Start of the 191st Oktoberfest on the Theresienwiese

In the morning there is still a peaceful picture on the Theresienwiese. Only a few people are already allowed onto the festival grounds. The sun is still low and casts long shadows. But later it will shine in all its might, the German Weather Service is expecting bright sunshine and temperatures of up to 25 degrees - Oktoberfest weather, as it should be.

In the festival tents, the staff is putting the finishing touches on – before the big rush of visitors to the 191st Oktoberfest begins.

Particularly important: In the Schottenhamel tent, employees prepare the first beer keg, which will be tapped for the first time by a green mayor, Dominik Krause, who was elected this year. He practiced diligently for the moment, which received a lot of attention, especially in Munich, but also beyond.

It gets crowded in front of the entrances to the festival grounds shortly before the opening at 9 a.m. The security forces have their hands full keeping the Oktoberfest fans back. At 7 a.m. the queue stretched hundreds of meters from the entrance at the main entrance to the corner of Alter Messeplatz.

The biggest Oktoberfest enthusiasts had lined up early in the morning, some even the evening before, to get one of the hotly contested spots in one of the tents. Preferably, of course, in Schottenhamel, where the tapping by the mayor is traditional.

And then the time has finally come: the festival grounds open and people start running. Hair and dirndl bows blow. Concentrated tension on their faces. This year, however, those who waited at the side entrances have an advantage. At the main entrance, admission begins with a delay of several minutes, and the crowd at the entrance is repeatedly held back for a short time. This means the onslaught is more balanced.

However, there is no beer yet. Because visitors have to wait until Mayor Dominik Krause taps the first barrel in the Schottenhamel tent at 12 p.m. And he does it brilliantly. Two strikes, as he had planned: Then the Oktoberfest is officially opened.

And Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder is allowed to receive a mass from a Green mayor for the first time. But the CSU boss shows no reservations at all. This year he has a completely different topic that he agrees with Krause on: Munich's Olympic bid.

And then the visitors finally hold it in their hands - their first Mass at the 191st Oktoberfest.