Knecht Ruprecht
15 Nov '05 20:12In many central European traditions St. Nicholas has some servants, or helpers, who accompany him on his travels. The stories differ, with some calling this companion Krampus, Black Peter, Pere Fouettard, Belznickel, or Knecht Ruprecht, depending on the region.
Some, like Krampus, are depicted as being shaggy, horned and demonic in appearance. Knecht Ruprecht is often portrayed as a dark, sinister version of St. Nicholas, dressed in black and dirty clothes. He carries with him a stick, or a switch, and a sack.
In some of the older tales, children would be summoned to the door to sing or dance for St. Nicholas and Knecht Ruprecht to show that they were good children. Those who did poorly would be savagely beaten by Knecht Ruprecht, while those who did well would be given various treats by St. Nicholas. Those who did very poorly, or who had been especially bad throughout the year, were put in Knecht Ruprecht's sack and taken away to his Black Forest home, or tossed in the river.
There are other tales, some saying that St. Nicholas and Knecht Ruprecht would come at night and the children would wake to find their shoes filled with treats, coal, or a stick; the implication being that if you didn't improve, Knecht Ruprecht would return and beat you with that stick.
That is my understanding of the Knecht Ruprecht tale. But being from America, this rather intriguing version of the Christmas story has not gained wide exposure here. I was wondering if any of the RHP members from central Europe (or anywhere) had any firsthand experience with this tale during their life and whether they can provide any other anecdotes or information to help flesh it out a little more. I would be most interested in the early, more violent, Knecht Ruprecht tales, but would also have some interest in the later, toned down versions, as well as tales about Krampus or any of St. Nicholas' various other servants.
Some, like Krampus, are depicted as being shaggy, horned and demonic in appearance. Knecht Ruprecht is often portrayed as a dark, sinister version of St. Nicholas, dressed in black and dirty clothes. He carries with him a stick, or a switch, and a sack.
In some of the older tales, children would be summoned to the door to sing or dance for St. Nicholas and Knecht Ruprecht to show that they were good children. Those who did poorly would be savagely beaten by Knecht Ruprecht, while those who did well would be given various treats by St. Nicholas. Those who did very poorly, or who had been especially bad throughout the year, were put in Knecht Ruprecht's sack and taken away to his Black Forest home, or tossed in the river.
There are other tales, some saying that St. Nicholas and Knecht Ruprecht would come at night and the children would wake to find their shoes filled with treats, coal, or a stick; the implication being that if you didn't improve, Knecht Ruprecht would return and beat you with that stick.
That is my understanding of the Knecht Ruprecht tale. But being from America, this rather intriguing version of the Christmas story has not gained wide exposure here. I was wondering if any of the RHP members from central Europe (or anywhere) had any firsthand experience with this tale during their life and whether they can provide any other anecdotes or information to help flesh it out a little more. I would be most interested in the early, more violent, Knecht Ruprecht tales, but would also have some interest in the later, toned down versions, as well as tales about Krampus or any of St. Nicholas' various other servants.
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