The most popular tourist destination in the world in late September - early October is Munich, where more than 6 million people annually come to the Oktoberfest festival. For more than 200 years, the beer festival has always been popular among lovers of this drink. “Oktoberfest” in Germany has gained such momentum over the past decades and is invariably included in the Guinness book as the largest event of this kind in the world.
Two holidays - two traditions
The history of brewing in Bavaria is closely connected with the royal family, who once ruled this land. Representatives of the Wittelsbach considered it their right not only to sort out the beers, but also to engage in its production. The first royal brewery opened in 1260 in Munich, the capital of Bavaria, by the Duke Ludwig Surov. By the 19th century, there were 70 factories for the production of this drink belonging to the royal family.
One of the monarchs (Duke Wilhelm 4) even issued a food purity law in 1516, which until 1906 acted solely on Bavarian soil, but then spread throughout Germany. Thanks to this serious attitude to the national drink, German beer is considered one of the best in the world.
Bavarians are well acquainted not only with the traditions of making beer, but also with its consumption, although there was a period in their history when strong local wine began to supplant a foamy drink by the amount of consumption.
Sometimes one decree can change the position of the “scales” of history. This happened when at the end of the 19th century a decree was issued on the benefits of beer, which led to an increase not only in its production, but also in consumption. If before the Bavarians alternated wine and beer, then after the adoption of the decree, the latter became so cheap that its consumption increased to 500 liters per person per year.
Few people know that Oktoberfest in Germany is not the only beer festival. No less significant for the Germans is the season of strong beer, which falls on Lent.
Its history began in the monastery of monks - Paulians, who cooked it for their needs. The fame of delicious beer spread all over the region, but the law forbade the monks from selling their drink, so they had to drink it themselves before fasting. Only in 1780 was permission to trade this beer obtained. So the tradition was formed within 2 weeks to celebrate the festival of strong beer on the Nockherberg mountain in Munich.
History of the beer festival
The Oktoberfest holiday in Germany dates back to 1810, when the future king Ludwig 1 decided to widely celebrate his wedding with the Saxon princess Theresa. To do this, in a meadow on the outskirts of Munich, tables were laid and hundreds of barrels of beer for townspeople put up. People liked the holiday so much that they decided to repeat it the next year, and subsequently it became the responsibility of the city authorities.
Today Terezin Meadow is a large area near the train station in old Munich. The annual beer tradition was violated only during epidemics and hostilities, for example in 1854 and 1873 due to cholera.
It was held, as for the first time, in early October, but since 1904 it was moved to the end of September, although the name was left unchanged. Nowadays, it begins on the third Saturday of September and lasts 16 days.
Festival venue
Towards the end of the 19th century, traditions formed in the Teresa meadow in Munich and places were identified where the Oktoberfest festival began to be held annually. Germany was beneficial to popularize the Bavarian brewery, for the sake of the production of which people traveled not only from all over the country, but also from abroad. The Germans are characterized by solidity and ingenuity, so they put up huge tents in the meadow, in which, in addition to tables and benches, playgrounds for dancing and bowling alleys were built.
A little later, all the entertainment was moved outside the tents, as there were more and more people wishing to drink local beer every year. Otherwise, they look almost the same as in the distant 1886, when they had electricity. Lighting was done by Einstein’s father’s company, and it is said that little Albert personally screwed bulbs in the tent of the Schottenhammel brewery.
The first largest tent for 12, 000 people was erected in 1913, which at that time was an incredible event. Nowadays, 14 tents with a capacity of up to 10, 000 places and 15 small tents per 1000 people are put up on the square.
Hero of the occasion
The main drink at the festival is beer brewed by Munich breweries. Their products must meet the standards of 1487 (the Munich law on the purity of beer was issued) and 1516 (decree on the purity of products), therefore, starting in March, special beers are brewed for the holiday.
The most popular are the varieties of such breweries as Augustiner, Paulaner, Levenbroy and others. Beer is brewed in accordance with an ancient decree, according to which its composition should contain exclusively hops, barley malt, yeast and water. Guests of Munich, when the “Oktoberfest” takes place in Germany, can try a foamy drink that has the same taste and strength (5.8 - 6.3%) as at the first festival more than 200 years ago.
