CULLMAN, Ala. – At the last meeting of the Cullman County Historical Society, guest speakers included
Thomas M. Messersmith PhD and 2026 Oktoberfest Burgermeister Edgar Veigl.
Veigl was welcomed to the podium by the Society President Beverly Wilkinson. He expressed his gratitude about being selected as this year’s Burgermeister. He was accompanied by his wife, Beth Veigl.
Messersmith spoke of the very first Oktoberfest and how beer and more influenced the festival.
He explained that the original Oktoberfest wasn’t actually a festival, but a public, royal wedding celebration that lasted up to five days. This was in Munich, Germany on Oct. 12, 1810, for the Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese. The wedding took place in a large meadow outside the city, which is now named Theresienwiese. This translates to “Therese’s Meadow.”
Messersmith said beer wasn’t the main focus of Oktoberfest until the late 1800s. It saw its first large beer hall in 1898, erected by Georg Lang. This replaced many of the smaller, independent booths.
It originally focused on agricultural aspects such as horse races and a sort of “market” for local farmers and breeders to showcase their skills and be awarded. The last official horse race at the Munich Oktoberfest was held in 1960. Several smaller-scale celebrations have been held since, but not a part of the main festival.
In terms of beer, Messersmith provided insight on the traditional Oktoberfest brew. It was
a dark and strong Munich Dunkel-style lager or a late-season Marzen (March) beer. “Marzen beer” was brewed in March because it was seen as a health risk to be brewed from April to September because of bacteria that flourished in the heat.
He also spoke of the very first, and, allegedly, the “worst” Burgermeister, Thomas Wimmer. He was the original Munich Burgermeister and took 17 strikes to tap the keg in the opening ceremony in 1950.
When he finally succeeded, Messersmith said, he said, “O’zapfst is!” which translates to, “It is tapped!”
The Cullman County Historical Society will meet next on Sunday, Oct. 18, at 2 p.m. at the North Alabama Agriplex, 1714 Tally Ho St., Cullman.
