Karl Lauterbach speaks up. The Federal Minister of Health considers a “completely unprotected Oktoberfest” to be “problematic”, almost “daring”, as he told BR. Even before the corona pandemic, this statement would have been understood differently, with a view of the hill behind the “Schottenhamel” marquee, but alright. Now Wiesn boss Clemens Baumgärtner says in the “Bild” what many think: “Everywhere is loosened up, all festivals were allowed, but Lauterbach wants to make life mad for us again.”
So team caution and team tapping are fighting again. On the one hand: the SPD health minister and the health policy spokesman for the Greens, Janosch Dahmen. Both warn of new virus variants and their spread at major events. In addition, both consider the decision to allow the Wiesn to take place as premature in view of the unforeseeable course of infection.
On the other side are the Wiesn boss and the mayor of Munich and Lauterbach’s party friend Dieter Reiter. After a long period of deliberation, the latter decided to allow the Wiesn to take place after a forced two-year break.
And that’s good! Because in year three of the pandemic, Munich cannot be deprived of what makes it special: the morning hours of anticipation on the Theresienwiese on the day of the tapping, the long freeze in front of the tent, the sprint to the tables and the miserable waiting and playing cards until O’zapft is, so that at some point the first beer is on the table and the steward takes one after the third from the table.
This feeling of complete bliss lasts for two weeks, unites the city – and is then rewarded with blurred memories and usually a flu. In short: It’s two weeks of high spirits.
Of course, measures can be taken if the infection situation changes. But the largest folk festival in the world cannot be planned with a two-week lead time. The festival tents have to be built and the infrastructure updated. Therefore, the decision was the right one under the circumstances at that point in time.
The anticipation of unreasonableness is exactly the feeling that has been suppressed by one’s own discipline for two years. It’s time to live again. Mr. Lauterbach, you are cordially invited: On September 17, five o’clock in the morning in front of the Schützen-Festzelt. Then it says: Oans, Zwoa, Drei, G’suffa!
