The history of Oktoberfest

According to the Munich tourist board, Crown Prince Ludwig, later to become King Ludwig I, married Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen on October 12, 1810 (according to other sources the wedding took place on October 17). The citizens of Munich were invited to celebrate the happy royal event at festivities held on the fields in front of the city gates. This proved so much fun that the party endured for 16 days.

The fields have been named Theresienwiese ("Theresa's fields") in honor of the Crown Princess, and the locals just call it "Wies'n." Horse races in the presence of the Royal Family marked the closing of the event which was treated as a festival for the whole of Bavaria. The decision to repeat the horse races in the subsequent year gave rise to the tradition of the Oktoberfest, but races are no longer part of a holiday today.

In 1818 first carousels and swing were set. In 1880 the festival was accompanied with the exposition of wax figures. In 1892 the visitors could drink beer form big one liter glass beer mugs. Small beer stands were replaced in 1896 by tents from the breweries. Later, a livestock show and a carnival with carousels were added.

Because of World War I and World War II the tradition was interrupted, but in 1950 the Munich mayor Thomas Wimmer resumed the tradition.