“I’m a Joker with a Heart”
Insights by Georg Mayrhofer | 27.05.2026
Georg Mayrhofer is an entrepreneur, networker, family man, comedian, and children’s hospice ambassador. As arguably the most loyal regular at the Munich Oktoberfest, the Austrian alias ‚Wiesnschurli‘ hasn’t missed a single day of the event in decades. In his day job, his portfolio includes work for the Vienna State Opera and the Burgtheater.
Sixteen days of Oktoberfest from dawn till dusk. His day kicks off at 11:00 AM in the Augustiner tent. Things wrap up at 1:00 AM in the Weinzelt. Georg Mayrhofer has been keeping up this demanding Oktoberfest routine for nearly 43 years. The Lower Austrian first visited the Munich Wiesn back in 1983. Since then, the event has arguably found its most loyal regular in him.
Wiesnschurli
During a TV interview, journalists even gave Mayrhofer the nickname “Wiesnschurli”. By now, this coined term – based on the Austrian affectionate diminutive for “Georg” – is a registered trademark and belongs to the Oktoberfest just as much as a Maß of beer. However, the Wiesnschurli swapped his beer glass for a glass of water a few years ago. Why? “I have more fun now without drinking, and I want to see my grandchildren grow up,” says the grandfather of two. A special honor was bestowed upon him in 2025: Georg Mayrhofer was invited to conduct around 400 musicians at the traditional brass band concert of the Oktoberfest landlords. Without a doubt, it was an uplifting moment – and this despite the fact that over the years, a tree has already been planted for him and a table has been dedicated to him. How exactly does one spend two and a half weeks at the Oktoberfest? “For the 2026 Wiesn, that is already mapped out precisely,” the Wiesnschurli reported during an interview in early May. The proof is provided by his meticulously planned, color-coded Wiesn calendar.
Networker
As an avowed people person, Mayrhofer loves being in company and knows everyone and their brother from Vienna to Munich and well beyond. “If I don’t know something myself, I always know someone who does.” On the other hand, the question of who is allowed to keep Mayrhofer company at his Wiesn table is quickly answered: saying “hello,” “goodbye,” “please,” and “thank you” must be just as second nature to his friends as it is to the passionate networker himself. Alongside “respect, wit, and decency,” a donation to the Lichtblickhof is mandatory. For several years now, Mayrhofer – who has always been charitably active – has been a dedicated ambassador for this Austrian children’s hospice. He became aware of it through his friend and neighbor, comedian Gery Seidl. Not only do they come from the same area northwest of Vienna, but they also worked together on the humorous TV show “Sehr witzig?!”. For years, Georg Mayrhofer could be seen there in the role of the pub landlord.
A Joker with a Heart
But back to the Oktoberfest: responsible for the challenging schedule of this self-described “Joker with a heart” is his personal Wiesn secretary, Katharina. In real life, her name is actually Manuela, but that’s a different story. At any rate, she has plenty to do outside of the Wiesn season as well: every five years, the Wiesnschurli invites his inner circle – an impressive 300 to 400 people – to a major party. The last one took place in 2023 at Greifenstein Castle near Vienna – complete with multiple bands and a unique cinematic experience. For a projection show, the castle tower was repurposed as an impressive screen. Georg Mayrhofer, aka Wiesnschurli, doesn’t want to reveal yet where his next big bash will take place in 2038. However, preparations are already in full swing. “People come together through talking and celebrating,” he is convinced. Mayrhofer even celebrated his 60th birthday four separate times. To keep the setting more intimate, there were “only” about 150 guests each time.
Family Man
Unlike Georg Mayrhofer, his wife Claudia is no fan of the spotlight. It won’t be until his 50th Wiesn anniversary in 2033 that she plans to accompany her husband to Munich again after a long Oktoberfest hiatus. The Mayrhofers have been happily married for four decades. Yet, the Wiesnschurli is well aware of the challenges of a life by his side, noting that being married to him is an art form. How fortunate that Claudia, as an artist herself, has mastered this private masterpiece. The couple’s two children are now grown up. Their son, Florian, has already taken over the management of the family-owned parquet flooring business.
Entrepreneur and Cabaret Artist
In his day job, Georg Mayrhofer is the owner of Deta Parkett, a family business specializing in historical parquet floors, as well as the guild master of Austrian floor layers and the owner of a surveying consultancy for floor coverings and building cleaning. Renowned institutions such as the Vienna State Opera, the Burgtheater, the Volksoper, and the Hofburg count among his parquet flooring clients. Together with his sister Barbara, family man Georg Mayrhofer has also recently become active in the field of indoor climate and air purification. The principle? Photocatalysis. Thanks to a special coating applied to windows and other surfaces, allergens, germs, and pollutants are converted into water and CO₂ by incident light, Mayrhofer explains. Even outside of entrepreneurship and the Wiesn season, his calendar is jam-packed. Along with his stage partner Peter Feuchtinger and their joint cabaret program “Gegensätze ziehen sich auf!” (Opposites Tease Each Other), the Wiesnschurli tours through Austria and Bavaria. How do all his ventures fit into 24 hours? “I always know relatively well what I want and what I don’t. That helps you get ahead in life. There is very little wasted motion. Not that I haven’t made any useless trips, but few,” says Mayrhofer. Apart from the cabaret stage and the Wiesn, he also enjoys telling jokes at his favorite regular spots in Vienna, “Schwarzes Kameel” and “Schweizerhaus”. One is an elegant downtown restaurant, the other a rustic beer garden in the Prater park. Like few others, Georg Mayrhofer is naturally at home in both of these worlds, which only seem contradictory at first glance. Decency, humor, and respect, after all, are not a matter of zip codes or gourmet awards.
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