Krampus
krampus horned anthropomorphic figure central eastern alpine folkloric tradition said accompany saint nicholas visit child night december krampusnacht krampus night immediately feast st nicholas december tradition saint nicholas reward wellbehaved child small gift krampus punishes badly behaved one birch rod origin figure unclear folklorists anthropologist postulated may prechristian origin traditional parade event krampuslauf krampus run young men dressed krampus attempt scare audience antic krampus featured holiday greeting card called krampuskarten figure imported american popular culture appeared movie tv game krampus thought come either bavarian krampn meaning dead rotten german krampkrampen meaning claw krampus considered halfgoat halfdemon monster legend role punish bad child scare good krampus thought inspired mythical creature perchten straggele though written source end th century discussing observation irdning small town styria anthropologist john j honigmann wrote saint nicholas festival describing incorporates cultural element widely distributed europe st nicholas became popular germany around eleventh century feast dedicated patron child one winter occasion child object special attention others martinmas feast holy innocent new year day masked devil acting boisterously making nuisance known germany since least sixteenth century animal masked devil combining dreadfulcomic schauriglustig antic appeared medieval church play large literature much european folklorists bear subject austrian community studied quite aware heathen element blended christian element saint nicholas custom traditional winter ceremony believe krampus derives pagan supernatural assimilated christian devil perchten figure persisted unrelated krampus krampus perchten straggele inspired figure distinct physical trait make krampus unique cousin krampus usually featured man horn one grotesque human foot one foot goat typically covered black hair unique krampus also long snake dragon like tongue th century krampus paired st nicholas helper nicholas saint wasn’t logical deemed saintly behavior nicholas deliver punishment therefore helper assigned st nicholas farmhand rupert smutzli père fouettard would go chimney punish naughty child krampus served st nicholas role aftermath election austria krampus tradition prohibited dollfuss regime clerical fascist fatherland front vaterländische front christian social party government distributed pamphlet titled krampus evil man fear encounter krampus might damage childrens mental health towards end century popular resurgence krampus celebration occurred continues today krampus tradition revived bavaria well along local artistic tradition handcarved wooden mask report drunken disorderly conduct masked krampuses austrian town although krampus appears many variation share common physical characteristic hairy usually brown black one foot cloven hoof horn goat long pointed tongue drop fang krampus carry chain thought symbolize binding devil christian church thrash chain dramatic effect chain sometimes accompanied bell various size krampus carry bundle birch branch occasionally swat child birch branch replaced whip representation christmas eve krampus travel sack basket strapped back cart evil child drowning eating transport hell older version make mention naughty child put bag taken away quality found companion saint nicholas zwarte piet krampus appearance feature characterized horn hoof fur hooked nose beard dark hair fang long tongue scholar noted hooked nose grotesque feature mirror antisemitic image jew historical central european art similarity raise question implicit message conveyed krampus portrayal artistic representation krampus alongside saint nicholas emphasize contrast instance early thcentury austrian postcard depict krampus devilish appearance contrasting sharply saintly aryan feature saint nicholas juxtaposition reinforces otherness krampus also subtly aligns characteristic historical antisemitic depiction jew feast st nicholas celebrated part europe december preceding evening december krampus night krampusnacht wicked hairy devil appears street sometimes accompanying st nicholas sometimes krampus visit home business saint usually appears eastern rite vestment bishop carry golden ceremonial staff unlike north american version santa claus celebration saint nicholas concern good child krampus responsible bad nicholas dispenses gift krampus supply coal rute seasonal play spread throughout alpine region known nikolausspiel nicholas play inspired paradise play focused adam eve encounter tempter nicholas play featured competition human soul played question morality nicholas play saint nicholas would reward child scholarly effort rather good behavior theme grew alpine region roman catholic church significant influence already established pagan tradition alpine region became intertwined catholicism people would masquerade devilish figure known percht twolegged humanoid goat giraffelike neck wearing animal fur people wore costume marched procession known perchtenlaufen regarded earlier form krampus run perchtenlaufen