Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - The Sleepy History of Oktoberfest

Starting point is 00:00:00 Before tonight's episode, I want to let you know about our supporters' feed Get Sleepy Premium, the best way to experience the show and get a good night's sleep. With Get Sleepy Premium, everything is ad-free. You'll receive a bonus episode every week, and have full access to our entire back catalogue. Your support really helps, and means so much to us. Simply tap the link in the show notes to learn more. Now, a quick word from our sponsors who make it possible for us to bring you two free episodes each week. Welcome to Get Sleepy, where we listen, we relax, and we get sleepy. My name's Thomas and I'm your host.

Starting point is 00:00:50 Thanks so much for tuning in. Simon will be reading to us tonight. On the plains of Upper Bavaria tucked away near the northern edge of the Alps lies Munich. Germany's third largest city is famous for its art, architecture, museums, lush greenery, and the rivers that wind around it like ribbons. But one of the things it's also best known for is October Fest, the annual two-week celebration of Bavarian culture, merriment, and one of my personal favourite tipples, beer. Tonight we'll trace the origins of October Fest and see how it's changed over time to become one of the most popular festivals in the world.

Starting point is 00:01:49 But don't worry, we'll be keeping things relaxed and sleepy as always. So, my friends, let's get nicely settled into bed now, ready to enjoy a tonight's story and a good night's sleep. I hope you've had a lovely day today, one that's left you feeling soothed and calm tonight. But even if that's not been the case, just know that you can leave whatever came today in the past. This is your time now. So while you lay in bed and prepare to sleep. Just remind yourself that you've done all you can for today. And you deserve to unwind, relax, unrest, just as much as anyone else. Begin with a nice deep breath in, feeling the rise of your chest and stomach. Then very softly release the breath as your muscles relax and your worries and cares

Starting point is 00:03:22 begin to fall away. With each deep breath, you can imagine any disruptive thoughts or any tension you're holding, rising to the surface, in line with the motion of your chest and stomach. And then, when that breath is released and the body drops back down, those undesired thoughts or areas of tension fall through the mattress, all the way down into the ground and into the earth, where they are absorbed and removed from your body and mind. Bit by bit, breathe in and out, and let anything you'd like to let go of be absorbed into the earth's core. The earth that gives us all life cares so deeply for each one of us, and it can assist you tonight in relieving you of stress, tension, or any sense of responsibility.

Starting point is 00:05:07 Now, our hand over to Simon. We'll begin in southern Germany, along the banks of the Eaza River in the bustiest corners of the city, you may find yourself surrounded by tall buildings, vying for a place on the skyline with historic church towers and apartment blocks. Munich is a city of commerce and sports, automobiles and biotech. But if you find your way down to a quieter spot on the banks of the Isar River, the air is filled with birdsong and the hum of insects. A breeze rustles the heavy green branches of the trees,

Starting point is 00:06:36 and the river gently laps against its gravel banks. You enjoy the touch of cool, crisp air on your skin and feel all of your worries disappear. This is the heart of Munich, a city born and reborn through the ages, where the lush landscape and the movement of change and progress go hand in hand. To see the spectacle of October Fest in this day and age, is to be swept up in a two-week whirlwind of Bavarian culture, tourism and celebrations, lasting all through the day and night. Beginning in late September and continuing through the start of October, the festival draws as many as 6 million attendees every year.

Starting point is 00:07:47 They enjoy live music, parades, dancing and lively conversation in the enormous tents and halls that house the celebration. And in total, about 2 million gallons or 9 million litres of beer are consumed. But what has turned into the world's largest folk festival traces its roots back more than 200 years to a royal wedding between two very interesting characters. The year was 1810. Crown Prince Ludwig I of Bavaria, was set to marry Theresa Charlotte Louisa of Zachary Hiltburghausen. At the time Bavaria was emerging from a state of upheaval. Much of Europe had been involved in wars and internal struggles for power and land for centuries.

Starting point is 00:08:58 Borders were often redrawn. Cities were raised as armies moved through and marriages and infighting among the elite could turn the tides of battles and loyalties. Bavaria was often caught between the larger and more powerful forces of both France and Austria, shifting alliances as it needed to or was forced to over the years. The wars of succession in Austria and Spain resulted in Bavaria falling under the rule of Charles Theodore in 1777. He served as both Prince Elector and Duke of the region. The following year, he signed over southern Bavaria in exchange for part of the Austrian Netherlands.

Starting point is 00:09:59 His unpopular actions ultimately led to the war of Bavarian succession, which he was eventually forced to accept. In the 1790s, the French Revolutionary armies invaded Bavaria. Charles Theodor ran away to Saxony. The regency he left behind signed an armistice convention with the French, for which they had to pay heavily. By the end of the century, the Austrians had invaded once more. Much of the Bavarian leadership sympath sympathized with the French, more than with the Austrians by this point, though they were left with serious financial troubles and a crumbling army.

