) movement in Germany (late 19th/early 20th century). It emphasized a return to nature, health through sunlight (heliotherapy), and social reform. Nudism as Health
: Maxim Gorky’s play Children of the Sun (Kinder der Sonne) is a common literary touchstone, though it focuses more on the isolation of the intelligentsia from the working class during a cholera epidemic.
Im Jahr 1898 wurde in Essen der erste offizielle FKK-Verein gegründet. Die Mitglieder nannten sich stolz Sonnenfreunde, um ihre Verehrung für das lebensspendende Gestirn auszudrücken.
These clubs demonstrate that the values of the original Sonnenfreunde—family, nature, health, and community—are far from being historical relics. They have evolved into modern, welcoming spaces for new generations of "Children of the Sun."
: Search for facsimiles of Maxim Gorky's Die Kinder Der Sonne to understand the literary origin of the name. Sonnenfreunde Kinder Der Sonne
Der romantische Begriff stammt ursprünglich aus esoterischen und mythologischen Kontexten (z. B. die Hyperboräer, die Arier-Mythologie, aber auch moderne spirituelle Bewegungen). Heute nutzen ihn Lifestyle-Magazine und Reiseveranstalter, um eine Zielgruppe zu beschreiben: Menschen, die Outdoor-Sport, warme Klimate und eine positive, lebensbejahende Einstellung verbinden.
The core philosophy of these magazines was that removing clothing erased socio-economic status, wealth disparities, and class divides, leaving everyone equal under the sun.
Since the early days, the Sonnenfreunde have understood a simple truth: the sun is life.
A list of the along the Baltic Sea
But being a "Friend of the Sun" is about more than just sunbathing. It’s about:
Beyond the biology, there is a deep cultural and spiritual element to being a "Child of the Sun." Historically, civilizations from the Egyptians to the Aztecs worshipped the sun as the ultimate giver of life.
The first request to index the magazine as harmful to minors was submitted to the Bundesprüfstelle für jugendgefährdende Schriften (Federal Review Board for Media Harmful to Minors) in 1986. This initial request was rejected. Following further applications by youth welfare offices, a new review was conducted in 1992. The Federal Review Board, having already lost a case against the publisher at the Administrative Court of Cologne, commissioned an expert opinion from Professor Dr. Horst Scarbath of the University of Hamburg's Faculty of Educational Science. His conclusion was that, despite the highlighting of genital areas and the choice of specific camera perspectives, the images were not socially-ethically disorienting or child-pornographic, but merely depicted free body culture. Consequently, the request for indexing was rejected once again.
It implies that humans are not separate from nature, but direct descendants and dependents of the Earth and the sun. ) movement in Germany (late 19th/early 20th century)
During the industrial revolution, cities became polluted and crowded. In response, the Lebensreform (Life Reform) movement emerged in Germany and Switzerland. Advocates championed: (Light baths) and air baths. Organic vegetarian diets. Nudism (Freikörperkultur) to shed social constructs. Outdoor sports and hiking. "Kinder der Sonne" as a Philosophy
For us Sonnenfreunde , the sun doesn't discriminate. It warms us all equally. Let’s continue to build a community based on freedom, trust, and the simple pleasure of a sunny day. 🏞️✨
("Children of the Sun") are historically significant within German Freikörperkultur (FKK)