An Evening with Krampus

I am still struggling to catch up after last weekend in Copenhagen with Mr R (Big thanks to super Gran for taking care of everything here!). That combined with the manic last few days of school and the usual carol concerts, Christmas parties and grumpy germy children, and it’s perhaps not surprising that I feel like my feet haven’t touched the ground since we got back.

In the midst of it all, I had this niggly feeling that I had forgotten something, up until the penny dropped (the day before) when a Small Person mumbled something about St Nicholas, and hoping he wouldn’t forget them in England…

Over our St Martin’s Dinner recently (firmly on our calendar since we lived in Denmark) we’d chatted about the various traditions we have taken on from our adopted countries, so I couldn’t suddenly tell the children that St Nicholas didn’t visit England, even if I know that they are sadly too big to believe in such things nowadays (they’re not stupid, they just like the presents!).  For the toddler’s sake at least then, boots were put in the fire place in anticipation of the usual tangerine, some kind of chocolate and a little gift or two left by the big man.  Or twigs if they’ve been slightly hideous at any point (note last year’s picture below!!)…    Of course, as is the case across the countries that celebrate him, Saint Nicholas has a helper, and this year I imagine that the Small People were quite relieved that Bavaria’s scary equivalent probably wouldn’t be making the journey (he brings the twigs by the way!) – we have had more than a few encounters with him over the years…

One early crisp and snowy Bavarian December evening, when the toddler was but a teeny tiny pipsqueak of a thing, we went for dinner with my visiting in-laws.  This  wasn’t just any old dinner, friends had told us we mustn’t miss this particular spectacle whilst we still lived in Bayern, as various special guests would arrive to join us throughout the evening…

As one of the last tables to arrive, we placed our order and waited for things to get going.  Outside in the corridor you could hear a lot of shuffling about, and the odd clanking of bells and chains.   Then after some time, the door was dramatically flung open and in strode a celestial Saint Nicholas followed by a massive gaggle of Krampuses (what is the collective noun for that I wonder?)…   They wandered the tables for a little while, then retreated to the adjoining room where the children were to take turns singing to Saint Nicholas in return for a special piece of  gingerbread with a picture of the Seasonal Saint himself on the front.  I hope he sacked that artist anyway…

Dinner completed, various hairy Krampuses in all shapes and sizes began to appear to torment fellow diners.   The Small Boy made the mistake of locking eyes with one beast as he entered the room, and it suddenly charged towards him in what was quite an impressive feat given the size of his costume.   Not feeling quite so brave anymore, the Small Boy darted around the table for the person Krampus was least likely to move on to – me, as I was holding his then tiny baby brother…

Meanwhile the Small Girl (never one to pass up a biscuit opportunity) wandered in from singing Saint Nicholas (and his bemused flock) a rousing rendition of “We Wish you a Merry Christmas” (I think they sing a special song in these parts – it’s definitely not this, and it’s definitely not in English) and had returned to see Grammi in some kind of Krampus headlock (my lovely Mother in Law is such a good sport!) and a brother who would possibly have nightmares for several years to come…      Anyway this particular Krampus turned out to be a big softy (as did all of his gang – just goes to prove not to judge a book by its cover!) and even posed with the baby for posterity…    That was one evening with Krampus we won’t forget in a hurry!

Fast forward to precisely a year later to yet when we were in Obertrauen in time for Saint Nicholas with my Mum.  The first Krampus I bumped in to there was a baby one at the super market where he was hanging around outside clonking bells and bashing a big stick about.  I did wonder whether his mum was taking her time in the shop, but it turned out that he was waiting for Saint Nicholas, obviously stocking up on things to stuff in boots…

We spent the following evening waiting for Saint Nicholas as he floated serenely across the lake  (I won’t ever forget that rendition of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” either or her little brother’s perfect tear jerking rendition of Stille Nacht) without a single Krampus in sight.   We worked out later that as this particular evening was aimed at really tiny children, he might not have been invited – so as my Mum had yet to meet him, we decided to stop off on our way back to Bavaria for yet another evening with Krampus…

We arrived in Ebenau just as it was getting dark, and as the crowds began to line the streets.    Gradually more and more people appeared, clutching mugs of gluhwein and kinderpunsch to keep warm, chattering excitedly in big clouds of frozen breath.   This is not meant to be a truly scary experience by the way (although some of the costumes might suggest otherwise!), it’s meant to be the kind of scary you get from reading a good ghost story, believe it or not it’s supposed to be fun!

In the far off distance you could make out the odd roar or the jangle of bells and chains that had everyone shivering with anticipation.   And then, before thoughts could turn to anything else, a whirling gaggle of beasts appeared wielding brooms with hidden motors in a deafening display of sparks and fury, followed by all manner of ghoulish beings – goblins, witches and of course the big furry one himself in various shapes and sizes,  grabbing anyone who made the mistake of heckling or catching his eye…

Don’t dress up if you plan on attending something like this by the way, your hair will be messed up, and any make up smudged in some goaty smelling armpit (I speak from experience here!)…

 

The baby looked on quite happily at the wild procession in front of him, whilst Granny took thousands of pics (along with me!).  The Small Girl goaded from the side lines well versed in such matters, jumping back at the slightest threat of Krampus whacking her legs with his birch branches, and completely and utterly absorbed in the entire thing.   The Small Boy?   He had learned his lesson in the past, and as the slightly more timid one of our tribe opted wisely to spectate from a perch high up on a church wall behind us, where he probably had the best view of everything anyway…

So where does this creature of nightmares originate from?  There are many people who won’t attend these gatherings as they associate them with some kind of devil admiration, but having lived in these parts for quite a while, I think it goes way beyond that.  It’s proven that Krampus originates from ancient Pagan times way before any religious conceptions of heaven and hell existed, and it’s thought he was dreamt up to chase out any Winter demons at a time that might have been a lot less complicated compared to modern life, but when things were undoubtedly harder.  He was supposedly inspired by various mythical creatures from the forests and beyond and darker demons (perhaps even the Norse God of the Underworld himself).  He was something to blame when things went wrong (plus a handy Alpine parenting tool to keep children in line!!)!  Although he often has horns, it’s likely that any devil took styling tips from Krampus himself, as he’s more of a shaggy goat monster type thing if you find really old pictures of him…

Nowadays, perhaps in a backlash as to how commercialised Christmas has become (and maybe in a nod back to older more innocent times) he’s making a popular come back.      In a part of the world where there are clubs (or vereins) for everything, Krampus Vereins that have existed for decades are expanding each year.   Here members learn the  tricks of the trade from the generations before them, and get to wear costumes and heavy wooden masks that can be hundreds of years old (they must truly stink!)…       We stumbled across a couple of Krampus verein meetings during our stay in Hallstatt, all busily discussing their parts in the upcoming Krampus Lauf (Krampus run), and who should be doing what to scare the crowds.

We got to have a little chat with them about their costumes and masks and felt how heavy they were.  To be honest I am impressed that anyone can stand in one of these, let alone leap about and pick up audience members and and run off with them from time to time…

And now is exactly the time of year to meet him if you are feeling brave enough – just keep an eye out for posters advertising Krampus (or Perchten depending on where you are!) Lauf’s…   There’s a huge one in Munich tomorrow afternoon, and another one next Sunday too…

Don’t have nightmares, do sleep well…