Starting point is 00:10:54 In the early 1800s, Bavaria made a formal alliance with France. Bava was given control of several Bishoprix, Abbey's, cities and villages. During the war of 1805, the Varya fought alongside the French, as Napoleon's star was rising. And finally, in 1809, just a year before the marriage and the first October fest, Bavaria and France took up arms against Austria. The alliance would shift again before the end of the Napoleonic campaigns. But as we settled into the year 1810, we find Bavaria in a moment of calm amidst a storm of politics. In Munich, at the start of October, preparations were in full swing for the upcoming nuptures. nub jewels. The bride-to-be, Tereza, had been on a list of potential matches for Napoleon,

Starting point is 00:12:08 but when he married Mary Louise I in April of the same year, the wedding with the Bavarian crown prince was planned instead. On October 12, Ludwig and Teresa were married in Munich. A grand celebration was held in their honour. Ludwig's father, Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria, invited the citizenry to attend a gathering in a large field near the city gates. The location of the first October Fest was called Tyresian Visa or Tyresa's Meadow in honor of the new Princess. Over the following years, the festival itself earned the nickname,

Starting point is 00:13:05 Viesen, or Meadows, among locals, something you'll still hear used to this day. One of the highlights of that first celebration was a horse race on the green. It proved to be so popular with the townsfolk that they eagerly awaited the next October Fest when the horses would return and return they did, along with other animals and the people who raised them. The next year, the Bavarian Agricultural Association took over the festival, combining it with an agricultural fair.

Starting point is 00:13:51 Farmers shared their achievements, and people came from all over to the meadows to enjoy the atmosphere and each other's company. After a brief hiatus in 1813, when Bavaria went to war with Napoleon, it returned the next year. While the agricultural fair was fun in its own right, October Fest quickly grew into much more than these humble beginnings might suggest. Click grew into much more than these humble beginnings might suggest. In 1818, festival organizers erected the very first rides, a merry-go-round and two swings. Additional rides were added regularly, and now festival goers can often enjoy more than a hundred during the two-week event. They also brought in the first booths dedicated to serving food and drink, paving the way for the October Fest we know today. In 1819 the people of Munich took over organizational responsibility for the festival,

Starting point is 00:15:09 promising to make it an annual event. For decades it grew in popularity and size. In 1850, organizers unveiled a statue of Bavaria. She has watched over the fair ever since. In 1885, one of the most popular Oktoberfest staples was introduced, the Bratendel or roast chicken. With the opening of the first roastery, people could purchase fresh, hot, seasoned chicken to eat as they partook in all the other excitement at the festival. Over the years, many other classic German foods have been added to the staple menu.

Starting point is 00:16:07 Walking through one of the celebration halls today, visitors will be met with the sumptuous aroma of pork roast with thick gravy and large puffy dumplings. Colorful broadsight or snack boards will be laid out on long wooden tables. They'll be piled high with cold cuts of meat, wedges of cheese, radishes, pickles, tomatoes, and all-butt star, a delectable spread made of aged soft cheese, butter and paprika. In the middle of the tables are thick slices of rye bread and soft chewy pretzels for everyone to share. For anyone seeking light affair, there's bound to be a healthy selection of worst salad or sausage salad, made from sliced sausage, pickles, onions, radishes and cheese in a vinaigrette. Even lighter still is radii, salted and vinegar-sliced white radish.

Starting point is 00:17:31 There are countless types of sausages to try, from the ghostly white, vice-versed, or white veal sausage, which often comes in broth, to the flavorful smoked sausage, blood sausage, grilled pork sausage, and more. Some come nestled in bread, while others can be enjoyed with a side of tart sauerkraut. The large round Octoberfest dumplings are just as varied, from the soft potato dumplings to the hearty bread dumplings. The spinach dumplings, based with forest green and even the liver dumplings, served with a bowl of soup. One of the most beloved foods to find its way into the October Fest Halls is the warm, familiar casers-spetsal. These small, thick noodles are covered in gooey,

Starting point is 00:18:39 emmentala cheese and cooked onions. This dish is often compared to macaroni and cheese, but in some ways the small noodles more closely resemble tiny, starchy dumplings than the noodles you might think of because of their consistency. But anyone with a sweet tooth, there are sure to be booths offering plates and bags of Gabranta Mandeln or roasted almonds coated in crunchy cinnamon sugar. This treat is also a popular German Christmas snack, perfect for munching during a chilly day, walking around an outdoor market. And finally, there will always be the beloved labeguchen or gingerbread hearts.

Starting point is 00:19:38 These wonderfully large and sumptuous cookies, are decorated with hard frosting, and often come with ribbons attached, so they can be worn like a necklace. On the 100th anniversary of the festival in 1910, visitors consumed an incredible 120,000 liters of beer. That record has now been far surpassed, but at the time it was quite a feat. Just three years later, in anticipation of ever growing crowds, organisers oversaw the building of a larger boy wars tent with a total of 12,000 seats. The earlier version was the first tent to be illuminated by electric lighting in 1901.

