The image of summer in Europe is that of a time when we can escape stress and hard work – a break from politics, if you will. Yet, summer has always been political. Nowadays, this ambivalence seems increasingly anachronistic as heat, droughts, and wildfires force more and more people into survival mode, turning this supposed break into a state of emergency. Magdalena Taube and Krystian Woznicki take a tour along the eroding guardrails of a ambivalent construct of time off – from Brittany through Piedmont to Brandenburg.
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“The era of comforting narratives is over. Hope that does not address real power structures and modes of production is not a resource; it is a narcotic.” Annette Schlemm, 2026
The opening scene of Jacques Tati’s film “Les Vacances de monsieur Hulot” (1953) takes place at a train station. A crowd of people hurries in unison from platform to platform, repeatedly down the stairs and back up again, driven by a voice booming from the loudspeaker, whose staccato announcements are delivered in a completely incomprehensible gibberish.
The travelers’ frenetic agility testifies to their determination to get away. The seemingly endless and senseless repetition of going up and down, or back and forth, however, testifies to a state of stagnation. A train pulls into the station without stopping. Is it even possible to leave? The whole scene is reminiscent of a drill for an emergency. A fire drill, perhaps? Posters promoting Brittany as a tourist destination hang on the platform – a promise of a better elsewhere.
The chimera of a crisis
Later, on the Atlantic coast of Brittany, on the beach, Hulot – the Chaplinesque title character of the film – climbs into a kayak and paddles out to sea. As he then steers back toward the shore, the kayak suddenly folds in half and takes on a new function: it transforms into an illusionary prop – namely, the jaws of a shark. Now, it may well be that sharks do appear along this coast. But they’re considered harmless. So why this overreaction from the beach crowd, as if it were a monster that also hunts people on land? People are running in all directions. Just getting away. There’s no sign of an orderly, choreographed collective response.
The panic in the sequence famously known as the ‘gag du kayak’ vaguely resembles the opening scene of the film with the drills at the train station. There a system malfunction seemed to serve as a reminder of what the philosopher, urban planner, and architect Paul Virilio theorized as “dromology” – a concept according to which the expansion and acceleration of mass mobility in modern society ultimately leads to catastrophic accidents and existential risks. Here on the beach, the chimera of a monster serves as an even clearer reminder that something is to be said about social conditions. But what exactly is at stake?
Cultural critic Georg Seeßlen interprets the shark in Steven Spielberg’s film “Jaws” (1975) as a “passepartout of fears.” According to this reading, the shark embodies the repressed, which rises from the collective unconscious and suddenly reveals itself on the surface of the sea. One might infer that Tati, too, stages the fictionalization of a crisis in society – a society that is confronted with the political precisely where it least expects or hopes for it.
When in doubt, BBQ
August 2026, Piedmont, a region in northwestern Italy, two hours from Milan. On Lake Orta, which is surrounded by mountains, residents of the Capitale della Moda have their second homes or summer homes. Tourists, too, have discovered the area. In Pettenasco, a town of 1,300 residents in Piedmont located at the mouth of the Pescone torrent, which flows into Lake Orta, you can hear Ukrainian, German, French, and English spoken alongside Italian. A milky haze obscures the sun these days. The air smells a bit unusual. People are sitting in the restaurant, eating ice cream, sprinting up the hill, riding mountain bikes, playing tennis, jogging near the shore of Lake Orta, and lounging on the beach. While some children and teenagers jump into the clear water from the ferry dock – doing cannonballs, backward dives, or artistic somersaults – others are sunbathing. Two boys chat animatedly about capitalism, colonial history, and dictatorship while splashing around. A group clinks wine glasses.
Breathing or lung problems, earaches and sore throats, headaches and heartaches, allergic reactions, dizziness, illnesses – all of this remains a private matter and is either not discussed or, when in doubt, brushed aside. The fact that the sun and the mountains are shrouded in mist can be interpreted as a weather phenomenon and enjoyed as such. The strange smell lingering in the air can be interpreted as the scent of a barbecue or a summer bonfire in the garden. Memories of these scents mingle with the nostalgic exhaust fumes of the fossil fuel era.
