The Strange and Mysterious History of the Ouija Board, This Humongous Fungus Is as Massive as Three Blue Whales. For some, the annual festival of child-hunting Krampus is fun—but concerns that refugees in the Alpine towns that celebrate Krampus could find the tradition frightful has prompted some towns to consider taming the horror. The Telegraph's Rozina Sabur writes that refugee children in Lienz were invited to a presentation where they learned about the props, costumes and customs of Krampus. Krampus is a horned, anthropomorphic figure who punishes bad children during the Christmas season. "I think it's wonderful that they want to get the refugees used to this sort of thing," he says. The “Perchten” who were originally believed to drive away winter, wear between 4 and 10 horns, while the Krampuses can be recognised by their two-horn mask. Keep up-to-date on: © 2020 Smithsonian Magazine. "You can’t force people to adopt cultural traditions of which they have no basis or point of reference.". Give a Gift. The elaborately designed costumes are reordered every year and differ according to the figure portrayed. Jennifer Billock is an award-winning writer, bestselling author, and editor. As early as the 16th century, the “Klabaufs” paraded round. The Krampus is believed to be the scary assistant of the kind Saint Nicholas. Today, the story of Krampus is brought to life each year with the alcohol-fueled Krampusläufe , annual parades where people dress up in astonishingly vivid and frightening renditions of Krampus, as a means of scaring any ghosts from the village.

The creatures dash through the streets, chasing giggling children and adults alike, poking them with sticks and scaring some with the realization that they were naughty this year. The tradition of the Krampus Run is once again very popular, especially among young people. Continue Smithsonian Institution. These thrill-fests are amongst of Europe’s most spirited festivals along the lines of the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain, and Oktoberfest in Germany. Log Cabin Excavation Unearths Evidence of Forgotten Black Community, When Catherine of Aragon Led England's Armies to Victory Over Scotland, Scientists Cloned an Endangered Wild Horse Using the Decades-Old Frozen Cells of a Stallion, Ancient Egyptian Coffin Opened for the First Time in 2,600 Years, Fossilized Footprints Found in New Mexico Track Traveler With Toddler in Tow, The So-Called ‘Kidnapping Club’ Featured Cops Selling Free Black New Yorkers Into Slavery, Hundreds of Native American Treaties Digitized for the First Time, Why a New Statue of Medusa Is So Controversial, The True Story of the ‘Free State of Jones’. Behind this terror, a dozen more stomp through the snow of the streets of Lienz, Austria, among a din of cowbell jangles. Though the festival is well-loved, it gave rise to concerns that the new neighbors might be scared of the tradition and its nightmare-fueling costumes. He comes with the darkness to catch and punish naughty kids. Berlin, Giant horns curl up from his head, displaying his half-goat, half-demon lineage. Opendi.

Perhaps you'll be the next to catch the Krampus spirit this holiday. Lienz' annual Krampus Parade, also known as Perchtenlauf or Klaubaufe, resurrects a centuries-old tradition: Young men in town dress up as the mythical creature and parade through the streets in an ancient pagan ritual meant to disperse winter's ghosts.

Dozens of Krampus Festivals animate Austria. Get the best of Smithsonian magazine by email. or Seven Natural Phenomena Worth Traveling to Alaska For, Nero, History's Most Despised Emperor, Gets a Makeover.

Legend has it that throughout the Christmas season, misbehaved kids are beaten with birch branches or can disappear, stuffed into Krampus' sack and hauled off to his lair to be tortured or eaten. Advertising Notice Stadtwerke München GmbH. 17th Annual Photo Contest Finalists Announced. They look scary - but actually they’re totally harmless: About 300 masked beings frighten passers-by during the big traditional Krampus run through the Munich Christmas Market on Sunday, December 8th 2019 - from 3-5 pm. The tradition—also known as the Krampuslauf, or Krampus Run—is having a resurgence throughout Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Hungary and the Czech Republic, and has gained recognition in the United States. Seghers likes the idea of introducing Krampus to refugees in Austria. © 2020 Portal München Betriebs-GmbH & Co. KG - Ein Service der Landeshauptstadt München und der, Krampus Run around the Munich Christmas Market. Schoolchildren, choirmasters and teachers at the Frauenkirche and St Peter’s church dressed up as bishops and caused so much unrest that the police had to be summoned. Privacy Statement "The Krampus is the yin to St. Nick's yang," Seghers tells Smithsonian.com. "Because Krampus is coming to get you.". His name originates with the German krampen, which means "claw," and tradition has it that he is the son of the Norse god of the underworld, Hel. She is currently dreaming of an around-the-world trip with her Boston terrier. Köln, Lienz' annual Krampus Parade, also known as Perchtenlauf or Klaubaufe, resurrects a centuries-old tradition: Young men in town dress up as the … Rather than cancelling the parade, town officials decided to educate the newcomers. But none of it held, and Krampus emerged as a much-feared and beloved holiday force. California Do Not Sell My Info Knecht Ruprecht: A Krampus-like figure in Germany. Cookie Policy This year, Krampus' scheduled arrival in the Alpine towns that celebrate him coincides with an influx of refugees from Syria and Afghanistan. Whereas the latter likes to turn a blind eye when children are naughty, the Krampus prefers to rattle his chain in a terrifying manner, to attain the required level of respect and to reprimand stubborn contemporaries.

However, due to his likeness to the Christian devil, Krampus was banned in Germany, Austria, and elsewhere, throughout much of the 20th century. The Krampus outfits are not only expensive but also really heavy to wear.

After all, the horrible haunt could very well be watching you. It taps into a subconscious macabre desire that a lot of people have that is the opposite of the saccharine Christmas a lot of us grew up with.". Krampus: The name comes from “Krampen,” the old German word for claw (Kralle in modern German). Check out her website at jenniferbillock.com. After all, says Jeremy Seghers, organizer of a Krampusnacht festival being held for the first time in Orlando, Florida, why watch out when Santa Claus comes to town? And while most of kids are waiting for the presents and sweets, some of them are scared of an evil, scary, devil-like figure called Krampus. The central event is always the Krampus Parade, a spectacular nocturnal procession of terrifyingly clad Krampus figures and Perchten elves. Krampus himself historically comes around the night of December 5, tagging along with St. Nicholas. Terms of Use The creature has become so popular in recent times that he has a comic book series, parties of his own and even a new movie. Does Leonardo da Vinci's Missing Masterpiece Actually Exist? He visits houses all night with his saintly pal. A mask can easily weight up to 10 kilograms - no wonder that the runners are really out of breath after the Krampus run... An overview of all Munich Christmas markets, Kontakt, Presse, Werbung, Impressum, AGB, Datenschutz, Interessante Links zu München, Weitere Metropol-Webseiten: In fact, Krampus' roots have nothing to do with Christmas. In the Alpine region, St. Nickolas Day is still celebrated on the 6th of December. (Due to the corona pandemic, there has been changes in the year's event calendar. The Krampus Run dates back 500 years to a tradition from the Alpine regions. A mangled, deranged face with bloodshot eyes tops a furry black body. Krampus is Saint Nicholas’s horned mythical companion of Alpine folklore who punishes naughty children during the Christmas season. During the 12th century, the Catholic Church attempted to banish Krampus celebrations because of his resemblance to the devil.



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