Starting point is 00:20:39 Though there was much to celebrate at the start of that decade, the following years would prove to be challenging, both for the festival and for Europe as a whole. October Fest went dark from 1914 through 1918 as the First World War raged across the continent. In the immediate post-war period, the fair returned, but was built as simply an autumn festival, with a more subdued atmosphere. 1923 and 1924, so it cancelled again due to inflation. While the festival returned in the mid-1920s, another dark period was looming on the horizon. Construction of the 1939 October Fest was

Starting point is 00:21:36 already underway and the country went to war in August. Work on the fair halted abruptly, not to resume until after World War II came to an end, in 1945. The same year, the Association of Bavarian Shomen requested a permit to hold the festival that autumn, but it was denied by the American military overseeing operations in the region. In 1946, a small autumn festival was held on the site of the original Oktoberfest. However, half of the city had been destroyed in the war, and locals could only purchase food and beverages using food stamps, so the fair was kept small. Nonetheless, hundreds of Bavarian showmen arrived, set up rides and performed, much to the delight

Starting point is 00:22:39 of the crowd. They reportedly collected money to help the city rehabilitate the Meadows, in the hopes that Munich could someday return to some semblance of normal life. The military government in power at the time didn't allow recreational shooting galleries, which had been a mainstay of prior festivals. So, the Shaman replaced them with ball-toss booths. The festival lasted for more than three weeks, proving that people wanted to find ways to come together, even after one of history's darkest hours.

Starting point is 00:23:29 In 1947, the Autumn Festival returned with a single tent, which sold a record breaking 1.5 million liters of beer. Food shortages in Western occupied parts of Germany meant locals faced empty shelves at stores, so they spent their money at the festival instead. The following year saw the opposite problem. After a currency reform, people were left with little to no savings and tightened per strings. But despite a lack of cash, many people

Starting point is 00:24:08 spent what they had on the food they had missed so dearly during the shortages. Rose chicken, sweets, and more. Finally, in 1949, the decision was made to officially hold Oktoberfest once again. Despite concerns from the Munich City Council about potential pushback from the Americans, they went ahead and greenlit the festival. The World War II period remains its longest hiatus in history.

Starting point is 00:24:48 Recently, it went dark in 2020 and 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic. But locals and visitors alike have high hopes for its return. As the years have gone by, October Fest has adapted and changed to new technologies, political and social shifts and world events, but the heart of the festival remains the same. A celebration of Bavarian culture. Contemporary visitors will be met by an abundance of cultural markers from people wearing recognizable traditional attire like laterhosen and the dandel, the iconic dress from the Alps, to, you might only know if you've been to October Fest before. To open the festival every year, the Mayor of Munich taps the first keg with the words

Starting point is 00:25:56 O, Saptis, or its tapped. The beer halls are sponsored by the six major breweries in Munich. The halls are constructed from wood, and while they are sturdier than tents, they're meant to be taken down at the end of the festival. A visitor might wander from hall to hall, or spend a lazy afternoon enjoying the ambience of one in particular. Walking inside one of the larger halls, you could survey the tables and find one with plenty of room. Taking a seat, you could listen to jolly tunes

Starting point is 00:26:41 being played by the musicians on the bandstand at the front. All around you, friends gather close, chattering happily over drinks, or sit in companionable silence, watching the music as you're doing. Just then, some familiar notes drift through the air. You recognize the start of a song you've heard before, perhaps at one of the other halls you passed by earlier. Your neighbours on both sides begin to sing along with the musicians. I implore it their gamutli kite,

Starting point is 00:27:27 roughly a toast to well-being. It's the most popular song of the two-week celebration, and you can certainly understand why. You feel a smile creep across your face that the sight of so many happy people all together in this jovial environment. Although you don't know any of them, their cheerfulness rubs off on you. It's as though everyone here in the tent is part of the same friendly community, brought together

Starting point is 00:28:07 by a shared desire for good food, drinks, and company. Servers carry armfuls of giant mugs across the room. You think of the incredible strength it must take to accomplish such a feat. And then, consider getting something to eat. Of all the delicious foods you could try, your mind keeps wandering back to the noodles with gooey cheese and onions. It sounds perfect on a day like this. Outside the hall, the weather has taken a turn. It's a bit cooler than it was this morning,

Starting point is 00:28:57 and there might be rain later on. The first bite of this classic dish warms you to your core. You take your time savoring it, letting your thoughts linger on the sweetness of the onions and the richness of the cheese. The noodles are spongy and light. Once you're finished, you close your eyes. Although it's not quite early evening, you feel yourself getting sleepy. Your mind moves with the lilleting music up and down through the history of this event. From its royal beginnings to its humble agricultural interlude to the bustling folkfest that draws

Starting point is 00:30:00 millions of people each and every year. You are grateful for this moment of respite, this celebration of culture, this recurring commitment to relish the good times. This is October Fest. Fiesen to the locals here in this timeless city of Munich. Good night, and sweet dreams. you ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... I'm going to go back to the place where I'm going to go. I'm going to go back to the place where I'm going to go. I'm going to go back to the place where I'm going to go. I'm going to go back to the place where I'm going to go. I'm going to go back to the place where I'm going to go.

Starting point is 00:34:56 I'm going to go back to the place where I'm going to go. I'm going to go back to the place where I'm going to go. I'm going to go back to the place where I'm going to go. I'm going to go back to the place where I'm going to go. ... ... Music ... you you you

Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - The Sleepy History of Oktoberfest

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