More passed-out drunks at Oktoberfest 2012

Published: 8 Oct 12 17:00 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/society/20121008-45427.html

Some 500,000 fewer people visited this year’s Oktoberfest than in 2011, but more revellers boozed to the point of unconsciousness, stats released Monday say. The Red Cross had to deal with more than 800 incapacitated binge-drinkers.

Police nab 'Oktoberfest rapist' seven years later - Society (5 Oct 12)
Sexual assault 'on the rise at Oktoberfest' - Society (4 Oct 12)

During the first week of Oktoberfest alone, about 445 partiers, most of them under the age of 30, considerably underestimated their alcohol tolerance – and the beer’s potency. The number of festival guests who drank themselves into a stupor was up by 20 percent, according to the Bavarian Red Cross.

Overall, 6.9 million litres of beer were chugged at this year’s event – but at slightly over 6.4 million, the number of visitors was down by about 500,000.

More than 2,500 people required medical treatment during the first week of Oktoberfest – over 11 percent more than in 2011.

“With the temperature fluctuations that occurred, more Wiesn guests had to cope with heart and circulation problems,” said Hans Finkel, head of first-aid at the festival.

Police were also stretched “to and also beyond our limit,” a police spokesman said Sunday, with officers called out about 2,000 times during the two-week event. Some 1,400 crimes were recorded – including thefts and assaults.

The number of sexual abuse offences was also up slightly, and police said Sunday they were investigating four possible rape cases.

DPA/DAPD/The Local/arp

What do you think? Leave your comment below.

Your comments about this article:

16:50 October 8, 2012 by bwjijsdtd

... and next year they will do it again ...

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17:35 October 8, 2012 by wethepeople2012

Why spend all that money and deal with all those people. Oktoberfest is a good money maker and the Germans are good at finding ways to make revenue. I myself am equally good at finding ways to not spend my money. I drink at home and the bed is not far away..lol

The beer is way overpriced, forget getting in a beer tent without reservations, too many fights ect ect

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17:49 October 8, 2012 by pepsionice

The chief reason to go to the fest? To watch drunks. Pure and simple. The beer is probably twenty percent overpriced, and the tents are so full that by mid-afternoon....it's not fun anymore. Reservations? You have to plan on thing six months ahead of time.

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18:12 October 8, 2012 by michael4096

6.4 million visitors in 16 days: if the beerfest were a city it would be the size of Manchester, UK and 6 times larger than Manchester, NH. According to the article, there were about 50 incapacitated drunks each night. It compares favourably to many city centers on a normal Saturday night.

I wonder haw many of the seriously drunk were locals and how many from out-of-town.

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20:09 October 8, 2012 by realist1961

It is the German way to break loose from the bonds of the Ampelmännchen.

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00:30 October 9, 2012 by wxman

@ michael4096 said, "6.4 million visitors in 16 days: ... 6 times larger than Manchester, NH." The population of Manchester, NH is only 110,000. You're either not good at math, or you're not good at geography. Which is it?

Report abuse »

11:29 October 9, 2012 by michael4096

@wxman - so, if there are 660,000 people at the fest on a busy day that is 6 times larger than the number of people in Manchester NH. Oder?

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14:01 October 10, 2012 by Berlin fuer alles

There are a million people at the Kentucky Derby which is 10 times Manchester NH. So what? These are international events. Would prefer the Kentucky Derby to a slobfest in Germany though. Less urine and vomit to navigate through at Churchill Downs.

Report abuse »

18:43 October 10, 2012 by almorr

Sorry, I come from the UK, this is the British culture of "BINGE DRINKING" now spreading to Germany and other places as well. The reason why not so many people went to the Oktoberfest was that binge drinking is on the increase everywhere and the sight of all these young people lying 'out for the count' and urine and vomit all over the place just makes the responsible drinker stay away from such events.

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#10

06:38 October 15, 2012 by Wrench

I went to Oktoberfest a couple of times and saw people passed out everywhere, so my friend an I would take a magic marker and write "I'm an idiot on their foreheads."

Report abuse »

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