JAYNE SCHUSTER (USA)

Co-founder of the American Nudist Research Library, Inc. in 1979

J. READ SCHUSTER (USA)

(1922 - 90)
Founder of the American Nudist Research Library, Inc. in 1979

FREE BEACH MANIFESTO

1. Nudity on the beach is neither lewd nor indecent.

2. A growing number of young Americans, currently comprising several millions, want to establish nude beaches on private and public lands.

3. Democratic principles clearly imply that local governments have the obligation to implement these legitimate demands by officially designating some beach areas for nude bathing.

4. The number and extent of these areas should be proportional to the percentage of persons who indicate a preference for nude beaches.

Eugene Philip Callen (1975)

GERMANS LIKE NUDE VACATIONS

Hamburg –Eleven per cent of German adults like to spend their leisure hours in the nude, the Institut für Demoskopie market research organization has discovered. They also prefer naturist holidays.

So, with a potential market of four million Germans, the success of Otto Böcher was guaranteed. He specializes in holidays of the nudist variety.

Oböna, Herr Böcher's agency, is currently undergoing a tidal wave of applications for holidays at his various European nudist resorts. The staff has been forced to work a shift system to cope with the enquiries.

Already about 150,000 Germans from 300 clubs spend their summer vacations at the handful of clubs available within West Germany. Böcher's camps –in France, Yugoslavia and Italy– contain luxuries like miniature golf courses and railways, sauna baths, volleyball courts and snack bars.

Now Böcher wants to break into the cruise field with his naked customers. He has chartered the 3,000-ton steamer Jugoslavija for 14-day Mediterranean trips beginning in the autumn.

He attributes his success partly to the fact that there are no lists of rules on behavior. “We expect our guests to behave responsibly,” he says.

–Travel Press International

(Source: The Bulletin, Volume 19, Number 6, June 1970)

CATEGORIES OF PUBLICATIONS DEALING WITH NATURISM

Since 1966, there have been four main categories of magazines and periodicals dealing with the naturist movement.

i) The first category includes periodicals published by national federations, members of the International Naturist Federation (INF). These are not on sale to the public, and are usually posted to paid-up members of registered clubs as a benefit of their affiliation. All contributions, photography and advertisements are subject to strict control by the editorial board.

ii) The second category includes the independent papers and magazines produced by naturists and non-naturists in an attempt to promote the movement from another side. They usually contain articles of general interest to naturists such as health, sports, nutrition, and so on. A number of them in order to boost their sales include pictures of young female models in rather provocative poses similar to the ones of the early fifties and sixties.

iii) The third category includes periodicals of general interest that cover the naturist movement as well. Relative articles, photographs and reports, specially during summertime when there is a great interest of the public in naturist holidays.

iv) The fourth category includes the so-called "pseudo-naturist" periodicals that overwhelmed the market in the late sixties. They are detrimental to the naturist movement because their main purpose is to present the movement from the sensual part of life by showing naturists as sex maniacs. Their editors publish young ladies' pictures supplied from various agencies, and even if they give a good write-up of a naturist resort the pictures are of well-endowed females, mostly models. Classified and general advertisements usually refer to their readers' needs such as exchange of sexy pictures, wife-swapping, heart lines and so on.

In the above four categories TV programmes are not included, although channels include documentaries and talk shows ones covering the naturist front or activities related to public nudity. Some journalists may practice naturism and their reports are rather favourable. However, they tend to exaggerate.

Leaders of the movement are urged to correct false reports and statements by supplying necessary material to their editors. Inaccuracies can lead to misinterpretation.

These days public nudity is accepted in many public lands but genuine naturism is on the wane.

STRATEGIC BEACHHEAD LOST

San Diego voters turned out in near record numbers September 20, 1977 to rescind the city's 1974 ordinance permitting nude bathing on Black's Beach. The final count showed 86,113 (54.85%) in favor of rescinding the controversial ordinance and 70,884 (45.15%) against the move. Foes of nude bathing had warned "promiscuity" and even crime! at Black's Beach, and that apparently helped bolster the 55 percent of the voters who called for the ban on nudity, although police said the beach was the scene of fewer arrests than other beaches... Many of the beach's nude frequenters, including Nude Beaches Committee chairman Robert Jacobs, vowed to continue their fight to regain the right for nudist freedom.

On October 5, 1977 the City Council voted 8-1 to rescind the "swimsuit optional" zone, that had been approved in the summer of 1974. The ban was effective immediately. The lone dissenter in the 8-1 vote was Councilwoman Maureen O"Connor, a devout Catholic, who opposed the ban on nudity by supporting that nude bathing was widespread at European beaches. A practical poltician, indeed!

