A letter home about the Oktoberfest 1966

It turns out our memories were incredibly accurate for so long ago---maybe out of order but still accurate.

Sept. 26, 1966

Dear Family,

I had to write you about the Oktoberfest while it was fresh in my mind! It was one of those things I couldn't forget even if I wanted to.  After I left Löwenbrau beer tent, Carol and I went walking around the Fairgrounds.  We went in what we thought was a spook house and were disappointed it was just dark corridors!  When we finally saw light, there were about 200 people sitting in a tent watching us.  I couldn't figure out why they were all watching but I found out soon enough when my skirt, coat and slip went flying up.  Everyone went into gales of laughter and I was so stunned I just stood there in my yellow panties in utter shock.  This guy finally pushed me off the air outlet and I joined the spectators.  I must admit it was pretty funny----especially when the girls with the real full  skirts couldn't even see where they were going because their skirts were over their heads!

After about 15 minutes, Carol and I went on the Ferris Wheel, Dodg'ems, Merry-go-round and etc.  It was great fun until they started closing.  I looked at my watch and it was only 12:30 AM.  Carol and I didn't know what in the heck we were going to do do.  So, we decided to take a train to Augsburg and find a hotel room.

We got to the train station to discover that our suitcase was locked up in the check room.  So, we decided to go to the waiting room to spend the night.  We spotted some American Service men, sat next to them (three other men had tried to pick us up and we decided it might be better if we ran into some of our own countrymen) We started talking to them and found out they didn't have a place to stay either  and couldn't even speak German!  Just then a porter came up and informed us the station was going to close and we would have to leave!  I couldn't believe it ---what were we to do? I asked the porter what we could do or where we could go. He told us of a restaurant next to the train station that would be open.

So, Carol, Jim, Bob and I went to the restaurant.  We drank 6  cups of coffee and two cups of tea until it was time for the restaurant to close.  It was about 4 AM, so we decided to just stroll around the station.  All of the doors were locked excepting one---but it had a chain across it with a sign reading "Do not enter--station closed" I looked at the guys and Carol and said, "I can't read German, can you?"  They all said no and we casually stepped over the chain.

We got in the station and there were about 200 other people who couldn't read German either!  These 200 were stretched out on benches, propped up against the walls, in doorways, in telephone booths and sitting on steps.  There were even 4 who had brought cots and were snoozing away!  We found a few vacant steps and sat down.  Strangely enough we sat down next to 2 other Americans.  The girl was from Denver and was touring with 2 other girls.  Unfortunately she had gotten separated from them at the Oktoberfest and didn't know where their hotel was.  She had had the same problems Carol and I had before we latched on to Jim and Bob.  So she found herself an American serviceman---Bill from NY (Jim was from Louisiana and Bob Concord Mass).  So all six of us talked for awhile and then snoozed some until day break.  

I say we snoozed some because there was a man next to us all stretched out and snoring so loud that it's a miracle anyone could sleep in the train station! We contemplated putting our coats over his head but we were afraid he would smother to death and then we would have a murder on our hands on top of everything else. 

At 6:30 AM, we bid adieu to everyone, got our suit case and took the train back to Memmingen.  Jim took Carol's and my picture.  He and Bob promised to write. I don't know if they will!  It was all great fun!  Carol and I didn't know what to do when those men tried to pick us up.  So, I thought, "What would Mother do in the same situation?" Then it all came to me---find a serviceman!  And, it paid off pretty good!

Memories of Oktoberfest 1966

Me, Carol and ??? 1966-67 Germany

Surely going to The Oktoberfest in Munich is on everyone’s bucket list——I know it was on mine. But still, I was shocked at how many people from all over the world were there.  I had lived in Germany maybe a month and my high school friend, Carol had just arrived for her year in Germany.  So, of course, we decided to go to Munich for the Oktoberfest.

Oktoberfest was far more than just beer and enormous tents with oompa music—it was a carnival with lots of rides, attractions and bright lights.  We were more entertained by the sights than by the beer but, of course, we had to give one or two of the tents a try.  I marveled at how many huge mugs of beer the be-dirndled waitresses carried. 

We were surprised when the whole place shut down at 11 PM, and we became part of a flood of thousands of party goers leaving the fair grounds.  Carol and I were technically college students 21 and 20 living abroad for a year.  We had had a great time but the mob leaving the grounds was a little scary.  I’d never seen so many drunk people in my life.  Carol and I managed to stick together at a time when there were no cell phones if we’d been separated.

Our “plan” after the Oktoberfest was to go to the Bahnhof (train station) get a train home to Memmingen or at least a train some place where we could get a room. 20somethings don’t always make the best back up plans. With thousands of party-goers milling around  the Bahnhof, we discovered that the last train for Memmingen had already left and there wouldn’t be another until the next morning.  For that matter, there were no trains leaving and we were stranded with hundreds or thousands of Oktoberfest refugees.  We decided to just hunker down like others were doing.  So, finding a spot on the bench, we tried to sleep until the guards came through and told everyone they had to leave because the Bahnhof was closing.

So we were on the streets of Munich without a place to stay.  We simply walked around outside until someone found a “back door”  into the train station.  So, we sneaked back in with about a hundred of our closest friends.  The station had minimal lighting and we found a spot on the steps to catch some sleep.

In the early hours of the morning, we were awakened by the rolling buckets of the cleaning crew.  These beefy women with their mops and brooms were scarier than the guards had been. They shooed us off the steps and out the door.  They were not to be argued with.  So, back out on the streets of Munich, we were beginning to get hungry.  This was NOT New York City which never sleeps—Munich was sleeping off a grand week of partying with no open shops or cafes.  We did finally find a place for coffee and a roll before we headed back to the Bahnhof and  a leisurely train ride back home.

From my friend Carol:  “Believe it or not, I found my journal from my stay in Germany that school year, but the details about Munich are sketchy.  I do know one thing...we didn't meet up in Munich.  I had already been in Memmingen , and we took the train to Munich on Saturday.  What I remember is that we had checked our luggage in the luggage room which was closed when we got back to the Bahnhof.  I don't know if the last train had left or not, but it didn't matter because we couldn't get our luggage.  I also don't remember being chased out of the station...all I have written is that we spent the night in the Bahnhof in the company of some American Air Force guys. “

I also wrote that we left Munich at 7:33 a.m. and got back to Memmingen at 9:00, after which we slept until noon and lunch at the Mädchenwohnheim, after which we napped again.  Somehow I got on the wrong train (really??) and had to transfer twice to get  to Stuttgart. 

I didn’t really keep much of a journal, but I did write letters home which my mother saved.  So, whose memories are correct and are there some memories we both have forgotten?  I found the letter. .. . .it’s very interesting.