looked suspicion catholic church banned civil authority due sparse population rugged environment within alpine region ban effective easily enforced rendering ban useless eventually perchtenlauf inspired nicholas play introduced saint nicholas set good moral percht transformed known krampus made subjected saint nicholas customary offer krampus schnapps strong distilled fruit brandy run may include perchten similarly wild pagan spirit germanic folklore sometimes female representation although perchten properly associated period winter solstice january every year argument krampus run occasionally spectator take revenge whipping attack krampuses several krampus run east tyrol total eight injured people mostly broken bone admitted lienz district hospital patient treated outpatient basis european exchanging greeting card featuring krampus since th century sometimes introduced gruß vom krampus greeting krampus card usually humorous rhyme poem krampus often featured looming menacingly child also shown one human foot one cloven hoof krampus sexual overtone pictured pursuing buxom woman time representation krampus card changed older version frightening krampus modern version cuter cupidlike creature krampus also adorned postcard candy container krampus appears folklore austria bavaria bosnia herzegovina croatia czech republic hungary romania northern italy autonomous province trento south tyrol friulivenezia giulia slovakia slovenia styria rute presented krampus family twig painted gold displayed yearround house—a reminder child temporarily forgotten krampus smaller isolated village figure beastly companion antlered wild man figure st nicholas nowhere seen styrian companion krampus called schabmänner rauhen toneddown version krampus part popular christmas market austrian urban centre like salzburg touristfriendly interpretation krampus humorous fearsome north american krampus celebration growing phenomenon similar figure recorded neighboring area strohbart bavaria klaubaufmann austria bavaria bartl bartel niglobartl wubartl used southern part country name include barrel bartholomeus styria schmutzli germanspeaking switzerland pöpel hüllepöpel würzburg zember cheb belzmärte pelzmärtel swabia franconia part slovenia whose culture greatly affected austrian culture krampus called parkelj one companion miklavž slovenian form st nicholas many part bosnia herzegovina croatia krampus described devil wearing cloth sack around waist chain around neck ankle wrist part tradition child receives gift st nicholas given golden branch represent good deed throughout year however child misbehaved krampus take gift leave silver branch represent child bad act character krampus imported modified various north american medium including print eg krampus devil christmas collection vintage postcard monte beauchamp krampus yule lord novel gerald brom krampus comic series image comic created dean kotz brian joines television – live action krampus carol episode league animation venture christmas episode venture bros minstrel krampus episode american dad–video game carnevil arcade game binding isaac rebirth video game film krampus christmas comedy horror movie universal picture protomelas krampus freshwater actinopterygian fish named krampus belsnickel – german christmas giftbringer another west germanic figure associated midwinter period perchta – german alpine goddess female figure west germanic folklore whose procession perchtenlauf occurs midwinter period prechristian alpine tradition germanic paganism – traditional religion germanic people goatman – malevolent figure urban folklore originating southern united state like maryland green man – architectural motif holly king oak king – personification winter summer yule goat – scandinavian decorative christmas straw goat goat associated midwinter period among north germanic people mari lwyd – south wale christmas folk custom namahage – japanese folklore character associated new year ritual nuuttipukki – scandinavian holidaypages displaying short description redirect target – creature finnish folklore kallikantzaros – malevolent goblin southeastern european anatolian folklore – creature balkan folklore knecht ruprecht – companion saint nicholas germanic folklore koliada – ancient prechristian slavic winter festival ancient prechristian slavic festival participant wear mask costume run around turoń – creature polish folklore ded moroz – christmas figure eastern slavic culture sinterklaas – legendary figure based saint nicholas celebrated low country december companion called zwarte piet black pete used punish bad child roe kidnap bag spain nowadays friendly sinterklaas de sint give sweet present child kurentovanje – day carnival event slovenia wild man – mythical figure silvesterklaus swiss new year eve celebration featuring musical procession performer grotesque costume wendigo – mythical native american folklore bogeyman – mythological antagonist demon horned deity ridenour al krampus old dark christmas root rebirth folkloric devil port townsend wa feral house isbn roncero miguel trailing krampus vienna review december