Bernburg/Wolmirsleben. Swimming in the Wolmirsleben mine lake is possible under certain conditions! The Salzlandkreis district authority already outlined a possible solution back in February during a consultation with representatives of the Egelner Mulde municipal association, Wolmirsleben’s mayor and local councillors. The suggestion, repeatedly made in public over recent weeks, that the Salzlandkreis district authority has imposed a ban on swimming is incorrect! Such statements are untrue. The opposite is the case.
District Administrator Markus Bauer therefore clarifies: "We have not only fulfilled our official mandate in the area of fire protection at the campsite at all times. In view of the importance of the Schachtsee for the region, we have always explained to all those involved how the local recreation area can have a future despite the existing glaring deficiencies." The district administrator emphasises: "We were always open to dialogue, because we were of course never interested in ruining anything for anyone. However, we are responsible for complying with and implementing the law."
Thomas Michling, head of administration for the Salzland district, explains: "If the bathing area at Schachtsee is clearly demarcated from the campsite, we can consider tolerating it. However, only the owners of the land in question can make the fundamental decision on this bathing area. This is not a decision for the Salzland district! In any case, the water quality of the Schachtsee allows swimming." The background to this is that the campsite and the bathing area at the Schachtsee legally form one area.
Thomas Michling emphasises that the mayor of Wolmirsleben in particular has been aware of the framework conditions for the opening of the bathing area since the consultation last February at the latest. The mayor's most recent written questions to the district administrator in this context are therefore incomprehensible.
At this point, the Salzland district also expressly refers to the decision made by the Magdeburg Administrative Court last Friday regarding the official procedure for prohibiting the use of the campsite. According to this decision, all measures taken to date by the Salzland district as the responsible building regulations authority were not only necessary from a fire safety perspective in order to protect the life and limb of all users. The decisions were also proportionate and therefore appropriate from a legal perspective at all times. The applications by an owner of various properties on the campsite against the prohibition of use of the campsite, the official sealing of the site and the recent need to switch off the electricity at the campsite due to various incidents were therefore dismissed in full by the administrative court.
In this context, the Salzland district once again appeals to common sense: damaging official seals is a criminal offence that will be reported to the police in each individual case. If the campsite continues to be used illegally - even sporadically - the Salzland district will have to take further regulatory measures.
District Administrator Markus Bauer regrets that those actually responsible for the local recreation area near Wolmirsleben have shown little willingness to initiate the necessary change processes in recent years. Instead, responsibility for the prohibition of use of the campsite has always been sought in the Salzland district. The district administrator recalled that the district administration had been brought on board in 2022 by the Egelner Mulde association municipality as the building regulations authority to ensure safety on site.
During the inspection, serious fire safety deficiencies as well as nature conservation and water law problems were identified. Due to the situation on site, the Salzland district had to issue a usage ban against the operator and tenant of the campsite as early as 2023. At the same time, the district administration opened up the possibility of remedying the deficiencies identified in order to create the conditions for tolerating the campsite. As this has not yet happened, the campsite cannot be legalised.