An Instagram video posted on Thursday caused a stir in Munich’s surfing community: the world-famous wave on the Eisbach stream in the English Garden suddenly recovered after more than 170 days of dormancy. But the joy was fleeting.
At first, even professionals were puzzled. Representatives of the Munich Surfing Community (IGSM) and the Munich Surf Club stated they were unaware of any current unauthorized attempts to install structures. Hope grew within the community: could the wave have reformed naturally after recent flooding, thanks to gravel and moss on the streambed? One surfer told the Abendzeitung: “It would have made perfect sense if this wave had formed on its own now.”
Unknown Individuals Fixed a Grate in the Eisbach Bed
However, a detailed inspection of the bed crushed these expectations. “Unfortunately, it is not a natural wave after all — there is a grate in the water,” another surfer explained to an Abendzeitung reporter. The Abendzeitung and Süddeutsche Zeitung newspapers unanimously confirmed that unknown individuals had apparently secretly fixed a metal structure in the Eisbach bed to create the flow. Who is behind this action remains unclear.
The Building Department reacted immediately. In response to a media inquiry, department officials stated: “This is an unauthorized installation that must be dismantled for safety reasons.”
The Department for Climate and Environmental Protection also emphasized that the grate must be removed. Surfing remains prohibited under the current general order. One athlete explained in an interview with the BR broadcaster that the wave was not yet suitable for riding — the water level would have had to rise another 10 to 20 cm for that. Despite this, Instagram videos showed some thrill-seekers attempting to ride it anyway.
