Mayor Dieter Reiter awards the WiesnGentleman* 2022

Caring instead of looking away: A real WiesnGentleman

For the 4th time, Condrobs e.V. 2022 sought and found the "WiesnGentleman*": The non-profit association has been involved in youth and addiction support for 50 years and is also active at the Oktoberfest. The campaign is intended to reward civil courage at the Oktoberfest. A prominent jury selected the winner. Munich's Lord Mayor Dieter Reiter crowned Werner W. the official WiesnGentleman* at Käfer Wiesn-Schänke and presented him with a certificate. As a prize, the winner also received a 250-euro voucher for a Oktoberfest outfit.

For Mayor Dieter Reiter, the WiesnGentleman* is an affair of the heart

Werner W. had applied to be a WiesnGentleman* with his personal Oktoberfest story: In a festival tent in 2017, he observed a young man who was unconscious and lying with his head on the table. Together with his girlfriend, he got him through the crowded tent to the medical service: just in time, because substances had been tipped into the man's beer and he needed urgent medical help. The moved Werner W. had not expected to win and did not find his rescue act extraordinary: "For me, helping is a matter of course, that's what I was taught. If someone is in need, I'm there and don't look away."

For the patron of the campaign, Mayor Dieter Reiter, the WiesnGentleman* is a matter close to his heart: "Standing up for a safe Wiesn, even looking to see if someone at the next table needs help and showing civil courage is important and contributes to safe celebrations. That's why the selection of the WiesnGentleman* is always something special for me."

The WiesnGentleman* campaign

Showing respect, solidarity and civil courage in dicey situations, staying calm and standing up for other visitors: That's what makes a WiesnGentleman*. With this campaign, Condrobs honors all those who are committed to a peaceful Oktoberfest. This was also made clear by Condrobs board member Katrin Bahr in her speech: "Civil courage concerns us all. In order to have a good time at the Oktoberfest, it is essential to treat each other with respect and solidarity."

A prominent jury selected the winner from the Oktoberfest stories submitted: WiesnGentleman* main ambassador Stefan Murr (actor), Johanna Bittenbinder (actress), Max von Thun (actor), Peter Inselkammer (Oktoberfest host of the Armbrustschützenzelt and spokesman for the Oktoberfest hosts), Otto Lindinger (Oktoberfest host of Bodo's Cafézelt & Cocktailbar and spokesman for the small Oktoberfest tents), Clarissa Käfer (Feinkost Käfer) and Nico Throm (Art Director and Head of Social at Hirmer).

How Condrobs e.V. helps at the Oktoberfest

Every day from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., Condrobs employees are on hand at Esperantoplatz to raise awareness among visitors to the Wiesn for peaceful and fair coexistence while celebrating. In addition, Condrobs street workers are out and about on and around the Festwiese on weekends and in the evenings before the holiday, providing very pragmatic help: finding friends again, defusing difficult situations or organizing a safe route home. But that's not the only help available at the Oktoberfest: at the Service Center, there is a Safe Space of the "Sichere Oktoberfest" campaign especially for girls and women.

Information about the campaign Safe Oktoberfest for girls and women

Picture above from left: Nico Throm (Art Director & Head of Social, Himer), Otto Lindinger (Wiesnwirt of Bodo's Cafézelt & Cocktailbar and spokesman for the small Wiesn tents), Peter Inselkammer (Wiesnwirt of the Armbrustschützenzelts and spokesman for the Wiesnwirte), Katrin Bahr (Managing Director Condrobs e. V.), Werner W. (WiesnGentleman* 2022), Lord Mayor Dieter Reiter, Stefan Murr (actor, WiesnGentleman* jury member and main ambassador), Clarissa Käfer (Feinkost Käfer, WiesnGentleman* jury member).