Perchten are mystical creatures that appear during the Rauhnächte in winter in Austria.
In this post, I explain about the Rauhnächte and the different Perchten traditions that you can experience for yourself on a visit to Austria.
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What are the Rauhnächte?
The Rauhnächte are the 12 magical nights between Christmas, 25th December, and the 6th of January, the 3 kings' day. This period is still celebrated in Central, Eastern, and Southern Europe.
Translated, the German word Rauhnächte, means smoked nights. Essentially, folklore dictates that the homes, stables and sacred areas are smoked with incense to drive out evil spirits.
Ancient beliefs converged with the Christian faith over the last centuries, and individual customs developed in various regions and valleys.
Also defined as a winter exorcism ritual, rites are performed to bless the living spaces. Dried herbs, flowers, and tree saps are burned to drive out spirits from the other realm. The inhabitants pray and repeat the saying “Unglück hinaus, Glück ins Haus”, which directly translates to “bad luck out, luck into the house”.
It is said that the veil to the other world is at its thinnest during those 12 days in the year, and this is when good and bad spirits can come through to our world. You can attribute this belief to the fact, that these are often the coldest days in the year and also the ones with the least of daylight.
Especially Sylvester, the last day of the year, is believed to be a day when spirits run freely. They also call this the night of the wild hunt. Therefore, it was custom to make noise and a lot of light to drive off the evil spirits and today this tradition is mirrored in the way celebrate the New Year's Day with fireworks.
People in villages still conform to this belief surrounding the Rauhnächte, even if it is subconsciously. Homes and lifestyles are thoroughly purged so that they can ring in the new year with a clean slate.
Typically, and mostly traditionally, washed clothes are not hung during that period because spirits can get tangled in them. Moreover, the goddess Perchta is honored by setting an extra spoon for every meal or by keeping a pile of flour on the roof.
This leads us to the alpine believes, where the creatures and spirits that emerge during the Rauhnächte manifest themselves as Perchten.
What are Perchten?
Perchten are mystical creatures from the other realm, that are part of the pre-Christian pagan beliefs of the alpine Austrian regions.
They come in many forms and shapes in Austria, but 2 major groups exist, the Schiachperchten and the Scheperchten, also called Schönperchten.
Schiachperchten translates to the ugly Perchten, these are the bad spirits that come to haunt the living. They somewhat represent the old and the year in passing.
The Scheperchten are pretty to look at, and they aid humankind to walk towards the light and to a new year and beginning. These are also called beautiful Perchten.
Both, are reenacted by natives. Because Perchten can come in many shapes and forms, there are not just a type of costume.
Villages and towns in the alps all have their own unique customs, and only a few Perchten runs prevailed and made it to our contemporary age.
Did you know? Perchten is the plural form of Perchta. Therefore, a single one is called a Perchta, or simply a Percht. Perchta or Bercht, was an alpine pagan goddess.
Krampus VS Perchten
The Krampus are directly tied to the Perchten customs, but they are not the same thing!
Over the centuries, old pagan beliefs were either banned by the Catholic Church or new catholic beliefs were created to blend better with old beliefs.
The Krampus, who typically materialize on or around the 5th and 6th December every year, visit humankind with Saint Nicholas.
It is not exactly known, but the Krampus customs emerged from the Perchten tradition, most probably during the dark ages or medieval period. Pagan villages within the Holy Roman Empire, which included the alps, converted to Christianity, over the course of a few centuries, after Rome fell.
The Krampus appears like a demon or devil with animal horns, and is therefore the antithesis of the salvation bringing St. Nikolaus. The duality of the good and the bad was the Christian definition and evolution of the good and bad Perchten (Scheperchten and Schiachperchten).
The lack of information passed down over the centuries surrounding the Perchten (i.e., Celtic pagan tribes didn't write), resulted in a visible confusion about Perchten and Krampus traditions in Austria and neighboring countries.
To the church's dismay, Perchten traditions had a rebirth in the past decades in Austria and the neighboring countries. This is entirely attributed to tourism and a renewed interest shown by the natives.
Certain regions sometimes call Krampus parades also Perchten parades because the natives lost touch with their true roots. At the same time, new alpine traditions have always been based on old ones and perhaps in the future, Krampus and Perchten will be just one.
Therefore, you will notice Perchten appearing at a Krampus run in some areas, most notably in Carinthia, Tyrol and Styria in Austria.