Enforcement of the new ban by giving out citations began on November 6 with poor results. Nudity, even illegal, has had a long tradition at Black's Beach.

The beach has enjoyed great popularity with nude bathers and has attracted hundreds of visitors to date.

In the 1980's regulars established the Black's Beach Bares and issued a monthly newsletter under Al Spencer's guidance witty pen, now taken over by Lloyd Johnson, held various events and took care of the enviromental issues. Surfers, gliders, bird watchers, frisbee and volleyball players, body painters, artists to mention a few have frequented the beach.

Freebeachers have enjoyed nude sunbathing in spite of the ban and the signs at the entrance of the trails.

(Sources: The Bulletin, Bare in Mind & Beachhead, 1977-80)

EASTERN EUROPE DIFFICULT DEVELOPMENT

In East European countries naturism has difficulties to break through. After the rapid evolution in Yugoslavia and, to a less degree, on the beaches of Rumania and the GDR, Bulgaria has now its naturist site, near Ropotamo.

In spite of the continuous efforts of the INF itself and of its correspondent in Sofia, Dr. Todor Bostandjiev, a psychiastrist, (who is preparing a publication on naturism), the Bulgarian authorities remain reluctant. Recently, the national tourist organization, Balkantourist, officially informed the INF that "they had not succeeded in obtaining an authorization to create campings and other accommodation facilities for naturists in this country." Ropotamo was not mentioned anymore.

On the other hand, the Tourist Department in Sofia previously communicated that they were willing to put free beaches and campings at the disposal of foreign naturists on condition that the INF or its affiliated federations could guarantee a certain number of visitors every year.

Also Poland has shown its interest in naturism: two Polish observers visited the INF Congress in London last summer.

Finally, there are rumours about a small naturist site being created at the borders of Lake Balaton (Hungary), where a small group should be trying to come to a certain form of organization. More concrete details on this project will be gratefully welcomed at the secretariat.

(Source: INF Press Bulletin, November 1970)

„ICH ÜBER MICH“

Autobiographisches von Karlwilli Damm

Ich wurde am 8. November 1908 zu Kassel geboren, wo ich mich auch die längste Zeit meines bisherigen Lebens aufhielt und wirkte.

Nach dem Abitur studierte ich in meiner Heimatstadt Pädagokik und wurde Volksschullehrer. Im Konflikt mit den Nazis wurde ich 1935 an den entlegensten Ort des Rheinlandes, nach Elten, versetzt. Als Soldat war ich die längste Zeit in Rußland. Mitten im Krieg heiratete ich. In dieser Ehe wurden mir 2 Söhne und eine Tochter geschenkt, die alle den Lehrerberuf wählten.

Nach dem Kriege baute ich ein neues Leben auf. Meine ganze freie Zeit stand unter zwei Aspekten: Zum einen Mal betätigte ich mich in führender Position genealogisch und heraldisch. (Unter meinen vielen Forschungsarbeiten verdient besondere Erwähnung die Publikation der „Hessischen Ahnen des Bundespräsidenten Dr. Heinemann“, die seine besondere Anerkennung fand.)

Zum anderen suchte ich nach praktischen Wegen neuer Lebensreform. Mit 16 Jahren hatte ich bereits aus eigenem Entschluß den Weg zur Freikörperkultur gefunden. Ich stand damals mitten in der Pubertät und interessierte mich verständlicherweise für alles, was mit dem Leiblichen in Verbindung stand, besonders aber, was mit dem Nackttabu, unter dem ich erzogen ward, zusammenhing. Auf meinem Schulweg kreuzte ich täglich eine stadtbekannte Buchhandlung, die von ihren vielen Schaufenstern eines ganz allein für Nacktkulturwerbung bereithielt. Damals wurden aber auch Fkk-Zeitschriften an jedem Kiosk feilgeboten. Es brauchte seine geraume Zeit, bis ich den Mut fand, den Laden zu betreten und das erste Heft „Licht-Land“ und „Lachendes Leben“ zu erstehen. Ich war vom Inhalt fasziniert, sodaß ich im Leufe der Zeit weitere und auch andere Ausgaben erwarb, die dann den Grundstock meiner umfassenden Fkk-Bibliothek bildeten. Es blieb nicht bei theoretischen Auseinandersetzungen mit der Fkk-Lektüre, 1925 trat ich Fedor Fuchs „Nacktsportscharen“ bei und nach Gründung der „Liga für freie Lebensgestaltung“ wurde ich dort Mitglied. Um diese Zeit gab es in Kassel ein verlorenes Häufchen hier und da Organisierter, wie im RFK, im AFK und im „Treubund“, aber ohne Gelände. Nur sporadischer Besuch des Naturheilbades und gelegentliches Sonnenbaden im Walde, wo die Freude der Angst entdeckt zu werden die Waage hielt, war möglich. So konnte sich kein Fkk-Leben entwickeln. Da Elan immer meine Stärke gewesen, versuchte ich 1932 die Trüppchen unter einen Hut zu bringen, eine Arbeitsgemeinschaft zu bilden, um geeint ein Gelände zu verwirklichen. Es wurde nichts daraus. Wir wurden bald darauf (1933) verboten und ich machte Bekanntschaft mit der Polizei. Da ich auch hinsichtlich meiner politischen Einstellung mit den neuen Machthabern im Konflikt lag, wurde ich als jnnger Lehrer an die holländische Grenze versetzt, wo ich in einer einklassigen Schule mein Dasein fristen durfte. Aus dem Drang hier wieder wegzukommen, versuchte ich dies durch Leistung, nicht durch politische Wandlung, was mir tatsächlich 1939 gelang. Ich kehrte nach Kassel zurück, um aber alsbald als Soldat einzurücken und sechs Jahre wieder fern zu sein und total ausgebombt glücklich heimzukehren.

