Splashing into history at the Auebad. Can you imagine a river swimming pool? That’s exactly what the Auebad in Kassel was. Opened in 1923 by Mayor Philipp Scheidemann it was a beloved project. Seven swimming zones and eighteen smaller pools existed in the Fulda River. A true marvel for its time. This river paradise saw up to 20000 bathers daily before World War II.
The war devastated the Auebad. Post-war it was rebuilt. It wasn’t the same though. Bather numbers plummeted to 7500 a day. The water was cold. The Fulda was polluted. The Edertalsperre dam is blamed for the colder water.
A transformation was needed. In 1955 a new Auebad opened. Three concrete pools replaced the river. Clean drinking water filtered and circulated. The new facility covered 32000 square meters. It boasted a swimmer’s area a non-swimmer’s area a ten-meter diving tower and a mobile grandstand. The Hessische Nachrichten newspaper hailed it as Kassel’s Copacabana.
Decades passed. The Auebad aged. By 2008 it was a ruin. Buildings were collapsing. The technology was outdated. The pools were unsafe. Renovation costs of nine million Euros were deemed too high.
In 2010 demolition began. Only the historic diving tower remained. A new Auebad was built. It opened in 2013 costing 32 million Euros. It replaced other city pools. Now it’s a combined indoor and outdoor facility. A 50-meter sports pool a spa pool a warm water learning pool and a children’s paddling pool are indoors. Outdoors are more paddling pools water features a slide a pirate play ship the old diving tower and an outdoor pool. A speed slide was added later.
The Auebad is a testament to Kassel’s resilience. It’s also proof of a city’s dedication to recreation. From its humble river beginnings to its modern glory the Auebad continues to provide refreshing fun. In 2019 a record-breaking 404000 visitors flocked here.