The
Companions of Saint Nicholas (or
Father ChristmasFather Christmas is the name used in many English speaking countries for a symbolic figure associated with Christmas. A similar figure with the same name exists in several other countries, including France Spain , Portugal , Italy and Romania...
) are a group of closely related figures who accompany St. Nicholas in many
EuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian Sea, the Caucasus Mountains , and the Black Sea to the southeast...
an traditions.
The most recognized companion, especially outside of Europe, is
Knecht Ruprecht, which translates as
Farmhand Ruprecht or
Servant Ruprecht.
Other companions include
Krampus in
AustriaAustria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.3 million people in Central Europe. It borders both Germany and the Czech Republic to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west...
,
BavariaBavaria , with an area of and almost 12.5 million inhabitants, is located in the southeast of Germany and is the largest state of Germany by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
,
CroatiaCroatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a country in southeast Europe, at the crossroads of the Pannonian Plain, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean Sea. Its capital is Zagreb...
,
SloveniaSlovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central Europe bordering Italy to the west, the Adriatic Sea to the southwest, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north...
,
FriuliFriuli is an area of northeastern Italy with its own particular cultural and historical identity. It comprises the major part of the autonomous region Friuli-Venezia Giulia, i.e. the province of Udine, Pordenone, Gorizia, leaving Trieste out...
,
HungaryHungary , in English officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in the Carpathian Basin of Central Europe, bordered by Austria, Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, and Slovenia. Its capital is Budapest. Hungary is a member of OECD, NATO, EU, V4 and is a Schengen state...
([spelled
Krampusz),
Klaubauf (
BavariaBavaria , with an area of and almost 12.5 million inhabitants, is located in the southeast of Germany and is the largest state of Germany by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
,
AustriaAustria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.3 million people in Central Europe. It borders both Germany and the Czech Republic to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west...
,
Bartel (
StyriaStyria is a state or Bundesland, located in the southeast of Austria. In area, it is the second largest of the nine Austrian states, covering 16,388 km². It borders Slovenia as well as the other Austrian states of Upper Austria, Lower Austria, Salzburg, Burgenland, and Carinthia. The...
),
Pelzebock,
Pelznickel,
Belzeniggl,
BelsnickelBelsnickel is the fur-clad Santa of the Palatinate in northwestern Germany along the Rhine, the Saarland, and the Odenwald region of Baden-Württemberg....
(
PennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania , often colloquially referred to as PA by natives and Northeasterners, is a state located in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States...
),
Schmutzli (
SwitzerlandSwitzerland , officially the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 states named cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities...
),
Rumpelklas,
Bellzebub,
Hans Muff,
Drapp or
Buzebergt (
AugsburgAugsburg is a city in the south-west of Bavaria in Germany. It is a College town and home of the Regierungsbezirk Schwaben and the Bezirk Schwaben. Augsburg is an urban district and home to the institutions of the Landkreis Augsburg. It is, as of 2008, the third-largest city in Bavaria with a...
). This tradition is particularly strong amongst the
Germanic peoplesThe Germanic peoples are a historical ethno-linguistic group, originating in Northern Europe and identified by their use of the Indo-European Germanic languages which diversified out of Common Germanic in the course of the Pre-Roman Iron Age...
, with some regional expression in the U.S.
In the
Czech RepublicThe Czech Republic is a country in Central Europe that is sometimes considered to be Eastern European. The country borders Poland to the northeast, Germany to the west and northwest, Austria to the south and Slovakia to the east. The capital and largest city is Prague...
, St. Nicholas or
Svatý Mikuláš is accompanied by the
Čert (Devil) and
Anděl (Angel).
In France it is called
Hanstrapp (
AlsaceAlsace is the fourth-smallest of the 26 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the sixth-most densely populated region in France , with 222 inhabitants per km²...
, East of France) and
Le Père FouettardLe Père Fouettard is a character who accompanies St. Nicholas in his rounds at Christmas dispensing lumps of coal and/or floggings to the naughty children while St. Nick gives gifts to the well behaved...
