The 189th Oktoberfest is currently underway in Munich. Thousands of people are once again flocking to the festival site in the city center. But why is it actually called “Wiesn” when it’s actually “Oktoberfest”?
“Yesterday Oktoberfest was fun” or “Yesterday Oktoberfest was fun”? Sometimes it’s not easy to decide. But the rules are quite simple if you know the origin of the words.
That’s why Oktoberfest is called “the” Wiesn
It is called “Oktoberfest” because it is named after the place where the event takes place: Theresienwiese in Munich. The large open space in the city center has been the venue for Oktoberfest since 1810. At that time, Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen and King Ludwig I of Bavaria were married. The royal couple held celebrations for the people around the wedding. This included horse racing on October 17th in the city’s large meadow – now Theresienwiese.
The meadow was originally called “Theresa’s Meadow” in honor of the royal wife. Today it has become Theresienwiese. So it’s clear: It’s a meadow, in Bavarian: Oktoberfest!
By the way: His name is Wiesn, not Wies’n and not Wiesen. Oktoberfest is written in dialect without quotation marks or without the letter “e”.
