German police closed the Oktoberfest fairgrounds Wednesday morning following a bomb threat from the suspected perpetrator of an explosion in northern Munich, city officials said.
At least one person’s death was believed to be connected to the explosion at a residential building early Wednesday, which Munich police said was deliberately set on fire and part of a domestic dispute.
Authorities investigate the scene of a car fire, close to the house fire reportedly set on purpose amid a domestic dispute, on Oct. 1, 2025, in the Lerchenau area of Munich, Germany. (Johannes Simon/Getty Images)
Officials discovered the bomb threat to Oktoberfest in a letter from the alleged perpetrator. Police searched the fairgrounds for other explosive devices and asked workers to leave the area. Authorities said the festival will be closed at least until 5 p.m. local time (1500 GMT) Wednesday.
This year’s Oktoberfest began on Sept. 20 and ends Oct. 5. The world’s largest beer festival usually attracts up to 6 million visitors.
Police and a police dog are seen on the Munich Oktoberfest beer festival grounds on Oct. 1, 2025, after Oktoberfest was closed over a bomb threat as police investigated a deadly incident elsewhere in Munich in which a house was rigged with explosives and burned. (ALEXANDRA BEIER/AFP via Getty Images)
In 1980, Oktoberfest was the target of a deadly neo-Nazi attack. The bombing on the evening of Sept. 26, 1980 claimed 13 lives, including that of three children and the attacker, student Gundolf Koehler, a supporter of a banned far-right group. More than 200 people were wounded.
