The removal of the famous Eisbach wave in Munich again, and surfers are calling it a 'declaration of war'.
The ongoing dispute over the famous surfing wave in the Eisbach River in Munich has escalated again after months. Following a long tension between surfers and local authorities, the Munich fire brigade removed a temporary structure that had recently restored the wave. This decision sparked widespread anger among surfers who see the move as a direct attack on a globally recognized urban landmark.
The Eisbach wave had disappeared for the first time in October after the city cleaned the riverbed of waste and debris. Since then, the situation has seen a tug-of-war; unknown individuals repeatedly intervened to restore the wave before it disappeared again. On Christmas Eve, surfing activists placed a long wooden board in the water, which reactivated the wave once again.
In the early morning, just before eight o'clock, firefighters from the professional fire brigade (Berufsfeuerwehr) arrived at the site of the Isbach, accompanied by police officers. Following orders from the city of Munich, the wooden beam was removed using a crane. According to a spokesperson for the fire department quoted by the Süddeutsche Zeitung, the operation took about an hour. By nine o'clock in the morning, the Isbach River had returned to its previous state without a wave. The spokesperson added that it is unclear how long this back-and-forth will continue.
The reaction of the surfers was angry and charged. In their internal discussions, they described the city's actions as a 'declaration of war' against the surfing community, according to dpa (the German news agency). The Surf Club Munich accused the city administration of reshaping an internationally known urban space that has lived for decades without a clear political decision. The club considered the removal of the structure not merely a technical measure, but a political decision, or rather a lack of political decision, as the administration moves while elected politicians remain silent.
The dispute escalated during the Christmas period when surfers halted an official attempt to legally preserve the wave. They stated that the city's conditions were impossible, as they included full responsibility and costs, constant readiness, and providing technical evidence at the level of building bridges or dams. The Interessengemeinschaft Surfen München (IGSM - Surfers Association in Munich) warned that although official approval for the wave is theoretically not excluded, it becomes practically impossible. Surfers are now calling on the Munich City Council to take a clear stance, emphasizing that the Eisbach wave is a global symbol of a modern, livable city, and this part of the city's identity should not be destroyed.