Krampus Festival - Konigssee!

I’m here in Konigssee, Germany – the 3^rd stop on our European tour.  I’ve always really liked this area and the track is great.  If I could compare it to a rollercoaster it would have to be the “Grizzly”.  The exterior is completely constructed of old planks and sleds echo through each turn and it reminds me of an old wooden rollercoaster.  Big swooping turns, long tricky straight-aways and 360 degree turns make this track unique.  It’s about the same length as Park City so there isn’t much room to make up for mistakes and a fast push is important.  That’s enough about sliding…

For the past three years, I’ve been really lucky to be here during the most bizarre tradition I’ve ever seen.  It’s called the Krampus Festival.  I learn a little more about the history and who’s involved each year so I thought I’d share some of my experience… 

My first year I was scared to death and didn’t want to have anything to do with it… My second year I was scared to death but muster

ed up the courage to join the crowd and get a little closer to the action… This year my heart was racing for two hours straight as I involved myself with the tradition, greased face and all.

Here’s the deal.  Basically, the small town of Berchtesgaden is flooded with people packed in back allies and courtyards.  Beer gardens and gluhwein 

stands line the streets while anxious spectators wait for the excitement.  Herds of local men dressed as monsters and hay-bails parade around and whip people with braided wicker sticks.  It sounds crazy but I promise you it’s much more insane being there.  Children, handicapped, mothers, the elderly… there’s no one that these guys won’t hit (and they hit hard enough to leave welts through ski pants).  Their arms and hands are covered in black grease, 

which they smear on your face after a whipping.  Some herds are bigger than others ranging from about 10-30 guys.  Some costumes are more elaborate than others with amazing/creepy wood carved masks and massive bells and chains attached to their backs.  Some guys are dressed in huge hay-bales while others have heavy fur clothing and black pullover face covers.  The entire scene is kind of like Halloween meets real life horror movie.  Each of the krampus monsters have bells and chains attached to them, which rings out to warn of their arrival… the sound resembles banging pots and pans except it's much more intense.  My heart races immediately when I hear it and it will be ingrained in my head forever.  

From what I understand the festival is always the first week of December and it kicks off the holiday spirit.  It has a few meanings behind it (I’m sure they have evolved over the years).   Each herd is led by St. Nicolas (father Christmas) and two angels.  They are there to bless everyone in the streets.  The monsters are there to whip the 

sins out of everyone so they can enter the holiday season with a pure spirit.  Therefore, the spectators encourage the beatings but I have a feeling the monsters have become more aggressive as time goes on.  I learned this year that the kram

pus are made up of young men between a certain age that are not married…  I don’t know about the other girls there but this wouldn’t be the time to go looking for a husband.  Somehow fertility is tied into the tradition as well… The monsters definitely target women but I’m not exactly sure what the story is there.  The best part about this entire tradition is that it would never be seen in the United States. If a monster wants to hit you, they’ll hit you… There is nothing you can do about it and it’s going to leave a welt somewhere on your body.  If you’re not prepared for the chaos, then stay off the streets of Berchtesgaden this night.  It’s a crazy night!!

There are tons of pictures in the "Season 2007-2008" Album on my website (just look under the Konigssee 07 folder!