In Austria and Germany, Krampus parades bring chaos and controversy. While the tradition is meant to scare children into behaving, recent events have left many injured β raising questions about safety and the darker side of festive customs. In Austria and parts of Germany, Saint Nicholas, who visits on 6 December, is traditionally accompanied by the Krampus.
While Saint Nicholas rewards well-behaved children with gifts, those who have misbehaved are punished by his fearsome, birch rod-wielding companion. The Krampus, with his devil-like appearance featuring horns and chains, has roots in mythology and evokes imagery of the fallen angel Lucifer.
To celebrate this tradition, annual Krampus and Perchten parades take place across Austria and southern Bavaria. During these events, members of Krampus clubs march through town centres, frightening onlookers and occasionally pulling spectators from the crowd to strike them with their rods. According to a report by Germany's Die Zeit from , Krampus performers have to follow some rules: the rods must be made from branches, they're only allowed to hit bystanders below the knees, and excessive force is forbidden under both the penal code and the Krampus Code of Conduct.
Nonetheless, incidents occur frequently β this year being no exception. Reports suggest that even before Advent weekend this year, serious incidents have already occurred in Austria. On Wednesday 27 November, a Krampus gathering in Zams, Tyrol descended into chaos, ending in a brawl involving around 50 people. Eight people were reportedly injured.
According to Tyrolean police, a year-old woman was struck so hard with a wooden rod during a Krampus parade in Imst on Saturday that she required hospital treatment. Her left hand became so swollen from the blows that she was unable to move her fingers. Police are now searching for the unidentified assailant and have launched an investigation. That same day in Anras, East Tyrol, a year-old woman narrowly avoided losing the tip of her left middle finger. It's not just spectators who have been injured.
