Our History
The Salzburg Tradition
In the Salzburger history, Krampus is a creature larger than a man, covered in fur, bearing large exotic horns, who hunts the mountain passes of the eastern alpine realm. The custom stems from pre-Christian traditions representing the harshness and wild nature of winter. During the Christianization of the region around 700 A.D., the Catholic church compromised with the local population, allowing the customs to persist on the condition that the creature be paired with Sankt Nikolaus as a symbol of accountability.
Though banned at various points in European history—most notably in the 18th century under Salzburg Archbishop Colloredo and later in the 20th century under national socialism—the traditions survived through secret rural celebrations and oral hand-me-downs. The custom experienced massive modern revivals in the 1960s and entered the international digital stage by the late 1990s to the early 2000s. From then to today, the tradition has been seen more mainstream exposure being highlighted in many YouTube videos, the subject of many articles, and brought into several movies and TV shows.
The Minnesota Krampus Organization
Founded in 2014, Minnesota Krampus was organized to promote the authentic winter holiday customs of the Salzburg region through education, literature, and live public performances. As an academic non-profit 501(c)(3) community organization, our broader mission includes providing scholarships to college students pursuing historical or cultural studies focused on the Alps and its people.
We take deep pride in absolute material authenticity. Our members wear hand-carved stone pine masks created by master craftsmen in the Pongau region, full-length multi-piece goathair suits from Pinzgau, and massive heavy metal bells designed to announce the arrival of the troop. While honoring historic European roots, we anchor our presentation locally in honor of Saint Paul's early roots at Pig's Eye Landing—bringing a uniquely Minnesotan perspective to a timeless alpine custom.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the origin of the Krampus tradition?
Krampus was part of pre-Christian traditions that represented the harshness and wilderness of winter. During the Christianization period of the alpine region (around 700 A.D.), the tradition was integrated into church festivities. The Catholic church allowed the continuation of the tradition if the creature was paired with St. Nikolaus, serving as a compromise to allow the pagan population to retain oral customs while converting.
Why is St. Nikolaus paired with Krampus?
In the Salzburger tradition, St. Nikolaus is paired with Krampus to represent the eternal symbol of goodness, hope, and reward alongside balance. According to various structural interpretations, Krampus appears alongside the Saint to handle discipline and serve as an enforcement system, utilizing loud bells and heavy chains to announce quick accountability for careless actions.
Why do you celebrate something so dark?
The main pillars of classic Germanic folklore (such as the historical tales collected by the Brothers Grimm) are graphic narratives designed to clearly define "right" versus "wrong". These cultural life lessons are intended to teach accountability, honesty, and structural boundaries. We believe sharing these rich Austrian traditions provides important, reflective history lessons that remain valuable for communities today.
How are your masks and traditional costumes made?
We source our gear directly from master folk craftsmen in Austria to maintain 100% historical accuracy. The heavy masks are hand-carved out of local stone pine wood and detailed with realistic paint, glass eyes, and authentic animal horns. The suits (known in German as "das Fell") are crafted out of real alpine goathair in natural colors ranging from dark browns and greys to speckled whites.
What is "Pig's Eye Pass"?
Pig's Eye Landing played a historic role in the settlement of Minnesota, with the location eventually evolving to become St. Paul. In a playful nod to our home state's identity and early history involving local settlers, our troop established "Pig's Eye Pass" as our fictional home base amidst the imaginary mountains of Minnesota—giving our group a localized identity.