RESIDENTS OF the Swiss region of Appenzell have voted to ban “disturbing and irritating” nudist hikers from their section of the Alps.
The overwhelming weekend vote in favour of the ban followed complaints in recent months of a rise in the number of nudist hikers from Germany.
The scenic Swiss region has become a favoured holiday destination for Germany’s thriving nudist or “free body culture” (FKK) movement. “The reaction from residents has shown that such an appearance is seen as disturbing and irritating,” said the local government, explaining the ban.
Anyone caught wandering the Appenzell Alps in the nude will in future be fined 200 Swiss francs (€133). The news has prompted an angry reaction in Germany and, by yesterday afternoon, online forums were filled with fuming nudists.
They claim to be a misunderstood minority and that their century-old movement is based on a “romantic understanding of nature”.
Hikers say they deliberately keep to less-popular routes but that occasional meetings with clothed hikers usually cause “positive, if surprised” reactions.
“It’s a shame the people in Switzerland are so uptight,” complained one nudist known as Shadow on a nude hiker forum.
“They’re either uptight or think nudity automatically means sex.”
