Full Breakdown
Berlin Theatre Cancels Race-Specific Swimming Event Amid Threats
8/15/2026, 8:13:19 AM
Core Event: Cancellation of Black-Only Pool Session
On August 14, the Volksbühne theatre’s temporary outdoor pool “Volksbad” was to be reserved exclusively for Black children, teenagers and their families. Organized with anti-racism NGO Each One Teach One (EOTO), the session was cancelled at the last minute after organizers cited “right-wing and racist agitation,” threatening emails and safety concerns.
Background & Context
The €300,000 (? $346,000) publicly funded pool opened on August 7 and is normally free to all Berlin residents. Berlin’s anti-discrimination law permits protected spaces for groups that experience discrimination, a principle artistic director Matthias Lilienthal said the event was meant to uphold. The eight-week summer programme includes allocated slots for partner organisations; the August 14 slot was earmarked for EOTO.
Timeline
- August 7 – Temporary pool opens to the public.
- August 11 – Pool closed due to technical problems with showers.
- August 13 – Spokeswoman states uncertainty about public swimming from 6 p.m. that evening.
- August 14 – Exclusive session for Black children cancelled following safety concerns and hostile media coverage.
Data & Statistics
- Cost: Approximately €300,000 (? $346,000) from public funds.
- Size: 25 m long, 1.3 m deep (? 82 ft).
- Operating period: August 7 – early October, with occasional reserved slots for specific groups.
Official Statements & Responses
- Each One Teach One said racist threatening emails and social-media comments made it impossible to guarantee a “relaxing afternoon” for participants and promised a replacement activity for Black children later.
Criticism & Opposition
- Alice Weidel, AfD co-leader, called the arrangement “apartheid” and urged an immediate cut of tax funding.
- Stefan Evers, Berlin’s finance and culture senator (CDU), argued that “sorting people by skin colour” has no merit.
- Aileen Weibeler, CDU district councillor, said she felt uncomfortable being excluded because she is white, calling the measure “discriminatory.”
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Cost figures differ: the New York Post cites $346,000, while Brusselsignal reports “about €300,000.” Both refer to the same public investment.
- Pool dimensions appear as both “82-foot-long” and “25 m long,” reflecting different reporting formats.
- No detailed information is provided about the exact number of children registered or the specific security measures considered.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Apartheid as a model for Germany?” — Alice Weidel, AfD leader
- “I find it completely unacceptable that a theater heavily subsidized with public funds would misappropriate taxpayers’ money for a swimming pool,” — Alexander Krauss, Berlin Taxpayers Federation chief
- “We will continue working with Eoto, we will continue our events, and we will also come up with an activity for these children and young people.” — Matthias Lilienthal, artistic director
What’s Next
The Volksbühne announced it will develop an alternative activity for Black children and young people at a future date, while the pool remains open to the general public for the rest of the summer. The partnership with EOTO suggests further protected-space initiatives may be planned, subject to security assessments.
