Ночь крампуса история праздника

5 и 6 декабря в Австрии, Германии, Венгрии и некоторых странах Европы отмечается «Крампус» — антипод Рождеству, основанный на образе злобного спутника Санта Клауса. Россиянам такого не видать, РПЦ не разрешит.

Крампус — волосатый, жуткий, похожий на дьявола образ существа из немецкого фольклора. Он выходит на улицы вместе со Святым Николаем (Санта-Клаусом), похищает плохих детей, избивает, подвешивает на деревья или уносит их в пещеру, чтобы сожрать.

5 и 6 декабря Австрии, Германии, Венгрии, Чехии, а с некоторых пор в США и Италии, принято устраивать обряды в его честь. Мужчины, но иногда и смелые женщины, наряжаются в жуткие и отвратительные костюмы Крампуса, ходят по улице, звенят цепями, розгами и колокольчиками, и до чертиков пугают всех детей в округе. Вплоть до 50-х годов XX века католическая церковь не особо поощряла такие празднества, но сейчас успокоилась и не мешает людям потешаться во славу сатанинской твари.

Коммерциализация «Крампуса» произошла в конце XIX века, когда австрийское правительство разрешило печатать марки частным компаниям и на них стали появляться образы дьявольского существа. На некоторых демона рисовали с мешком на спине, подобном рождественскому, только он не носил в нем подарки, а таскал там непослушных детей. В то же время появлялись и ироничные изображения с Крампусом: где-то он даже демонстрировался как страстный любовник для одиноких женщин, оставшихся без мужа в праздничную ночь.

Подлинное веселье начинается в ночь с 5 на 6 декабря, когда австрийские мужики напиваются, одеваются в омерзительные инфернальные наряды, водят хороводы и устраивают настоящие уличные парады. «Крампус» перестает быть детским праздником и превращается в полуночную пьяную вечеринку для взрослых, которые ходят по домам и барам, и требуют, чтобы им непременно налили. Грубо говоря, это более жуткий, опасный и страшный аналог «Хэллоуина», только вместо костюма «Железного Человека» сосед надевает рога, вместо конфет просит бутылку «Джим Бима», а вместо объятий может дать по морде.

Но и так не везде: в Техасе, например, «Крампус» отметили достаточно мирно. Взрослые нарядились в нужные костюмы и пугали нерадивых детей, попутно наливая им газировку и кормя конфетами. Потом малышей, правда, отправили спать, а родители направились в местный бар

А вот так гулянки прошли в Италии в 2012 году, для них это был один из первых подобных обрядов

Сейчас «Крампус» становится все популярнее во всем мире, а, следовательно, и в массовой культуре. Образ рогатого рождественского монстра мелькал в сериалах «Гримм» и «Зов крови», над ним шутили в «Американском папаше», а 1 января в российский прокат выйдет одноименный ужастик про похитителя детей.

Появившийся в альпийских мифах и изначально дикий для людей демонический праздник, похоже, набирает обороты и почти наверняка придет и в Россию. Но, судя по реакции на невинный «Хэллоуин», произойдет это не так скоро, как хотелось бы.

НОЧЬ КРАМПУСА

Крампус, он же дьявол или чёрт — легендарное существо в фольклоре стран альпийского региона, спутник и в то же время антипод Николая Чудотворца, заменяющего Санта-Клауса и Деда Мороза. Ежегодно в ночь с 5 на 6 декабря эта парочка осуществляет по отношению к подрастающему поколению воспитательную функцию, делая это методом кнута и пряника — Чудотворец награждает хороших детей подарками, в то время как его напарник Крампус пугает их и наказывает за непослушание.

Изображать Крампуса принято в Австрии, Южной Баварии, Венгрии, Словении, Чехии, некоторых северных областях Италии (Больцано) и Хорватии. Облик этого создания и его прозвище варьируется в зависимости от местности. Как правило, в альпийском регионе Крампуса изображают как классического чёрта — рогатое и косматое звероподобное чудовище дьявольской внешности.

Ежегодно в ноябре и январе жители западных регионов Австрии одеваются в костюмы Перхтен (также известные в некоторых регионах, как Крампус или Тюифль) дабы осуществить древний языческий ритуал, которому уже более пятнадцати столетий, и с его помощью разогнать призраков приближающейся зимы. Этот ритуал — удивительная культурная достопримечательность Австрии, привлекающая в страну ежегодно толпы туристов. Каждый костюм изготавливается вручную и состоит из дюжины овечьих или козьих шкур, мастер может сконструировать до трёх костюмов за один день. Стоимость каждого костюма составляет примерно 500-600 евро. Резчику же по дереву требуется около 15 часов чтобы создать уникальную дьявольскую маску, которая которая обычно изготавливается из кедра и украшается козьими рогами. Маска стоит дополнительно 600 евро.

