Overview
- The operator of the Teufelsrad, Elisabeth Polaczy, repainted three of four roughly 80‑year‑old papier‑mâché women at the ride’s entrance after advice from the city’s equality office and democracy advisory unit, and confirmed the attraction will appear at the Oktoberfest with the altered figures.
- City advisers recommended the changes in response to rising complaints about upskirting—unauthorised photos or video taken under skirts—and a concern that one barefoot 'Hawaiian' figure perpetuated a racist stereotype.
- Polaczy said she complied because she feared the ride might be excluded from the Wiesn if she did not, while the city’s permit office declined to say explicitly whether the attraction would have been barred without the repainting.
- The repainting has drawn cross‑party criticism from figures including Wiesn chief Christian Scharpf and Mayor’s Office members who called for restraint and said they will reassess cooperation between the equality office and festival administration after the event.
- The episode follows earlier overpaintings of contentious motifs at the Wiesn in 2023 and highlights a broader tension between protecting visitors’ safety and privacy, preserving historic festival imagery, and the extent of municipal influence over cultural displays.