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Last Updated: Jan 30, 2009 - 8:51:10 AM |
Climbers in the Swiss Alps last autumn were confronted with more than
just stunning mountain panoramas. A group of nudist climbers were
enjoying the fresh air, much to the surprise of their fully clad
counterparts.
But their antics riled the authorities in the canton of Appenzell
Innerrhoden, who now aim to stamp out the fledgling trend. If a law
proposed on Wednesday is passed, those found trekking in the nude will
be fined 200 Swiss francs (about €135) starting this year.
Melchior Looser, justice minister in the scenic northeastern canton,
pressed for new measures to deter those with a taste for au naturel
walks. "We have do something to prevent this objectionable behavior
before the weather gets warm again," he said. "After all, children also
spend time in the mountains in the summer."
He complained that, although local police detained a naked hiker last
autumn, he could not be fined as rambling in the nude was not covered
by any law. Last year's minimally-clad climbers were inspired by a Web
site touting the region as a paradise for naked hikers, news reports
said.
Those preferring to trek in the buff get a more welcome reception
elsewhere in the German-speaking world. In the central German Harz
mountain range, two villages put themselves on the map last year by
advocating special routes through their forested slopes as an ideal
stomping ground for naked hikers.
And the practice of "FKK" (which stands for "free body culture") is a
serious pursuit in Germany. Nudism was already popular at the beginning
of the 20th century and enjoyed a heyday in the 1920s, but was later
suppressed by the Nazis. It regained popularity after the war,
especially in the communist East Germany. Since reunification, German
FKK fans of all ages sunbathe in the nude as well as partaking in naked
sports ranging from canoeing to horseriding.
Source:Ocnus.net 2009
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