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The history of the Oktoberfest
Origins administrative reorganization. This huge festival
Four years after Bavaria was elevated to the thus came at just the right time to establish an
status of a kingdom, Crown Prince Ludwig – later identity for the “new” Bavarians and focus their
to become King Ludwig I – married Princess attention on Munich, as the capital and seat of royal
Therese of Sachsen-Hildburghausen on Oct. 12, residence, and on the Bavarian monarchy.
1810. The official wedding celebrations lasted five The celebrations in the center of town, referred
days and were staged as a grand ovation to the to even then as a “public festival,” concluded on
family that now ruled over the young kingdom. Oct. 17 with a horse race on a piece of meadow
The celebrations, at once magnificent and open land outside the gates of Munich. The highest
to the common folk, took place on a stage that authority to participate in this contest was obtained
embraced the whole of Munich: The riflemen of “by individuals classified in the Cavalry Division
the National Guard held a parade together with of the National Guard, third class” under Major
civilian shooting clubs. There were illuminations Andreas von Dall'Armi. Children dressed in
and music, eating and drinking, trumpets and kettle traditional Bavarian costumes paid homage to the
drums. An enormous festival atmosphere thus presiding royal family with poems, flowers and
engulfed the center of the town. The ruling House fruits of the land. In honor of the bride, the festival
of Wittelsbach demonstrated its closeness to the grounds were called “TheresienWiese” (“Therese's
people and, in so doing, expressed gratitude to its Meadow”).
subjects, whose patience had been sorely tried The horse race was a huge hit with the local
through ties to France and the resultant wars, public, and it was the decision to repeat it at the
through territorial expansion and through same time the following year that birthed the
tradition of the “October festivals” or Oktoberfest.
