The History of Oktoberfest

The beginnings of Oktoberfest are actually rooted in love. On October 12, 1810, Bavarian Crown Prince Louis, who later became King Louis I of Bavaria, and Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen were married. Held on the pastures in front of the city, Bavarian royalty invited the citizens of Munich to partake in the day's festivities.

The fields in which the city celebrated the union were named "Theresienwiese," meaning "Therese's fields," to honor the crown princess. Today, it is called "the Wiesn," for short, and is still the site of what would become Oktoberfest. The festivities, which lasted for five days, ended with a big horse race, said to be proposed by a member of the Bavarian National Guard, Andreas Michael Dall'Armi. Children, dressed in traditional Bavarian costumes, also lavished the royal family with poems, flowers, and fruits. 

Throughout the week, there were no beer tents or carnivals, but nevertheless, Oktoberfest was born. Andreas Michael Dall'Armi is largely credited with the conception of the tradition and even received the first gold citizens' medal from the city of Munich for his invention. 

The following year, after the fun that was had and the joy shared, the decision was made to repeat the festival and horse races. But who would organize the event, given there was no royal wedding to celebrate? As such, a new organization, "Landwirtschaftlicher Verein in Bayern," meaning the "Bavarian Agricultural Association," was established.

But already, in 1813, the event had to be cancelled for the first time due to the Napoleonic wars. Following the war, the festival was privately financed until the city's government decided to make Oktoberfest a priority in 1819. It was widely understood throughout the city, even in the uppermost circles, that the events would attract a crowd and potentially generate significant revenue for years to come. 

The festivities continued to be enjoyed, and in 1850, there was another significant event to celebrate: the unveiling of the statue of Bavaria, not only the figure of the Bavarian state, but the guardian of Oktoberfest. Later, in 1881, the first roasted chicken booth opened, which continues to be a tradition for the hungry Oktoberfest goer. And into the late 19th century, additional booths and carousels were erected, performers and breweries took their place, drawing out the festival into the elaborate event it has become known for today. 

1910 marked the 100th anniversary of the event, and was commemorated with over 300,000 gallons of beer. Served in the largest tent of the festival, with over 12,000 seats, drinking soon became a primary tradition of the holiday. In 1950, the mayor, Thomas Wimmer, tapped the very first beer barrel, a tradition that has continued every year with the mayors who have followed, accompanied by the words "O'zapft is" (which you now know!).

Today, Oktoberfest takes place in late September and lasts until the first Sunday in October. Above all, alcohol continues to play a major role in the festival, with more than 2 million gallons of beer consumed annually. Following the tapping of the keg, twelve gunshots are fired at the stairway of Ruhmeshalle, signalling the allowance of restaurateurs to begin serving beer. 

Usually, the Bavarian Minister-President is offered the first beer—that is, after the beer begins flowing. Each year, visitors often place bets on how many strokes it will take the major to open the first barrel. Christian Ude and Dieter Reiter still hold the best performance with two strokes, and on the other end is Thomas Wimmer in 1950, where 19 strokes were required. 

A costume parade is also a marker of the modern festival. The first was held in 1835, marking the union of the pair who kick-started the tradition. On the first Sunday of the festival, around 10,000 people make the trek from Maximilianeum to Theresienwiese, where the extravaganza will be held. 

The people in the parade, and throughout the festival, will be sporting the traditional Bavarian outfit. The corseted dress known as the dirndl is derived from the word "diernen," which was applied to the maids who worked in the fields during the 19th century. Over a shirt, they wore the "leiblgawnd," the dress part of the dirndl, and an apron. Whereas the lederhosen, typically sported by men, likely originated in the late Middle Ages and were designed to withstand difficult field work. 

Throughout the festival, there is traditional German cuisine of every kind, from pretzels and bratwurst to roasted chicken and Schnitzel. That being said, there is no shortage of food, activities, and overall fun to be had. And, no worries, if you're not interested in drinking, a family-friendly program has been introduced in recent years. 

Featured image: Wilhelm von Kobell / Wikimedia Commons