(
WalloniaWallonia , formally the Walloon Region , is the predominantly French-speaking southern region of Belgium. It makes up about 33% of the population and 55% of the territory of Belgium. Walloon Region is also the name given to the regional government of Wallonia...
, Northern and Eastern
FranceFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
).
These servants are often associated with, but are distinct from Saint Nicholas' helpers in the
NetherlandsThe Netherlands is a country in Northwestern Europe, constituting the major portion of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is a parliamentary democratic constitutional monarchy. The Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east...
and
FlandersFlanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France, and the Netherlands...
(called
Zwarte PietIn the folklore and legends of the Netherlands and Flanders, Zwarte Piet is a companion of Saint Nicholas whose yearly feast in the Netherlands is usually on the evening of 5 December In the folklore and legends of the Netherlands and Flanders, Zwarte Piet (meaning Black Pete) is a companion...
, meaning
Black Pete(r) in English).
Appearance
Often the subject of winter poems and tales, the Companions travel with St. Nicholas (also called
Father ChristmasFather Christmas is the name used in many English speaking countries for a symbolic figure associated with Christmas. A similar figure with the same name exists in several other countries, including France Spain , Portugal , Italy and Romania...
or
Santa ClausSanta Claus is a folklore figure in various cultures who distributes gifts to children, normally on Christmas Eve. Each name is a variation of Saint Nicholas, but refers to Santa Claus...
), carrying with them a rod (sometimes a stick and in modern times often a broom) and a sack. They are sometimes dressed in black rags, bearing a black face and unruly black hair. In many contemporary portrayals the companions look like dark, sinister, or rustic versions of Nicholas himself, with a similar costume but with a darker color scheme.
Krampus
In parts of Austria,
Krampusse is a scary figure, most probably originating in the Pre-Christian Alpine traditions. This figure by local tradition were typically children of poor families, roamed the streets and
sleddingSledding is a common activity in wintry areas, similar to sliding, but in a prone or seated position requiring a device or vehicle generically known as a "sled". More formally it is one of three olympic sports— the Luge, Skeleton, or bobsledding, all of which are based on sled principles and...
hills during the
festivalA festival is an event, usually and ordinarily staged by a local community, which centers on some unique aspect of that community.Among many religions, a feast or festival is a set of celebrations in honour of God or gods. A feast and a festival are historically interchangeable...
. They wore black rags and masks, dragging chains behind them, and occasionally hurling them towards children in their way. These
Krampusumzüge (Krampus runs) still exist, although perhaps less violent than in the past.
Today, in Schladming, a town in Styria, over 1200 "Krampus" gather from all over Austria wearing goat-hair costumes and carved masks, carrying bundles of sticks used as switches, and swinging cowbells to warn of their approach. They are typically young men in their teens and early twenties and are generally intoxicated. They roam the streets of this typically quiet town and hit people with their switches. It is not considered wise for young women to go out on this night, as they are popular targets.
In many parts of Croatia, Krampus is described as a devil, wearing chains around his neck, ankles and wrists, and wearing a cloth sack around his waist. As a part of a tradition, when a child receives a gift from St. Nicolas he is given a golden branch to represent his/hers 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. Children are commonly scared into sleeping during the time St. Nicolas brings gifts by being told that if they are awake, Krampus will think they have been bad, and will take them away in his sack.
In
HungaryHungary , in English officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in the Carpathian Basin of Central Europe, bordered by Austria, Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, and Slovenia. Its capital is Budapest. Hungary is a member of OECD, NATO, EU, V4 and is a Schengen state...
, the Krampusz is often portrayed as mischievous rather than evil devil, wearing a black suit, a long red tongue, with a tail and little red horns that are funny rather than frightening. The Krampusz wields a Virgács, which is a bunch of golden coloured twigs bound together. Hungarian parents often frighten children with getting a Virgács instead of presents, if they do not behave. By the end of November, you can buy all kinds of Virgács on the streets, usually painted gold, bound by a red ribbon. Getting a Virgács is rather more fun than frightening, and is usually given to all children, along with presents to make them behave.
