Krampus

[[File:Mikuláš a Krampus 1900s.jpg|thumb|right|165px|Scaring a kid shitless in turn of the century Bohemia.]]
[[File:Gruss vom Krampus.jpg|thumb|left|165px|"Greetings from Krampus!" Bad children get their comeuppance.]]
{{folklore}}
'''Krampus''' is a [[goat]]-like [[demon]] in [[Austria|Austro]]-[[German]] [[folklore]]. Also known as the [[Christmas]] Demon, he is said to punish misbehaving children on Christmas. He is one of a variety of companions of [[Santa Claus|Saint Nicholas]], who travel with the Christmas saint to punish the naughty while St. Nick rewards the meek. He is remembered largely because of an [[Austria]]n custom involving dressing up as Krampus in well-made and frightening [[devil]] costumes, often carrying pitchforks with fire-spewing prongs (from attached road flares).

While the figure was historically obscure outside of Central Europe (odd, given how many emigrants came from that part of the world in the 19<sup>th</sup> and 20<sup>th</sup> centuries), in recent times, the internet has discovered and popularized him in North America, to such an extent that a horror film about him was released in 2015 that went on to be a hit.<ref>Billock, Jennifer. [http://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/krampus-could-come-you-holiday-season-180957438/ "The Origin of Krampus, Europe's Evil Twist on Santa."] ''Smithsonian.com'', 4 December 2015 (recovered 21 December 2016).</ref>

==Origins==
Krampus is often held to be a [[pagan survivals|pagan survival]] of the alleged "[[Pan|Horned God]]" worshipped by [[Wicca]]ns and other [[neopaganism|neopagans]]. "There seems to be little doubt as to his true identity, for in no other form is the full regalia of the [[Horned God]] of the [[Witchcraft|witches]] so well preserved. The birch — apart from its [[Penis|phallic]] significance — may have a connection with the initiation rites of certain witch covens, rites which entailed binding and scourging as a form of mock death."<ref>Bruce, Maurice (March 1958). "The Krampus in Styria". ''Folklore'' 69 (1): 44–47</ref>

In fact, Krampus is a typical bogeyman used to frighten children into their best behavior, the stick to [[Santa Claus|Saint Nicholas]]'s carrot. "Krampus was created as a counterpart to kindly St. Nicholas, who rewarded children with sweets. Krampus, in contrast, would swat "wicked" children and take them away to his lair." The name comes from the Germanic root ''krampen'', meaning "claw".<ref>Basu, Tanya. [http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/12/131217-krampus-christmas-santa-devil/ Who Is Krampus? Explaining the Horrific Christmas Devil], ''[[National Geographic Society|National Geographic]]'', December 19, 2013</ref>

Other areas in Europe have different Yuletide bugbears. Elsewhere in [[Germany]], there are {{wpl|Belsnickel|''Belsnickel''}} and {{wpl|Knecht Ruprecht|''Knecht Ruprecht''}} ("Robert the knave"). [[France]] has Hans Trapp and {{wpl|Père Fouettard|''Père Fouettard''}} ("Whipping Father"). These characters all bring undesirable swag like [[coal]] and ashes, and switches to [[Corporal punishment|beat]] bad children with, in contrast to the sweets and other rewards brought by Saint Nicholas. The [[Netherlands]] has the controversial ''[[Zwarte Piet]]'', or Black Peter; this character involves [[blackface]], because he is conceived as a Moor from [[Spain]]. Dutch parents would warn naughty children that they had better be good or ''Zwarte Piet'' would stuff them in a sack and drag them back to Spain. If you couldn't tell, the Dutch ''really'' didn't like the Spanish. Being under the thumbs of the Hapsburgs will do that to a people. These traditions resemble the [[American]] [[Halloween]]; adults dress up in scary costumes, and [[alcoholic]] beverages are often involved.<ref>Little, Becky. [http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/12/151204-krampus-movie-christmas-demon-santa-holiday-folklore/ How Krampus, the Christmas ‘Devil,’ Became Cool]. ''[[National Geographic Society|National Geographic]]'', December 04, 2015
</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:1911 circa anonymer Künstler Wiener Werkstätte Postkarte No. 542, Krampus mit Kind.jpg|1911 postcard
File:Krampus 1900s 3.jpg|Undated postcard
File:2018-11-25 Men's World Cup at 2018-19 Luge World Cup in Igls by Sandro Halank–624.jpg|Krampuses on parade in 2018
File:Nikolaus krampus.jpg|Nikolaus and Krampus from an 1896 newspaper
File:Krampus-Postkarte um 1900.jpg|Undated postcard
File:Mikuláš a Krampus 1901.jpg|1901 postcard
File:Svaty Mikulas 1885 Ales.png|Krampus (lower right) from [[Czech Republic|Bohemia]], 1885
File:Krampus getting Serbs (1915).jpg|[[World War I]]: Krampus was on the German side against the [[Serbia|Serbs]]
File:Krampus 1900s 2.jpg|Old fashioned Krampus fun ride
File:Enseigne de Krampus Expédition à Nigloland.jpg|Modern Krampus fun ride
</gallery>

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

[[Category:Christmas]]
[[Category:Folklore]]
[[Category:Goats]]

Categories: Christmas, Folklore, Goats