The operator of the Teufelsrad, an amusement ride at Munich Oktoberfest, has been distributing free cycling shorts to women since 2025 to prevent upskirting videos, following widespread circulation of such footage online. With over 32,000 videos in existence and one clip earning €9,000 for its poster, the issue highlights both legal challenges and practical measures taken by festival organizers and attendees to address voyeurism and digital exploitation at the event.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-03,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
At Munich's Oktoberfest, the operator of the Teufelsrad, or Devil's Wheel, a popular rotating amusement ride, started giving out free cycling shorts to female riders after thousands of voyeuristic videos surfaced online. These videos often showed women in traditional dirndl dresses with their underwear exposed due to the ride's rapid spinning motion. One video reportedly earned its poster €9,000 (£7,650). German broadcaster BR found that a professional group from Ukraine and locals were behind these videos. Despite filming under skirts being illegal since 2020 in Germany (punishable by up to two years in jail), critics argue the law is insufficient as it only applies when someone films directly beneath a skirt, not when photos capture exposed underwear due to movement or digital alteration. Elisabeth Polaczy, who runs the ride, has handed out over 100 pairs of shorts during this year's Oktoberfest to protect women from upskirting incidents and has been doing so for three years.
Written for “Oktoberfest Upskirting Prevention” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 3 other(s) covering the same event.
- Published
The operator of a popular amusement ride at the Munich Oktoberfest has been handing out free cycling shorts to women, after thousands of voyeuristic videos emerged on social media.
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thousands → publish → media
Some videos showing women on the Teufelsrad, or Devil's Wheel, have been viewed millions of times.
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videos → show → times
One is said to have made thousands of euros for a woman who posted it online.
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who → say → it
The Teufelsrad is one of the oldest attractions at the Oktoberfest, the annual beer festival which comes to an end this weekend after 16 days.
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which → come → days
Its circular platform rotates faster and faster until its riders fall off, and the motion and speed often make skirts fly up.
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skirts → rotate → ?
Filming under skirts is illegal in Germany, and carries a two-year sentence in jail.
However, critics believe the law does not go far enough, and the videos of women on the Teufelsrad in their traditional dirndl dresses often show their underwear.
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videos → film → underwear
Sometimes, the images have been digitally altered to show them naked, according to local broadcaster BR.
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them → alter → BR
One woman made €9,000 (£7,650) from a single clip, according to BR, whose investigations found that a group of professional YouTubers from Ukraine and several people from Bavaria were behind the videos.
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group → make → videos
At least 32,000 videos of women on the Teufelsrad have been in circulation, according to Munich-based daily Süddeutsche Zeitung.
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videos → accord → Zeitung
Some have apparently been viewed millions of times.
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Some → view → times
The operator of the Teufelsrad, Elisabeth Polaczy, told the BBC that, for the past three years, she has been handing out free cycling shorts to women and girls wearing dresses, to protect them from people filming in the crowd.
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she → tell → crowd
This Oktoberfest she has handed out more than 100 pairs, she says: "I want to do everything I can to make people feel secure."
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people → hand → everything
Polaczy, who is now 80, said donating cycling shorts wasn't cheap, but it was worth it for her own peace of mind.
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it → say → mind
The Teufelsrad tent is hung with signs and police posters in German and English warning against filming under people's skirts, but Polaczy says it is impossible to control everyone filming with smart phones.
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it → hang → phones
Some waitresses at this year's beer festival say they have also started wearing cycling shorts under their dirndls.
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they → say → dirndls
A spokesman for the Bavarian police told the BBC that since 2025, it has run a poster campaign at the Oktoberfest, warning against upskirting.
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it → tell → upskirting
This year, police arrested a 45-year-old Swiss man for using his phone to film under a German woman's dirndl.
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police → arrest → dirndl
Last year there were 10 arrests for upskirting and seven in 2024.
However, Josephine Ballon, who heads German non-profit organisation Hate Aid, which aims to support victims of digital violence, told the BBC that the current law against upskirting does not provide enough protection.
Although she says there are plans for a new law, current legislation "applies only when you film under the skirt", and not when a skirt simply flies up and gets photographed.
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skirt → be → skirt
The new camera glasses are also a threat, she believes.
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she → believe → ?
Ballon wants anyone who has uploaded intimate pictures of women on the internet to be punished, along with the platforms that put them up.
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that → want → them
Meanwhile, the city of Munich has sought to tighten up on influencers and content creators who earn money from their social media postings and who want to film at the Oktoberfest.
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who → seek → Oktoberfest
Munich has banned broadcasting live streams from the festival and requires anyone who wants to film there to hold a permit, which is issued by the city for a fee.
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which → ban → fee
Hundreds of licences have been issued this year to influencers, who make money from product placement or sponsoring.
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who → issue → placement
The Aporia