Belsnickel
BelsnickelBelsnickel is the fur-clad Santa of the Palatinate in northwestern Germany along the Rhine, the Saarland, and the Odenwald region of Baden-Württemberg....
is a companion of
Santa ClausSanta Claus is a folklore figure in various cultures who distributes gifts to children, normally on Christmas Eve. Each name is a variation of Saint Nicholas, but refers to Santa Claus...
of the Palatinate (Pfalz) in northwestern
GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
. Belsnickel is a man wearing fur which covers his entire body, and he sometimes wears a mask with a long tongue. He is a rather scary creature who visits children at
ChristmasChristmas , also referred to as Christmas Day, is an annual holiday celebrated on December 25 that commemorates the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. The day marks the beginning of the larger season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days. The nativity of Jesus, which is the basis for the anno Domini...
time and delivers socks or shoes full of candy, but if the children were not good, they will find coal and/or switches in their stockings instead.
Zwarte Piet (Black Peter)
In Belgium and the Netherlands, children are told that
Zwarte PietIn the folklore and legends of the Netherlands and Flanders, Zwarte Piet is a companion of Saint Nicholas whose yearly feast in the Netherlands is usually on the evening of 5 December In the folklore and legends of the Netherlands and Flanders, Zwarte Piet (meaning Black Pete) is a companion...
leaves gifts in the children’s shoes. Presents are said to be distributed by Saint Nicholas aide Zwarte Piet; who enters the house through the chimney, which also explains his black face and hands. Blackfaced, googly-eyed, red-lipped Zwarte Piet dolls are displayed in store windows alongside with brightly packaged holiday merchandise.
Knecht Ruprecht
It is unclear whether the various companions of St. Nicholas are all expressions of a single tradition (Knecht Ruprecht), (since various texts, especially those outside the tradition, often treat the companions as variations of Knecht Ruprecht), or most likely a conflation of multiple traditions.
Traditionally, Knecht Ruprecht would sometimes be portrayed as being Black African, like
Zwarte PietIn the folklore and legends of the Netherlands and Flanders, Zwarte Piet is a companion of Saint Nicholas whose yearly feast in the Netherlands is usually on the evening of 5 December In the folklore and legends of the Netherlands and Flanders, Zwarte Piet (meaning Black Pete) is a companion...
in the
BeneluxThe Benelux is a union in Western Europe that comprises three neighboring countries, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg , which lie in the north western European region between France and Germany...
. However, over recent decades this became regarded as offensive by some.
It probably brought offense to people of the countries of Africa by implying that a 'dark skinned' man would be the bad guy, as Zwarte Piet is considered a silly helper of
Sinterklaas||-||-||-||-||-||-||}Sinterklaas and Saint Nicolas in French) is a traditional Winter holiday figure in the Netherlands, Aruba, Netherlands Antilles and Belgium, celebrated every year on Saint Nicholas' eve or, in Belgium, on the morning of December 6...
.
The French companion of St. Nicholas, Père Fouettard (the whipfather), is said to be the butcher of three children. St. Nicholas discovered the murder and resurrected the three children. He also shamed Père Fouettard, who, in repentance, became a servant of St. Nicholas. Fouettard travels with the saint and punishes naughty children by
whippingFlagellation or flogging is the act of methodically beating or whipping the human body. Specialised implements for it include rods, switches, the cat-o-nine-tails and the sjambok...
them. In modern times he distributes small whips, instead of thrashings, or gifts.
Knecht Ruprecht is commonly cited as a servant and helper, and is sometimes associated with Saint Rupert. According to some stories, Ruprecht began as a farmhand; in others, he is a wild foundling whom St. Nicholas raises from childhood. Ruprecht sometimes walks with a limp, because of a childhood injury. Often, his black clothes and dirty face are attributed to the soot he collects as he goes down chimneys.