Dem Leben zurückgegeben, folgte ich spontan dem ersten Aufruf Erhard Wächtlers und stellte mich der Neuformierung des deutschen Fkk-Lebens ganz zur Verfügung. Was ihm versagt blieb, konnte ich erreichen: die Gründung eines neuen Fkk-Verbandes, dem ich Namen und Emblem verlieh. Das war 1949, und ich wurde sein erster Präsident. Was mich immer peinlich berührte, war der Umstand, daß mit der eben errungenen Einigkeit, sofort auch der Streit begann. Ja, dieser Streit stand Pate bei den vorhergegangenen Organisationen, und er erhielt sich mit einer Beständigkeit bis auf den heutigen Tag. Immer liegt einer mit einem anderen in Fehde, und das erträumte Fkk-Paradies rückte in erdenbeschwerte Ferne. Ich war an den Streitigkeiten beteiligt und, mehr noch, von ihnen betroffen. Das ungeachtet, nahm ich im „DFK“ Führungspositionen ein, war Kassenrevisor, half bei der Bildung neuer Ortsvereine, gründete die eigenständige DFK-Versicherung, die bis in die 60er Jahre segensreich wirkte. Es trieb mich zur FKK-Jugendarbeit, und ich wurde Bundesführer der Fkk-Jugend und blieb es fünf Jahre lang. Es war die Hochblüte der Lichtscharen und die Zeit großer internationaler Zeltlager, wie in Wien (1954), Hannover (1956) und Bedford in England – zu den INF-Welttreffen. Es war eine dankbare Schaffenszeit, die Fkk-Jugendpresse begann sich zu mausern und beachtet zu werden. Der Streit mit der damaligen DFK-Führung fehlte ebenso wenig wie heute. Er war letzten Endes immer produktiv.

Heute wundere ich mich, wo ich die Energie und Zeit hernahm. Denn ich betätigte mich als Leiter einer von mir ins Leben gerufenen Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Fkk-Lehrer und Fkk-Erzieher und redigierte ein pädagogisches Fachorgan, den „Erzieher von morgen“, das erst im Widerstreit mit Dr. Lothar Wilhelm eingestellt werden mußte.

Da ich viel herumkam, im In- und Ausland, lernte ich viele Fkk-Publikationen kennen, erwarb und sammelte sie, um sie in einer in der Welt einmaligen Form als „Internationale Fkk-Bibliothek (IFB)“ zu erstellen, zu erhalten und noch heute weiter auszubauen. Ihre Bedeutung dürfte nicht mehr angezweifelt werden. (Bekanntlich hat das Präsidium der INF, nach Prüfung der Gegebenheiten, Karlwilli Damm die Führung des obigen Titels seiner Bücherei zugestanden- Red.).

