No, so I tell you.
The origin of one of Munich%26#39;s most important traditions, the Oktoberfest, is the splendourful marriage ceremony of crown prince Ludwig of Bavaria and princess Theresia of Saxonia on 12th Oct. 1810, only four years after Bavaria%26#39;s elevation to a kingdom.
Ludwig should later become the well-known %26quot;reconstructor%26quot; of Munich, king Ludwig I, and Theresia should give her name to the fair area, then a meadow, which at that time was outside of Munich - from then on called Theresienwiese (Theresia%26#39;s Meadow). So till now everyone in Munich calls the Oktoberfest %26quot;the Wiesn%26quot; (= meadow in the Bavarian dialect) and the fair is still on this %26quot;Theresienwiese%26quot;, which by now has become one of Munich%26#39;s places in the middle of the town.
In those days the people of Munich celebrated for 5 days in honour of the marriage of the couple, the occasion was declared a national holiday all over Bavaria, and so remained for a long time. At the end of the celebration there was organized a horse race by the upper middle class on 17th Oct. 1810. Because of the popularity of this horse race, it was decided to repeat the %26quot;Oktober-Fest%26quot; also the next year.
Already during the first years of the Oktoberfest, further attractions were added, e.g. the %26quot;Central Agricultural Fair%26quot;, and stalls for selling meals and drinks, especially beer.
In 1850, after the erection of the statue %26quot;Bavaria%26quot;, the next highlight became the introduction of the merry-go-rounds, which fast attained a large popularity. In 1880, a nocturnal visit to the Oktoberfest possibly led to the introduction of electricity. In 1892 the %26quot;Mass%26quot; (Mug) of glass was introduced to replace the stone mug.
Approximately from the beginning of the 20th century onward, the enormous marquees replaced the smaller beer-stalls. Soon after its 100th anniversary, in 1910, the Oktoberfest celebrations were interrupted by the two World Wars.
In 1950, the mayor of Munich, Thomas Wimmer - a very popular mayor (called Wimmer Dammerl by the inhabitants of Munich) introduced to the Oktoberfest the tradition of the %26quot;O%26#39;zapft is!%26quot; (it%26#39;s tapped), the yearly celebrated official tapping of the very first barrel of the Oktoberfest beer exactly at 12 o%26#39;clock of the first day of the fair in the beer tent of %26quot;Schottenhamel%26quot;. At the same year 1950, the horse race disappeared from the program.
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Thanks Herzblatt
Lots of interesting facts!!
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I have read a great deal about Munich because I will be there over Easter weekend and this was the best explanation of Octoberfest that I read in any of the tour books. Thank you. Very interesting and well said.
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