Traditions
In some of the Ruprecht traditions, the children would be summoned to the door to perform tricks, such as a dance or singing a song to impress upon Santa and Ruprecht that they were indeed good children. Those who performed badly would be beaten soundly by Servant Ruprecht, and those who performed well were given a gift or some treats. Those who performed badly enough or had committed other misdeeds throughout the year were put into Ruprecht's sack and taken away, variously to Ruprecht’s home in the
Black ForestThe Black Forest is a wooded mountain range in Baden-Württemberg, southwestern Germany. It is bordered by the Rhine valley to the west and south. The highest peak is the Feldberg with an elevation of 1,493 metres ....
to be consumed later, or to be tossed into a river. In other versions the children must be asleep, and would awake to find their shoes filled with either sweets, coal, or in some cases a stick. Over time, other customs developed: parents giving kids who misbehaved a stick instead of treats and saying that it was a warning from Nikolaus that "unless you improve by
ChristmasChristmas , also referred to as Christmas Day, is an annual holiday celebrated on December 25 that commemorates the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. The day marks the beginning of the larger season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days. The nativity of Jesus, which is the basis for the anno Domini...
day, Nikolaus' black servant Ruprecht will come and beat you with the stick and you won't get any Christmas gifts." Often there would be variations idiosyncratic to individual families.
In parts of the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in the 19th century, "Pelznickel" traditions were maintained for a time among immigrants at least as far west as the US state of
IndianaIndiana is a U.S. state, the 19
th admitted to the Union. It is located in the Great Lakes region, and with approximately 6.3 million residents, is ranked 16
th in population and 17
th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38
th in land area, and is the...
. In this branch of the tradition, the father or other older male relative was often "busy working outside" or had to see to some matter elsewhere in the house when Pelznickel arrived. Today, remnants of this tradition remain, known as the
Belsnickel, especially in
PennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania , often colloquially referred to as PA by natives and Northeasterners, is a state located in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States...
.
A first-hand 19th century account of the "Beltznickle" tradition in
Allegany County, MarylandAllegany County is a county located in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Maryland. It is part of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2000, the population was 74,930. Its county seat is Cumberland...
, can be found in
Brown's Miscellaneous Writings, a collection of essays by Jacob Brown (born 1824). Writing of a period around 1830, Brown says, "we did not hear of" Santa Claus. Instead, the tradition called for a visit by a different character altogether:
Popular culture
The Krampus was also featured on the television cartoon series
The Venture Bros.The Venture Bros. is an American animated television series which premiered on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim on February 16, 2003. The series chronicles the adventures of two dopey yet well-meaning teenage boys, Hank and Dean Venture; their emotionally insecure, ethically challenged super-scientist...
In
a short Christmas episode"A Very Venture Christmas" is a Christmas special in the first season of The Venture Bros. It is notable for having a runtime of only eleven minutes.- Plot :...
, the Krampus is accidentally released from a book of ancient occult magic and wreaks havoc on
Dr. Venture"Dr." Thaddeus S. "Rusty" Venture is one of the main characters on the Adult Swim show The Venture Bros., and parodies such adventuring scientists like Dr. Benton Quest and Doc Savage. He is voiced by James Urbaniak.- Personality and relationships :...
's Christmas party, attempting to sodomize the Doctor before getting into a rather violent brawl with
Brock SamsonBrock Samson is one of the main characters on the Adult Swim show The Venture Bros., serving as a parody of Doc Savage, Race Bannon and other super-competent individuals in adventure serials...
. The demon is soothed by the coming of Christmas at the stroke of midnight, but unwittingly detonates a bomb hidden under a small nativity scene set while exiting. At the end of the episode this is all revealed to have been a hallucination by Dr. Venture, brought on by a head injury incurred when the Venture jet crashed - in Bethlehem.
In the arcade game
CarnEvilCarnEvil is a rail shooter arcade game using a light gun. Released by Midway Games on October 31 , 1998, CarnEvil is noted for its graphic content and strong lifelike violence which was peppered with heavy amounts of black humor. CarnEvil is a portmanteau of "The Carnival of Evil" and was...
, the boss for the "Rickety Town" level is named Krampus. He resembles a large, horned, clawed, demonic
Santa ClausSanta Claus is a folklore figure in various cultures who distributes gifts to children, normally on Christmas Eve. Each name is a variation of Saint Nicholas, but refers to Santa Claus...
clad in green, and attacks by hurling flaming coals and swinging his bag at the player.
