Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Return of the Oktoberfest bombing memorial

In March I noted that the memorial to the 1980 bombing at the Oktoberfest was being torn out - to close the loop here, I should note that it was refurbished and restored, and re-dedicated before the beer festival started this year.

I finally remembered to take a picture of the new-look memorial. The old pillar is back, but surrounded now by a half-moon wall of steel, with random-shaped pieces missing. I can only conclude that this is supposed to represent shrapnel from the bin bomb blast. As a reminder of the horror, it's very effective indeed.

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# posted by Nesjo : 16:59  0 Comments Links to this post

Monday, October 06, 2008

Tearing down the Oktoberfest

The Oktoberfest is over - and no time has been wasted in tearing it down. Street sweepers are out, booths and tents are being dismantled already, and in just two weeks the whole event will be gone without a trace.

I couldn't help but smile as I passed yet another steamed-up car parked nearby - with Turin registration plates. In the back were two sleeping bags filled by no doubt badly hung-over Italian tourists. Somehow the Italians do it differently - they prefer to sleep in camper vans and even cars. Six beered-up guys in one camper wagon doesn't sound like fun to me!

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Monday, March 17, 2008

Removal of the Oktoberfest Bombing Memorial

Not sure what?s planned, but the memorial to the Oktoberfest bombing from 1980 is being removed / re-sited. It was a pretty unobtrusive, low-key memorial situated close to the main entrance to the Oktoberfest, but workmen have been busy since week with their jackhammers, removing it.

I couldn?t immediately find any news references to what?s planned ? maybe someone can enlighten me.

The memorial was put up after the 1980 bombing which killed 13 people, including the bomber. Conspiracy theories have of course kept the topic alive.

Normally there?s a remembrance ceremony every year to mark the occasion. I can?t imagine the memorial would just be ripped out. But I am curious as to what?s happening.

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Tuesday, October 09, 2007

Munich welcomes the Australian beer drinking team

They're only a couple of days late, which in the grand scheme of things isn't too bad when you've flown all the way to Munich, Germany, from Australia. No joke, yesterday lunchtime I bumped into a bunch of Oz guys all wearing "Australian beer drinking national team" t-shirts - walking away from the Theresienwiese looking rather dejected. Possibly because the Oktoberfest finished on Sunday? Either they were late or hoping to drink one last lunchtime Maß before the long journey home.

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Friday, September 28, 2007

The Oktoberfest

This is the morning after an enjoyable evening drinking beer at the Armbrustschützenzelt - one of the big 11 tents at the Oktoberfest.

One highlight was the Elvis impersonator - a hunka hunka burning love.

After years, I finally "got" the Oktoberfest. To test this, I'll be back on Sunday and again on Tuesday. Prosit!

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# posted by Nesjo : 11:08  0 Comments Links to this post

Monday, September 24, 2007

All the fun of the fair

So here I am in an office across the road from the Oktoberfest. The sun is shining, it's warm, and people are flocking to the beer festival in their tens of thousands. Which means it's rather noisier outside than usual ... from here it's possible to hear the bands in two or three tents, plus there's a beer dray going past the window right now.

The wind's blowing in the other direction right now (thankfully) so we can't also smell the Oktoberfest (roasted everything - almonds, fish, boar, etc). But it's still hard to resist the temptation to have a quick look across the road.

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