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History of Nudism
by Corey Mangold
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Since the beginning of man, we have been naked and also intrigued by the
human body and the different representations it may have. Many argue that
the true origin of social nudism came from Adam and Eve. Although only
two people participated, then covering up in shame wouldn't put it in either
in the "social" or "nudist" categories. The true foundations of nude recreation
and social nudism started in Ancient Egypt under Pharaoh Akhen-Aton (1385
- 1353 B.C.). It was during these times that students in Greece exercised
and received their education in the nude. Also, most athletes played in
the nude including the early Olympic Games in Greece. It is this proof
that might lead one to assume that the Greeks and Romans lived in a clothing
optional society. That utopia like nudist accepting society came to an
end in 393 A.D. when a Christian emperor banned the Olympic Games because
he thought they were Pagan in nature. In the 16th Century, Puritans believed
nudity was so immoral, that they didn't bathe because they believe it promoted
nudity. The Victorian Era was not any more accepting to nudity. In these
times it was common to cover a person's legs, a piano's legs, even a chair's
legs in order to prevent sexual arousal. Bathing suits at this time also
covered nearly the entire body of both men and women, so going all the
way from the wrists to the ankles and up to the mid neck. It wasn't until
the Renaissance period that nudity was truly accepted again. In these times
nudity was seen as a form of art. Benjamin Franklin and Henry David Thoreau
helped the public come to terms with nudity. Thoreau had daily naked walks
which he called "air baths".
The first domestic swimsuit designed for "decency" appeared in 1830. Featuring
red and white horizontal stripes from ankle to wrist, it was named, appropriately,
the "prison suit".
It was in the 20th Century when social nudism really became organized.
Organized naturism at this time was called Freikorperkultur (Free Body
Culture) in Germany. German sociologist Neinrich Pudor, sometimes referred
to as the "father of nudism", wrote "The Cult of the Nude" promoting naturism.
Shortly after, in 1903, Freilichtpark (Free Light Park) was the first know
nudist park to be opened. Founder Paul Zimmerman opened the park near Hamburg,
Germany, and was the first owner of an official nudist camp.
In 1929 the flow of German immigrants and tourists began bringing the
roots and ideals of the naturist lifestyle to America. It was their representation
of the nude body that truly opened the American public's eyes to wholesome
nudity without shame. Kurt Barthel, a German immigrant, founded the American
League for Physical Culture. Another key figure is Reverend Ilsley Boone,
who is viewed as the first nudist leader in the United States. The first
nudist magazine, Gymnos, started print in 1921. On Labor Day in 1929, Kurt
Barthel met with 3 other couples in Peekskill, New York and began American
Social Nudism. Just a couple of months later, the American League for Physical
Culture (ALPC) was founded on December 7,1929. The ALPC held their first
meeting in a New York gym. In just a few months the ALPC had over 50 members
and also had a landed club in Spring Valley. Mason and Frances Merrill
often visited the New York facilities and began working on a new book title
"Among the Nudists" which was released in 1931. Also in 1931, Reverend
Ilsley Boone was elected Vice President of the ALPC and also nicknamed
"The Dictator". Boone had big plans to build an American Camp like Kleinberg
in Bavaria, but there, more drama in the world of commercial nudism would
begin.
In the winter of 1931 the ALPC met at their rented New York gym and
were raided by the police and charged with public indecency. On December
9, 1931 the New York Court of General Sessions dismissed the case saying
their exposure was neither public or indecent. The publicity caused by
this case was a big step forward for the nudist movement and it also laid
the groundwork for public nudity cases to come.
Boone was back on the prowl again looking for land in the New York area
to purchase for possible construction of a landed camp. He eventually found
land nearly 120 miles from New York. The other board members thought the
property was too far for most to travel due to the depression and high
costs of travel. The majority voted to jointly purchase a camp in Skyfarm
and established the club May 15, 1932. Boone was extremely disappointed
in the decision of the other board members and left the ALPC. Shortly thereafter
he founded the International Nudist Conference (INC) and published the
first illustrated nudist magazine, The Nudist, in 1933. The Nudist was
a successful magazine that could be found at newsstands across the nation.
The controversy of the magazine drew a lot of public attention to the nudist
movement, again. A few years later he changed The Nudist's title to the
less confrontational Sunshine and Health. It was with the help of the Merrill's
second book, "Nudism in America", and "On Going Naked" by Jan Gay (which
also laid the ground work for Mich Mindins 1935 film, "This Nude World")
that also helped the public become aware of the size and significance of
the nudist movement, and realize that clubs were popping up all across
the nation. In the 1930's on a hot summer day, thousands of men in Long
Island, New York took of their shirts to cool off, which was an unlawful
and lewd act at the time. Six years later, in 1936, the law was changed
which decriminalized a man going topless. In the 30's the largest of all
nudist clubs/camps were Victor Burke's Camp Olympia in Upstate New York,
the Sparta Club in Normandy, and Adolph Koch's nudist school, Freikorparkulturschule,
outside Berlin.
The nudist movement began to stall and die down in the late 30's and
early 40's due to the overwhelming Puritan belief system engraved in the
roots of America, implying that nudity equals sin. Another devastating
blow was the 1941 United States Postal Service "Comstock Law" which was
originally created in 1873 which stated that no obscene material was permitted
to travel through the mail system. Nudist publishers immediately stopped
their USPS shipments in fear of fines. It was Reverend Boone who again
came to the rescue battling this law through the 40's and 50's in Washington,
D.C. to make sure nudism would be judged to be nonsexual, and therefore
not obscene. On January 13, 1958, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor
of Boone and all nudists throughout America, especially the publishers,
ruling that nudist photos were permitted to travel through the USPS mail
system and the photos are not obscene. This ruling was a big relief to
nudists and especially the growth of the nudist movement. From here on
out, the public knew that the nudist movement would flourish and was here
to stay. Eventually the Police raids reduced until the last one took place
in Michigan in 1956. A Christian radio evangelist took it into his liberty
to close down the Sunshine Gardens Nudist Resort. Although, to our satisfaction,
the Michigan Supreme Court ruled naturists had the right to practice nudism
with private resorts and this is exactly why we call the 1950's the Golden
Era of Nudism.
Today the nudist movement still struggles to be accepted by mainstream
America. Each day throughout the world, there are several news stories
that hit the wire including, streaking, nude art, nudist camp controversies,
and some of the latest attacks on Nudist Youth Summer Camps. All of the
stories are mainly media stunts that have no actual legal consequences
and are usually swept off the print room floor quickly. Today there are
still many organizations working together to promote naturism/nudism including
INA, AANR, INF, TNS and several more. It is these organizations that battle
the courts, advertise and promote to the general public, and most importantly,
educate those who are unaware of the ideals and benefits of nude recreation.
Written by
Corey Mangold
President of the International Naturists Association
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