MURDER, POLITICS, AND THE END OF THE JAZZ AGE
by Michael Wolraich
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Krampus: Saint Nicholas' Dark Companion
By artappraiser on Thu, 12/05/2013 - 1:20am |Photo essay by Alan Taylor @ TheAtlantic.com, Dec. 3, 2013
Intro:
While Saint Nicholas may bring gifts to good boys and girls, ancient folklore in Europe's Alpine region also tells of Krampus, a frightening beast-like creature who emerges during the Yule season, looking for naughty children to punish in horrible ways -- or possibly to drag back to his lair in a sack. In keeping with pre-Germanic Pagan traditions, men dressed as these demons have been frightening children on Krampusnacht for centuries, chasing them and hitting them with sticks, on an (often alcohol-fueled) run through the dark streets. [20 photos]
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