Wreath-laying ceremony by Munichs Lord Mayor
On September 26, the City of Munich, together with the DGB Youth Munich as well as survivors and their families, will commemorate the anniversary of the Oktoberfest bombing at the main entrance to the Theresienwiese.
All the details at a glance
- Date: September 26
- Time: Time to be determined
- Location: At the main entrance to Oktoberfest
- What: Wreath-laying ceremony by the mayor and commemorative speeches
Commemoration of the more than 200 victims of the attack
The anniversary has been organized by the DGB trade union youth for more than four decades and has also been supported and sponsored by the City of Munich for many years.
The memorial service for over 200 victims of violence in the attack, twelve of whom were fatally shot, will take place at the memorial in front of the main entrance to the Oktoberfest, Bavariaring 5.
The darkest chapter of Oktoberfest
Magdalena Wesselly, spokesperson for the Munich Regional Youth Committee of DGB-Jugend, gave the opening remarks in 2026. This was followed by remarks from Mayor Mona Fuchs and Benedikt Knoche of the crisis intervention team of the Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund Munich. The memorial service was accompanied by music from the brass ensemble “Münchner Petersturmmusik.” The keynote speaker was Ramin Assisi, a first responder on September 26, 1980. After the wreath-laying ceremony, a trilingual announcement was broadcast throughout the festival grounds. It provided information in German, English, and Italian about the events of September 26, 1980, listed the names of the victims, and pointed out the memorial site at the main entrance to the Theresienwiese.
The Attack of September 26, 1980
On September 26, 1980, a bomb exploded at the main entrance, killing 13 people and injuring over 200 visitors. Among the victims was the attacker, Gundolf Köhler, himself. The Oktoberfest bombing is considered one of the worst attacks in German history. The investigation into the case was reopened from 2014 to 2020 and ultimately concluded that it was an act of right-wing extremist terrorism intended to decisively influence the 1980 federal election.
Municipal documentation of the Oktoberfest attack
Since 2020, the municipal documentation Oktoberfest Attack on the Theresienwiese has provided information about the right-wing extremist attack of 1980 alongside the memorial.
The documentation was produced by the Department of Culture together with survivors of the terrorist attack. Further information can be found at www.dokumentation-oktoberfestattentat.de.