Традиционно мужчины наряжаются в наряд Крампуса в первую неделю декабря, а особенно в ночь с 5 (День Крампуса) на 6 декабря (День Св. Николая) и бродят по улицам, стращая детей звоном цепей и колокольчиков.

Легенды гласят, что когда Крампус находит капризного ребёнка, он засовывает его в свой мешок и уносит напуганное дитя в пещеру, предположительно чтобы съесть на рождественский ужин. В более старых версиях легенд Крампус похищает детей и уносит в свой жуткий замок, а останки потом сбрасывает в море.

Упоминания о Крампусе присутствуют ещё в дохристианском германском фольклоре. По некоторым характеристикам он проявляет сходство и с сатирами из древнегреческой мифологии. Во времена инквизиции католическая церковь запрещала празднования с участием ряженых, изображающих рогатых существ. Однако традиция изображения Крампуса сохранилась, и к XVII веку он утвердился в рождественских празднованиях как спутник Святого Николая.

В XX веке австрийское правительство также не поощряло культ Крампуса. После гражданской войны 1934 года режим Дольфуса наложил запрет на данную традицию. Тем не менее, к концу века традиция проведения празднований и гуляний с участием Крампуса обрела вторую жизнь и сейчас остаётся весьма популярной. При этом в Австрии проводилась общественная дискуссия на тему допустимости использования образа Крампуса для маленьких детей.

При всех различиях в изображении Крампуса некоторые его характеристики остаются общими: он покрыт шерстью, обычно бурой или чёрной, у него козлиные рога и раздвоенные копыта. Из пасти вываливается длинный заострённый язык.

Нередко Крампус несёт цепь, что символизирует оковы на дьяволе в христианской традиции. Для достижения большего эффекта он потрясает цепями. Цепи могут также дополняться колокольчиками разного размера. К языческим представлениям восходит такой атрибут Крампуса, как связки берёзовых розог, которыми он стегает детей. Наказание розгами играло важную роль в дохристианском обряде инициации. Розги могут заменяться хлыстом. Иногда Крампус появляется с мешком или лоханью за спиной — они предназначены для того, чтобы унести непослушных детей для их последующего поедания, утопления или отправления в преисподнюю.

За последние несколько десятилетий в Австрии как грибы выросли многочисленные деревенские Крампус-ассоциации с числом участников, превышающих сотню. Несмотря на все исторические препятствия карнавальная традиция растёт и укрепляется.

Источник

Крампуснахт отмечается 5 декабря каждого года в Германии, других европейских странах и Австралии. Это происходит в ночь перед празднованием праздника Святого Николая, в ночь, когда люди наряжаются дьяволом Крампусом и гоняют непослушных детей по улицам. Крампус отчитывает детей и дает связки «рутен», связку веток, чтобы они не забыли Крампуса после его ухода. Этот праздник становится все более популярным и в Америке, потому что он передает немного волнения и жути Хэллоуина прямо перед рождественским сезоном. Праздник Крампуснахт — история, как отмечать, узнайте в следующей статье на kakogo-chisla.ru.

Какого числа Крампуснахт

Какого числа отмечают Крампуснахт? Узнайте, на какой день выпадает Крампуснахт в 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 и 2026 годах.

История Крампуснахта

Крампуснахт отмечается каждый год 5 декабря, в ночь перед празднованием праздника Святого Николая. Этот праздник в основном отмечается в Германии, Австрии, Хорватии и некоторых других странах Европы. Он также популярен в Австралии, и с годами популярность Крампуснахта выросла и в Северной Америке.

Крампуснахт — это праздник дьявола Крампуса, который, как полагают, является существом, которое является наполовину человеком, наполовину козлом. Он изображен волосатым, с большими рогами, козлиными копытами, красными глазами и клыками. Однако изображения Крампуса варьируются от региона к региону. На некоторых изображениях Крампус показан в цепях, и люди в костюмах Крампуса часто бьются в цепях для максимального эффекта. Цепи должны представлять связывание Дьявола Иисусом Христом в христианской мифологии.

Крампус носит связки «рутен» или веток, которыми он шлепает непослушных детей. По праздникам эти свертки раздают семьям, чтобы дети помнили об угрозе Крампуса в течение всего года и вели себя прилично. В странах, где празднуется Крампуснахт, Святой Николай дарит детям подарки, но если они плохо себя ведут, появляется Крампус, чтобы забрать подарки и вместо этого дать детям уголь и рутен. Всю ночь на 5 декабря мужчины наряжаются Крампусами, пьют алкоголь и празднуют на улицах.

