Russian bike

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The Russian bike on the Auer Dult

The Russenrad , also known as the Russian swing , is one of the traditional rides of the Munich Oktoberfest and the Auer Dult . Commissioned in 1925, it is the oldest Ferris wheel in Bavaria.

The Russian wheel is 14 meters high and therefore actually a miniature ferris wheel. The name may derive from the fact that the idea for this ride arose in Eastern Europe in the 17th century . The wheel was manufactured in 1925 in the "Franz Gundelwein" carousel factory in Wutha, Thuringia . The Russenrad has 14 gondolas, the 12 HP motor starts with a " salt water starter " just like at the time of manufacture . Three days each must be estimated for assembly and dismantling.

The nostalgic concert organ with decorative figure staff that mechanically strikes drums and a bell was supplied by the company “Wilhelm Bruder” from Waldkirch im Breisgau .

The movable concert organ on the Russenrad

In 1925, the trained shoemaker Josef Esterl from Schwabing bought the Russian bike for 6,500 Reichsmarks . It premiered in 1925 at the Auer Dult, and in the same year it was given a stand for 1000 Reichsmarks at the Oktoberfest. In the following years Esterl brought his Russian bike to the amusement park in Helsinki and to St. Mark's Square in Venice .

The "Russian bike" on the Auer Dult

After the Second World War , the Russenrad was one of the first rides to appear again at Oktoberfest. In 1954 it was seen in the final scene of the US feature film Carnival Story , which is set in Munich. At that time, a fairground was set up for the filming on the grounds at the Maxburg - especially in the line of sight to the Frauenkirche. The villain, who committed a murder out of jealousy, falls to his death after a duel in the Russian bike. There was also an independent German version of the US feature film with Anne Baxter entitled Rummelplatz der Liebe . Here Curd Jürgens plays the murderer Toni, the woman in question is Eva Bartok .

The Russian bike had been in the family for three generations. In 2019, he was threatened with death: The owners could not implement the current safety requirements of the TÜV due to cost reasons. At the end of October 2019, however, the Münchner Abendzeitung reported that a family of buyers from the Oktoberfest environment had found themselves who wanted to renovate and continue to operate the Russian bike.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ The last season for Bavaria's oldest Ferris wheel. In: BR Online. Bayerischer Rundfunk, April 27, 2019, accessed on October 27, 2019 .
  2. ↑ Gundelwein - Company data by Franz Gundelwein Karussellbau 1910-1945 ±. In: Kulturgut Volksfest Digital Historical Archive. Kulturgut Volksfest gUG, accessed on October 27, 2019 .
  3. ↑ Süddeutsche Zeitung, July 25, 2015, p. R 5
  4. ↑ Süddeutsche Zeitung regional edition , July 27, 2019
  5. ↑ Carnival Story in the Internet Movie Database (English)
  6. ↑ Emily Engels, Jasmin Menrad: After 94 years - is the Russian bike about to end? In: Abendzeitung Online. Abendzeitung Digital GmbH & Co KG, May 3, 2019, accessed on October 27, 2019 .
  7. ↑ Kimberley Hagen: Munich: Happy End on the Auer Dult - Russenrad is saved! In: Abendzeitung Online. Abendzeitung Digital GmbH & Co KG, October 23, 2019, accessed on October 27, 2019 .

Web links

Commons : Russenrad (Oktoberfest)  - Collection of images, videos and audio files
  • The film Carnival Story on YouTube (The Russian wheel comes into the picture at 1h 15min 44sec and at 1h 31min 22sec.).