Despite the risk of dislocated fingers and strained sinews, more than 150 men from Bavaria gathered to compete in Germany’s unique national championship of “Fingerhakeln,” or finger wrestling.
The “finger wrestlers” met in a big beer tent in the small southern village of Bernbeuren. Around 1,000 visitors cheered on the all-male contestants as they gulped down their national beer and world-famous German sausages while Bavarian live music filled the air.
Finger wrestling, a well-known competitive sport in Germany’s Alpine region and neighbouring Austria, originated as a way to settle disputes.
“This tradition has been popular for a very long time in beer houses and pubs across the region,” said Marie-Therese Eierstock, the head of the Fingerhakler Gau Auerberg association, founded in 1961 and organised this year’s championship.
In each match, two competitors sit on opposite sides of a sturdy table and each insert one finger — usually the middle finger — through opposite sides of a small leather loop.
Once the referee signals the start, contestants attempt to swiftly pull their opponent across the table. Matches typically last only a few seconds, and dislocated fingers are not uncommon. The winner progresses to the next round.
Customarily, only men are allowed to participate in finger-wrestling competitions.
At Sunday’s tournament, the youngest competitor was 15 years old and the oldest 70, Eierstock said.
