MUNICH, Germany (BN24) — Munich’s Oktoberfest was shut down for several hours on Wednesday as authorities responded to a bomb threat that arose following a deadly explosion at a residential building in northern Munich. The suspect, a 57-year-old German man, was believed to have died by suicide near a lake, prompting a large-scale police investigation that initially triggered the closure of the famous beer festival.
The threat, which involved a suspect carrying an explosive device in a backpack, was linked to an explosion that occurred early Wednesday in the Starnberg area, south of Munich. The blast, which followed a deliberate house fire, appeared to be part of a domestic dispute, according to Bavarian police. Preliminary reports indicated the dispute was related to a paternity issue.
Authorities quickly launched a security sweep of the Oktoberfest grounds, located at the Theresienwiese, a sprawling open space that has hosted the festival for over 200 years. Police deployed sniffer dogs and other specialized teams to search for any potential explosives at the festival site, which typically attracts millions of visitors each year.
Images from the scene showed nearly empty Oktoberfest grounds with police officers in fluorescent vests patrolling the area, usually bustling with festivalgoers enjoying beer, rides, and traditional Bavarian fare. However, after several hours of investigation, police confirmed that the bomb threat was “not verified,” allowing the festival to reopen later in the afternoon.
According to police, the suspect, whose identity has not been officially confirmed, had been carrying a backpack containing an explosive device when his body was discovered. A letter found near the crime scene indicated a vague, non-specific threat involving Oktoberfest. In addition, the man’s 81-year-old mother and 21-year-old daughter, a German-Brazilian dual national, were injured in the fire and were hospitalized for treatment. A 90-year-old man, reportedly the suspect’s father, was found dead at the site.
Specialized teams were called in to defuse booby traps inside the burned-out building, which also featured a destroyed van nearby. The investigation remains ongoing, with authorities examining possible connections between the incident and other locations in Munich.
The Bavarian interior ministry later confirmed that no additional threats were found at other sites in the city. Over 500 officers were involved in securing the area, with emergency personnel working throughout the day. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt reassured the public that extensive safety measures were in place.
This year’s Oktoberfest, which began on September 20 and runs through October 5, had already drawn over 3.5 million visitors before the temporary closure. The festival, renowned as the world’s largest beer and folk festival, has been a staple of Bavarian culture since 1810.
In a chilling historical context, the closure comes 45 years after a deadly bombing targeted Oktoberfest in 1980, in which 13 people were killed, including the attacker, and more than 200 were injured. That attack, attributed to a neo-Nazi, remains one of the darkest moments in the festival’s history.
