CAN YOU SPOT THE FKK?
On the fringes of almost any Croatian beach destination, these three letters are often found scrawled across the rocks. They are not only abbreviated signposts for where to go when you want to bathe in the buff, but are also an interesting remnant of Yugoslavian tourism that has not been erased by time and change.
It is perhaps easy to associate the culture of nudism to the free wheelin’ 70’s - but its origins, and roots in Croatia actually reach back much further into history.
Backtrack to the turn of the 20th century Germany, where society and lives were governed quite strictly. As things go, in reaction to too many rules, an alternative lifestyle culture emerged.
A movement coined FKK, which stood for “Frei-körper-kultur.” and translated to something like “free-body-culture,” was created, touting the philosophy that ridding yourself of clothing in nature brings a healthy sense of freedom and well being…”allowing for the natural elements - air, sun, light and water to be fully enjoyed…ignoring any erotic connotation…nudity should be seen as the original state in which each of us were born. It is natural and healthy.”
This friendly. anti-authoritarian lifestyle spilled over German borders into other countries; popping up in desirable locations. The sparkling Adriatic coast was an obvious place for FKK to thrive - with some help from historical events and famous figures.
Leapfrog a few decades forward, when the birth of naturist tourism on the Adriatic was given a ‘free’ promotional kickstart.
In 1936 when Britain’s King Edward VIII and his lover Wallis Simpson skinny dipped and frolicked in the Adriatic sea, all eyes turned to the Istrian coast.
Not only did he return to England and abdicate, forfeiting his status as King of England in order to marry Wallis, but he was a nudist!
Jump again, to the Yugoslavian era, and President Josip Broz Tito’s ambitious development of tourism that spanned the eastern shores of the Adriatic from Istria to Montenegro, and included building on the already existent popularity of naturist tourism. The Istrian region launched the first naturist exclusive resorts in Europe.
A typically sprawling Socialist era complex, Koversada Vrsar accommodated up to 400 guests, and hosted the first world conference for naturist tourism. The 70’s was a heyday for naturist holidays, with niche “nudist” camps and hotels popping up on Adriatic shores.
To this day, beach towns have public or “textile” beaches where bathing suits are expected, and those looking to take it all off hit the trails to outlying bays, and the ‘wild’, FKK beaches. Finding their way via the ubiquitous FKK marking.
Although subdued compared to its past glory, the movement is still well and alive. Just around the bend and down a rocky trail there is likely a peaceful, untouched and wild beach, and likely a few bare bodies.
WHAT’S NOT TO LOVE
It took very little to convert me.
No people tromping over your towel, no noise or water sports, and an unspoken respect to give everyone their personal space. Nobody coming along just as you get settled, plonking down inches from your towel only to begin barking into their cell phone. And there really is a liberating sense of freedom floating in the sea sans swimsuit, I am telling you…
SAVE THE SPOT
People often establish their spots, and tend to return to those same places day after day - some bold souls even leaving mats held down by rocks for the night, to ensure their place.
We often had to step around the ‘Eivis brothers,’ on the way to our spot.
At night the twin brothers performed their rotating Elvis impersonations in the hotel bar - which I had a feeling they had been doing since Yugoslavian times... And by day they and their greased back hair- do’s went to the beach - their big bronze bellies and everything else getting darker by the day. They lay side by side in exactly the same spot, modestly covering their privates with their newspapers as we sauntered by.
