Alex's space

Austira and the Grampus - Religious based customs gone wierd!

Austrian Grampus

(for some reason the photo is not showing from flickr so here is the link)

This is a photo of a Grampus, this seems to only occur in the areas of Austria of Pinzgau and Pongau (correct me if I am wrong), near Salzburg. This custom occurs in early December and has a religious context that I am not fully aware of but:

The young men of the village dress up as Grampus (Grampi)? and terrorise the local young ladies (officially supposed to be virgins), in the Village I took this shot that is all that really happens, but in St Johan im Pongau, where I used to work, they would put sacks over the girls heads and drag them away. Then at some point a chap dressed up as a Bishop would come and banish the Grampus and save the village’s virgins.

Now young Austrian men are not known for their ability to drink and behave responsibly so if you get in their way you tended to get whiped with birch twigs and pushed around. great fun.

If any you you out there know more then please let me know!

Ian M Says:

Good to see your Grampus images! I saw them this Christmas (and last) in Liebnitz. Don’t know what Austrian feminists think of them though!!

Cheers Ian

PS I heard they are used to frighten the children- who have to be good or St Nicholos won’t visit. It’s probably a good idea to be good!! Apparently they have the p[ower to beat lightly which is a sign of good luck-or hard which is definitely bad luck!!

Trevor C Says:

Just saw your entry re ‘Grampus’ in Pongau. Last year on Dec 5th we were travelling by coach from Munich to Obergurgl for our first ski of the season and at a ‘motorway’ stop just inside Austria on a Saturday afternoon we encountered much the same thing. They were out in force – must have been 20-30 of them dressed in traditional smelly costumes with masks and full regalia – banging drums and tamboreens etc… and throwing smouldering hot coals, smoke bombs and firecrackers – all this was, we were told due to the run up to Christmas and was a very old tradition – it really scared the hell out of many people there though – it was very realistic !! The aim was for them to smear the ladies with soot from the coals and drag them away… no chance….they run like the wind in the opposite direction !