Хотя происхождение Крампуса неясно, идея рогатой демонической сущности является дохристианской. Такое языческое существо могло быть поглощено сезонными традициями, чтобы стать частью празднования, предшествующего Рождеству.

Почему важен Крампуснахт

• Это герой для детей

Крампус используется как предупреждение для детей, чтобы они вели себя прилично в течение всего наступающего года. Это также просто забавный повод для взрослых, чтобы расслабиться и повеселиться!

• Мы любим прославлять фольклор

Дохристианские альпийские народные традиции сохраняются в современных праздниках, таких как Крампуснахт. Это связь с прошлым.

• Это веселый, праздничный день

Лучший способ привлечь больше людей к веселью Крампуснахта — отпраздновать его самим. Подготовьте свои лучшие костюмы и присоединяйтесь к празднику.

Советуем почитать: День рождения Гарри Поттера

Как отметить Крампуснахт

• Сделайте запасы шнапса

Мужчины в снаряжении Крампуса ходят от дома к дому, устраивая шум. По традиции, прежде чем они продолжат, угощают их шнапсом, поэтому убедитесь, что вы поставили немного шнапса!

• Оденьтесь как Крампус

Что может быть лучше, чем отпраздновать Крампуснахт, превратившись в самого Крампуса? Наденьте свой лучший костюм демона и пугайте непослушных детей на улицах.

• Устройте костюмированную вечеринку

Соберите своих друзей на костюмированную вечеринку в ночь на 5 декабря. Каждый может одеться как Крампус, а человек с лучшим костюмом будет коронован как «Крампус года».

Интересные факты про Крампуснахт

• Слово «Крампус» означает «коготь»

Крампус происходит от древнегерманского слова «крампен», что означает коготь и относится к устрашающему виду Крампуса.

• У карт Крампуса есть имена

Рождественские открытки, на которых изображен Крампус, называются «Krampuskarten».

• Крампус приходит со святым Николаем

Поскольку Крампуснахт — это ночь перед праздником Святого Николая, в некоторых регионах Крампус посещает дома со Святым Николаем.

• Крампус приезжает на две недели

Хотя Крампуснахт является официальным праздником, Крампус посещает улицы и бродит по улицам в течение первых двух недель декабря.

• Крампус в популярных СМИ

От поздравительных открыток до фильмов и даже видеоигр, Крампус появлялся во многих средствах массовой информации, поскольку популярность празднования Крампуснахта растет с каждым годом.

Крампуснахт — повод веселиться!

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the folklore figure. For the film, see Krampus (film).

Krampus is a horned, anthropomorphic figure in the Central and Eastern Alpine folklore of Europe who, during the Advent season, scares children who have misbehaved. Assisting Saint Nicholas, or Santa Claus, the pair visit children on the night of 6 December, with Saint Nicholas rewarding the well-behaved children with modest gifts such as oranges, dried fruit, walnuts and chocolate, while the badly behaved ones only receive punishment from Krampus with birch rods. Krampus day itself, on the other hand, is on the 5th of December.^[1]

The origin of the figure is unclear; some folklorists and anthropologists have postulated it as having pre-Christian origins.^[2] In traditional parades and in such events as the Krampuslauf (English: Krampus run), young men dressed as Krampus attempt to scare the audience with their antics.^[3] Such events occur annually in most Alpine towns.^[4] Krampus is featured on holiday greeting cards called Krampuskarten.

The figure has been imported into American popular culture, and has appeared in movies, TV and video games.

Etymology[edit]

Krampus is thought to come from either Bavarian: krampn, meaning «dead», «rotten», or from the German: kramp/krampen, meaning «claw».^[5][6][7]

Origins[edit]

The history of the Krampus figure has been theorized as stretching back to pre-Christian Alpine traditions,^[2][7] with celebrations involving Krampus dating back to the 6th or 7th century CE.^[7] Though there are no written sources before the end of the 16th century.^[8]

Discussing his observations in 1975 while in Irdning, a small town in Styria, anthropologist John J. Honigmann wrote that:

The Saint Nicholas festival we are describing incorporates cultural elements widely distributed in Europe, in some cases going back to pre-Christian times. Nicholas himself became popular in Germany around the eleventh century. The feast dedicated to this patron of children is only one winter occasion in which children are the objects of special attention, others being Martinmas, the Feast of the Holy Innocents, and New Year’s Day. Masked devils acting boisterously and making nuisances of themselves are known in Germany since at least the sixteenth century while animal masked devils combining dreadful-comic (schauriglustig) antics appeared in Medieval church plays. A large literature, much of it by European folklorists, bears on these subjects. …
Austrians in the community we studied are quite aware of «heathen» elements being blended with Christian elements in the Saint Nicholas customs and in other traditional winter ceremonies. They believe Krampus derives from a pagan supernatural who was assimilated to the Christian devil.^[9]

