During the first week of Oktoberfest alone, about 445 partiers, most of them under the age of 30, considerably underestimated their alcohol tolerance – and the beer’s potency. The number of festival guests who drank themselves into a stupor was up by 20 percent, according to the Bavarian Red Cross.

Overall, 6.9 million litres of beer were chugged at this year’s event – but at slightly over 6.4 million, the number of visitors was down by about 500,000.

More than 2,500 people required medical treatment during the first week of Oktoberfest – over 11 percent more than in 2011.

“With the temperature fluctuations that occurred, more Wiesn guests had to cope with heart and circulation problems,” said Hans Finkel, head of first-aid at the festival.

Police were also stretched “to and also beyond our limit,” a police spokesman said Sunday, with officers called out about 2,000 times during the two-week event. Some 1,400 crimes were recorded – including thefts and assaults.

The number of sexual abuse offences was also up slightly, and police said Sunday they were investigating four possible rape cases.

DPA/DAPD/The Local/arp