Nach diesen Erfolgen kam der plötzliche Sturz bis in die Fkk-Emigration. Neben Adolf Koch wurde ich zum Fkk-Feind Nr. 1 gestempelt. Und das kam so! Als Skorpiongeborener habe ich den Hang und den Mut zur offenen Kritik, der berechtigten, nicht der nörgelnden. Ich publizierte Aufsätze in den deutschen und ausländischen Fkk-Zeitschriften. Ich redete nicht um die Sache herum, ich schrieb ohne diplomatische Verfeinerung gerade heraus, wie ich dacht. Ich gebe zu, das war mein Fehler. Durch meine kritische Beleuchtung der Geschäftsgebarung des DFK-Vorsitzenden Dr. W. kam ich in seine Abschußlinie, die mich mi taller Härte treffen sollte, obwohl man heute weiß, daß meine Kritik richtig lag. Ein günstiger Gegnern entgegen. Just, als ich als fortschrifttlicher Pädagoge nichts dabei fand, auf einem Schulausflug die Jungen meiner Klasse, die es bei meinem Turnunterricht gewohnt waren, nackt zu duschen, an einer abgelegenen Kneippanlage nackt ihr Morgenbad zu nehmen, und es filmte und spatter in der Klasse vorführte, erfuhr dies ein katholischer Priester und mobilisierte die Junge Union. Diese wollte hieraus Kapital schlagen, die Regierung als meine vorgesetzte Behörde, wollte herunterspielen. Da tritt die DFK-Führung auf den Plan und, statt mir Rechtsschutz und Schützenhilfe zu gewähren, läßt sie ihre, der Jungen Union gegenüber wohlwollende Haltung erkennen. Auf solch verwerfliche Weise wird sie ihren Kritiker billig los. Übrigens eine Taktik, die auch an anderen Objekten geübt wurde. Ich erinnere nur an die vor Gericht praktizierte Haltung gegenüber den Fkk-Zeitschriften. Sie geht noch ein Stück weiter und erklärt mich in einer a.o. Hauptversammlung in Hannover zur persona non grata. Ich liege nun im offenen Beschuß der Jungen Union und des DFK. Meine Existenz ist gefährdet. Wie kann ich die Gefahr bannen? Ein langjähriges Halsleiden und eine eben erst äberstandene Heilkur sind meine Rettung. Ich lasse mich krankheitshalber in den Ruhestand versetzen und entgehe damit der strafweisen Entlassung.

Mein örtlicher Fkk-Verein wird durch Hannover intensiv unter Druck gesetzt und bringt es fertig, mich, seinen Ehrenvorsitzenden auszuschließen – um es in einem von mir angestrengten Prozeß zurücknehmen zu müssen. Ich gehe endgültig in die Fkk-Emigration, nutze aber die Zeit zum tatkräftigen weiteren Ausbau meiner IFB.

Heute, nach 10 Jahren, seit dieser großten Enttätschung meines Lebens, lächle ich darüber, was mir damals die Welt einstürzen lassen wollte. Es hat mir 10 gewonnene Lebensjahre geschenkt, in denen ich ganz nach meiner Fasson selig werden konnte. Ich stehe wieder in meinem Beruf in Dienst, habe soeben ein eigenes Grundstück erworben, ein ungestörtes Fleckchen Erde, das ich im Fkk-Geiste mit Spielplatz, Camping u.s.w. auch meinen gebliebenen Freunden zur Verfügung stellen kann. Ich bin wieder in den Kreis der Fkk-Bewegung aufgenommen. Und am 8. November 1973 begehe ich meinen 65. Geburtstag wozu dieser ausführlichte Bericht Gelegenheit gibt.

DAS GYMNASION meint: Wir sind überzeugt, daß dieser „Blick“ auf das eigene Leben“, den unser getreuer Mitarbeiter Kw. Damm dismal –statt seines gewohnten „Blicksins deutsche Fkk-Schrifftum“– tut, unsere Leser interessieren wird. Obwohl das 65.Lebensjahr von unserer höhenen Rückschau aus noch lange kein ehrwürdiges Alter bedeutet, benützen doch auch wir gerne die Gelegenheit, unserem lieben Mitarbeiter zu seinem eigenem Grund und Boden zu gratulieren und ihm weitere Spannkraft für seine ideellen Taten und Einsätze zugunsten der auch vom GYMNASION vertretenen „echten“ naturistischen Bewegung zu wü nschen. Da wir nicht abergläubisch sind, können wir dies schon vor demuß. 11. tun. RE

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE DAMM COLLECTION FOR THE STUDY OF NATURISM

 

For decades Karlwilli Damm (1908-83) has collected the “International Naturist Library/Karlwilli Damm,” archives Kassel. As it is not a pure library, we can simply speak of the “collection Damm”.

For the collector it meant an enormous financial burden to pay the subscriptions of the magazines as well as the invoices of the bookkeepers year in, year out, as you can find nearly 100 magazines in German language and about 80 international naturist magazines and 150 nude magazines in foreign languages which partly have been subscribed for decades. Karlwilli Damm collected everything which has somehow to do with the problems and the history of the naturist movement, as e.g. also the anti-naturist literature of the church, novels and reports from naturists as well as juridical, theological, educational and sexology texts and especially all the club publications of the different naturist and nudist clubs.

