Munich beer revolution

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The Munich beer revolution is a name for a revolt against the beer price increase by the Bavarian King Ludwig I in March 1844. It is also sometimes referred to as the "First Beer Revolution", as there was another uprising in 1888 to raise beer prices . The historical events regained contemporary notoriety in the course of the “ Bavarian Beer Garden Revolution ” on May 12, 1995, whose self-chosen name is derived from the historical event .

On March 1, 1844, King Ludwig increased the state-set beer price by 1 Pfennig due to the scarcity of raw materials . While the previous increase in the price of bread was still accepted, riots broke out in downtown Munich on the evening of March 1st when the price of beer was increased - around two thousand citizens stormed the Munich breweries, smashed windows and destroyed furniture. However, the summoned military refused all orders to take action against the insurgents, and further measures against the insurgents were fruitless. On March 5, 1844, the king finally gave in and the beer price increase was withdrawn, in October 1844 he went even further and ordered a lowering of the beer price for the Munich Hofbräuhaus “in order to offer the military and the working class a healthy and cheap drink. “ From then on the beer cost 5 instead of 6½ Kreuzer .

The successful uprising is historically understood as a harbinger of the March Revolution of 1848, which also sparked off beer price increases in Munich and must have taken place several times, mostly in May. Friedrich Engels wrote a comment in the Northern Star in May 1844 under the title “Beer Riots in Bavaria”, in which he swore that the masses “will quickly recognize that it is just as easy for their [the authorities] to do the same on more important matters To teach fear. "

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  1. ↑ "Biertumult in Munich" , in the Wiener Zeitung of 13 May 1848 ÖNB.