Volksbühne Theater Cancels Exclusive Swim Event for Black Community

Berlin’s Volksbühne theater and anti-racism group Each One Teach One (EOTO) recently canceled a planned exclusive swimming event for the city’s Black community, citing safety concerns, The Berlin Spectator reported on August 14th. Originally scheduled for Friday afternoon, the event would have reserved the theater’s temporary outdoor pool for members of Berlin’s Black community to enjoy a few hours of swimming without the burden of racism.

However, EOTO revealed that they faced a barrage of hostile reactions following the announcement, including racist threatening emails, threats of violence, and discriminatory comments on social media. The cancellation of the event also came amid the temporary closure of the Volksbad pool due to issues with its showers. Theater director Matthias Lilienthal acknowledged the cancellation but maintained that the group’s commitment to supporting disadvantaged communities remained steadfast.

Lilienthal stated that the theater would still pursue positive measures to support structurally disadvantaged people, though the priority now lies in protecting guests, partners, and staff. The pool, known as the Volksbad, has been a fixture outside the Volksbühne since August 7th and will continue to operate until early October, with select days reserved for various organizations, including EOTO.

The event in question drew significant backlash, with far-right AfD leader Alice Weidel deeming it an "Apartheid" measure and a young Berlin CDU local politician protesting her exclusion as white. Despite the controversy, Lilienthal defended the arrangement, asserting that the Volksbühne’s primary focus is to empower disadvantaged groups.

He reminded the public that Berlin’s public swimming pools are commonly reserved for organized group events.