Overview

• Oberbürgermeister Sören Link enacted the ban by urgency decision, with the ordinance taking effect on Saturday, 6 September.
• The measure applies to Rhine stretches in Duisburg not already covered by the 1972 BadeVRhein-Kleve federal regulation that bans bathing along most of the shoreline.
• The ordinance defines bathing as remaining in more than ankle-deep water for recreational or sporting purposes, with brief boarding and launching of boats still permitted at designated spots.
• City officials cite fatal incidents and hazards for rescuers, referencing the NRW Interior Ministry’s view that municipal bans are legally permissible alongside federal rules.
• Locations including Friemersheim and Mündelheim now fall under the prohibition after past deaths there, as neighboring cities such as Düsseldorf, Neuss, Meerbusch and Krefeld recently enacted similar rules.