Munich’s world-famous Oktoberfest faced an unexpected and dramatic interruption on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, after a deadly explosion in the city’s north triggered a bomb threat and led to the temporary closure of the festival grounds. The incident, which unfolded in the Lerchenau district, sent shockwaves through the Bavarian capital and left both locals and the thousands of tourists attending the beer festival on edge.
According to Reuters, the trouble began when police responded to reports of explosions and a house fire in a residential neighborhood early Wednesday morning. The blaze, investigators later revealed, was the result of a man planting explosives in his parents’ home, culminating in a violent family dispute that turned deadly. Special forces were called in to defuse booby traps discovered inside the building, and the scene quickly became the focus of an intense police operation.
Tragically, the explosion and subsequent fire claimed the life of one person inside the home—believed to be the suspect’s father—while the suspect himself fled the scene. As described by Munich Police President Thomas Hampel during a press conference cited by DW, officers found the suspect’s 81-year-old mother injured in the garden and his 21-year-old daughter on the first floor of the burning building. Both women were hospitalized with injuries. The suspect, a 57-year-old man, was tracked by police helicopters to the vicinity of Lerchenauer See lake. Cornered by officers, he took his own life using a homemade weapon. Hampel noted, “The person could not be immediately checked, because the individual had a rucksack on his person and we had to assume this might contain further unknown explosives.” The backpack was later found to contain an explosive device that required defusing.
As the morning unfolded, police uncovered a note written by the suspect that made reference to Oktoberfest, Munich’s iconic beer festival held at the Theresienwiese. Munich Police Deputy President Christian Huber explained, “In the course of our preliminary investigations, we found a note written by the suspect, in which—along with several other aspects—a bomb threat directed at the Oktoberfest could also be interpreted.” With the festival grounds due to open just hours later, authorities faced a difficult decision.
“It was necessary to quickly decide: How will we deal with this aspect, this threat to the Oktoberfest?” Huber said. In close consultation with festival organizers and city officials, the police made the call to keep the Theresienwiese closed until at least 5 p.m. local time. The move was intended to ensure the safety of festival-goers and to avoid the chaos of a potential evacuation should the threat prove credible.
During the closure, more than 500 officers were deployed to conduct thorough searches of the festival grounds. Bomb-sniffing dogs were brought in to sweep the area multiple times, with particular attention paid to both the large beer tents and the surrounding open spaces. According to the DPA news agency, the operation required significant time and personnel, as officials sought to leave no stone unturned.
Oktoberfest, which began on September 20 and is scheduled to run through October 5, is the world’s largest beer festival and typically draws up to six million visitors from around the globe. The sudden closure of the grounds left many festival workers and would-be attendees in limbo. City officials confirmed on their official X account that ongoing search operations were underway and instructed workers to vacate the area. The festival’s website informed the public that the closure was due to a “bomb threat,” with further updates promised later in the day.
By mid-afternoon, after exhaustive checks and careful evaluation of the suspect’s note, police determined that there was no genuine risk to the festival or the wider city. “By mid-afternoon we reached the decision that we will open the festival grounds and the Oktoberfest can start at around 5:30 p.m.,” Huber announced. Munich’s mayor, Dieter Reiter, also reassured the public in a video message, stating that police had told him there was “no cause for concern” in reopening the event.
Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann addressed the press to clarify the motives behind the incident. He stated, “There were no signs of a political motive or extremism involved in the deaths and explosion in the Bavarian capital that led to the temporary closing of the Oktoberfest beer festival.” Instead, Herrmann emphasized that the preliminary investigation pointed to a family dispute, including issues related to the suspect’s paternity of his daughter. “What happened today in Munich was shocking for us all in the first moments,” Herrmann admitted, but he praised the emergency services for their swift and professional response. “Police responded immediately and intensely,” he said, crediting the use of helicopters and rapid ground pursuit for quickly locating the suspect.
The house fire and explosions left two people dead—the suspect and his father—while the suspect’s mother and daughter remained hospitalized. Investigators continued to search for one missing person, though police indicated that this individual was not considered a danger to the public. The entire episode, though ultimately not linked to terrorism or political extremism, nevertheless served as a stark reminder of the ever-present need for vigilance at large public gatherings.
Security at Oktoberfest has been a priority for years, with organizers implementing permanent measures such as fencing around the festival grounds, bag restrictions, and a heavy police presence. The event has faced threats in the past, most notably in 1980 when a far-right extremist detonated a bomb at the festival’s main entrance, killing 13 and injuring over 200. In 2009, authorities foiled a suspected Islamist plot, and in 2016, security was heightened following a mass shooting elsewhere in Munich. As DW notes, these incidents have led to stricter entry checks and constant reassessment of security protocols.
Wednesday’s events, though rooted in a personal tragedy, tested the readiness and coordination of Munich’s emergency services. Herrmann expressed gratitude to colleagues from nearby Austria for their offers of assistance, underscoring the sense of solidarity among European security agencies. The police, fire services, and medics were all lauded for their professionalism and speed.
By the evening, as the festival grounds once again buzzed with the sounds of music and laughter, many in Munich breathed a sigh of relief. The rapid and thorough response by authorities ensured that Oktoberfest could continue safely, even in the face of a frightening and unpredictable threat. For the millions who cherish the tradition, Wednesday’s ordeal was a reminder of both the festival’s enduring spirit and the importance of constant vigilance.
