MUNICH – Heavy rain and stricter security did little to dampen the spirits of beer lovers at the start of this year’s Oktoberfest, which opened Saturday in the Bavarian city of Munich.
Mayor Dieter Reiter tapped the first keg at noon with a respectable two strikes, to the approval of thousands of thirsty visitors gathered in one of 14 vast tents on Munich’s Theresienwiese fairground.
Responding to a series of attacks in recent months, authorities decided to erect a metal fence, ban large bags, install more surveillance cameras and make visitors go through security checks to enter the festival grounds this year.
Munich police plan to have some 600 officers on hand, about 100 more than last year, during peak times. Another 450 security guards will also check bags and keep an eye on the visitors.
Despite the large attendance – up to 600,000 visitors turn up on some days – there have been few major incidents at the festival, which was first held in 1810 to celebrate the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria to Theresa of Saxony.
The festivities were repeated annually in October, but were later brought forward to start in September when the temperatures in Bavaria are usually warmer.
In 1980 a far-right extremist set off a bomb killing 12 people and himself, and wounding more than 200.
Last year, police reported responding to 2,017 incidents, including fistfights and stolen wallets and purses. Some 20 sexual crimes were reported, including one attempted rape.
Tim Harris, a Briton who works for a pharmaceuticals company in neighboring Switzerland, said he had no second thoughts about coming to the Oktoberfest.
“I come here every year to see my friends and you can’t let these things stop you doing what you like to do,” said the 36-year-old. “That said, some people I work with were due to come, but because of the fence and the reported security issues they canceled.”
Sebastian Schneider, a 36-year-old online marketer from Munich, blamed the lower turnout partly on the weather. After weeks of fierce sunshine the skies opened and temperatures dropped across Germany on Friday.
