Munich beer is not all about good cheer
Happiness is a MASS of Munich’s best. Or is it? While there’s little denying the joy the city’s most famous export brings, it’s not all good cheer. Indeed, over the course of Munich’s history, beer has probably spurred more people into revolt than any political, ethical or moral campaign.
One of the latest issues to rear its frothy head has been bubbling away for some years. On cue, in time for the Oktoberfest, Prince Luitpold of Bavaria has again started making noises about the fact that a ruling from the late 19th century prohibits the Kaltenberg brewery, run by his family since 1955, from being represented at the Oktoberfest. Despite being the great great great grandson of the prince whose marriage to Princess Theresa was the reason behind the Oktoberfest back in 1810, Luitpold has no legal claim to sell beer at the event, as the right is reserved for Munich-based brewers. It’s little wonder he’s so keen to get his foot in the door—after all, when you consider Oktoberfest visitors knock back an average of around six million liters of beer each year, the event is, to say the least, a nice little earner. No fool when it comes to knowing what makes people tick, however, Luitpold is playing two key cards in attempting to rouse 28,000 people into supporting his campaign for an “Old Bavarian Kaltenberg tent” at the Wies’n. Firstly, he claims the Oktoberfest is at risk of becoming a drunken orgy of cheesy hits and has promised that a Kaltenberg tent would promote classic Bavarian traditions. Secondly, Luitpold reckons he could sell a Mass for around € 1.50 less than the average price. Ouch. Talk about a sensitive subject. Yes, beer prices are, and always have been, a major issue for Münchner. Outsiders may consider the annual outrage to be a bit of a predictable whinge. But the issue is deep-rooted in many a local’s psyche. Indeed, back in 1844, thousands took to the streets in protest at price increases, sparking the first of a series of beer wars that spanned almost 70 years. The reaction surprised even the French—a notoriously revolutionary nation. A Paris newspaper remarked: “The Bavarians are crude, but docile people who would rather walk on fire than revolt. But interfere with their beer, and they turn into wilder revolutionaries than anyone else in the world.”
Indeed, throughout the latter half of the 19th century, Munich was the scene of widespread violence, as, time and time again, angry Bavarians ransacked and set fire to breweries until the brewers gave in and agreed to lower prices. On one occasion, Munich residents even launched a beer boycott in protest at the latest price hike. However, it was shortlived. A local newspaper claimed: “We must call off the boycott. Constantly drinking water is giving workers stomach trouble and diarrhea. In one factory, 17 workers have been taken to the hospital because of excessive water consumption. Our Bavarian stomachs cannot cope with water on a regular basis.”
The final uprisings took place in 1910, when the price of a Mass was raised from 24 to 26 Pfennige. Again, breweries and pubs were plundered and burned down and, after each fire, beer was given out for free. As a result, however, fire and police services spent much of their time in a state of drunkenness and, when it came to court hearings after the event, no verdicts could be reached as many of the witnesses could not remember what had happened. Although there was no apparent reason behind the sudden cessation of violence, it is not surprising that breweries and politicians, even nowadays, are extremely wary when it comes to anything that may threaten to dilute the enjoyment of a region’s favorite tipple.
Indeed, as recently as 1995, 25,000 Münchner again revolted, when residents living near the Waldwirtschaft Biergarten complained about noise and succeeded in getting a judge to rule that beer gardens must close at 9:30 pm. Protests on Marienplatz were just the first step in the ensuing legal battle, which went all the way to the highest German civil court, the Bundesgerichtshof. Ruling that a beer garden was “an age-old institution, a place for socializing and relaxation and not somewhere that attracted alcoholic rowdies,” the court finally agreed that beer gardens should be allowed to remain open until 11 pm. The issue is still something of a hot potato, with many pushing for beer gardens to be allowed to stay open until at least midnight, in time for next year’s World Cup competition.
Speaking of which, the soccer championships could well spark the city’s next revolt. Due to a € 40 million sponsorship agreement between competition organizers FIFA and American brewery Anheuser-Busch, Munich breweries will not be permitted to sell their beer at the games or at related events. Instead, visitors will be forced to sup Bud, which, as if to add insult to injury, does not even conform to the German beer purity law. Quite where this one will go is anyone’s guess, but if history is anything to go by, it seems unlikely that Munich beer lovers will take this one lying down. Mark my words, there’s trouble brewing…
