In brief
The operator of Munich’s famous Devil’s Wheel has begun handing out free cycling shorts to women, a response to a torrent of upskirting videos that went viral on social media. Millions of views were recorded on the 32,000 clips that show dirndl dresses undulating on the spinning platform. The rider’s operator, 80‑year‑old Elisabeth Polaczy, says giving the shorts is a simple way to protect women from prying phones. Munich police have tightened rules on live‑streaming, while a new campaign urges people to report upskirting, and an organization calls for harsher penalties for those who upload the footage.
The operator of a popular amusement ride at Munich’s Oktoberfest has been handing out free cycling shorts to women, after thousands of voyeuristic videos emerged on social media.
Some clips of women on the Teufelsrad – or Devil’s Wheel – have been viewed millions of times, with one said to have earned a woman €9,000 through a single online post, according to local broadcaster BR.
The Teufelsrad is one of the oldest attractions at the festival. The ride’s spinning platform can reach high speeds, causing skirts and dirndl dresses to lift and sometimes reveal underwear.
Filming under skirts is illegal in Germany and carries up to a two‑year prison term. Critics argue the law does not cover photos taken when a skirt simply lifts in motion, and claim some videos have been digitally altered.
Polaczy, the 80‑year‑old operator, has handed out more than 100 pairs of cycling shorts this year. “I want to do everything I can to make people feel secure,” she told broadcasters.
The Teufelsrad tent is covered with signs and police posters warning against filming under skirts, but Polaczy says it is impossible to stop smartphones anyway.
Some waitresses this year began wearing cycling shorts under their dirndls after the incident, and a spokesperson for Bavarian police said a city‑wide poster campaign was launched in 2025 to warn against upskirting.
Last year, a 45‑year‑old Swiss man was arrested for filming under a German woman’s dirndl. The police report shows 10 arrests in 2024 and a rise in such incidents.
Josephine Ballon, head of German non‑profit Hate Aid, said the current law “applies only when you film under the skirt,” and urged that those who upload intimate footage be punished.
Munich has also tightened rules for influencers: live streams from the festival are banned, and anyone wishing to film must hold a permit that comes with a fee. Hundreds of licences have been issued to creators who profit from product placement or sponsorships.