The Krampus figures persisted, and by the 17th century Krampus had been incorporated into Christian winter celebrations by pairing Krampus with St. Nicholas.^[10]

Modern history[edit]

In the aftermath of the 1932 election in Austria, the Krampus tradition was prohibited by the Dollfuss regime^[11] under the clerical fascist Fatherland’s Front (Vaterländische Front) and the Christian Social Party. In the 1950s, the government distributed pamphlets titled «Krampus Is an Evil Man».^[12] Towards the end of the century, a popular resurgence of Krampus celebrations occurred and continues today.^[13]

The Krampus tradition is being revived in Bavaria as well, along with a local artistic tradition of hand-carved wooden masks.^[14][15] In 2019 there were reports of drunken or disorderly conduct by masked Krampuses in some Austrian towns.^[16]

Appearance[edit]

Although Krampus appears in many variations, most share some common physical characteristics. He is hairy, usually brown or black, and has the cloven hooves and horns of a goat. His long, pointed tongue lolls out,^[17][18] and he has fangs.^[19]

Krampus carries chains, thought to symbolize the binding of the Devil by the Christian Church. He thrashes the chains for dramatic effect. The chains are sometimes accompanied with bells of various sizes.^[20] Of more pagan origins is the Rute, a bundle of birch branches that Krampus carries and with which he occasionally swats children.^[17] The Rute may have had significance in pre-Christian pagan initiation rites.^[17] The birch branches are replaced with a whip in some representations. Sometimes Krampus appears with a sack or a basket strapped to his back; this is to cart off evil children for drowning, eating, or transport to Hell. Some of the older versions make mention of naughty children being put in the bag and taken away.^[17] This quality can be found in other companions of Saint Nicholas such as Zwarte Piet.^[21]

Krampusnacht[edit]

The Feast of St. Nicholas is celebrated in parts of Europe on 6 December.^[22] On the preceding evening of 5 December, Krampus Night or Krampusnacht, the wicked hairy devil appears on the streets. Sometimes accompanying St. Nicholas and sometimes on his own, Krampus visits homes and businesses.^[17] The Saint usually appears in the Eastern Rite vestments of a bishop, and he carries a golden ceremonial staff. Unlike North American versions of Santa Claus, in these celebrations Saint Nicholas concerns himself only with the good children, while Krampus is responsible for the bad. Nicholas dispenses gifts, while Krampus supplies coal and the Rute.^[23]

A seasonal play that spread throughout the Alpine regions was known as the Nikolausspiel [de] («Nicholas play»). Inspired by Paradise plays,^{[citation needed]} which focused on Adam and Eve’s encounter with a tempter, the Nicholas plays featured competition for the human souls and played on the question of morality. In these Nicholas plays, Saint Nicholas would reward children for scholarly efforts rather than for good behavior.^[24] This is a theme that grew in Alpine regions where the Roman Catholic Church had significant influence.^{[citation needed]}

Perchtenlauf and Krampuslauf[edit]

There were already established pagan traditions in the Alpine regions that became intertwined with Catholicism. People would masquerade as a devilish figure known as Percht, a two-legged humanoid goat with a giraffe-like neck, wearing animal furs.^[24] People wore costumes and marched in processions known as Perchtenlaufen, which are regarded as an earlier form of the Krampus runs. Perchtenlaufen were looked at with suspicion by the Catholic Church and banned by some civil authorities. Due to sparse population and rugged environments within the Alpine region, the ban was not effective or easily enforced, rendering the ban useless. Eventually the Perchtenlauf, inspired by the Nicholas plays, introduced Saint Nicholas and his set of good morals. The Percht transformed into what is now known as the Krampus and was made to be subjected to Saint Nicholas’ will.^[25]

It is customary to offer a Krampus schnapps, a strong distilled fruit brandy.^[17] These runs may include Perchten, similarly wild pagan spirits of Germanic folklore and sometimes female in representation, although the Perchten are properly associated with the period between winter solstice and 6 January.

