Krampus

 

 

ORIGIN

He is mainly in the folklore of the Alpine Countries, although he has his roots in Germanic folklore.

 

FIRST SIGHTED/RECORDED

His history reaches as far back as Pre Christian Germanic traditions go.

 

APPEARANCE

He is a beast like creature with a very demonic appearance. He is very hairy, usually black or brown. He also has cloven hoofs and the horns of a goat (some say he is actually that of a goat). He is also depicted as having a long protruding tongue. His appearance usually depends on what region you are hearing it from but it is generally all the same.

 

GENDER

Male

 

ALSO KNOWN AS

Grampus (meaning "Claw" in Old German), Klaubauf, Black Peter (Austria) Barti/Bartel, Niglobartel, Wubartl (Southern Austria) Pelzebock, Pelznickel (Southern Germany) Gumphinckel (Silesia) Krampusz (Hungary) Schmutzli (Switzerland) and many more.

 

REPELLED BY

There is nothing that they seem to be repelled by.

 

MAGICAL POWERS/SKILLS

They have no powers as such. They have the ability to see whether a child is naughty or not so they could possibly have the power of foresight.

 

HISTORY/ABOUT

Regardless of whether he is a Demon or not, he is known to be the accomplice of St Nicholas (sometimes he travels on his own). He is the one who punishes naughty kids during Yule. If the kids are only a little naughty then he will either leave them coal or swat them with Ruten (small bundles of Birch trees). If they are very naughty then he will carry them away in his sack and either drowns them, eat them or transport them to Hell. Traditionally, young men dress up as him and roam the streets scaring young children with rustling chains and bells. This will be done on the 1st week of December, usually on the 5th (the eve of St Nicholas). This is thought to represent the binding of the Devil by the church. It is also said to be a coming of age ritual. 

 

 

CAN BE FOUND

He is always found accompanying St Nicholas (Santa Claus) in the regions of Austria, Southern Bavaria, South Tyrol, Hungary, Croatia and Slovenia.

 

TALES

Depending on what regions you go to, the tales differ. Parents use him as a scare tactic for their children. They tell them that if they don’t behave then he will either leave them coal or carry them away to hell. He also features on holiday greetings cards called Krampuskarten.

 

ANY SIGHTINGS?

These sightings are similar to those of Santa Claus. People all over the world believe that they have seen him but without any actual proof. There are bound to be a number of photos and video footage out there on the internet but no one can say for sure If it is real or not. I suppose it’s their word against ours.

 

SIMILAR CREATURES

Gryla, Badalisk, Yule Goat

 

Spectre

 

 

ORIGIN

They are a worldwide paranormal phenomenon. 

 

FIRST SIGHTED/RECORDED

There is no exact time in which they were recorded. They appear to be as old as time.

 

APPEARANCE

Depending on the culture, their appearance can vary. They are widely known as being very ethereal and almost transparent. In some cultures, they have a very distinct resemblance of the person who it is believed to be.

 

GENDER

Male, female or sometimes unknown.

 

ALSO KNOWN AS

Spector, Specter, Disembodied Spirit

 

REPELLED BY

There is nothing that they are really repelled by as such. Depending on culture, the repellent can vary. This may also depend on what the spectre itself was like. If they are evil or dangerous then there would be some form of protection spell or object that they would fear (be it religious or of a high energy). Exorcism is the biggest tool in ridding a place of a Ghost or Poltergeist so I assume that this would also be used in this instance also.

 

MAGICAL POWERS/SKILLS

There are none recorded. They could possibly have the power of premonition, that is, letting those who encounter them have a glimpse of what is to happen. They may also be able to place curses on people. Apart from that, they are just very scary to encounter.

 

HISTORY/ABOUT

They are essentially another form of Phantom or Ghost. The thing that makes them different from the two is that they are an unreal and frightening apparition. They are very common in some types of folklore and mythology. They are considered as an ethereal version of a human or animal. They can also demonstrate various emotions.

 

CAN BE FOUND

They are universal, which essentially means that they are found in every town and in every culture. Every country has different belief systems surrounding it, so in one country they may haunt old houses whereas in another, they may haunt an area of land or water.

 

TALES

There are more tales than a person could even grasp! They start from old house wives tales to urban legends to first-hand accounts. There are numerous books out there with all the relevant information in them.

 

ANY SIGHTINGS?

There are a numerous amount of sightings to be found. You only have to type it into the internet to be bombarded with many images of both recent and very old Spectres. There is also plenty of video footage, some fake but most real.

 

SIMILAR CREATURES

Ghosts, Phantoms, Spirits,