Meet with us the myth of the Krampus. A terrifying figure related to Christmas and the mythology of Central European regions.
who is the Krampus?
Krampus, the antagonist of Santa Claus, that is the definition of this character that gives rise to folkloric legends from Switzerland, Austria, and other Central European countries that focus on how this legend ruined Christmas for the youngest in the house.
Origin of the Krampus legend
The ancient version of this legend comes from the German word Krampen, which translated into English means claw, and according to National Geographic, is thought to be the son of Hel, who is in charge of guarding the underworld in Norse mythology. On the other hand, the myth was born as the Machiavellian version of St. Nicholas, who at the beginning of Christmas is looking for bad children to kidnap them and take them to his lair to whip them, so to make his presence known he goes out into the streets ringing rusty chains or cowbells.
what does Krampus look like?
His physical appearance is that he is half goat, half demon, a personification not at all pleasing to the eye, who has horns, dark hair like a brown or black animal and fangs, his most characteristic feature is that he has a long, pointed tongue that comes out of his mouth.
Various physical representations of Krampus
There are several versions of what Krampus looks like, the most popular is that he is always accompanied by chains and that these in turn symbolize, according to comments, the binding of the Devil by the Christian church.
On the other hand, it is also considered to be accompanied by birch branches or by ruten, for those who take it as a tradition to keep, which was used as an instrument to beat children. Finally, the best known versions are that of the whip and the sack he carries on his back that he uses to abduct bad children and take them to hell.
Censorship of the Krampus legend
This legend went from a simple story to a highly celebrated festivity in European countries, so much so that the Catholic Church prohibited for years the presence of Krampus and its celebrations, so much so that during the 2nd World War, it was considered as something vile.
When Krampus night is celebrated
For its part, traditional folklore, tells that the night of December 6, anticipation arises in every household because it is both the night of “Krampusnacht or Krampus night” and “Nikolaustag or St. Nicholas day”, as they anxiously await if the boot or shoe they have left the night before contains gifts, for their good behavior or a rod, for those who were bad.
Krampuslauf
In Central European regions such as Germany, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Austria, the tradition of celebrating this deity is still alive but it has evolved from a terrifying story to something more commercial and fun, therefore the Krampuslauf takes place, a competition in which hundreds of men dress up as demons to run through the streets to chase people who are walking down the streets.
It is worth mentioning that this event is always accompanied by schnapps, a strong distilled fruit brandy, which serves as an inciter for fun, formerly offered to the Krampus but now drunk by those who participate in the celebration.
On the other hand, in Germany, women also participate as perchten, which are demonic female spirits of German folklore. Likewise, in Schladming, Styria, a large number of Austrians gather to represent the traditional Krampus and make a lot of noise to warn of his arrival.
Similarly, nowadays this legend is not seen as an antagonist of St. Nicholas, but rather as a companion of him who, while one delivers gifts, the other imparts coal and birch sticks.
Conclusion
The legend of Krampus was born as a non-traditional way to make sure that people and children behave as they should, always respecting others and having good intentions. It went from being a pagan ritual condemned by society to a story in which people from certain regions come together to celebrate an ancient tradition that comes from the nineteenth century, turning it into a time with a more modern view of history.