Of course, in our time, brewers are cunning and create drinks for sale with a lot of ingredients, but they are not on the holiday.
At the Oktoberfest holiday in Germany, over the years, the amount of beer drunk reached almost 70, 000 hectoliters, wine - up to 27, 000 liters (you can taste it in a wine tent) and champagne - up to 20, 000 bottles (there is also a separate tent for it). The average cost of a liter mug (mass), and only in such volumes is beer served at Oktoberfest, costs 10 €. Since there are only 6 varieties in each tent, in 2 weeks of the festival you can go around all the tents without much harm to your health and wallet.
For guests of the festival 800 toilets work, doctors and volunteers are on duty, helping those who have not calculated their strength.
Treat
Bavarian national cuisine is an integral part of the beer festival. It traditionally serves pork sausages, fried chicken, pork legs, minced meat and fish. A special dish is roast meat of wild boar, deer and roe deer.
Food can be ordered both in beer tents and purchased in special stalls. For a beer snack, it is customary to order salted pretzels and dryers. You can even buy stockfish in the fish stall, although it is not a traditional German beer snack.
The first chicken fryer was installed at the Bavarian festival in 1881, and today they are modernized with modern grills.
Festive procession
Starting in 1887, the festival opens with a procession of tent owners. The tradition appeared when for the first time the brewers and the owners of the attractions united and came to Teresa meadow together with a large column.
Since then, beautifully decorated carts harnessed to four or six horses carry barrels of those beers that will be served in this tent. Behind them are the owners and workers of the brewery, and all this is accompanied by the play of the orchestra.
The festival begins with the traditional driving of a crane into a barrel at 12 in the afternoon. This ritual is performed by the mayor of the city. After the first barrel is open, all owners of tents can start selling and bottling beer.
The most gambling Bavarians bet how many hits the current burgomaster will need to open the barrel. So, the worst result is considered to be in 1950, when 19 hits were made, and the best - in 2006, when the barrel opened from the first blow.
Fun and Attractions
At the beginning of the 20th century, Oktoberfest in Germany was accompanied by amazing performances. For example, in 1901, all the participants of the festival were put on display the Bedouin village along with its inhabitants. Folk dances, archery, bowling and carousels - that's all the entertainment of those years.
Nowadays, guests are entertained by both old carousels, which have been operating for more than 80 years, and ultramodern ones. Roller coasters with tracks of different lengths are very popular among them.
Lovers of heights are expected by a mobile tower 66 meters high, with which you can feel all the charm of free fall at a speed of 79 km / h. The Ferris wheel allows you to see the whole festival from a bird's eye view.
The flea circus, operating on holidays since the 60s of the 20th century, enjoys constant popularity among adults and children.
Also, those who wish can dance, shoot from bows and crossbows or participate in numerous raffles. Each evening, each of the tents offers its guests interesting entertainments: in some, these are rock and roll concerts, in others, folk songs and dances.
Festival participants
Costume procession is a tribute to traditions. It was first held in 1835 and was dedicated to the silver wedding of Ludwig 1 and Theresa of Saxony. The first processions were rather modest, but by our time more than 8, 000 people dressed in national costumes began to take part in them. The procession takes place on the first Sunday of the holiday.
Among the participants of the festival are the Bavarian government and members of the city council of Munich, representatives of various hunting and shooting clubs, an orchestra and holiday teams. The procession runs 7 km, according to tradition it is led by a child.
To date, it is recognized as the largest in the world among such events.
Festival guests
According to statistics, approximately 70% of the guests are Bavarians and Germans, the rest are tourists from all over the world. At this noisy and bright holiday you can hear Italian, Greek, English, Swedish, Norwegian, Russian, Ukrainian speech and many more beer lovers from other countries of the world.
There are no cases of fights or manifestations of any aggression at the festival, since people who came here allowed themselves the real vacation that they had been waiting for a whole year. There is always laughter and a friendly mood. So Germany celebrates the Oktoberfest holiday.
