regional customs
With a pointed hat for Christmas swimming in the lake
The members of the winter swimming club “Pirrlliepausen” have gathered for their traditional Christmas swim. photo
© Bernd Wüstneck/dpa
Courageous winter swimmers in Brandenburg don’t miss out on the icy refreshment of the festival. Members of the “Pirrlliepausen” club jump into the ice-cold lake.
The water temperature is comparatively mild at four degrees Men and women from the winter swimming club “Pirrlliepausen” went into Lake Senftenberg in Brandenburg on Christmas Eve.
With pointed or bobble hats on their heads, the winter swimmers splashed around in the cold water for a few minutes. Last year the winter pool was significantly fresher with a water temperature of two degrees.
With air temperatures of six degrees and water temperatures of four degrees, it was clearly too warm for the Christmas swimmers on Sunday. “It’s really nice at ten degrees minus in the air and one degree plus in the water,” said club spokesman Peter Lehmann. “It’s a lot more fun when you have to hack a swimming hole in the frozen lake when the sun is shining and the sky is blue.” According to the club, “Pirrlliepausen” is an old North German expression for icicles.