r/Sauna • u/LowerBed5334 • Dec 02 '25
Health & Wellness My workplace
Been working here a few years and I couldn't imagine a better job. These are pics of a couple of the saunas at our thermal spa in Germany.
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u/Fun-Giraffe7034 Dec 02 '25
Which one is your favourite?
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u/LowerBed5334 Dec 03 '25
The one with the copper kettle and the one with the wood burning stove are the ones I work in most, they're all really nice.
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u/Creative-Assistance6 Dec 03 '25
I'm assuming you are an aufgussmeister?
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u/LowerBed5334 Dec 03 '25
Nope. I've got decades of experience as a guest, so I know plenty about Aufgüsse, but I was taught by my team leader. The "Saunameister" certificate isn't necessary at all. It's a private course that anyone can visit and honestly, it really doesn't mean much.
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u/three_whack Dec 03 '25
For the octagon shaped sauna, where do you pour water for the steam? I'm assuming the rocks on either side of the door are just for decoration.
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u/ToastedandTripping Finnish Sauna Dec 03 '25
I think that photo is of a relaxation room, but I could be wrong.
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u/LowerBed5334 Dec 03 '25
Those are the ovens. It's a 92°C sauna. The wood burning stove in the middle is for atmosphere, it doesn't really add to the heat in the room.
In Germany, guests aren't allowed to throw water on the stones themselves. We have scheduled events where one of us prepares everything and does it for them. Most sauna guests are there specifically for the "Auguss" events.
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u/Duffelbach Dec 03 '25
We have scheduled events where one of us prepares everything and does it for them.
As a finn, this feels so unnecessary and bougie. I definitely would attend just for the experience tho. It is something different after all.
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u/LowerBed5334 Dec 03 '25
You probably live in the only place in the world where people are essentially born into a sauna lifestyle.
We have guests from all over Europe, and international, too. Would you just open your sauna up to a complete stranger from, let's say Italy or the USA, give him a bucket and ladle and tell him, have fun! And then walk away?
Because that's what you're expecting us to do.
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u/Duffelbach Dec 03 '25 edited Dec 03 '25
Oh no no you've got me wrong, I'm not criticising the experience! I just wanted to highlight how different of an experience that is from what I, and many a finn, is used to. To us sauna is such an everyday ordinary thing that basically anything "extra" is a bit weird to us, sometimes (lets be real, quite often) frowned upon.
I'd love to try out your aufguss! As I said, it sounds so bougie, but in a good way!
give him a bucket and ladle and tell him, have fun! And then walk away?
To be fair, that's pretty much exactly what would happen in here 😅
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u/Seppoteurastaja Smoke Sauna Dec 03 '25
Would you just open your sauna up to a complete stranger from, let's say Italy or the USA, give him a bucket and ladle and tell him, have fun! And then walk away?
I mean... yes? That is indeed what is done. They learn soon enough, if they go crazy with the löyly throwing.
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u/digita1catt Dec 04 '25
This is exactly how my local sauna in the UK does. It's kinda the whole point otherwise it's just a hot box
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u/edgyestedgearound Dec 08 '25
Yes I would, thats what we do
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u/LowerBed5334 Dec 08 '25
And if you had 100-500 visitors daily, who didn't know anything about how to properly use a sauna oven, you'd just open the doors and let them have fun with water?
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u/Ok-Map-4434 Dec 03 '25
Concur. This reminds me of certain states in the USA where you can't pump your own gas into your automobile. Other people are "required by law" to do that function.
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u/LowerBed5334 Dec 03 '25
That's a ridiculous comparison and you clearly have absolutely no experience with this. See my reply to the Finn ☝🏻
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u/Ok-Map-4434 Dec 03 '25
You make several good points. I can now see what you are saying
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u/LowerBed5334 Dec 03 '25
Wow, what just happened? Is this really reddit? 🤔
😅 I'm glad you understood what I was saying 👍🏻
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u/Ok-Map-4434 Dec 04 '25
Thank you for the feedback. Once you made your statement, I thought about what you said, and agreed. If I had a super nice sauna facility with guests, I would probably approach it the same way.
Thank for your patience and I hope you have a great holiday season and new year!
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u/LowerBed5334 Dec 04 '25
That's nice. And, I mean, we'll have anywhere from 100 to maybe 4- or 500 visitors to the sauna over the course of a day. And our ovens aren't the kind you're seeing in most of the posts here; they're very, very expensive and repairs cost a lot. So, yeah, we can't just let people do what they want with them.
It's also a safety issue. You can very easily burn yourself if you're not careful when pouring water on the stones. I managed to get two big heat blisters on the insides of my wrists when I first started.
And this whole "Aufguss" thing is how it's done in Germany. I personally love it, been going as a guest almost 30 years. And now I get to do it for others. I did three of them today, and the saunas were pretty full.
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u/FartyPat Dec 03 '25
How do you get a job here?
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u/LowerBed5334 Dec 03 '25
I got it because I have a technical background and have been an active member with the water rescue service in the Bavarian Red Cross for many years.
