Topless tabu

Even before this year's Oktoberfest officially opens, a battle has broken out over topless photography inside the tents.

It is not unknown for Oktoberfest visitors to over-indulge and risk having less than flattering photographs of themselves taken. But now, such tangible evidence of drunken follies may soon belong to the past.

This year, organisers of at least one of the beer tents are taking steps to prevent journalists from taking photos of drunken and topless guests inside. Photographers who wish to gain access must sign a statement agreeing to abstain from this type of photography.

Not everyone is pleased with this idea, however. The Bavarian Federation of Journalists (BJV) is crying censorship, claiming the organizers wanted to avoid a "reflection of reality in the media." The BJV issued a statement asserting that photographers and cameramen are being "degraded to agents of the public relations departments."

The BJV also claims that, in at least one case, a permit was denied "for no apparent reason."

A spokeswoman for Munich's tourist office, Dr. Gabriele Papke, told Deutsche Welle that the tourism board had nothing to do with the new restrictions, adding that if an individual brewery introduced such a ban, it would only be enforceable inside its own tent.

As for what goes on outside the tents, she said, "it’s just like every year."

Ultimately, it's a matter of public interest, says BJV chairman, Wolfgang Stoeckel.

"Oktoberfest is not always a pretty picture," he says, but reporting on the cult event is in the interest of the public.

This year's Oktoberfest kicks off on Saturday, September 19 and city authorities expect around six million visitors until the last beer is downed on October 4.

Author: Sarah Harman

Editor: Susan Houlton