Oktoberfest: Then and Now(a)|干杯！慕尼黑啤酒节来啰!

Oktoberfest: Then and Now

by Rebecca A. Fratzke

An inside look at one of the largest festivals in the world

When someone mentions Oktoberfest, Germany's most famous festival, most people think of one thing-lots and lots of beer. However, this festival has a long and rich history that is rooted in Bavarian tradition. Beer is an element of today's Oktoberfest, but for the citizens of Munich, where the festival started, it will always be first and foremost a festival of culture.

The very first Oktoberfest was held in 1810 to celebrate the marriage between Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese von Sachen-Hildburghausen. The events of that day were quite different from those of the modern Oktoberfest because the celebration was honored with a horse race. Years later, though, the horse racing tradition was no longer the focus of the festival and new ones began. This is when the traditions of today's Oktoberfest began to take shape. In 1818, Oktoberfest was changed into a carnival-like celebration with rides, booths, games, and beer stands. Other changes that took place around this time affected the length and regularity of the festival. Munich officials decided that Oktoberfest would become an annual event without exception and that it would be extended to a 16-day event.

Although it was declared that Oktoberfest would happen every year without fail, it has been interrupted by hardships that shook Germany and its citizens. These include war, cholera epidemics, and financial troubles, leading to a total of 24 Oktoberfests having been canceled since its beginning. During World War I, Oktoberfest was not held at all and was later downsized to a simple autumn festival. Oktoberfest was again canceled during World War II.

干杯！慕尼黑啤酒节来啰!

一窥世上最大节日之一的真貌

慕尼黑啤酒节（又称『10月节』）这个德国最有名的节日，大部分人都会想到有很多很多的啤酒。但是，这个节日其实源自于历史悠久且丰富的巴伐利亚区传统。虽然现今的啤酒节都少不了啤酒，但对起源地慕尼黑当地的市民来说，啤酒节主要是文化的节庆。

　　第 1个啤酒节于 1810 年举行，是为了庆祝巴伐利亚王储路德维希王子和王妃黛蕾瑟‧撒克森西德堡豪森的婚礼。当天的节目和现代啤酒节大不相同，因为当时的庆典还安排 1 场赛马大会作为庆祝。不过数年后，赛马的传统不再是节日重心，转而开启了新的传统。今日的啤酒节传统就是从这个时候开始成形。1818年，啤酒节被改成类似嘉年华的节日，有游乐设施、货摊、游戏和啤酒摊。这个时期发生的其他改变影响了节日的长短和举办频率。慕尼黑官员决定，啤酒节成为每年固定举行的活动，并延长为 16 天。

　　虽然宣布啤酒节一定会举办，但该节日仍被动摇德国和其人民的困境所中断。战争、霍乱流行以及财政困顿等困境，导致啤酒节开办至今总共停办 24 次。第一次世界大战时，啤酒节全面停办，其后规模缩小成 1 个简单的秋季节庆。第二次世界大战期间啤酒节又再度中断。