Thread: Scary German Christmas Tradition

Thought this was interesting to share.

I saw this tradition mentioned on another site and did some research.

I'm glad I'm not a German kid. This tradition would give me nightmares for life.

Check out the tradition of Krumpus. Gallery of 11 photos.

http://www.thelocal.de/gallery/341/

LOL! Glad this is one tradition that the Germans didn't bring here with them! Scary!

A little history on Krumpas:




Krampus The Companions of Saint Nicholas (or Father Christmas) are a group of closely related figures who accompany St. Nicholas in many European traditions. The tradition is particularly strong amongst the Germanic peoples, with some regional expression in the U.S. (largely from European ethnic groups).

The most recognized companion, especially outside of Europe, is Knecht Ruprecht, which translates as Farmhand Ruprecht or Servant Ruprecht. Other companions include Krampus (Austria, Bavaria, Croatia, Slovenia, Friul, Hungary [spelled Krampusz]), Klaubauf (Bavaria, Austria, Bartel (Styria), Pelzebock, Pelznickel, Belzeniggl, Belsnickel (Pennsylvania), Schmutzli (Switzerland), Rumpelklas, Bellzebub, Hans Muff, Drapp or Buzebergt (Augsburg), Hanstrapp (Alsace, East of France) and Le Père Fouettard (Northern and Eastern France). In the Czech Republic, St. Nicholas or Svatý Mikuláš is accompanied by the Čert (Devil) and Anděl (Angel). These servants are often associated with, but are distinct from Saint Nicholas' helpers in the Netherlands and Flanders (called Zwarte Piet, meaning Black Pete(r) in English).


Appearance

Often the subject of winter poems and tales, the Companions travel with St. Nicholas (Also called Father Christmas, Santa Claus), carrying with them a rod (sometimes a stick and in modern times often a broom) and a sack. They are sometimes dressed in black rags, bearing a black face and unruly black hair. In many contemporary portrayals the companions look like dark, sinister, or rustic versions of Nicholas himself, with a similar costume but with a darker color scheme.

In Hungary, the Krampusz is often portrayed as mischievous rather than evil, wearing a black suit, with a tail and little red horns that are funny rather than frightening. The Krampusz wields a Virgács, which is a bunch of twigs bound together. Parents often frighten children with getting a Virgács instead of presents, because if they do not behave, Mikulás lets the Krampusz give them his present. By the end of November, you can buy all kinds of Virgács on the streets, usually painted gold, bound by a red ribbon. Getting a Virgács is rather more fun than frightening, and is usually given along with presents to make children behave.

It is unclear whether the various companions of St. Nicholas are all expressions of a single tradition (likely Knecht Ruprecht), or a conflation of multiple traditions. Various texts, especially those outside the tradition, often treat the companions as variations on a single Knecht Ruprecht tradition.

Traditionally, Knecht Ruprecht would sometimes be portrayed as being Black African, like Zwarte Piet in the Benelux. However, over recent decades this became regarded as offensive by some, as Zwarte Piet is considered a silly helper of Sinterklaas. So, the black on his face is sometimes explained as soot collected as he descends into chimneys.


Tales
Knecht Ruprecht is commonly cited as a servant and helper, and is sometimes associated with Saint Rupert. According to some stories, Ruprecht began as a farmhand; in others, he is a wild foundling whom St. Nicholas raises from childhood. Ruprecht sometimes walks with a limp, because of a childhood injury. Often, his black clothes and dirty face are attributed to the soot he collects as he goes down chimneys.

The companion of the French St. Nicholas, Père Fouettard (the whipfather), is said to be the butcher of three children. St. Nicholas discovered the murder and resurrected the three children. He also shamed Père Fouettard, who, in repentance, became a servant of St. Nicholas. Fouettard travels with the saint and punishes naughty children by whipping them. In modern times he distributes small whips, instead of thrashings, or gifts.


