in Munich. You mention at the end that there are other places where it is allowed but the only one you talk about in the entry is the English Garden. I'd like some more information on the others, or at least for them to be named if you want to use the English Garden as your main example.

It is a State vs Federal thing, but as it's the *Bayrische* Staatskanzlei, it's most likely to be guarded by State police than Federal ones.

In fact, I'm not sure there is such a thing as a Federal police force. There's the Bundesgrenzschutz, which I'm very vague about - could be the equivalent of the US National Guard. If I ever find out, I'll put it on my list of entries to be written. But before I did that, I'd like to cover the Italian police system which seems entirely over-developed and confusing to me.

Mottenmann hasn't posted on hootoo since Post 3 above.

Hi Elentary,

thanks for your comment.

- You are right about and exact is a contradiction - I'll fix that.

- Bavarian officials are of course also German officials. To explain that: the comment was a little ironic in order to reflect that Bavarian people often differentiate between Bavaria and the rest of Germany - even though Bavaria is a part (a county) of Germany. You often can see that on TV: e.g. when Bavarian people go to Rome to see Pope Benedict, they take their Bavarian flag with them - NOT the German flag. That's because Bavaria "counts more" in the eyes of the Bavarian people.

- Concerning the other places in Munich where public nudity is tolerated: the linked document ("Nacktbade Verordndung") lists all places - but just in German. Therefore I think your proposal makes sense: I'll add a complete list of places where public nudity is Ok. And you are right: I wanted to use English Garden as the main example because it is so unique that public nudity is tolerated so close to the city center.

It's true, Bavarians are special. I've heard, though, that you'll be hard pressed to find any Bavarians in Munich.

Thanks for the reply, Mottenmann. Glad to see you back.

Indeed - Bavarians are hard to find in Munich, especially Bavarian speaking Bavarians. And: it's even harder to find native Munich inhabitants in Munich. I'm a rare example of this endangered species - that's the reasony why I'm sharing my Munich knowledge before I fade away some day

Oh don't fade away Mottenmann!

I like this Entry, the only comment I can make is that the major words in the Headers should have capital letters.

eg




Public Nudity in Munich: where it's not allowed

--->


Public Nudity in Munich: Where it's not Allowed

and so on.

Otherwise

It reads well to me, with only a rare punctation or capitalisation standing out as you read it. Simple stuff the Sub-Ed can easily deal with. Nicely done!

Hi Lanzababy,

thanks for your comment - I'll change the header accordingly.

Concerning my fading away: I planned to do that some time later anyway

Hi Mottenmann,

Can you please remove your final sentence from the entry. Also, the double quotation marks ["] should be changed to single ['] in keeping with the house style.

Please don't fade away until we've got you through to the next stage

lil xx
Scout

Hi Mottenmann. This Entry is terrific. You've embraced the style of h2g2 perfectly, so well done for a great first attempt. Our only suggestion, apart from seconding lil's comment on the final sentence, is maybe looking again at the first paragraph. Instead of mentioning the other Entries (although it's a great idea to link to them by mentioning them in passing), you could do with a sentence introducing the subject of nudism in Germany, and them outlining why the unique case of nudity in Munich is unique. Here's a good example of an Entry with a clear and descriptive first paragraph: A28387524 Hope that's helpful.

Hi dear H2G2 editor,

thanks for your proposals - I changed my entry accordingly and added an introductory paragraph. I hope that language is OK, because I had no change yet to let my English teacher review it.

A lovely entry on an interesting subject.

I'm sort of glad to see that the Englischer Garten still has Nackedeien (Rheinland, at least, for 'nudie cuties') in it. When we lived in Munich in 1978-79, there were always some sunbathers around, even when I thought it was a bit cold for that sort of thing. I remember a fellow student, visiting from Tuebingen (he was from the US), who was shocked at the sight.

Back in those days, Munich became full of Bavarians on Saturdays. They strolled through the Viktualienmarkt in Lederhosen, carrying lethal walking sticks. We were afraid of them.

We created a classification system for these aggressive birds, based on the decoration on their hats: one short feather, not so bad. Two feathers or a long feather, more dangerous. Gemsbart (that thing that looks like a shaving brush), worse. Very large Gemsbart, run for the Frauenkirche.

The introduction looks good to me.