Search results
Results From The WOW.Com Content Network
1900s illustration of Saint Nicholas and Krampus visiting a child. The Krampus (German: [ˈkʁampʊs]) is a horned anthropomorphic figure who, in the Central and Eastern Alpine folkloric tradition, is said to accompany Saint Nicholas on visits to children during the night of 5 December (Krampusnacht; "Krampus Night"), immediately before the Feast of St. Nicholas on 6 December.
The Belsnickel character originated in the Palatinate. When people immigrated to Pennsylvania, they brought their German traditions with them. [6] Belsnickel was known in Pennsylvania in the early 1800s. [4] Amongst the Pennsylvania Germans, Belsnickel is the character who visits homes prior to Christmas to check up on the behavior of the children.
These characters act as a foil to the benevolent Christmas gift-bringer, threatening to thrash or abduct disobedient children. Jacob Grimm (Deutsche Mythologie) associated this character with the pre-Christian house spirit (kobold, elf) which could be benevolent or malicious, but whose mischievous side was emphasized after Christianization.
O Christmas tree O Tannenbaum! Who knew that so many of our most beloved Christmas traditions actually originated from Germany? Yep, the country is famous for being downright magical in the four ...
For premium support please call: 800-290-4726 more ways to reach us
It shares many characteristics with Nordic folklore and English folklore due to their origins in a common Germanic mythology.It reflects a similar mix of influences: a pre-Christian pantheon and other beings equivalent to those of Norse mythology; magical characters (sometimes recognizably pre-Christian) associated with Christian festivals, and various regional 'character' stories.
This page was last edited on 29 November 2023, at 01:14 (UTC).; Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License; additional terms may apply.
Knecht Ruprecht (on the left) and Saint Nicholas. Knecht Ruprecht (German pronunciation: [ˌknɛçtˈʁuː.pʁɛçt] ⓘ; English: Farmhand Rupert, Servant Rupert or Farmhand Robert, Servant Robert) is a companion of Saint Nicholas as described in the folklore of Germany.