Richard Ungewitter

Richard Ungewitter was a German pioneer of Nacktkultur (a.k.a. Freikörperkultur/FKK) and writer of Nacktheit und Moral (1906), Nacktheit und Kultur (1907), and Nackt (1908). He was one of the first to propagate the nudist idea to the world, and is regarded as a “founder of nudism” ¹

Ungewitter founded the first nationwide nudist organization in Germany in 1906, called Vereinigung für Hygienische, Ethische und Ästhetische Kultur (Society for Hygienic, Ethical and Esthetic Culture). In 1914 the name was shortened.

His first book Die Nacktheit, was originally published in 1906 under the title Die Nacktheit in Entwicklungsgeschichtlicher, Gesundheitlicher, Moralischer und Künstlerischer Beleuchtung (Nudity from the Point of View of Historical Development, Health, Morality and Art).

“The books were presented…to shock the audience. Nudity…had not often been used in the titles of books, or nude photography on the covers. They also show photos of the author working nude at his desk, or standing around in the wood.”-Arnd Krüger²

In 1909 Ungewitter published a book Naked. A Critical Study that featured “trusted friends” naked in photographs through its 120 pages. ³

Nazi nudism

Ungewitter was also a Nazi, though his work on nudism predated the emergence of the term. Ungewitter advocated combining physical fitness, sunbathing, breathing fresh air, and then adding nudism philosophy to help improve mental and psychological adaptation, good health, and an improved view of moral life

“Nudity was for Ungewitter the projection of human identity uncontaminated by capitalism and socialism, the two forces most responsible for the corruption of Aryan racial beauty.”⁴

“In 1923, Ungewitter obtained an amendment to [his organization’s] constitution introducing a commitment to ‘racial hygiene’ and also requiring a commitment to a political party. Many members objected to the alignment with eugenics, and large numbers left…”

“After the Nazis came to power, Ungewitter did not find the expected support for his ideas. There was an initial crackdown on nudists in 1933…In 1938 he was sidelined with an honorary post.” ⁵ Although saw an alignment between Nazi racial purity ideals and nudism the Nazi ministry of interior believed nudism was a grave threat to German morality and society. It ordered nudist sites be destroyed by Hitler youth squads. ⁶

Ungewitter found himself destitute and in dire straights in later life. A few American nudists even came to his defense (note the Nazi-denial in their words below), and raised some aid for him with an ad in Sunshine & Health, Sep. 1950⁷

Ungewitter died in Stuttgart in December of 1958, one day before his 89th birthday.

Nazi nudism

References