History UsefulNotes / Munich

The Oktoberfest was, [[SmallReferencePools contrary to popular opinion]], not meant to be a celebration of Munich's beer heritage (at least, not ''just'' that), or even [[WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons October]], but marks the anniversary of the royal wedding between Prince Ludwig I and Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen on October 10th, 1810. That said, the festivities were soon [[NonIndicativeName moved to September]], because nobody liked having snow in his beer.

These losses, however, did nothing to quell Munich's popularity. Quite to the contrary; After the war, it became the most affluent region in Germany, and the presence of the US Armed Forces put Bavarian culture back into global focus, and affirmed Munich's cultural position in the eyes of the world even more so than ever before. It went from being ''an'' important German city to ''the'' German city for many people.

These losses, however, did nothing to quell Munich's popularity Quite to the contrary; After the war, it became the most affluent region in Germany, and the presence of the US Armed Forces put Bavarian culture back into global focus, and affirmed Munich's cultural position in the eyes of the world even more so than ever before. It went from being ''an'' important German city to ''the'' German city for many people.

On a less proud note, Munich was a very conservative place after the Great War, who had not gotten over the forceful resignation of the Bavarian monarchy in 1918 and a shortlived Communist revolution (which lasted for a grand total of two weeks, but was bloody enough to kill 3000 people), and this is why it could act as a political launching pad for [[AdolfHitler a certain failed Austrian painter and war cripple]], being the HQ of what would later become the [[ThoseWackyNazis NSDAP]]. First, Munich was the scene of yet ''another'' failed revolution - the 1923 fascist Beerhall Putsch (which lasted for about a day and killed twenty), but later went on to become the place of Hitler's first electoral victories. The Nazis' first concentration camp also was built just outside the city gates, in Dachau.

This, however, once again paid off for Bavaria. After the war, it became the most affluent region in Germany, and the presence of the US Armed Forces put Bavarian culture back into global focus, and affirmed Munich's cultural position in the eyes of the world even more so than ever before. It went from being ''an'' important German city to ''the'' German city for many people.

München, the capital city of the [[UsefulNotes/TheSixteenLandsOfDeutschland Free State of Bavaria]], and third-largest city, yet most densely populated and vertically topmost of UsefulNotes/{{Germany}}, and often rated to be one of the world's [[http://www.mercer.com/qualityoflivingpr most livable municipalities]].

München, the capital city of the [[UsefulNotes/TheSixteenLandsOfDeutschland Free State of Bavaria]], the third-largest city of UsefulNotes/{{Germany}}, and often rated to be one of the world's most livable cities.

* ''Series/{{Tatort}}'' had an investigator team in Munich for a long time.

[[caption-width-right:350:[[HawaiianShirtedTourist "Pardon me, sir; Which way to the ''Hofbräuhaus''?]]"]]

[[caption-width-right:350:[[HawaiiShirtedTourist "Pardon me, sir; Which way to the ''Hofbräuhaus''?]]"]]

[[caption-width-right:350:"Pardon me, sir; Which way to the ''Hofbräuhaus''?"]]

Believe it or not, the prevalence of those things in Munich's culture is ''hardly'' exaggerated. Beer had been a vital export of the region, which, just like Munich, has its roots in the Catholic monasteries that started it all. The Bavarian Dukes were also the patrons of beer (case in point - the Hofbräuhaus, or 'Royal Brewery House', ''was'' in fact a brewery of the Bavarian Crown (and nowadays, the Free State), and it was far from the only one) - not only made sure that beer stayed cheap and popular among the people, but also set purity laws and quality controls that have been adapted by most of the beer-brewing world. The Cloister of Weihenstephan, slightly north of the city, is the oldest brewery still in existence, and ''the'' intternational school of brewery.

The Oktoberfest was, [[SmallReferencePools contrary to popular opinion]], not meant to be a celebration of Munich's beer heritage (at least, not only), or even [[WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons October]], but marks the anniversary of the royal wedding between Prince Ludwig I and Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen on October 10th, 1810. That said, the festivities were soon [[NonIndicativeName moved to September]], because nobody liked having snow in his beer.

Weißwurst is revered as the most delicate sausage (with extra emphasis on ''delicate'' - it used to be uneatable mere hours after being made, and you cannot just throw that sausage into cold water and boil it into submission like most others) in the region, and the original Munich variation knows no worthy substitutes.

What's more, do you know BMW? It stands for ''Bavarian Motor Works'', and also resides there.

This, however, once again paid off for Bavaria. After the war, it became the most affluent region in Germany, and the presence of the US Armed Forces put Bavarian culture back into global focus, and strengthened Munich's position in the eyes of the world even stronger than ever before.

The story of the city started fairly late into the history of Germany, being first mentioned in 1158, when it still was a Benedictine monastery with a little settlement (thus the name 'München' - a bastardisation of the old German "Ze den Munichen" - "Were The Monks Are"). There might have been countless Celts living on that spot for centuries beforehand, but apart from a few Roman ruins, hardly anything reminds of that era.

Speaking of which, did you know that the chapel house of the old Benedictine monastery - the arguable one of ''the'' first proper buildings in Munich - [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Peter%27s_Church_%28Munich%29 still stands]]?

