death toll exceeds 40 in Bavaria as lifeguards advocate for enhanced swimming instruction
In Bavaria, concerns over the rising number of drownings, particularly among children, have prompted a concerted effort to improve swimming education and promote water safety, especially in rural areas.
Andreas Roesch, spokesperson for the German Life Saving Association (DLRG), has expressed his concern over the high number of drownings, with more than 40 people having drowned in Bavarian waters this year. The DLRG aims to address this issue by increasing the number of active trainers, including parents, to ensure that every child learns to swim.
The issue is particularly prevalent among children from poorer households, with 49% of them not knowing how to swim. In rural areas, the closure of swimming pools requires large distances for alternative lessons, exacerbating the lack of swimming lessons and leading to more non-swimmers.
To combat this, the DLRG hopes to offer whole swimming mornings in schools instead of occasional double lessons. This initiative aims to lead to a long-term decrease in accidents and deaths in Bavarian waters. However, it appears that specific school curricula or rural-targeted measures are not yet detailed, suggesting that further research or inquiries with Bavaria’s education and sports authorities would be necessary to gain more insight.
The temperatures in Bavaria are rising again, exceeding 30 degrees, making the need for water safety measures even more urgent. The number of drownings is alarming due to the sudden heatwave and cold water in rivers and lakes. Every second child between six and ten years old in Bavaria does not have a swimming badge, highlighting the need for improved swimming education.
Efforts to improve swimming education and reduce the number of non-swimmers involve enhancing school sports programs and organizing inclusive sporting events that promote swimming. For example, the Special Olympics National Games held in Erlangen in 2025 included swimming competitions with over 200 athletes participating, reflecting a focus on increasing swimming activity and skills across the region, including disadvantaged groups.
Such events help raise awareness and participation in swimming sports. The Office for Sport and Health Promotion in Bavaria plays a key role in these efforts, supporting initiatives that encourage swimming through organized sports and health promotion offices. Inclusive sporting events like the Special Olympics foster broader engagement on swimming education beyond urban centers.
In addition, there is a need for demand plans at the municipal level to identify missing swimming pools and plan new construction. Nationwide, 117 people have drowned so far this year, with between 70 and 100 swimming pools closing nationwide each year, affecting rural regions disproportionately.
The DLRG's ultimate goal is for every child to learn to swim by 2035, a goal that, if achieved, could significantly reduce accidents and deaths in Bavarian waters. The fight against drowning during the bathing season continues, with Andreas Roesch and his colleagues preparing for the busy weekend ahead.
- The German Life Saving Association (DLRG) is aiming to decrease accidents and deaths in Bavarian waters by introducing whole swimming mornings in schools, which could lead to a long-term decrease in drownings.
- The issue of children not knowing how to swim, particularly those from poorer households, is being addressed through enhancing school sports programs, inclusive sporting events promoting swimming, and initiatives led by the Office for Sport and Health Promotion in Bavaria.
- To meet its goal of every child learning to swim by 2035, the DLRG recognizes the need for demand plans at the municipal level to identify missing swimming pools and plan new construction, particularly in rural areas where closure of existing pools creates a significant gap in swimming education.