Which means that this collection shows nearly everything about the naturist movement and its surroundings from the bibliophilic rarity to the hectographed club message; from the rare and old nude photos up until the spontaneous nude photos taken by amateurs, from the badge of honour to the club pennant. It is very likely that the collection of magazines from the twenties and the fifties of our century will not find others which are as complete as this collection is; and this completeness gives us a chance to investigate the way of the naturist associations from naturism to nudism, i.e. from a life reforming organization to an organization of tourism.

From the very first moment on the naturist movement has been conflicting. Nudity should make people free from the ancient pictures and behaviour, however many of the naturist propagandists in the clubs represented the pre-fascist ideology. On the other hand there has also been a left-orientated naturism within the labour movement; one of their most popular representatives was the teacher Adolf Koch (1897-1970). It was not before the end of the 2nd World War that the “movement” could be described as nudism, although still some socio-hygienic and healthy aspects were propagated, but the nudity in the clubs became more and more popular and took the shape of a tourist leisure time.

Only an intensive research will make it possible to describe the history of the naturist movement in connection with its conflicting closeness with National Socialism, and here the collection Damm gives an excellent chance to do this as the collection does not only archive the material which corresponds to the main stream. In order to do justice to the naturist movement, the scientist must also do his work of research with the minority of members of naturism who organized themselves in the socialist labour movement.

In Kassel you will find excellent material for the necessary biographical research of such controversial persons as e.g. Hans Surén (1885-1972), Charly Strasser (1900-89) or Adolf Koch (1897-1970). Karlwilli Damm had been a personal friend of Adolf Koch and certainly did not belong to the people whom the Nazis could easily integrate.

Damm had combined certain topics in groups, as you can easily realize when reading his list of contents, and these different groups of themes make people analyse.

The photo history –this relatively young branch of the art history– here gets very precious idea for its sector “nude photography”, as we could also get them in the exhibition Das Aktfoto – Ansichten von Körper im fotografischen Zeitalter (The nude photo –view of the body in the photographic age) in the City Museum of Munich. The sector “nude photography” is not yet fully incorporated –e.g. detailed work has still to be done on the photography of amateurs in the naturist clubs and their resorts.

Karlwilli Damm has not only archived the literature and the magazines from the Nazi era, but also collected letters and other documents.

With the help of these documents it is possible to correct photo historical misjudgments which were taken in those days from the photo material of the fascists. In the book Das Aktphoto (the nude photo) –which I mentioned before– the co-editor Michael Koehler writes that the fact that most of the photos have been taken in the summertime can lead us to the assumption of limited naturist activities at the time of the Nazis. “As a kind of symbol here the circumstance is being reflected that after 1933 public nudity in the sense of the naturist movement– if there has been any at all– was only tolerated in connection with nude swimming in the summer holidays.” (Das Aktphoto, Munich 1985, page 303).

However, within very soon you get a different impression from the one being presented in this quotation when reading the reports in the magazines, but also when looking at Karlwilli Damm's photo books.

To make comparisons between the life in the naturist resorts of the naturist members in Germany and those in other countries in Central Europe and North America –this would be easy be means of the material which has been very well prepared by Karlwilli Damm –a task for a folklorist.

By means of an analysis of the poses and behaviour shown on the photos it would also be possible to make a contribution to the “visual anthropology”, this young sub-discipline of anthropology, folklore and ethnology, which –like the photo history in the art history– just slowly begins to develop itself.

It is astonishing how wide the collection of books is (which can be found in Kassel) as far as the topic beauty dance is concerned. Here I only like to mention a few names as e.g. Olga Desmond (1891-1964), Celly de Rheydt and Isadora Duncan (1878-1927). In those days the denominational men and morality clubs protested against these nude and barefoot dancers.

But not only their activities have been documented, but also those of the “Volkswartbund” in the 50s and 60s when the law for the distribution of documents which might be liable to corrupt the young (§ 184 StGB=Criminal Code) ensured actions of confiscation having an enormous public appeal in the republic.

The magazine Die Schönheit (=the beauty), which first of all made the naturists separate from the nudists, is totally complete in the collection Damm, including the very rare special editions “Kunstgaben der Schönheit” (arts of beauty).

