The History Of Oktoberfest
By: Jane Roseen
The first Oktoberfest was
held on Ocotber 12, 1810, in Munich to celebrate the wedding of Prince Ludwig I
of Bavaria and Princess Maria Teresa of Saxony-Hildburghausen. The citizens of
Munich were invited to attend the festivities held on the fields in front of
the city gates to celebrate the happy royal event. The fields have been named
Theresienwiese - Theresa's fields - in honor of the Crown Princess ever since,
although the locals have since abbreviated the name simply to the
"Wies'n". Horse races in the presence of the Royal Family marked the
close of the event that was celebrated 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. The festival was dedicated to the fall harvest
and to the Regions most famous product, beer. Tradesman and merchants came
throughout Germany to join in the merry-making. They examined the crops, sang
songs, danced and sampled the first beer of the season. The celebration was
such a success that Ludwig issued a royal Decree making October festival time
in Munich. The horse races, which were the oldest and - at one time - the most
popular event of the festival are no longer held today. But the Agricultural
Show is still held every three years during the Oktoberfest on the southern
part of the festival grounds.
In the first few decades
the choice of amusements was sparse. The first carousel and two swings were set
up in 1818. Visitors were able to quench their thirst at small beer stands
which grew rapidly in number. In 1896 the beer stands were replaced by the
first beer tents and halls set up by enterprising landlords with the backing of
the breweries.
Oktoberfest Today
Oktoberfest 2005
celebrates it's 172nd year. Oktoberfest is the largest festival in the world,
with 6 million visitors from around the world attending the Munich Oktoberfest
each year. Each year, these attendees consume more than 5 million liters of
beer and over 200,000 pork sausages, as well as large quantities of traditional
hearty fare such as sausage, hendl (chicken) and sauerkraut, along with such
Bavarian delicacies as roast ox tails.
Only six Munich breweries
are allowed to serve beer at Oktoberfest – Löwenbräu, Spaten, Augustiner,
Hofbräu, Paulaner and Hacker-Pschorr. Each Bierzelte (beer "tents")
hold some 3,000–10,000 people. There are currently 14 main tents at the
Oktoberfest. A special Oktoberfest beer is brewed for the occasion which is
slightly darker and stronger, in both taste and alcohol.
The festivities are
accompanied by a program of events, including the Grand Entry of the
Oktoberfest Landlords and Breweries, the Costume and Riflemen's Procession, and
a concert involving all the brass bands represented at the "Wies'n".
And since the Oktoberfest
is still held on the Theresienwiese, the locals still refer to the event simply
as the "Wies'n". So "welcome to the Wies'n" means nothing
other than "Welcome to the Oktoberfest"!
About the author: Jane S.
Roseen is the Owner and President of Harmony Sweets. Harmony Sweets’ mission
focuses on individual consumers purchasing gourmet chocolates from around the
world for their friends and relatives and corporate gifting, all with
best-in-class customer service. Website: http://www.harmonysweets.com
Article Source: www.isnare.com
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