G4 (TV channel)G4, also known as G4 TV, is an American cable- and satellite-television channel originally geared toward male viewers aged 12–28, devoted to the world of video games...
created a
Christmas commercial featuring Krampus. In it some carolers sing about Krampus while he enters a house putting the bad children in his sack.
A Character named Banjo in the graphic novel
ChickenhareChickenhare is a graphic novel written and illustrated by the American author Chris Grine. It is published by Dark Horse Comics.-Overview:...
is a Krampus.
In the 2007 Christmas episode of the TV series,
SupernaturalSupernatural is an American drama/horror television series starring Jared Padalecki as Sam Winchester and Jensen Ackles as Dean Winchester, brothers who hunt demons and other figures of the paranormal. The series, which is filmed in Vancouver, BC, debuted on September 13, 2005 on The WB, and is now...
, the main characters hunt the Krampus, a demonic 'anti-Santa' who comes at night and kills fathers. An older hunter tells the characters that neither Santa Claus nor Krampus exists, and that they are "morons" for even considering the possibility. (The villains are revealed to be surviving pagan gods who disguise themselves as Santa to capture victims for their ancient Yuletide sacrifices.)
On the 2007 album by indie band
Sunset RubdownSunset Rubdown is an art rock band from Montreal, Canada. The band began as a solo project for Spencer Krug of Wolf Parade, who released his debut, Snake's Got a Leg, in early 2005...
titled
Random Spirit LoverRandom Spirit Lover is Sunset Rubdown's third LP, released on October 9, 2007. The album marked Sunset Rubdown's change from the Absolutely Kosher Records label to the Bloomington, Indiana-based Jagjaguwar records...
, a picture of the Krampus is featured on the back of the cover.
Poem
Translated excerpt from 'Nikolausgedichte' by
Theodor StormHans Theodor Woldsen Storm was a German writer....
.
Literature
- Müller, Felix / Müller, Ulrich: Percht und Krampus, Kramperl und Schiach-Perchten. In: Müller, Ulrich / Wunderlich, Werner (Hrsg.): Mittelalter-Mythen 2. Dämonen-Monster-Fabelwesen. St. Gallen 1999, S. 449 - 460.
- Laity, K. A.: When Little Joe the Krampus Met. Wombat's World Publishing, 2003.
See also
- Santa Claus
Santa Claus is a folklore figure in various cultures who distributes gifts to children, normally on Christmas Eve. Each name is a variation of Saint Nicholas, but refers to Santa Claus...
- Christmas elf
A Christmas elf is a fictional diminutive creature that supposedly lives with Santa Claus in the North Pole and acts as his helper. Christmas elfs are often depicted as green-clad with pointy ears, long noses, and pointy hats. Santa's elfs are often said to make the toys in Santa's workshop and...
- Santa Claus's reindeer
- Krampus
- Belsnickel
Belsnickel is the fur-clad Santa of the Palatinate in northwestern Germany along the Rhine, the Saarland, and the Odenwald region of Baden-Württemberg....
- Paganism in the Eastern Alps
- Sinterklaas
||-||-||-||-||-||-||}Sinterklaas and Saint Nicolas in French) is a traditional Winter holiday figure in the Netherlands, Aruba, Netherlands Antilles and Belgium, celebrated every year on Saint Nicholas' eve or, in Belgium, on the morning of December 6...
- Le Père Fouettard
Le Père Fouettard is a character who accompanies St. Nicholas in his rounds at Christmas dispensing lumps of coal and/or floggings to the naughty children while St. Nick gives gifts to the well behaved...
- Zwarte Piet
In the folklore and legends of the Netherlands and Flanders, Zwarte Piet is a companion of Saint Nicholas whose yearly feast in the Netherlands is usually on the evening of 5 December In the folklore and legends of the Netherlands and Flanders, Zwarte Piet (meaning Black Pete) is a companion...
- Mr. Bingle
Mr. Bingle is a fictional character, a snowman assistant to Santa Claus. Originating as a mascot of the Maison Blanche department store in New Orleans, Louisiana, the character was later marketed by Dillard's and remains part of the pop-culture of the Greater New Orleans area.-History:Mr. Bingle...
External links