Krampus or Santa Claus? Traditional change in Tyrol worried!

Krampus or Santa Claus? Traditional change in Tyrol worried!

Innsbruck, Österreich - Innsbruck, 04.12.2024 - The traditional Krampus period in Austria gets a critical look. The Tyrolean religious Martin Frank Riederer expressed his concerns about the development of these popular customs, which are originally associated with the religious figure of Santa Claus in a letter to the “Tyrolean daily”. Santa Claus is less and less integrated into the Krampus and Tuifl marches, which judges more Rieder than questionable. He notes that the focus is more on the "ugly and demonic" and no longer on the "good". There is a risk that the real hardship of the people behind a large festive entertainment is often ignored, just as the increase in violent riots in some moves.

Krampus: A monster with a long history

The origins of the Krampus, a horny being from the Alpine folklore associated with St. Nikolaus, are deeply rooted in pre -Christian customs. The Krampus, which is punished during Santa Claus, is often portrayed in elaborate handmade masks and skins. The main event, Krampus night, takes place on the night of December 5th. For this, many young men dress in impressive costumes and pull through the streets with bells, chains and birch rods and ensure an unforgettable spectacle in the cities and villages, especially in the Tyrolean and Salzburg Alpine regions, so viennatimes.com .

While the popularity of the Krampus celebrations in recent years, sometimes also promoted by social media, has increased, warn voices like that of Riederer of alienation of the original meaning. Special attention should be paid to the preservation of the authenticity of the celebrations so that the community not only loses itself in the spectacle, but the deeper symbolic meaning that the Krampus represents as part of this cultural tradition is still valued.