German nudists complain of Polish peepers

Berlin -- Patrons of a German nude beach on the Polish border say beachgoers on the other side of the border come to stare at the exposed skin.

Ines Muller, a German naturist, said Poles come fully clothed to the beach on their side of the border and stare at the nude swimmers and sunbathers, The Sun reported Monday.

"You feel like an ape in the zoo. The Poles come with their binoculars, stare and swear," Muller said.

Beach patrons said there used to be a fence separating the German and Polish beaches, but it was torn down as part of a 2007 agreement between the countries.

"It's a nudist beach. It's terrible that the Poles come over dressed and stare," said German Elke Bernholz.

Some Poles said the proximity of the two beaches annoys them as much as it does the Germans.

"It's horrible -- we would never bathe naked, we are Catholic," said one beach-going Pole from the town of Swinemunde.

Copyright 2008 by United Press International.