* ''Series/Pumuckl'' is also set in the city, and has since been named ''the'' quintessential Bavarian children's series.

* ''Munich'', naturally, features the Olympic Games massacre in the introduction.

*

[[caption-width-right:350:"S'cuse me, sir; Which way to the ''Hofbräuhaus''?"]]

München, the capital city of the [[UsefulNotes/TheSixteenLandsOfDeutschland Freestate of Bavaria]], the third-largest city of UsefulNotes/{{Germany}}, and often rated to be one of the world's most livable cities.

Believe it or not, the prevalence of those things in Munich's culture is ''hardly'' exaggerated. Beer had been a vital export of the region, which, just like Munich, has its roots in the Catholic monasteries that started it all. The Bavarian Dukes were also the patrons of beer (case in point - the Hofbräuhaus, or 'Royal Brewery House', ''was'' in fact a brewery of the Bavarian Crown (and nowadays, the Freestate), and it was far from the only one) - not only made sure that beer stayed cheap and popular among the people, but also set purity laws and quality controls that have been adapted by most of the beer-brewing world. The Cloister of Weihenstephan, slightly north of the city, is the oldest brewery still in existence, and ''the'' intternational school of brewery.

Of course still houses powerhouse football club FC München, the winner of 24 national and 5 UEFA titles.

---

In 1972, Munich hosted the Olympic Summer Games. [[Film/{{Munich}} The less said about them, the better]].

!! Munich featured in Media

During WW2, Munich was heavily bombarded by the American and British air forces, losing 70 percent of its medieval and Baroque buildings, and then surrendered to the Americans without a fight.

Believe it or not, the prevalence of those things in Munich's culture is ''hardly'' exaggerated. Beer had been a vital export of the region, which, just like Munich, has its roots in the Catholic monasteries that started it all. The Bavarian Dukes were also the patrons of beer (case in point - the Hofbräuhaus, or 'Royal Brewery House', ''was'' in fact a brewery of the Bavarian Crown (and nowadays, the Freestate), and it was far from the only one) - not only made sure that beer stayed cheap and popular among the people, but also set purity laws and quality controls that have been adapted by most of the beer-brewing world. The Cloister of Weihenstephan, slightly north of the city, is the oldest brewery still in existence, and ''the'' insternational school of brewery.

Over centuries, it served as the capital city for the Duchy of Bavaria (one of the HRE's most influential - and almost consistently largest - territories), later to be made a Kingdom by Napoleon Bonaparte. While it was the salt trade that once made the town big, it was its devotion to culture and science that made it world-famous. A cavalcade of rulers were patrons of the arts, who attracted artists and thinkers from all over the Western World, having them landscape palaces, parks and museums of all kind that still keep up Munich's reputation to this day.

On a less proud note, Munich was a very conservative place after the Great War, who had not gotten over the forceful resignation of the Bavarian monarchy in 1918 and a shortlived Communist revolution (which lasted for a grand total of two weeks, but was bloody enough to kill 3000 people), and this is why it could act as a political launching pad for [[AdolfHitler a certain failed Austrian painter and war cripple]], being the HQ of what would later become the [[ThoseWackyNazis NSDAP]]. First, Munich was the scene of yet ''another'' failed revolution - the 1923 fascist Beerhall Putsch (which lasted for about a day and killed twenty), but later went on to become the place of Hitler's first electoral victories.

[[{{Oktoberfest}} Oktoberfest, Weißbier, Pretzels and Weißwurst]]

On a less proud note, Munich was a very conservative place after the Great War, who had not gotten over the forceful resignation of the Bavarian monarchy in 1918 and a shortlived Communist revolution (which lasted for a grand total of two weeks, but was bloody enough to kill 3000 people), and this is why it could act as a political launching pad for [[a certain failed Austrian painter and war cripple]], being the HQ of what would later become the [[ThoseWackyNazis NSDAP]]. First, Munich was the scene of yet ''another'' failed revolution - the 1923 fascist Beerhall Putsch (which lasted for about a day and killed twenty), but later went on to become the place of Hitler's first electoral victories.

During the war, Munich was heavily bombarded by the American and British air forces, losing 70 percent of its medieval and Baroque buildings, and then surrendered to the Americans without a fight.

Up until the advent of WW1, Munich was known as a huge exporter of its own culture. The fact that the cosmopolitan city itself took hints from France, Italy, Austria, Bohemia, Britain and many German states helped Bavaria to manifest itself as the quintessential posterchild for German culture. Plus, Munich always had the honour of being essentially [[TheManBehindTheMan the capital behind the capital]] for about any larger nation whose sphere of influence Bavaria found itself in - be it Vienna, Paris or Berlin. [[GermansLoveDavidHasselhof Prussians loved Bavarian culture]], even though the feeling never was mutual.

Weißwurst is revered as the most delicate sausage (with extra emphasis on ''delicate'' - it used to be uneatable mere hours after being made, and you cannot just throw that sausage into cold water and boil it into submission like most others) in the region, and the original Munich variation knows no worthy substitutes.