The branch naturist tourism which is hardly of any economic importance is being documented in Kassel right from its beginnings and only waits for someone doing a doctorate about this topic. The collection has been the basis for many dissertations and they are also part of the collection. Here are just a few of their titles: “Die Geschichte der FKK-Bewegung und die Beziehung zum Weltkampf, Familien-und Freizeitsport” (=the history of the naturist movement and its relation to sports competition, family and leisure sports, Cologne 1979), “Die deutsche Freikörperkultur als soziale Bewegung” (German naturism as a social movement, Berlin 1967) and e.g. “Wie denken Kinder über FKK?” (=what do children think of naturism? Bremen 1970).

The beginning eroticism of the naturist publications is well comprehensive, two of many titles to be found in the collection are e.g. “naturism and love” or “encyclopedia of naturist eroticism”.

A folklorist can easily reconstruct the contemporary ritual of “streaking” from Damm's article collection. The following magazines have been analysed e.g. Quick, Stern, Spiegel, Twen, Constanze, Konkret, Praline and many others. In this context I should mention the collection of cover pages from magazines which Damm collected since the end of the 60s. It would be worthy to make a small special exhibition of these pages.

Catchwords of Damm's list of books and magazines are “marriage”, “sports”, “ethics” and “education” –only to mention a few. Under these catchwords you will also find extracts from very rare magazines, as e.g. from the paper Neues Kriminal Magazin (=New Criminal Magazine) or Knoll's Mitteilungen für Ärzte (Knoll's message for doctors) and Lexika-Auszüge über\Nacktkultur und FKK (=extracts from encyclopedia about nude culture and naturism).

However, Karlwilli Damm did not only collect German magazines. In the US-American magazine Official Police the article “Expose of nudist-camp rituals” was published in July 1956, or e.g. the Illustrated Detective brought a report about “My 10 days in a Nudist Camp” in December 1955; in April 1932 the Outlook New York informed about the Soviet-Russian nudism and the Swiatowia did the same about the “beginning of naturist beaches in Poland”. The following heading from the Neue Illustrierte (06.07.1957) just sounds associative to that: “Die Nackten und die Drähte” (=The naked and the wires).

When you just read the titles of the essays from Damm's list, you will get a good impression of the history of culture and ethics in the 50s and 60s.

Somebody who wants to explore the history of the “persons with alternative views” (e.g. the “naturals” from Ascona) will find as much material as e.g. a literary historian who works on the organized physical status. Novels and stories from naturists from the twenties, fifties and sixties can be found, and the literary work of the nude photographer Herbert Rittlinger (1909-78) might not only be interesting for the Germanist, but also for the photo historian.

As a maniac collector and arhivist Damm has filled gaps in this collection either through loans from the former archive Wilke (Berlin) or through putting bound copies into the shelves. The book e.g. which Adolf Hitler read J. Lanz-Liebenfels's Nackt- und Rassenkultur im Kampfe gegen Muckertum und Tschandalakultur (1913) can just be found as a copy.

Scientific works about the North American nudism, as e.g. the book Hartman/Fithian/Johnson Nudist Society (New York, 1970), which can hardly be obtained by correspondence/lending – Damm could buy part of them in the original version.

You can also get information about the British conditions: e.g. by means of the bibliography of Alec Craig called The bibliography of nudism (London, 1954).

Karlwilli Damm wrote himself “a bibliography Adolf Koch” and three documentations about the following topics flew from his pen: nude-village, first clubs in Berlin, EUFK and the Geschichte der Landschulheime auf FKK-Grundlage (=history of the country houses used by school classes for short visits on a naturist basis; Kassel 1959). Damm did not belong to the brown nudes as he collected a “Documentation about Free swimmers- Bielefeld”- proletarian naturism" (E. Kuhmlehn, 1929). Τhe film historian will enjoy many programmes (e.g. for “Garden of Eden” and special programmes for the film “Wege zu Kraft und Schönheit” (=Ways to Power and Beauty) (1925).

And also the law historian just needs to help himself besides many documents concerning Lex Heintze and §184 StGB there are also files of 15 legal proceedings of the fifties and sixties, as e.g. the “report Prof. Nohl in the Damm matter because of nude swimming with pupils” (certainly also interesting for the education historian) or “Tribunal DFK against Adolf Koch”, and finally the important case files of the naturist youth against the township of Mainz because of the use of the house of youth in Mainz (1966) and the files of the Administrative Court Saarland in the case of the “Withdrawal of the rights of use – Lichtbund Saar against the town of Saarbrücken" (1959).

Apart from files and correspondence –especially interesting here is the correspondence between Charly Strasser and Adolf Koch from 1965/1966– Karlwilli Damm– as a real archivist of “his” movement– has also saved some realities, as e.g. club pennants and badges or also tapes, records, minutes of whole meetings being recorded on tapes and single lectures.

