Thomas Wimmer was the mayor of Munich when the first official Oktoberfest keg-tapping ceremony took place in 1950.
Wimmer, a Bavarian Social Democratic politician, served as Munich’s mayor from 1948 to 1960. On September 16, 1950, he tapped the first keg in the Schottenhamel tent and declared “O’zapft is!”—Bavarian for “It’s tapped!” The ritual officially opened the festival and became one of Oktoberfest’s defining traditions.
The ceremony follows the traditional parade of festival innkeepers and breweries. After the mayor taps the keg, twelve gunshots signal that beer may be served in the other tents. The mayor’s number of hammer strokes is now eagerly watched each year.
A common mix-up is Christian Ude, who became mayor decades later and became famous for exceptionally efficient tapping performances. Hans-Jochen Vogel also served as Munich’s mayor, but not when the 1950 tradition began.