Krampuskarten[edit]

Europeans have been exchanging greeting cards featuring Krampus since the 19th century.^[26] Sometimes introduced with Gruß vom Krampus (Greetings from Krampus), the cards usually have humorous rhymes and poems. Krampus is often featured looming menacingly over children. He is also shown as having one human foot and one cloven hoof. In some, Krampus has sexual overtones; he is pictured pursuing buxom women.^[27] Over time, the representation of Krampus in the cards has changed; older versions have a more frightening Krampus, while modern versions have a cuter, more Cupid-like creature.^{[citation needed]} Krampus has also adorned postcards and candy containers.^[28]

Regional variation[edit]

Krampus appears in the folklore of Austria, Bavaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Northern Italy, Autonomous Province of Trento and South Tyrol, Slovakia, and Slovenia.^[29]

In Styria, the Rute is presented by Krampus to families. The twigs are painted gold and displayed year-round in the house—a reminder to any child who has temporarily forgotten Krampus. In smaller, more isolated villages, the figure has other beastly companions, such as the antlered «wild man» figures, and St Nicholas is nowhere to be seen. These Styrian companions of Krampus are called Schabmänner or Rauhen.^[17]

A toned-down version of Krampus is part of the popular Christmas markets in Austrian urban centres like Salzburg. In these, more tourist-friendly interpretations, Krampus is more humorous than fearsome.^[30]

North American Krampus celebrations are a growing phenomenon.^[31]

Similar figures are recorded in neighboring areas. Strohbart in Bavaria, Klaubauf(mann) in Austria and Bavaria, while Bartl or Bartel, Niglobartl, and Wubartl are used in the southern part of the country. Other names include Barrel or Bartholomeus (Styria), Schmutzli (German-speaking Switzerland), Pöpel or Hüllepöpel (Würzburg), Zember (Cheb), Belzmärte and Pelzmärtel (Swabia and Franconia). In most parts of Slovenia, whose culture was greatly affected by Austrian culture, Krampus is called parkelj and is one of the companions of Miklavž, the Slovenian form of St. Nicholas.^[17][32]

In many parts of Croatia, Krampus is described as a devil wearing a cloth sack around his waist and chains around his neck, ankles, and wrists. As a part of a tradition, when a child receives a gift from St. Nicholas he is given a golden branch to represent his 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.^{[33][34][35][36]}

In popular culture[edit]

The character of Krampus has been imported and modified for various North American media,^[19][37] including print (e.g. Krampus: The Devil of Christmas, a collection of vintage postcards by Monte Beauchamp in 2004;^[38][26] Krampus: The Yule Lord, a 2012 novel by Gerald Brom^[39]); Krampus, a comic series from Image Comics in 2013 created by Dean Kotz and Brian Joines, television – both live action («A Krampus Carol», a 2012 episode of The League^[37]) and animation («A Very Venture Christmas», a 2004 episode of The Venture Bros.,^[19] «Minstrel Krampus», a 2013 episode of American Dad!^[40])–video games (CarnEvil, a 1998 arcade game,^[41] The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth, a 2014 video game^[42]), and film (Krampus, a 2015 Christmas comedy horror movie from Universal Pictures^[43]).

Criticism[edit]

Every year there are arguments during Krampus runs. Occasionally spectators take revenge for whippings and attack Krampuses. In 2013, after several Krampus runs in East Tyrol, a total of eight injured people (mostly with broken bones) were admitted to the Lienz district hospital and over 60 other patients were treated on an outpatient basis.^[44]

Gallery[edit]

• 

  Krampus mit Kind («Krampus with a child») postcard from around 1911

• 

  Nikolaus and Krampus in Austria in the early 20th century

• 

  Washington DC Krampusnacht walk (2016)

• 

  A St. Nicholas procession with Krampus, and other characters, c. 1910

• 

  St. Nikolaus with 12 Krampuses in Berchtesgadener Land, Germany (2016)

• 

• 

  A modern Krampus at the Perchtenlauf in Klagenfurt (2006)

See also[edit]

[edit]

• Belsnickel – German Christmas gift-bringer, another West Germanic figure associated with the midwinter period
• Perchta – German Alpine goddess, a female figure in West Germanic folklore whose procession (Perchtenlauf) occurs during the midwinter period
• Pre-Christian Alpine traditions
• Germanic paganism – Ethnic religion practiced by the Germanic peoples from the Iron Age until Christianisation
• Goatman – a malevolent figure in urban folklore originating in Southern United States, like Maryland
• Green Man – Sculpture or other representation of a face surrounded by or made from foliage
• Holly King and Oak King – Personifications of winter and summer
• Yule goat – Scandinavian decorative Christmas straw goat, a goat associated with the midwinter period among the North Germanic peoples
• Namahage – Japanese folklore character associated with new year’s ritual
• Nuuttipukki – Creature in Finnish folklore
• Kallikantzaros – Malevolent goblin in Southeastern European and Anatolian folklore – Creature in Balkan folklore
• Knecht Ruprecht – A companion of Saint Nicholas in Germanic folklore
• Koliada – Ancient pre-Christian Slavic winter festival, an ancient pre-Christian Slavic festival where participants wear masks and costumes and run around.
• Turoń – Creature in Polish folklore
• Ded Moroz – Christmas figure in eastern Slavic cultures
• Sinterklaas – Legendary figure based on Saint Nicholas, celebrated in the Low Countries on 5 or 6 December. He has a companion called Zwarte Piet (Black Pete), who used to punish bad children with a «roe», and kidnap them in bags to Spain. But nowadays they are just as friendly as Sinterklaas («de Sint»), and give sweets and presents to all children.
• Kurentovanje
• Wild man – Mythical figure
• Silvesterklaus, a Swiss New Year’s Eve celebration featuring a musical procession of performers in grotesque costumes.
• Wendigo – Mythical being in Native American folklore.

