All Episodes

December 5, 2023 6 mins

This horned holiday demon has entered our pop culture consciousness, but where do Krampus legends come from? Learn about the history of Krampusnacht in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://people.howstuffworks.com/culture-traditions/cultural-traditions/where-did-krampus-come-from.htm

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark as Played
Transcript

Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome to Brainstuff, a production of iHeartRadio. Hey brain Stuff,
Lauren Vogelbomb here with a classic episode from our podcast's archives.
There are a lot of winter holidays, but one that
we've been particularly tickled to see gaining popularity is Crumpus Knock,
the celebration of Santa's scary half. Today's episode looks at

(00:23):
how Crampis came to be. Hey brain Stuff, Lauren vogelbomb here.
As the holidays close in, parents inevitably remind unruly children
that Santa Claus is watching them. But there's another lurker
out there in the long dark night, and he's watching too,
a thing of fur and horns and cloven hoof. Yes, Virginia,

(00:43):
there is a Crampus, And for naughty kids, this demonic
beast man brings chains and switches instead of toys. Every
December fifth, the Crumpus Knocked eve of the Feast of
Saint Nicholas. Legend has it that he descends from the
mountain wilds to terrorize children and drag the worst of
their lot away in a foul wicker basket. While he's
not the only Yule Tide boogeyman in Western tradition, Crampis

(01:05):
has clawed his way to the front of that frightening pack,
not only surviving within his native Germanic alpine traditions, but
also managing to achieve international notoriety. Before we explore the
history and psychology of Crampis, you're probably wondering why Yule
Tide boogeymen even exist. Surely holidays are a time of
light and childlike wonder, not monstrous kidnappers. Ah, But the holidays,

(01:28):
at least in northern latitudes, have always been a time
of darkness. Sure we like trees, sing carols, and feast
upon the spoils of hunt and harvest, but the wintertime
future is uncertain. Will spring thaw our frozen world while
our crops grow again? Will our larder be enough to
make it through the winter. That's one reason why if
you venture through world mythology, you'll pass countless devils, satyrs,

(01:51):
and horned spirits who all resemble good old Crampus. In
Greek mythology, for instance, you'll find Hades's abduction of Persephone,
the daughter of the harvest goddess Demeter. It's a tense
piece of drama that explains the earth's seasons. Winter arrives
when Persephone must enter captivity in Hades, and spring returns
when she emerges again. Each year, the tale serves as

(02:12):
an iconic reminder that winter is an inherently apocalyptic time,
pitting the forces of light in life against darkness and death.
These motifs permeate many early religions, and when Christianity spread
throughout Europe, these old gods and spirits never quite died out. Rather,
people wove them into the new religious tapestry. Early Christians

(02:33):
transplanted the birth of their savior, Jesus Christ to December
twenty fifth, as this was a date associated with older
celebrations of the new Sun, that resurgent celestial force destined
to defeat the long winter, and so Crampis ties into
a rich legacy of winter darkness, seasonal fear, and pre
Christian traditions involving harvest, spirits and wild men. But Crampis's

(02:54):
exact origins are just as uncharted as the uncivilized wilds
from which he emerges every December fifth. Saint Nicholas, that
solemn Catholic precursor to Jolly Santa Claus, first gained popularity
among German speaking people during the eleventh century Crampis became
part of the festivities over the centuries to follow, but
he undoubtedly dated back to pre Christian customs surrounding the

(03:15):
pagan goddess Perchta and her consort of frightening and unruly
chech Perchtin. These customs never vanished and eventually rebounded By
the sixteenth century, Pagan schach Perchten processions became a frequent
part of winter festivities in Salzburg, Austria, despite centuries of
Christian traditions. Catholic attempts to ban these festivals in the
seventeenth and eighteenth centuries proved feudals, so a demonic key

(03:37):
goat earned his tenure in Alpine holiday traditions. In Alpine celebrations,
Crampis and Saint Nick come to life through the use
of costumes and wooden masks, but maybe you can guess
which role is more popular. Fur clad goat men tend
to parade through the street's unmass every crempis ncht Yes
to this day. They rattle their chains, brandish torches and

(03:58):
leap about with wild and indiscriminated energy. As with many
mask rituals and celebrations around the world, the rights of
trampus knocked are transformative. They allow participants to abandon the
conventions of daily life and indulge in a wilder and
perhaps darker aspect of their personality. As such, it's easy
for things to get a little out of hand. Many
processions limit the costume participants to keep everyone from crossing

(04:21):
that thin line between good natured holiday horror and emotional abuse.
Back in two thousand and six, concerned parents, along with
Austrian child psychologist Max Friedrich, spoke out against the demon's
violent influence as well as what Friedrich called childhood Crampis trauma.
Somewhere along the line, Santa had been banned from visiting
kindergartens in Vienna, but Crampis apparently still had access. In

(04:44):
twenty fifteen, amid the massive influx of Syrian and Iraqi
refugees into rural Austria, community representatives made special efforts to
prepare newcomers, especially children, for their frighteningly fun holiday festivities.
In the past, Crampis detractors have even outlawed the demon outright.
Before Nazi Germany's nineteen thirty eight invasion of Austria, Catholic

(05:05):
Austrofascists briefly held power, and, as reported in a nineteen
forty five New York Times article, they saw Crampus as
a demonic, unruly and potentially communist usurper of Christian tradition.
The Crampis postcards and candies have always been popular, but
around that time Crampis had virtually usurped the role of
prime gift giver. It was this demon, not Saint Nick,

(05:26):
who made rounds with sweets and gifts. The Austrofascists ordered
anyone in a Crampus costume arrested on site. They also
required that all Saint Nicks be licensed by the state
and monitored. Despite the continuing war on Crampus and any
misgivings we might have about scaring good behavior into children
with the threat of inhuman kidnapping, the tradition not only

(05:46):
endoors but flourishes. Internet culture and the rejection of homogenized
holiday traditions have led to a full blown international Crampis revolution.
Today's episode is based on the article where did Crampis
Come From? On HowStuffWorks dot com, written by Robert Lamb.
To hear more from Robert, check out his podcast Stuff

(06:07):
to Blow your Mind. Brain Stuff is production of my
heart Radio in partnership with how stuffworks dot Com and
is produced by Tyler Klang. Four more podcasts from my
heart Radio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever
you listen to your favorite shows.

BrainStuff News

Advertise With Us

Follow Us On

Hosts And Creators

Josh Clark

Josh Clark

Jonathan Strickland

Jonathan Strickland

Ben Bowlin

Ben Bowlin

Lauren Vogelbaum

Lauren Vogelbaum

Cristen Conger

Cristen Conger

Christian Sager

Christian Sager

Show Links

AboutStore

Popular Podcasts

24/7 News: The Latest

24/7 News: The Latest

The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.

Crime Junkie

Crime Junkie

Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.

Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.