In 1910, the Oktoberfest celebrated its 100th anniversary with the consumption of 120,000 liters of beer, a true record!
However, to this day, there have been many changes to this event. What began as an official celebration of the royal marriage of the Bavarian heir, has evolved into an important economic engine in the area. This mercantile orientation was present from the first editions, when an agricultural fair began to be organized to promote agriculture and the Bavarian economy.
During the 19th century it was the Bavarian brewers who made the festival grow, installing the stands themselves (which would evolve from old wooden barracks to massive tents), but they also exercised total control over it.
In parallel, the Oktoberfest was an event that attracted all kinds of merchants: food, circus artists, freak-type shows... and also prostitution. Everything was quite regulated and it seems that in the past the waitresses they got a bonus with extraordinary services that were carried out in booths with cots, enabled for that.
In all these years the two world wars and superinflation in Germany in 1923-1924 forced the festival to be suspended. But the curious thing is that last year's break due to COVID was not the only epidemic that stopped Oktoberfest: already in the 19th century, cholera forced the cancellation of this massive concentration of beer drinkers.
The most tragic moment of the festival was on September 26, 1980, at exactly 22:19, when a bomb exploded at the main entrance. The bomb was made from an empty fire extinguisher filled with 1.39 kg of TNT. Thirteen people lost their lives, more than 201 were injured, of which 68 in serious condition. Responsibility for the attack was attributed to Gundolf Köhler, 21, a right-wing extremist, himself killed during the attack and who may have acted alone.
Traditions and sledgehammers
Since 1950, it has been a tradition for the mayor of Munich to open the beer tap with a mallet shouting “O'zapft is!” or what is the same « is open, let the party begin! Some mayors take longer to break the faucet (the one that later did it was after 19 hits). The record for the fastest is held by Mayor Ude; Two simple hammer blows were enough to open the party.
According to the rite, the president of Bavaria must drink the first maß (one liter beer mug). Then the barrels are opened in the other tents and beer is served to the attendees.
It is also from this date that the opening parade is established, led by the mayor and a character representing the Münchner Kindl (the figure of a child that appears on the city's coat of arms ). These authorities are followed by ostentatious horse carts loaded with barrels of beer and other types of carriages (representing the old carny carts that join the party). All this enlivened by the music of the different bands that will also play in the tents.
A heavy jug
Traditionally, beer is served in a so-called maßkrug or simply maß: a sturdy, dimpled, thick glass mug with a very large handle, perfect for clinking with a toast. It weighs more than a kilo empty and has a liter capacity, which makes it a 2 kilo behemoth when full of beer.
And of course, it is more than forbidden to take a souvenir maßkrug Although there is merit in trying to hide a jar of these proportions without it being noticed, there is a fine (of more than €50!) just try it. And there are people with a lot of faith, because during these years, and according to official festival sources, attempts have been made to steal 110,000 mugs of beer….
It's also amazing how many maß the waiters are able to carry at one time. The world record for “beer transportation” is held by, of course, the Bavarian Oliver Struempfel, who in 2017 broke his own record by carrying 29 mugs for 40 meters at one time and without spilling more than 10% of the beer. contents. To give you an idea, they were over 60 kilos in weight!