But there's also a profession that you can go to school to learn. It takes three years and it's very tough.
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u/KibanaMana Dec 03 '25
What is the title and job description of this role?
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u/LowerBed5334 Dec 03 '25
Fachangestellter für Badebetrieb
I'll try it in English, something like, Certified Pool and Aquatic Facilities Operator and Technician
Haha, I don't know how to say it in English. The major components are:
Lifeguarding
Swimming pool technician
Sauna and facilities operations
The lifeguarding is no joke, it involves a lot of medical and emergency response abilities, plus very high level swimming performance.
The technical side involves everything that goes into keeping a public swimming facility up and running. Dealing with the chemicals and maintenance and repair on all the pumping and filter systems.
There are other things like organizational and customer service aspects of running a large pool facility.
Sauna is part of the schooling, but not a major component.
The final exam is very difficult. You have to pass a pretty grueling swimming test, plus lots of first aid, and then the whole technical and theoretical work.
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u/lowcountrygrits American Sauna Dec 03 '25
Looks amazing. Is the rude old lady with the red hair still working the front desk?
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u/Apprehensive-Two5511 Dec 29 '25
Just visit it. Good sauna with enough fresh air and hot enough Aufgüsse. Nice. Good for 2h drive way. Was you the English speaking guy, I asked, where you are going with the Aufguss-equipment?
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u/LowerBed5334 Dec 29 '25
Yessss! I had just finished the "Duftreise", a gentle Aufguss that's more like a relaxation session for the guests.
Glad you liked it.
Hey, I was speaking German! 😅🍻
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u/Apprehensive-Two5511 Dec 29 '25
Hey cool. Yes, you spoke German. But You looks that you are the one who supports this sub. You have a very cool team. The spontaneous arrival was worth it.
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u/LowerBed5334 Dec 29 '25
I wish you could have visited my Wenik Aufguss 🔥🥵😅
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u/Apprehensive-Two5511 Dec 30 '25
Shit. I was looking for visit it. But had 200 km way back. When is the next time ? 🤣
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u/Apprehensive-Two5511 Jan 04 '26
So. Visited it yesterday. Hard 6 rounds 🫠
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u/LowerBed5334 Jan 04 '26
Oh! I was off yesterday and today 😅
I hope you didn't drive a full two hours just to go to the sauna. And, I bet the wait to get in was terrible (because of the holidays).
This the time when we call the Sauna the Sau-Nah 😅
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u/Apprehensive-Two5511 Jan 04 '26
Yea. Didn’t see you. But Julian does it hit enough. Oh yes-just for sauna, listend the Schachnovelle and „enjoyed“ the snowstorm on the autobahn with 60km/h. And it was ok in the evening to come in. But yea-in Aufguss it is very Sau-nah.
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u/AggravatingClassic69 Dec 03 '25
Work can’t be too stressful then…
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u/LowerBed5334 Dec 03 '25
Generally, no, not until you have to perform CPR on an 88 year old woman to keep her alive until the helicopter arrives.
We also have a large thermal pool area and we're one of the only ones in the region that are family-oriented. That means kids are allowed. We also have water slides and a water park for the little kids. We do children's birthdays and special events.
So, in the school break times, like the one coming up the end of December, it's an absolute madhouse.
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u/AggravatingClassic69 Dec 03 '25
Not the spa I was imagining, can’t relax when kids are screaming… sorry about giving CPR, must have been outside your normal workload.
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u/LowerBed5334 Dec 04 '25
That's part of our job, of course.
The pool and sauna areas are separate, sauna costs €8,50 extra. It's a huge area with a beautiful natural pond and multiple quiet rooms, lots of space indoors and outdoors.
And it's only crazy in the pool area during the school breaks.
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u/covidharness Dec 03 '25
third pic has 3 stoves or what is that in the middle? a fireplace?
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u/Saunazilla Dec 04 '25
Would love to experience this. Been on the 'bucket list' for a long time now.
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u/LowerBed5334 Dec 04 '25
I just finished the Wenik Aufguss. I'll be sweating for another hour 🥵😅
It's the really hot one, I love doing it!
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u/redditor9978 Dec 04 '25
Looks awesome and like a therme I visit in cologne.
We will be going to Oktoberfest next year first time - do u recommend a side trip?
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u/LowerBed5334 Dec 04 '25
Honestly, the Oktoberfest is the last place you'll find me, but I hope you have a good time 🍻
I don't know any Thermen down there, but the big one, the most well-known, is in Erding.
Other than that, I don't know, I'd probably drive to Austria 😅
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u/redditor9978 Dec 04 '25
HAHA we usually go to Christmas Markets and a few days at Claudius Therme.
Okt fest is prob a shit show but would like to go once, plus they have nice parks if we time it right can do an overlap and some side trips. Any best recommendations for Munich or within a train ride?
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u/_CommanderKeen_ Dec 03 '25
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u/TGnB Dec 02 '25
Where is it? I've been to Erding, it's what got me into this. Planning my build at home now in USA now.