Traditions

In some of the Ruprecht traditions, the children would be summoned to the door to perform tricks, such as a dance or singing a song to impress upon Santa and Ruprecht that they were indeed good children. Those who performed badly would be beaten soundly by Servant Ruprecht, and those who performed well were given a gift or some treats. Those who performed badly enough or had committed other misdeeds throughout the year were put into Ruprecht's sack and taken away, variously to Ruprecht’s home in the Black Forest, or to be tossed into a river. In other versions the children must be asleep, and would awake to find their shoes filled with either sweets, coal, or in some cases a stick. Over time, other customs developed: parents giving kids who misbehaved a stick instead of treats and saying that it was a warning from Nikolaus that "unless you improve by Christmas day[citation needed], Nikolaus' black servant Ruprecht will come and beat you with the stick and you won't get any Christmas gifts." Often there would be variations idiosyncratic to individual families.[citation needed]

In parts of Austria, Krampusse, who by local tradition were typically children of poor families, roamed the streets and sledding hills during the festival. They wore black rags and masks, dragging chains behind them, and occasionally hurling them towards children in their way. These Krampusumzüge (Krampus runs) still exist, although perhaps less violent than in the past.

Today, Schladming, a town in Styria, over 1200 "Krampus" gather from all over Austria wearing goat-hair costumes and carved masks, carrying bundles of sticks used as switches, and swinging cowbells to warn of their approach. They are typically young men in their teens and early twenties and are generally intoxicated. They roam the streets of this typically quiet town and hit people with their switches. It is not considered wise for young women to go out on this night, as they are popular targets.

In parts of the United States in the 19th century, "Pelznickel" traditions were maintained for a time among immigrants at least as far west as the US state of Indiana. In this branch of the tradition, the father or other older male relative was often "busy working outside" or had to see to some matter elsewhere in the house when Pelznickel arrived. Today, remnants of this tradition remain, known as the Belsnickel, especially in Pennsylvania.

A first-hand 19th century account of the "Beltznickle" tradition in Allegany County, Maryland, can be found in Brown's Miscellaneous Writings, a collection of essays by Jacob Brown (born 1824). Writing of a period around 1830, Brown says, "we did not hear of" Santa Claus. Instead, the tradition called for a visit by a different character altogether:

He was known as Kriskinkle, Beltznickle and sometimes as the Xmas woman. Children then not only saw the mysterious person, but felt him or rather his stripes upon their backs with his switch. The annual visitor would make his appearance some hours after dark, thoroughly disguised, especially the face, which would sometimes be covered with a hideously ugly phiz - generally wore a female garb - hence the name Christmas woman - sometimes it would be a veritable woman but with masculine force and action. He or she would be equipped with an ample sack about the shoulders filled with cakes, nuts, and fruits, and a long hazel switch which was supposed to have some kind of a charm in it as well as a sting. One would scatter the goodies upon the floor, and then the scramble would begin by the delighted children, and the other hand would ply the switch upon the backs of the excited youngsters - who would not show a wince, but had it been parental discipline there would have been screams to reach a long distance.

In many parts of Croatia, Krampus is described as a devil, wearing chains around his neck, ankles and wrists, and wearing a cloth sack around his waist. As a part of a tradition, when a child receives a gift from St. Nicolas he is given a golden branch to represent his/hers good deeds throughout the year; however, if the child has misbehaved, Krampus will take the gifts for himself and leave only a silver branch to represent the child's bad acts. Children are commonly scared into sleeping during the time St. Nicolas brings gifts by being told that if they are awake, Krampus will think they have been bad, and will take them away in his sack.


en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Companions_of_Saint_Nicholas - 56k -

Originally Posted by CCUSA

Thought this was interesting to share.

I saw this tradition mentioned on another site and did some research.

I'm glad I'm not a German kid. This tradition would give me nightmares for life.

Check out the tradition of Krumpus. Gallery of 11 photos.

http://www.thelocal.de/gallery/341/

LOL.......I see your point

That's okay though........I have a friend who is totally freaked out by.......ready?........elves!!

I kid you not. Some people.....like me for instance .......get creeped out by clowns and dolls? For her, it Elves.

At Christmas she literally has recurring nightmares of being chased around deserted shopping malls by Santa's little helpers

Those are some pretty cool looking mask. That would have scared me.

Dixie

I agree that is nightmare material!

Hate to see what they do for Halloween. LOL Pretty frightening masks......would scare me for sure! I'll just hang on to the dill pickle tradition. LOL

I love everything else German. The Christmas trees, their food, the carols but Krumpus reminds me of Halloween.

Is the coal in the stocking tradition German? If it is, I think that would do just as well without scaring the kiddies.

It seems like modern US kids are inventing their own version of this----with the frightening video games they like to play all winter long.

I found the answer to my question.

It seems putting coal in the stocking is a Sicilian tradition.

http://www.sicilianculture.com/folklore/christmas.htm