Austria? I thought Krampus was just a Dutch tradition, I don't think he is seen as pure evil there, just one of Santa's little helpers to get the kids to behave.
Krampus is not a Dutch tradition. It is from Bavaria, Austria and parts of Eastern Europe like Chzechia, Slowakia and Hungary. Note that the American "Santa Clause" is derived from "Sinterklaas", which originally was a catholic bishop from Turkey (Mira), who is said to have freed the enslaved. The Dutch tradition has mutated to where Sinterklaas comes from Spain (!) and his helpers are "Mores" (the Islamic conquerors of Spain). Americans view these helpers as "black slaves", but that just shows how much American culture views everything through the lens of race.
The Krampus tradition stems from the same root of St. Nicholas, but evolved differently. The role of Krampus and zwarte piet ("black pete") is not the same. The only thing they have in common is that they are responsible for the punishment of children who did not behave. In the Dutch tradition, zwarte piet takes the really bad children in a burlap sack back to Spain or the less bad children get a a few hits of a tied bunch of small branches ("roede"). Krampus is a more visual performance, meant to scare children.
Krampus itself is a depiction of the devil or evil in general. It is not worshipped. It's aim is to scare children and keep them in line.
Also, note, this tradition has mixed with the "Perchten" tradition; Traditionally, people would dress up as either beautiful characters or ugly monsters, both would "drive out" the old year and the bad spirits of winter in between christmas and new years. It is a tradition that is at least 1500 years old, possibly older.
I don't think that Krampus and zwarte piet can be compared beyond santa. Netherlands has a historical bond with Spain that the mountains in Bavaria don't have. On top of that there's some evidence that the Krampus traditions existed pre Christianity, or at least before the Romans imposed Christianity.
Austria? I thought Krampus was just a Dutch tradition, I don't think he is seen as pure evil there, just one of Santa's little helpers to get the kids to behave.
Krampus is not a Dutch tradition. It is from Bavaria, Austria and parts of Eastern Europe like Chzechia, Slowakia and Hungary. Note that the American "Santa Clause" is derived from "Sinterklaas", which originally was a catholic bishop from Turkey (Mira), who is said to have freed the enslaved. The Dutch tradition has mutated to where Sinterklaas comes from Spain (!) and his helpers are "Mores" (the Islamic conquerors of Spain). Americans view these helpers as "black slaves", but that just shows how much American culture views everything through the lens of race.
The Krampus tradition stems from the same root of St. Nicholas, but evolved differently. The role of Krampus and zwarte piet ("black pete") is not the same. The only thing they have in common is that they are responsible for the punishment of children who did not behave. In the Dutch tradition, zwarte piet takes the really bad children in a burlap sack back to Spain or the less bad children get a a few hits of a tied bunch of small branches ("roede"). Krampus is a more visual performance, meant to scare children.
Krampus itself is a depiction of the devil or evil in general. It is not worshipped. It's aim is to scare children and keep them in line.
Also, note, this tradition has mixed with the "Perchten" tradition; Traditionally, people would dress up as either beautiful characters or ugly monsters, both would "drive out" the old year and the bad spirits of winter in between christmas and new years. It is a tradition that is at least 1500 years old, possibly older.
I don't think that Krampus and zwarte piet can be compared beyond santa. Netherlands has a historical bond with Spain that the mountains in Bavaria don't have. On top of that there's some evidence that the Krampus traditions existed pre Christianity, or at least before the Romans imposed Christianity.