Other[edit]

• Bogeyman – Mythical creature
• Demon
• Horned deity

References[edit]

Bibliography[edit]

• Ridenour, Al (2016). The Krampus and the Old Dark Christmas: Roots and Rebirth of the Folkloric Devil. Port Townsend, WA: Feral House. ISBN 978-1-62731-034-5.

External links[edit]

• Roncero, Miguel. «Trailing the Krampus», Vienna Review, 2 December 2013

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the folklore figure. For the film, see Krampus (film).

Krampus is a horned, anthropomorphic figure in the Central and Eastern Alpine folklore of Europe who, during the Advent season, scares children who have misbehaved. Assisting Saint Nicholas, or Santa Claus, the pair visit children on the night of 6 December, with Saint Nicholas rewarding the well-behaved children with modest gifts such as oranges, dried fruit, walnuts and chocolate, while the badly behaved ones only receive punishment from Krampus with birch rods. Krampus day itself, on the other hand, is on the 5th of December.^[1]

The origin of the figure is unclear; some folklorists and anthropologists have postulated it as having pre-Christian origins.^[2] In traditional parades and in such events as the Krampuslauf (English: Krampus run), young men dressed as Krampus attempt to scare the audience with their antics.^[3] Such events occur annually in most Alpine towns.^[4] Krampus is featured on holiday greeting cards called Krampuskarten.

The figure has been imported into American popular culture, and has appeared in movies, TV and video games.

Etymology[edit]

Krampus is thought to come from either Bavarian: krampn, meaning «dead», «rotten», or from the German: kramp/krampen, meaning «claw».^[5][6][7]

Origins[edit]

The history of the Krampus figure has been theorized as stretching back to pre-Christian Alpine traditions,^[2][7] with celebrations involving Krampus dating back to the 6th or 7th century CE.^[7] Though there are no written sources before the end of the 16th century.^[8]

Discussing his observations in 1975 while in Irdning, a small town in Styria, anthropologist John J. Honigmann wrote that:

The Saint Nicholas festival we are describing incorporates cultural elements widely distributed in Europe, in some cases going back to pre-Christian times. Nicholas himself became popular in Germany around the eleventh century. The feast dedicated to this patron of children is only one winter occasion in which children are the objects of special attention, others being Martinmas, the Feast of the Holy Innocents, and New Year’s Day. Masked devils acting boisterously and making nuisances of themselves are known in Germany since at least the sixteenth century while animal masked devils combining dreadful-comic (schauriglustig) antics appeared in Medieval church plays. A large literature, much of it by European folklorists, bears on these subjects. …
Austrians in the community we studied are quite aware of «heathen» elements being blended with Christian elements in the Saint Nicholas customs and in other traditional winter ceremonies. They believe Krampus derives from a pagan supernatural who was assimilated to the Christian devil.^[9]

The Krampus figures persisted, and by the 17th century Krampus had been incorporated into Christian winter celebrations by pairing Krampus with St. Nicholas.^[10]

Modern history[edit]

In the aftermath of the 1932 election in Austria, the Krampus tradition was prohibited by the Dollfuss regime^[11] under the clerical fascist Fatherland’s Front (Vaterländische Front) and the Christian Social Party. In the 1950s, the government distributed pamphlets titled «Krampus Is an Evil Man».^[12] Towards the end of the century, a popular resurgence of Krampus celebrations occurred and continues today.^[13]

The Krampus tradition is being revived in Bavaria as well, along with a local artistic tradition of hand-carved wooden masks.^[14][15] In 2019 there were reports of drunken or disorderly conduct by masked Krampuses in some Austrian towns.^[16]

Appearance[edit]

Although Krampus appears in many variations, most share some common physical characteristics. He is hairy, usually brown or black, and has the cloven hooves and horns of a goat. His long, pointed tongue lolls out,^[17][18] and he has fangs.^[19]

