Teufelsrad ride at Oktoberfest fires announcer after racist remarks

The operators of the ‘Teufelsrad’ ride at the Oktoberfest in Munich have dismissed one of their announcers following a racist incident. The decision came after a visitor reported that the announcer targeted a young man with derogatory remarks.

According to the complaint, while calling for girls aged 13 to 17 to join the ride, the announcer addressed a young man walking alongside them as ‘Abdul, nein’ and ‘Abdul, Schluss’. The announcer reportedly added comments regarding immigration, stating, ‘That is what happens if we continue with immigration like this,’ and suggesting they must ensure the individual does not bring his family next time.

Jan Polaczy, husband of operator Elisabeth Polaczy, expressed regret over the ‘verbal lapse’ and the resulting irritation, confirming the speaker will not return next year. The individual was part of a trial period for new announcers following the death of the previous long-term speaker, Horst Herrmann.

The ride had previously faced scrutiny from the Munich Equality Office for women regarding its entrance decorations, which included figures criticized for using racist stereotypes.