The airplanes circling the lake again and again – which, from a distance, look like lovingly restored vintage aircraft from the 1930s – stir up tourist longings in which authentic wartime experiences merge with the romance of a mountain lake. They repeatedly attempt to land on the water, but then only skim the surface before climbing back up. It looks like a simulation of a maneuver that, by the tenth repetition, at most, evokes nothing more than a shrug. That something like this is even allowed here – just think of the massive disruption to the ecosystem! – is hardly surprising on a lake that doesn’t take nature conservation all that seriously. After all, all sorts of motorboats are out on the water, too. Or people water-skiing while being towed by a motorboat.
Depending on the wind and weather
Ultimately, research reveals that there are two major wildfires near Lake Orta: one in Coggiola and one in Cimamulera. They are a few kilometers away, literally just behind the mountains surrounding the lake. The plumes of smoke drift from the fire sites toward the lake and shroud the area in fog. Depending on the wind and weather, they are sometimes denser and more visible. The fine particulate matter affects both the senses and the body. On an information page, the air quality is repeatedly shown as ‘poor’ and then again as ‘good.’ At one point, high ozone levels are even reported.
Taking a deep breath won’t help you notice the changes in air quality. The air seems to be consistently poor. Headaches and other symptoms are essentially a constant presence. It is recommended to postpone or completely avoid physically strenuous activities. Vulnerable groups –the elderly, the sick, and children – should be especially cautious. Only indoor spaces offer reliable protection. Further research reveals: The supposed tourist planes flying over the lake are actually Canadair CL-415 firefighting aircraft. By skimming the surface of the lake, they can scoop up enormous amounts of water. Some of them are also active on nearby Lake Maggiore.
“The fire isn’t a problem”
On the train from Pettenasco to Domodossola. An approximately one-hour ride. The train passes very close to several fire sites. The wisps of fog grow denser. Entire towns, rivers, and industrial facilities are shrouded in smoke. From the window, people engaging in sports can be seen time and again. A garden party with a BBQ. Then, once again, isolated patches of burning forest in the mountains. At a smoke-shrouded station, a group of Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts gets off, determined to continue their nature outing undeterred by the apocalyptic conditions. Upon arriving in Domodossola, the passengers hurry off the train. After all, anyone who wants to continue their journey is always in a hurry. The air smells more toxic than it did in Pettenasco. FFP2 masks would be advisable. But only one person is wearing one. The schedule has fallen apart. Will anyone be able to get out of here in time?
Inside the station, travelers are running up and down the stairs – from platform to platform, just like in that Tati movie. Finally, an announcement comes over the loudspeakers: Everyone is to gather in front of the station. Post buses will arrive as a replacement service. Volunteers in yellow vests will be on hand to help guide people. A large crowd of about a thousand people has gathered and is following the instructions. Finally, two yellow buses bearing the Post logo arrive. A person in a yellow vest appears. Not enough to clear up the chaos. A week ago, things were much worse in Domodossola, reports a vacationer from Switzerland. Others say they had to cut short their Alpine crossing. Several hundred people were stranded. In the end, only a single bus arrived.
At the information desk at the Domodossola train station. When asked whether trains were still running today and whether the whole schedule mess is due to the fire, the person behind the desk replies, “The fire isn’t a problem.”
Blue Spaces for everyone?
The Swiss border is only an hour away. Beyond it, one can feel safe. First Bern, then Freiburg, Karlsruhe, and finally Berlin. But even the cities of the Federal Republic are suffering from heat stress. However, they are not merely victims but also major contributors, as they are the central drivers of an economy fixated on endless growth – an economy that has brought about global warming and the climate emergency. To make matters worse, city governments are making no progress in developing Blue Spaces. On the contrary. In Düsseldorf, for example, swimming in the Rhine has recently been banned – the only place where cooling off in the water costs nothing. Otherwise, you have to shell out 30 euros. Who can afford that? It’s a class issue.
However, Blue Spaces are also a matter of racism, as the public swimming pools in Berlin demonstrate. Their security measures regarding access and use are structurally no different from those of a racist border or prison regime. To create an alternative and send a message, the theater Volksbühne on Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz built a Volksbad (literally a ‘swimming pool for the people’), and invited the EOTO collective to curate a program for Black children and youth at the opening. However, the event was prevented from taking place due to racist incitement by right-wing media. EOTO issued a statement: “Since the public discussion about the event began, we have received racist threatening emails, threats of violence, and discriminatory comments on social media. Therefore, we cannot rule out the possibility that the children and teenagers would be exposed to further dangers that day.”
