Oktoberfest Waitresses

The dexterous, strong, obliging and humorous Oktoberfest waitress, who has become a symbolic figure, was attributed an essential role in creating the atmosphere in the Oktoberfest tents and the associated sales early on. This xylograph from 1898 depicts various types of beer tent entertainment. The interior of the giant hall by Georg Lang (1866-1904) is shown here in the centre. This excerpt is framed by six "types of waitresses". The waitresses from the Salvator-Bräu, Kochel-Bräu, Schottenhamel, Steyrer Hans, Löwenbräu and Dreher from Vienna stalls can be seen wearing their respective traditional costumes.

Working at the Oktoberfest is still a back-breaking job today. After the gunshots are fired from the steps of the Bavaria statue at 12 noon, they have to lug full beer mugs and balance chicken, all in time with the exuberant mood in the tents, for over two weeks. A full beer mug weighs just over two kilograms.

The photographer Philipp Kester (1873-1958) captured an Oktoberfest waitress in a historic photograph from 1921. The woman is wearing a traditional Munich costume and holding twelve beer mugs in front of her. Plaques, also called waitress badges, can be seen on the dirndl’s laced bodice. Badges are still handed out by the festival landlords to their service staff for identification purposes today. Each tent will have its own artistically designed plaques.

Julia Misamer