European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 20, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                File the giant Beer tents present convivial mob scenes during Munich s world class  Steve Taylor Munich Bureau with the tapping of the first Keg of Beer by the lord mayor of Munich this saturday the 157th oktoberfest will officially begin. What started As a wedding Celebration in 1810 has grown to become one of the largest and Best known fests in the world. Those beginnings were innocent enough. Crown Prince Ludwig took Princess Therese of Sachsen Hildburg Hausen As his wife and celebrated outside the Gates of the old City. People gathered to pay tribute to the Royal couple. The event was so popular that it was repeated the following year. And Over the course of the next 180 years the Celebration has grown to a world class event though the modern version is equated More with Beer and amusement than a Royal wedding. Only 24 times mostly because of War has the event been cancelled. This year the oktoberfest opens sept. 22 and continues through oct. 7, in keeping with the traditional dates a the third saturday in Royal roots september through the first sunday in october. The Royal beginnings have Slid into obscurity with people today going for just the merriment the drink and the food. In fact Only oktoberfest a free Wheeling and sometimes Zany gathering openly and solely celebrates Beer food and Good times. The Prince who later became King Ludwig i was a popular figure among the townsfolk and the local militia. The soldiers wanting to do something unusual to Honor the newlyweds arranged a special horse race on the Meadow West of the City. King Maximillian i dubbed the Meadow the Theresi Elweise in Honor of the Princess. The idea for the race is generally conceded to have been Franz Baumgartner s. He also won the first race which is Why his name May be stuck to it. It proved so popular that the King ordered it repeated in conjunction with an agricultural festival at which local Farmers and landlords could Parade their livestock. The agricultural show is still held today during the first week of the oktoberfest at the South end of the grounds. By 1830, 19 Beer taverns were operating on the grounds of the Weis Nas both the location and event Are called by locals even today. By 1860, when the soldiers in the United states were preparing for civil War the oktoberfest cracked the 100,000 visitor Mark about the same time As the population of Munich. In 1896, the now legendary Beer Hall waitresses a who can carry unbelievable amounts of Beer in one trip a were introduced and brass bands not a mainstay of All Beer Halls were introduced. The fest has Aimer ceased to exist at times. Cancelled during world War i it did not reappear for five years. Then again in 1938 the last fest until 1949 was held. Noticeably absent during that fest were the traditional Blue and White and Check ered banners representing the state of Bavaria and the City of Munich. New blood red flags bearing the country s new Emblem the Swastika flew in their place. The guest of Honor that year was Benito Mussolini Italy s dictator. In was t until 1949 that the citizens of War torn Munich which took 71 air raids that destroyed continued on Page 4 september 20, 1990 stripes Magazine 3