The public bath opened anyway – with a predominantly white audience. The Volksbühne explains: “We will, of course, continue to offer positive measures for structurally disadvantaged people. This is about the responsibility that public institutions have. We stand in solidarity – today and every day – with everyone who is subjected to racism and right-wing scapegoating.” Beyond the declarations of intent, one question remains unanswered: Who is ‘the people’ (‘Volk’) at the Volksbad? Who gathers here and, on this special stage, forms the ‘we’ of this time-off construct? These questions hang in the air, strangely unaddressed, just like the scent at Lake Orta.
Surely everyone would want that
A few days later, the fourth ‘Swim-Along’ demonstration of the season is set to take place not far from the Volksbad. For years, activists have fought for the Spree Canal’s renaturation and the opening of a river bath: Fluss Bad. The stated goals are to promote an ecologically sustainable approach to urban planning, to expand and strengthen public spaces, and to create Blue Spaces to help adapt to climate stress. Surely everyone would want that. So far, at least, a small movement is championing this cause. Since 2014, the project has received six million euros in funding from sources including the federal ‘National Urban Development Projects’ program, the Berlin Senate, the LOTTO Foundation, and others. Feasibility studies have been conducted and initial measures have been taken. Just recently, the headline read, “Crazy: Green Flag for Swimming in the Spree” (“Verrückt: Grüne Flagge für Baden in der Spree”). But political decision-makers (and their supporters in the canal industry) are still standing in the way of a major breakthrough.
On August 20, there was a rally organized by Fluss Bad-Initiative, and a few days later, a panel discussion will take place at the River Bathing Garden on the question: “River Bathing in Berlin: Public Enjoyment or Public Hazard?” However, the big ‘Swim-Along’ demonstration this August was called off. The reason: water contamination caused by heavy rain in the days leading up to the event. Anyway, Berliners will continue waiting (and fighting) for free river swimming, which is available in cities like Basel, Vienna, and London. Berliners are hopeful, not least because the Swimmable Cities Alliance supports this vision. The alliance aims to reconnect city dwellers with urban blue spaces and establish the ‘swimmability’ of rivers in urban planning and integrated water management.
At the very least, this makes one thing clear: Blue spaces could serve as platforms for cool-down training programs that facilitate social transformation in cities. At the same time, doubts arise. Do these expectations overestimate the political potential of swimming or the political awareness and political will of swimmers?
Just getting away?
Meanwhile, relaxed and dreamlike scenes unfold at the Volksbad. They are reminiscent of Jacques Tati’s sun-drenched summer vacation film. The repressed political reality of everyday summer life, which Tati captures humorously and poignantly in this film, is something he would likely seek out today in Berlin or Pettenasco rather than in Brittany. There, the fragile construct of summer as a time-out lies literally in ruins. The forests are burning fiercely this summer. Everyone must be evacuated. It has to happen fast. Leave everything behind and get out. This is not a drill.
In Europe, over 500,000 hectares of land were destroyed by wildfires this summer. That’s above the long-term average. In Germany alone, there were over 12,500 wildfires that engulfed an area of about 125,000 hectares. This represents a historic record and is more than six times the area burned the previous year. Many wildfires occur near residential and vacation areas. It’s never too late to practice for an emergency. The only question is, what do we want to rehearse? Simply running away, or coming together in a place where a good life is possible for everyone?
Since last year, the Kollapscamp has been taking place near Berlin every summer. It offers workshops and training sessions on solidarity and cooperation in emergencies and crisis situations. This is certainly more than just regressive escapism. But what about a gathering where people discover their shared material interests, negotiate, and rehearse a roadmap for a better elsewhere for everyone? Or is there no room for that much realistic utopianism in the summer?
Either way. If you don’t want anything to spoil your time off, you’ll have the opportunity to practice denial and repression. It’s a fine line. As Katharina Döbler writes in her Le Monde diplomatique editorial about the recent wildfires: “We know the cause. Yet, we act as if it were a movie that ends once we leave the theater.”
Editor’s note: You can read more about these topics in the text series “Kin City” at BG or in Magdalena Taube and Krystian Woznicki’s book “Kin City: Urban Ecologies, Infrastructures of Life, and Internationalist Struggles,” which is available via open access.