MARYLAND OKTOBERFEST, INCORPORATED

Auf Wiedersehen.                                             The last Maryland Oktoberfest was held in 2006.

FOUNDED:           
1969

PURPOSE:
To preserve the customs and traditions of Bavaria

Hans Steffen, Entertainment Chairman leads the Oktoberfest barrel march.

Maryland Oktoberfest Fruit Monument

OFFICERS:

The idea of a Munich-style Bavarian Festival for Baltimore was the outgrowth of meetings in 1968 between several German organizations at the old "Deutsches Haus".  The development and implementation of this idea was undertaken by four clubs.  The presidents of these four clubs became the original committee, which ultimately organized and conducted the first MARYLAND OKTOBERFEST.

This committee consisted of:

Francis Pramschuefer, Jr. of Club Fidelitas
Kurt P. Kuenzel, Sr. of the German Radio Klub
Edward L. Thau of the Baltimore Kickers
Paul Luedtke of the Edelweiss Club

The first MARYLAND OKTOBERFEST was held at the Fifth Regiment Armory in Baltimore on the 4th and 5th of October, 1969.  To date, thirty-seven consecutive "OKTOBERFESTS" have been held at this facility. (Except for one year because the Armory was redoing their floor)

The history of the Munich Oktoberfest dates back to the wedding celebration held in 1810 at the marriage of King Ludwig I of Bavaria to Princess Theresia of Saxe-Hildburghausen.  Prior to this, Bavarians were already known for their centuries-old tradition of celebrating successful harvests during the autumnal season.  Over time, the merger of these autumn festivals with the formal type 1810 wedding celebration yielded to the world-renowned festival that today we know simply as "OKTOBERFEST".

It soon became evident, after the first MARYLAND OKTOBERFEST in 1969, that an ad hoc committee was not the proper approach for insuring that this event became an annual affair, an idea that many members of the German-American Community now supported.

As a result, MARYLAND OKTOBERFEST was chartered as a stock-issuing corporation.  The four clubs who had been instrumental in hosting the initial MARYLAND OKTOBERFEST became the principal stockholders.  Under their direction and with the help of many, many volunteers, MARYLAND OKTOBERFEST has developed into the annual celebration that Baltimore and the surrounding areas have enjoyed for many years.

Presently, the stock of MARYLAND OKTOBERFEST is held by three principal shareholders: BALTIMORE KICKERS, CLUB FIDELITAS, and GERMAN RADIO KLUB.