Family needs mother's passports to secure family identification card
In the heart of Mainz, a family outing to the Mombacher public pool turned into an unexpected ordeal for Annika Klee and her four children. According to reports by SWR, Klee attempted to obtain a family pass for the pool, but was required to present IDs of both parents to prove they all lived together.
The incident, initially shared by Klee in an Instagram video in early July, has since garnered nearly 30,000 likes and over 5,000 comments. Mainz Mayor and sports department head Günter Beck (Greens) has taken note of the case and aims to find an alternative approach to handling the family pass at the Mombacher pool.
The German Swimming Pool Association, represented by Ann-Christin von Kieter, has expressed concerns about the requirement to provide proof for the family pass. Von Kieter questions the necessity of bringing children's passports to the pool, stating that no one at the cashier would normally ask if a child is someone's own or a neighbor's child.
The requirement to provide proof is stipulated in the tariff conditions of the pool, with Torsten Traxel, the operator of the pool run by a club, defending the regulation, stating it's to support families and offer a discount. However, Traxel admitted that the situation with the Klee family "went awry."
Typically, the requirement for proof of shared last name and residence serves to verify that the pass is used only by bona fide family members living in the same household. Such requirements are common in municipal leisure facilities to avoid fraud and to comply with public funding regulations.
While some public pools or municipalities allow more flexible definitions of families by accepting other proof forms, there is no evidence from the search results that Mombacher pool is currently exploring such alternatives. For exact, updated details on the rules and any ongoing considerations for change, checking the official Mainz city or Mombach public pool website or contacting the pool administration would be necessary.
In the meantime, Ann-Christin von Kieter recommends taking as few valuable items as possible to the swimming pool, and Günter Beck plans to seek a conversation with Torsten Traxel regarding the family pass situation. The family pass at the Mombacher pool costs 16 euros.
It's important to note that even with the children's passports, the family was asked to present IDs of both parents to prove they all lived together. The city of Mainz has taken note of the case, and changes may be on the horizon for family pass policies at public pools in Mainz.
- The family-dynamics of Annika Klee and her four children were disrupted at the Mombacher public pool, causing a stir on social-media, as she was required to provide IDs to prove cohabitation, despite having the children's passports.
- In response to the case, relationships between city officials and pool operators, such as the one between Günter Beck and Torsten Traxel, may evolve, particularly concerning the family-pass policy at home-and-garden facilities like the Mombacher pool.
- Ann-Christin von Kieter, a representative from the German Swimming Pool Association, suggests a shift in lifestyle, encouraging pool-goers to minimize valuable items, such as IDs, to avoid potential incidents like the one experienced by Annika Klee and her family.
