Kurt Barthel (1884–1969) is the father of the modern United States nudist movement.

Introduction

He began the American League for Physical Culture in 1929 with an ad, first in the leading German nudist magazines published in Berlin by Robert Laurer "Lichtland" (Light Land) and "Lachendes Leben" (Laughing Life), then later in a newspaper seeking like-minded folks. The first organized nudist outing was held on Labor Day 1929. There were seven people in attendance, three women and four men, all but one between the ages of 20 and 27. The first outing was held in the Hudson Highlands in upstate New York. The American League for Physical Culture was organized in the fall of 1929 and took part in the beginning of the American nudist movement. The members of the ALPC visited leased farms in Westchester County in the summer and participated in gymnastics in rented gymnasiums and pools in the city in winter. About 1930 three members stepped out of the ALPC and formed their own groups, one of whom formed the

American Gymnosophical Association The American Gymnosophical Association (AGA) was organized circa 1930 by Herman and Katherine Soshinski. It was one of 3 spin-off groups from the League for Physical Culture that had been organized by Kurt Barthel in 1929. Dr. Maurice Parmelee, Pr ...

which shortly thereafter leased

Rock Lodge Club Rock Lodge Club is a Naturist resort, naturist club located on of privately owned land located in the Stockholm, New Jersey, Stockholm area of the Hardyston Township, New Jersey, which is situated on the New Jersey Highlands of North Jersey, abou ...

in Stockholm, New Jersey. The American Sunbathing Association (ASA) — now called the

American Association for Nude Recreation The American Association for Nude Recreation (AANR) is a naturist organization based in the United States. The AANR is the largest, longest-established organization of its kind in North America. It was founded in 1931 and went under its previou ...

(AANR) — was an outgrowth or spin off from ALPC. Another who played a part in the United States nudist movement was Dr. Maurice Parmelee, who took part in the founding of the American Gymnosophical Association and published the 1927 book ''The New Gymnosophy'' in New York whose title was changed to ''Nudism In Modern Life'' in later editions. The first copies of the book were sold under the counter by a large reputable book seller in New York City.

Sky Farm

Barthel founded America's first official nudist camp in

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

, in May, 1932 when nudists and nudism were not accepted at all by the American public, during the

Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...

. Sky Farm continues to function as a member owned co-operative club. In a newspaper article it is stated that in 1933 the American League, having a post office box for a New York address, was buying a farm in New Jersey that had been visited and approved by the chief of police, but would not divulge its location and the American Gymnosophical Association, having an office in Manhattan, New York had leased land in the Catskills, New York and a farm nearer to New York City. The American Gymnosophical Associates had substantial foundation at Rock Lodge.International Nude-Land, December 1934, p. 30

continues to function as a member owned co-operative club.

Notes and references

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External links

Sky Farm
{{DEFAULTSORT:Barthel, Kurt 1884 births 1969 deaths American activists American naturists Social nudity advocates

Introduction

Sky Farm

See also

Notes and references

External links