Partly these lectures are being archived with the corresponding photos or slides. A special rarity is a stereoscope from 1928 with which you can have a look at photos.

Certainly Damm was crazy about the history of the naturist movement, but the special emancipation of the people was of special importance to him –and he thought that the naturist movement could enormously contribute to it.

It should be the leitmotif of any work with the material being archived in Kassel to check the possible correctness of this hope and to examine the wrong developments of this “movement” to the National Socialism and to the conformism of the fifties and sixties.

(Translation from the German provided by the IFB)

LA VIE AU SOLEIL 28

 1949 - 2008

Τitle: La Vie au Soleil, 25e Année – nouvelle série Numéro 28 – Février-Mars 1974

Subtitle: Plain Air - Loisirs – Joie – Santé - Naturisme

Publisher: Nature Editions

Editor in Chief: Dominique Sand

Language: French

Country of Origin: France

Format: 224x310mm (trimmed)

Pages: 36 single colour including full colour covers

Illustrations: 29 natural colour and black and white pictures

Front Cover Photo: La Venise verte by Joël Boulay

Frequency: 7 issues per year

Binding: Saddle-stapled

Weight: 89gr.

Single Copy: FFR5.00 / BFR5,50

Subscription rates:  (7 issues) FFR32,00 (France); FFR45.00 (Rest of the World)

CONTENTS / SOMMAIRE

(5) Éditorial: une si jolie petite plage

(6) l’animal aussi a des droits

(7) Protecna 73

(8) Concours-photo: 4 lauréats

(10) Horizons naturistes: reunions des presidents d’association et du Comité FFN/Vacances par Dominique Sand

(12) Neige et soleil: Davos et Val d’Isère

(13) Votre sécurité a ski par André Gaugry

(13) Alexander Neill par Gilles Faudot-Belle

(14) Ski en Vercors par Alain Lartigue

(15) De la détente à la sérénité

(18) Chronique du village naturiste par Christian and Monique Jeanjean

(19) L’éveil

(20) Pour un bilan de santé de la nature par Jean Gantois

(21) La vie des clubs en France… Arena… et 2 aniversaires en Suisse et en Allemagne

(23) Respecter le silence… au CS Annecy par Pierre Precias

(29) Dans le monde

(30) Nos petites annonces

NUDE RESORTS AND BEACHES

Editor: Rod Swenson, Jr. 
Title: Nude Resorts and Beaches
Subtitle: The Complete Guide – Locations, Costs and Accommodations
Language: English
Place of Publication: New York
Publisher: Popular Library
Date of Publication: 1975
Format: 105x172mm
Pages: 144 printed on newsprint
Illustrations: 14 full-page b&w maps & 42 b&w sketch-maps by Clothes Free Media, Inc.
Binding: Paperback in colour covers
Weight: 79gr.
Entry No.: 2009011
Date of Entry: 17^th February 2009

CONTENTS

(9) Introduction and general information
(15) United States listings
(95) Canadian listings
(109) United States listings alphabetically by state
(117) Canadian listings alphabetically by province
(119) Nude beaches
(121) Full-page maps
(135) Index with complete text references and map citations

INTERNATIONAL H&E MONTHLY 79.12

 1900 -

Title: International H&E Monthly, Vol. 79 No. 12
Publisher: Interman International Management Inc. (Est)
Editor: Murray Wren
Language : English
Country of Origin: The United Kingdom
Format: 210x297mm (trimmed)
Pages: 64 single and full colour including covers in full colour
Illustrations: 98 black and white and colour pictures
Frequency: Monthly
Binding: Saddle-stapled
Weight: 1571gr.
Single Copy: £1.00, CAD3.50
Annual subscription (12 issues): £13.95; Overseas subscription rates on request

CONTENTS

(3) Editorial: The Tidal Wave of Change by Murray Wren
(4) Get Thin This Spring by Brian O'Hanlon
(8) Sun-Arise Solar Age by John Dawes
(12) Nudism From the Pit? by Alex Hobbs
(18) Do You Measure Up? by Susan Mayfield
(22) Yet Another Beach by Phil Vallack
(23) Personal View: The Unconscious Undresser
(24) Whose Beaches? by Magie Stillwell
(28) All the Fun of the Fair by Jane Morley
(33) A Sex Object Speaks Up by Jonathan Clements
(38) The Impromptu Fish Picnic Nudists by Lance Ridgeway
(42) Club Directory
(44) Plan for Progress by Murray James
(46) Master Photographers of the Nudist World by Murray James
(50) Readers' Photo Contest
(52) Human Rights! What About the Nude? by Eleanor Gladish
(58) Readers' Letters

LA REVUE NATURISTE INTERNATIONALE 185

 1956 - 7?

