Get ready for the Oktoberfest!
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(© Picture-alliance)
The Oktoberfest enjoys a legendary status world-wide. After all, as Germany’s central administration for tourism determined in 1999, it is as “typically German” as Adolf Hitler and the Berlin Wall. And this year as well, during the Oktoberfest’s sixteen days, about 7 million people will flock to the festival area on the edge of Munich ’s city center and consume slightly more than a Maß (one liter) of beer on average. They will get hungry, too, obviously. In 2007 6.7 million visitors packed away 104 bullocks, 58,446 pork knuckles and 521,872 roast chickens. And mountains of fish, roast sausage and sweets of all kinds were also consumed.
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(© Picture-alliance)
But numbers are more of a hindrance than a help in understanding the Oktoberfest phenomenon. During the runup phase, intense discussions about high beer prices (between 7,80 and 8,30 Euro per liter) are also tradition, but most visitors stop caring about the prices after their second Maß. In the end, the atmosphere is more important than money: things are remarkably peaceful considering the masses of people milling about inside and outside the tents. Violence and passed-out drunks are the exception, even though the heavy beer consumption does take its toll on one or the other visitor.
Originally a horse-race
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(© picture-alliance/ dpa)
But beer played no part when the event first started. The festival first took place in 1810, to celebrate the wedding of Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese of Sachsen-Hildburghausen. A horse-race was held on a field – named the Theresienwiese in honor of the bride - at what was then the city limit. The spectacle on the Wies’n was such a success that it was repeated in the years that followed and it developed into a community festival offering a huge amusement park and countless food stands in addition to the beer tents – that are in fact large-scale buildings that are set up and taken down every year. A memorable experience for adults, children, and visitors from around the world.
And not surprisingly, on each one of the three Oktoberfest weekends the access roads from the south are hopelessly jammed with mobile homes coming in from Italy. Japanese wearing Bavaria’s traditional Lederhosen and Dirndls take part in the costume and sharpshooter parades on the festival’s first Sunday. People from India, America, Australia, Africa and China come in droves to the Wies’n, all of them clearly enjoying the lively atmosphere and the colorful doings.
A gigantic influx of money
For this reason, it is no wonder that about 3000 Oktoberfests happen each year all over the world – the largest is in Kitchener, Canada, near Toronto . But the Oktoberfest is also celebrated in Dubai and Pakistan – with no alcohol or pork allowed! The City of Munich , which has the rights to the brand name “Oktoberfest München” need have no fear: the spectacle brings in over a billion euros in sales volume, and the festival area alone provides jobs for 12,000 people. In addition to this come overnight accomodations, shopping tours, taxi rides and public transportation use. A gigantic influx of money every year.
Or almost every year. Wars, cholera, global economic crises have meant cancellations. It has taken place annually since 1949: neither a bomb attack at the main entrance in 1980 in which thirteen people died, nor the attacks of September 11, 2001 led to cancellation of the festival.
Sorrow and cares have no place at the Theresienwiese. Anyone who has ever danced on a bench with a beer mug in hand and prosted his neighbor while the brass band strikes up “Ein Prosit der Gemütlichkeit. Eins zwei, drei – Gsuffa!” once again, will never want to pass up this atmosphere. No matter how early he has to get up or how long the waiting time at the entrance may be.
Copyright: Goethe-Institut e.V., Online-Redaktion
