Organised Naturism: 19th and 20th century¹⁴

Image from “Man and the Sun” by Hans Suren, 1924

The establishment of naturism as a structure has its origins in 1893 with the creation of the German club Naturheil-Verein-Essen-Ruhr, although it was only officially recognized in 1905. It started as an association that strived to preach and practice natural healthcare, and though its name has changed since - now being Licht-Luft-Sportgemeinschaft Essen - it still maintains its strong unity and beliefs as when it first opened its doors. In 1900, a natural sanatorium was created in Germany that would expand on the development of nude sunbathing as a healthy practice, that would later become an activity shared by people of all genders. However, it was not until 1903 that an official naturist establishment was founded by Paul Zimmermann, named Freilicht Klingberg. This included dedicated areas for sporting activities that naturists could use at their will.

Naturist associations continued to form in France, Austria, and Germany throughout the 1900s and eventually spread to other countries around the world, only slowed down by the outbreak of the First World War in 1914. According to some scholars, naturist literature had a strong influence in the 1920’s with writers such as Hans Surén, who started explaining the philosophical debates that surround naturism, focusing on the distinct sensory narrative which is intrinsically linked to the practice. During the Second World War, many clubs suffered a decline of membership and activity, but nevertheless, some found a way to keep practicing their lifestyle. One example was the vast number of places in the Baltic Sea that became areas for nude bathing during the 1940s.

¹⁴History of Naturism Summary from „the history of naturism“ by Karl Dreßen Federations Focus February International Naturist Federation Newsletter Class 12, Issue 51, Publisher: INF-FNI February 2020