German men compete for title in battle of the strongest fingers

Despite the threat of dislocated fingers and strained muscles, more than 150 Bavarian men came together on Sunday to compete in Germany’s unique national championship of “Fingerhakeln” – finger wrestling.

The all-male competitors met in a big beer tent in the small southern village of Bernbeuren, with around 1,000 people cheering them on 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 neighboiring Austria, originated as a way to settle disputes.

In each round, two competitors sit on opposite sides of a solid table and each hooks one finger – usually the middle digit – through opposite sides of a small leather loop.

As soon as a referee signals the start, a contestant tries to pull the other across the table swiftly.

The whole thing usually lasts a few seconds, and digits put out of their joints are common. The winner moves to the next round.

Marie-Therese Eierstock, head of the Fingerhakler Gau Auerberg association which was founded in 1961, organised this year’s championship.

She said: “This tradition has been popular for a very long time in beer houses and pubs across the region.”

Customarily, only men are allowed to participate in finger-wrestling competitions.

At Sunday’s tournament, the youngest competitor was aged 15 and the oldest was 70.