In 1810, Crown Prince Ludwig I of Bavaria invited all the citizens of Munich to drink beer and party with him for 16 days on the occasion of his marriage to Princess Therese. The event gave birth to an annual celebration that has endured more than two centuries. The goodwill Ludwig earned during that first Oktoberfest was lost when he decided to add a tax on his subjects’ beer in 1844. People rioted in the streets, destroying property and beating police officers until Ludwig agreed to a ten percent reduction in the price of drink. He... More >>>