BERLIN — The Volksbühne theater’s new director, Matthias Lilienthal, recently inaugurated a temporary public swimming pool in front of the institution’s historic building, sparking a wave of public debate and controversy. The installation, dubbed the Volksbad, opened earlier this month and offers free access to the pool for anyone with an online reservation, as part of an initiative to reimagine the cultural role of the famed but recently troubled theater.
Lilienthal described the pool as both a symbolic embrace of Berlin and a commentary on the city’s deteriorating public infrastructure, including frequent closures of public swimming facilities. Constructed this summer by five workers, the pool measures approximately 82 feet long, 16 feet wide, and four feet deep, complete with changing rooms and a modest concession stand.
The project quickly became embroiled in controversy after the theater reserved a swimming session exclusively for Each One Teach One, an organization serving Black youth. This decision prompted criticism and accusations of discrimination from Aileen Weibeler, a politician affiliated with the center-right Christian Democrats, who argued that public, taxpayer-funded facilities should not restrict access based on skin color. Her social media post about the reservation went viral, drawing attention from far-right media and members of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, which Germany’s intelligence services classify as extremist.
Following heightened online backlash and threats directed at the pool’s users, the exclusive session was canceled. In response, Lilienthal’s team displayed a large banner featuring a profanity directed at the critics who forced the closure. The incident fueled wider debates in Germany about race, social inclusion, and the allocation of public spaces amid rising political polarization.
Lilienthal, who returned to lead the Volksbühne after a notable tenure in Munich, defended the initiative as an effort to provide Black residents with a discrimination-free space, consistent with German anti-discrimination laws. He emphasized that the theater’s broader artistic program aims to reflect Berlin’s multiculturalism, highlighting upcoming productions involving international artists and diverse casts.
The Volksbühne, founded over a century ago by the German labor movement to make art accessible to working-class audiences, has faced a turbulent decade marked by leadership changes, protests, and scandals. Lilienthal acknowledged Berlin’s transformation from an industrial and labor-focused city to one dominated by government offices, startups, and “influencers,” noting a shift in the working-class demographic that originally shaped the theater’s mission.
While some critics questioned the project’s budget—approximately 300,000 euros funded by public money—and its political undertones, others saw the Volksbad as a provocative but meaningful public intervention. Jens Balzer, a cultural commentator, described the series of events as a calculated act of rebellion that established Lilienthal’s position at the theater.
On a recent afternoon, visitors, including local resident Friederike Schwerin and her daughter, enjoyed the pool despite the initial controversies and technical glitches such as nonworking showers in the first days. For many, the pool offers an accessible, refreshing space in a city grappling with social change and heated cultural debates.