Krampus, Witches, and the Wild Hunt

Krampus, Witches, and the Wild Hunt
Alpine Traditions for the Dark Half of the Year
By Christian Brunner, Sophie Reyer, Wolfgang Liemberger & Contributors

Beyond the familiar image of Krampus lies a much larger world of Alpine winter traditions filled with spirits, witches, frightening processions, divination, seasonal rituals, and beings that emerge during the darkest months of the year.

Krampus, Witches, and the Wild Hunt explores the living folk traditions of the Alpine regions of Austria, focusing on the beliefs and customs surrounding the dark half of the year. Rather than isolating Krampus from the culture that produced him, the book places this famous Yuletide figure alongside the other beings, celebrations, and spiritual traditions of the region.

Readers will encounter the Wild Hunt, a ghostly procession of otherworldly beings, and Percht, the formidable figure associated with Alpine winter traditions and tales of punishing the idle and lazy. Krampus is also examined beyond his modern, sensationalized image as part of the larger seasonal traditions from which he emerged.

The book details more than twenty festivities, rituals, and methods of divination rooted in Austrian folklore and Alpine tradition, offering a closer look at customs that continue to be practiced rather than treating them solely as remnants of the past.

Inside You'll Explore:

• Krampus and his place within Alpine Yuletide traditions

• The Wild Hunt and its otherworldly procession

• Percht and traditions surrounding her

• Witches and supernatural beings of Alpine folklore

• More than 20 traditional festivities, rituals, and divination methods

• Austrian pagan and folk-spiritual traditions

• Customs associated with the dark half of the year

• Living traditions originating in the Alpine regions of Austria

Krampus, Witches, and the Wild Hunt offers a focused look at the darker side of the seasonal year and the Austrian traditions that have kept these figures, rituals, and beliefs alive.