Krampus carries chains, thought to symbolize the binding of the Devil by the Christian Church. He thrashes the chains for dramatic effect. The chains are sometimes accompanied with bells of various sizes.^[20] Of more pagan origins is the Rute, a bundle of birch branches that Krampus carries and with which he occasionally swats children.^[17] The Rute may have had significance in pre-Christian pagan initiation rites.^[17] The birch branches are replaced with a whip in some representations. Sometimes Krampus appears with a sack or a basket strapped to his back; this is to cart off evil children for drowning, eating, or transport to Hell. Some of the older versions make mention of naughty children being put in the bag and taken away.^[17] This quality can be found in other companions of Saint Nicholas such as Zwarte Piet.^[21]

Krampusnacht[edit]

The Feast of St. Nicholas is celebrated in parts of Europe on 6 December.^[22] On the preceding evening of 5 December, Krampus Night or Krampusnacht, the wicked hairy devil appears on the streets. Sometimes accompanying St. Nicholas and sometimes on his own, Krampus visits homes and businesses.^[17] The Saint usually appears in the Eastern Rite vestments of a bishop, and he carries a golden ceremonial staff. Unlike North American versions of Santa Claus, in these celebrations Saint Nicholas concerns himself only with the good children, while Krampus is responsible for the bad. Nicholas dispenses gifts, while Krampus supplies coal and the Rute.^[23]

A seasonal play that spread throughout the Alpine regions was known as the Nikolausspiel [de] («Nicholas play»). Inspired by Paradise plays,^{[citation needed]} which focused on Adam and Eve’s encounter with a tempter, the Nicholas plays featured competition for the human souls and played on the question of morality. In these Nicholas plays, Saint Nicholas would reward children for scholarly efforts rather than for good behavior.^[24] This is a theme that grew in Alpine regions where the Roman Catholic Church had significant influence.^{[citation needed]}

Perchtenlauf and Krampuslauf[edit]

There were already established pagan traditions in the Alpine regions that became intertwined with Catholicism. People would masquerade as a devilish figure known as Percht, a two-legged humanoid goat with a giraffe-like neck, wearing animal furs.^[24] People wore costumes and marched in processions known as Perchtenlaufen, which are regarded as an earlier form of the Krampus runs. Perchtenlaufen were looked at with suspicion by the Catholic Church and banned by some civil authorities. Due to sparse population and rugged environments within the Alpine region, the ban was not effective or easily enforced, rendering the ban useless. Eventually the Perchtenlauf, inspired by the Nicholas plays, introduced Saint Nicholas and his set of good morals. The Percht transformed into what is now known as the Krampus and was made to be subjected to Saint Nicholas’ will.^[25]

It is customary to offer a Krampus schnapps, a strong distilled fruit brandy.^[17] These runs may include Perchten, similarly wild pagan spirits of Germanic folklore and sometimes female in representation, although the Perchten are properly associated with the period between winter solstice and 6 January.

Krampuskarten[edit]

Europeans have been exchanging greeting cards featuring Krampus since the 19th century.^[26] Sometimes introduced with Gruß vom Krampus (Greetings from Krampus), the cards usually have humorous rhymes and poems. Krampus is often featured looming menacingly over children. He is also shown as having one human foot and one cloven hoof. In some, Krampus has sexual overtones; he is pictured pursuing buxom women.^[27] Over time, the representation of Krampus in the cards has changed; older versions have a more frightening Krampus, while modern versions have a cuter, more Cupid-like creature.^{[citation needed]} Krampus has also adorned postcards and candy containers.^[28]

Regional variation[edit]

Krampus appears in the folklore of Austria, Bavaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Northern Italy, Autonomous Province of Trento and South Tyrol, Slovakia, and Slovenia.^[29]

In Styria, the Rute is presented by Krampus to families. The twigs are painted gold and displayed year-round in the house—a reminder to any child who has temporarily forgotten Krampus. In smaller, more isolated villages, the figure has other beastly companions, such as the antlered «wild man» figures, and St Nicholas is nowhere to be seen. These Styrian companions of Krampus are called Schabmänner or Rauhen.^[17]

A toned-down version of Krampus is part of the popular Christmas markets in Austrian urban centres like Salzburg. In these, more tourist-friendly interpretations, Krampus is more humorous than fearsome.^[30]

North American Krampus celebrations are a growing phenomenon.^[31]

