GERMANY: EUROPE'S BIGGEST BEER FESTIVAL, OKTOBERFEST, OPENS WITH HEIGHTENED SECURITY AFTER LAST WEEK'S TERROR ATTACKS IN THE USA

Record ID: 646955

  • Title: GERMANY: EUROPE'S BIGGEST BEER FESTIVAL, OKTOBERFEST, OPENS WITH HEIGHTENED SECURITY AFTER LAST WEEK'S TERROR ATTACKS IN THE USA
  • Date: 22nd September 2001
  • Summary: (U5) MUNICH, GERMANY (SEPTEMBER 22, 2001) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. VARIOUS OF POLICE SNIFFER DOGS IN BEER TENT 2. MV JOURNALISTS 0.13 3. CU SNIFFER DOG UNDERNEATH TABLE 0.23 4. MV PEOPLE INSIDE HALL 0.27 5. MV POLICE PATROLLING GROUNDS 0.32 6. MV SECURITY MEN IN BEER TENT 0.36 7. WIDE INTERIOR TENT 0.39 8. HAS MAYOR OF MUNICH MAYOR CHRISTIAN UDE ARRIVES IN TENT 0.44 9. MV SECURITY MEN 0.48 10. SV SOUNDBITE (German) MUNICH MAYOR CHRISTIAN UDE HOLDING A SPEECH SAYING: "Ladies and gentlemen, is one allowed to be jovial after such a tragic experience and in bad times? This is a question which needs to be answered by everyone themselves. However, everyone should respect the decisions of others." 1.08 11. HAS PEOPLE APPLAUDING 1.12 12. MV PEOPLE SINGING; ZOOM IN BAVARIAN PRIME MINISTER EDMUND STOIBER; MV CROWD (3 SHOTS) 1.31 13. SV STOIBER WALKING TO TABLE 1.41 14. HAS CROWD; MV STOIBER AND UDE WITH WIVES AT TABLE, WAVING AT CROWD; MEDIA; MV STOIBER AND UDE WITH WIVES POSING WITH BEER (4 SHOTS) 1.58 15. SCU/SV BEERS BEING TAPPED 2.14 16. VARIOUS OF WAITRESSES BRING BEER MUGS TO TABLES (3 SHOTS) 2.29 17. VARIOUS OF OKTOBERFEST GUESTS DRINKING AND CELEBRATING AT TABLES (3 SHOTS) 2.52 18. MV POLICEMEN AND U.S. MILITARY POLICEMEN ON GROUNDS 3.00 19. SCU SOUNDBITE (English) U.S. MILITARY POLICEMAN PAUL GENTRY SAYING: "There are four of us here. We are here with our friends, the 'Polizei' and the 'Feldjaegers' (German military police)."/ PAN MORE POLICE 3.10 20. MV PEOPLE WALKING AROUND/ DRINKING BEER 3.17 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 7th October 2001 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: MUNICH, GERMANY
  • Country: Germany
  • Reuters ID: LVAEK4XEUI180XYAJHRXVXILLRDA
  • Story Text: Despite last week's attacks on Washington and New York,
    the opening of Munich's Oktoberfest, the world's biggest beer
    festival, went ahead in sober style and in an atmosphere of
    heightened security.



    Stripped of its opening pageant and well protected by
    police after the attacks on the U.S. cities, Munich's
    Oktoberfest began on Saturday (September 22) with a simple
    speech.

    There was no ceremonial cracking open of the first keg, no
    traditional cry of "O'zapft is" -- the keg is tapped -- and
    fewer lederhosen, Bavarian leather shorts, than usual.

    This was Munich's response to the attacks that shook the
    United States 11 days ago, despite a determination that the
    beer should still flow and the 168th Oktoberfest should go
    ahead.

    The mayor, who has talked of a "shadow" hanging over this
    year's event, also specifically welcomed all Americans to the
    Oktoberfest to rousing applause from the surrounding masses.

    Nevertheless, Munich has decided that the festivities,
    where drunken revellers typically dance on the tables to
    Bavarian oom-pah brass bands, will be toned down this year out
    of respect for the thousands of victims in the United States.

    Gone are the planned fireworks next week, some of the more
    garish signs and, apparently, the yodelling.

    The Oktoberfest is no stranger to tragedy. In 1980, a bomb
    planted by right-wing extremists exploded outside the main
    entrance, killing 13 people and injuring around 200. Then,
    too, the festival went on. Indeed, it has not been cancelled
    since the Second World War.

    A church service, planned for next week, will remember
    victims of both Oktoberfest and United States attacks.

    Police said they had received 18 threats, including four
    bomb threats, but were not treating any as serious.

    Nonetheless, 200 extra police, plus sniffer dogs, were drafted
    into the Bavarian capital and visitors were asked to open
    their bags for inspection at the entrance.

    Three years ago, on the eve of the Oktoberfest, police in
    the southern state of Bavaria arrested a man suspected of
    managing the finances and procuring weapons for Osama bin
    Laden, Washington's prime suspect for last week's attacks.

    Past violence and that arrest have made some locals
    nervous. In a recent local radio poll, only 55 per cent said
    they were in favour of the event continuing.

    Last year, the Oktoberfest's 14 cavernous tents, each big
    enough for 10,000 people, welcomed 6.9 million visitors, who
    guzzled 681,000 roast chickens and 235,000 pairs of sausages,
    washed down with a record 6.5 million litres of the strong
    local beer and 170,000 litres of the alcohol-free variety.

    Unusually, the hotels this year are not full, reporting
    only 85 to 90 per cent of their rooms have been taken.

    Normally, 10 per cent of the vistors are from overseas. On
    Saturday, there was still a profusion of British and
    Australian accents, and many Italians, but the American
    numbers were down.

    The annual homage to the nation's beverage dates back to
    1810, when the festival was first held to celebrate the
    wedding of Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese
    of Saxony-Hildenburghausen.

    The wedding was on October 12 and the Oktoberfest runs
    until the first weekend of October -- hence its name.

    (bl/lh)



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