Τitle: La Revue Naturiste Internationale, No. 185, 1971

Publisher: Les Jarres d'Or

Language: French

Country of Origin: France

Format: 134x212mm (trimmed)

Pages: 48 single colour including covers in full colour

Illustrations: 34 (1 colour+ 33 b/w) retouched pictures (retouching of natural pictures was done away for all French magazines in the early 1970s)

Frequency: Monthly

Binding: Saddle-stapled

Weight: 61gr.

Single Copy: FFR5.00

Subscritpion rates: (12 issues), France, FFR44.00 & Rest of World, FFR46.00

CONTENTS / SOMMAIRE

(4) "L 'Inquisition" en déroute

(13) Chronique des camps d'outre-mer: Les Vahinées de l'atome

(18) Le bronzage impossible

(29) Des îles pour vous

(34) Safari naturiste du bout du monde

(38) Poissons surprises des Pescadores!

GREEN MOUNTAIN QUARTERLY 4

ISSN: N/A
Τitle: Green Mountain Quarterly No. 4, August 1976
Subtitle: The Skinny Dipper Issue
Publisher: Green Mountain Editions
Editor: Lee Baxandall
Language: English
Country of Origin: U.S.A.
Format: 213x275mm (trimmed)
Pages: 92 single colour including duotone covers
Illustrations: 50 b/w pictures and sketches
Binding: Saddle-stapled
Frequency: Quarterly
Weight: 217gr.
Single Copy: USD1.50
Subscription rates: (4 issues) USD5.00; Rest of the World USD5.00

CONTENTS

(3) Free-Beaches, Beachfront U.S.A. and National Nude Beach Day by Cec Cinder (8) "Water rats"
(9) A Portfolio by Patrick Balckwell
(14) Skinny Dip in Solitude
(15) Success: Why San Diego? by Robert H. Jacobs
(21) Black's Beach: The Middle of the Fray by Jane Weisman Stein
(27) The Call for a Nude Beach Day August 8
(28) Los Angeles: Beachfront U.S.A.
(31) From the Writings of Eugene Callen
(35) The Cape Cod Free Beach
(37) Background on Truro's Federal ban on the Free Beach
(44) Smokey the Bear Has Become A Bureaucrat
(45) The Rangers Who Ravage the Ecology
(46) Vermont: The State's Attorney's Viewpoint
(48) The Santa Barbara Repression
(50) First Nude-In In Manhattan
(52) Guide to West Coast Free Beaches by Charles Finley
(56) A Glimpse Outside California
(56) Two Fine Books of Phographs
(58) The Russian Nudists by H.R. Knickerbocker
(63) Free Beaches now Public Policy in Holland
(63) How the Dutch Dit It!
(65) Social Nudity In The Theatre
(67) The Woman on the Nude Beach by Lee Baxandall and Merry Schartz
(69) Notes to a Sceptic: Are Nude Beaches a Trivial Issue?
(73) What is this Free Beach Movement? by Cec Cinder
(83) Freedom of Beach
(84) Public Opinion Studies Point The Way To Free Beach Acceptance
(86) Opinion Sampling
(87) Before The Law by Franz Kafka

FIRST NUDIST PLAY OPENS IN BROADWAY

“Grin and Bare It,” Broadway’s first nudist play, opened in New York City’s Belasco Theatre on 44th Street on Monday, March 9th… just as the Bulletin went to press. But though its fate at the hands of the critics and, more important, at the boxoffice were unknown, the play had received considerable advance publicity.

It grew from the production of “Barely Proper” at Circle H Ranch, Glen Gardner, N.J., to which the public was invited. Called the “unplayable” play when written by Tom Cushing in 1928, it deals with the experiences of a circumspect young man in discovering that his fiancé and her family are nudists.

Barry Plaxen, a New York stage manager, participated in the Circle H productions. He hit upon the idea of revising and updating the old script for Broadway, then raised about $100,000 to produce it. As “Grin and Bare It,” the play is considerably shorter and faster-paced than in its 1928 version. It is being presented as the second of two short plays on the same program at the Belasco. The other play is “Postcards,” advertised as a “clothed” comedy in contrast with the “nudist” comedy.

As much as for the publicity as anything else, the entire cast of “Grin and Bare It” visited Circle H one weekend for the announced purpose of discovering first hand what nudism is all about. They obtained both the sought-for publicity and the experience.

(Source: The Bulletin, Volume 19 No. 4, April 1970)