Similar figures are recorded in neighboring areas. Strohbart in Bavaria, Klaubauf(mann) in Austria and Bavaria, while Bartl or Bartel, Niglobartl, and Wubartl are used in the southern part of the country. Other names include Barrel or Bartholomeus (Styria), Schmutzli (German-speaking Switzerland), Pöpel or Hüllepöpel (Würzburg), Zember (Cheb), Belzmärte and Pelzmärtel (Swabia and Franconia). In most parts of Slovenia, whose culture was greatly affected by Austrian culture, Krampus is called parkelj and is one of the companions of Miklavž, the Slovenian form of St. Nicholas.^[17][32]

In many parts of Croatia, Krampus is described as a devil wearing a cloth sack around his waist and chains around his neck, ankles, and wrists. As a part of a tradition, when a child receives a gift from St. Nicholas he is given a golden branch to represent his 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.^{[33][34][35][36]}

In popular culture[edit]

The character of Krampus has been imported and modified for various North American media,^[19][37] including print (e.g. Krampus: The Devil of Christmas, a collection of vintage postcards by Monte Beauchamp in 2004;^[38][26] Krampus: The Yule Lord, a 2012 novel by Gerald Brom^[39]); Krampus, a comic series from Image Comics in 2013 created by Dean Kotz and Brian Joines, television – both live action («A Krampus Carol», a 2012 episode of The League^[37]) and animation («A Very Venture Christmas», a 2004 episode of The Venture Bros.,^[19] «Minstrel Krampus», a 2013 episode of American Dad!^[40])–video games (CarnEvil, a 1998 arcade game,^[41] The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth, a 2014 video game^[42]), and film (Krampus, a 2015 Christmas comedy horror movie from Universal Pictures^[43]).

Criticism[edit]

Every year there are arguments during Krampus runs. Occasionally spectators take revenge for whippings and attack Krampuses. In 2013, after several Krampus runs in East Tyrol, a total of eight injured people (mostly with broken bones) were admitted to the Lienz district hospital and over 60 other patients were treated on an outpatient basis.^[44]

Gallery[edit]

• 

  Krampus mit Kind («Krampus with a child») postcard from around 1911

• 

  Nikolaus and Krampus in Austria in the early 20th century

• 

  Washington DC Krampusnacht walk (2016)

• 

  A St. Nicholas procession with Krampus, and other characters, c. 1910

• 

  St. Nikolaus with 12 Krampuses in Berchtesgadener Land, Germany (2016)

• 

• 

  A modern Krampus at the Perchtenlauf in Klagenfurt (2006)

See also[edit]

[edit]

• Belsnickel – German Christmas gift-bringer, another West Germanic figure associated with the midwinter period
• Perchta – German Alpine goddess, a female figure in West Germanic folklore whose procession (Perchtenlauf) occurs during the midwinter period
• Pre-Christian Alpine traditions
• Germanic paganism – Ethnic religion practiced by the Germanic peoples from the Iron Age until Christianisation
• Goatman – a malevolent figure in urban folklore originating in Southern United States, like Maryland
• Green Man – Sculpture or other representation of a face surrounded by or made from foliage
• Holly King and Oak King – Personifications of winter and summer
• Yule goat – Scandinavian decorative Christmas straw goat, a goat associated with the midwinter period among the North Germanic peoples
• Namahage – Japanese folklore character associated with new year’s ritual
• Nuuttipukki – Creature in Finnish folklore
• Kallikantzaros – Malevolent goblin in Southeastern European and Anatolian folklore – Creature in Balkan folklore
• Knecht Ruprecht – A companion of Saint Nicholas in Germanic folklore
• Koliada – Ancient pre-Christian Slavic winter festival, an ancient pre-Christian Slavic festival where participants wear masks and costumes and run around.
• Turoń – Creature in Polish folklore
• Ded Moroz – Christmas figure in eastern Slavic cultures
• Sinterklaas – Legendary figure based on Saint Nicholas, celebrated in the Low Countries on 5 or 6 December. He has a companion called Zwarte Piet (Black Pete), who used to punish bad children with a «roe», and kidnap them in bags to Spain. But nowadays they are just as friendly as Sinterklaas («de Sint»), and give sweets and presents to all children.
• Kurentovanje
• Wild man – Mythical figure
• Silvesterklaus, a Swiss New Year’s Eve celebration featuring a musical procession of performers in grotesque costumes.
• Wendigo – Mythical being in Native American folklore.

Other[edit]

• Bogeyman – Mythical creature
• Demon
• Horned deity

References[edit]

Bibliography[edit]

• Ridenour, Al (2016). The Krampus and the Old Dark Christmas: Roots and Rebirth of the Folkloric Devil. Port Townsend, WA: Feral House. ISBN 978-1-62731-034-5.

External links[edit]

• Roncero, Miguel. «Trailing the Krampus», Vienna Review, 2 December 2013