The water temple

de Dieter Leistner, Hans-Eberhard Hess, Dirk Meyhöfer, Kristin Feireiss

All the baths featured in this exquisitely illustrated volume were built between 1872 - 1940 during the period of the Grunderzeit and Jugendstil in Germany. Their architectural beauty and quality is revealed through the stunning photography of Dieter Leistner, as is the joy and pleasure of swimming. Baths have always been places of meeting for conversation and relaxation, awakening associations with literature, art and music. Dirk Meyhofer's essay comments not only on the architecture but on the social and cultural history and function of public baths from Roman times to the 20th century. The history of the German baths ties in closely with the new emphasis on public health, fitness and cleanliness promoted at the turn of the century by the leading military powers of Europe. Many of these baths have now fallen into disuse and decay, their future is uncertain and therefore a photographic documentation takes on an increasing urgency. The essay by Hans-Eberhard Hess discusses the history of architectural photography from the Alinari brothers in Florence to Leistner's poetic depictions of the German Bathing Temples presented in this volume. Amongst the many baths featured are the Karl-Muller Public baths in Munich, the Friedrichs Baths in Baden-Baden, the Elisabeth Hall in Aachen and the Vierodt Baths in Karlsruhe.