To further help you make sense of all this, the basic differences between Perchten and Krampus are as follows:
Perchten | Krampus | |
Traditional appearance | Rauhnächte, 25th December to 6th January. | 5th December (the 6th was originally reserved for St. Nikolaus). |
Contemporary modern appearance | Depending on the region, also during the Rauchnächte, but a few regions offer a mixed bag of Krampus and Perchten during a Krampus run. Some traditional Perchtenwere not allowed to be practiced during the Rauhnächte and were moved to the 5th December. | Most alpine towns still organize them on the 5 or 6th, but thanks to tourism, the dates have been extended from the end of November to mid-December. |
Types | Schiachperchten and Scheperchten. Schiachperchten are the ugly bad ones and Scheperchten are the less scary looking ones ushering in better days. Schiach is a dialect Austrian German word that means ugly, sche is also dialect, and it means beautiful. | They are all ugly, but variations exist between groups. |
How to differentiate | Only Schiachperchten are confused with Krampus. The Perchten wooden masks depict animals, and they have more than 1 pair of horns. Technically, the witch is a Perchten (as in Frau Perchta) but in contemporary times, the witch appears at Krampus runs. | Krampus' masks always have human features, and they come with one pair of horns. |
Organized by | A group called a Pass in German, or by Trachten groups (folklore dance groups) or simply by a group of locals. | A group called a Pass (Austria) or a Basse (Bavaria) in German. |
Countries | Austria only. | Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Italy. |
Where to Experience a Perchten Ritual
During my research about authentic Perchten traditions, I encountered various confusions surrounding this topic.
I reached out to a few regional tourism boards. A handful was able to share some insights on this topic.
This again highlights the vanishing of traditions in the alps and the fact, that only a few regions hold on to this heritage. These events are valuable heritage must-sees for any visitor, so to understand the local customs.
Here are the most fascinating Perchten rituals that you can experience in 2024 and the coming years in the Austria alps.
Glöcklerlauf in the Salzkammergut Upper Austria Region
The Glöckler tradition is one of the most dazzling Scheperchten that you will ever encounter. The name Glöcklerlauf means “the bell's procession”.
Large colorful, candle-lit, star and sun-shaped “hats”, with a maximum size of 4×6 meter, are paraded by the men of the Salzkammergut villages on the 5th and 6th January. They ring their large bells strapped to their backs to ward off evil spirits.
They are chaperoned by so called “Spionen”, spies, which dutifully keep an eye on the head gears and the “Sammler”, the collectors, collecting donations.
These head gears are handmade and each takes about 500 to 600 hours to complete. One headgear can weigh up to 44 pounds (20 kilogram). They are made of a wood framework and light transparent paper, which depicts every day life scenes.
Back in the day, only unmarried men were allowed to carry one of these, while wearing a white uniform. Incredibly, the bright lights inside the headgear are all candles.
To preserve this tradition, the Glöcklerlauf has been added to the list of UNESCO intangible cultural heritage. Originally, the Glöckler tradition was initiated in the town of Ebensee, but the fun spread to neighboring villages and towns in the Salzkammergut.
Every year, the most well known Glöckler runs take place in Ebensee, Bad Goisern, Bad Ischl, and Obertraun. Alone in Ebensee you can see more than 300 men walking around the town once the night sets.
Truly, you shouldn't miss out on this spectacle if you are in the Salzkammergut, or in Hallstatt at the beginning of January.
Tresterer in the Pinzgau Salzburg Region
Tresterer are an age-old tradition in the Pinzgau province of Salzburg. One of the major Trester traditions is held in the towns of Zell am See and Kaprun, Saalfelden and up to Mittersill area.
5 Men wear red and golden decorated brocade suites and a prominent feather white head piece with long hanging colorful strands. They dance in a circle by stomping the ground with their feet, which might be an old reference to stomping on wheat.
Tresterer are Scheperchten, that means the ones that bring luck, but they come with other creatures. This includes a multitude of beings.
The Hanswurscht which appears in white, the Schwegler playing the flute, a set of Schiachperchten, the Lop and the Lappin (aka the idiots or fools), the Kropfenschnapper (he eats the Krapfen doughnuts) and the Hennpercht (looks like an overgrown owl).
Due to this being a very exclusive tradition, the Tresterer go from farm house to farm house, and sometimes hotels such as the Hotel Grüner Baum, to perform on the 5th of January in the above-mentioned towns. A public performance is held every year on the 6th January at the Zell am See town square.
On the other hand, the Tresterer in the Saalachtal, a gorgeous valley between Zell am See the Kitzbühel district and neighboring Bavaria, follow a slightly different tradition.
The Tresterer of the Sallach valley have a different appearance, and they are accompanied by only two people and not creatures. The Kasperl, the fool, and the Pater, the priest. Visitors can experience the Saalach valley Tresterer in the villages of Unken, Lofer, Weissbach bei Lofer and St.Martin.
Schnabelperchten from the Rauris Valley in Pinzgau Salzburg
The Schnabelperchten are traditional Scheperchten from the Rauris valley in Pinzgau, Salzburg region that appear on the 5th January, the eve of the Epiphany day.
Known as the valley of Gold, Rauris attracted many gold miners back in the day, and they were known for their lack of hygiene. So, it is believed that the tradition of the Schnabelperchten came to be in connection with the gold miners.
After all, people had to tidy up things during the Rauhnächte and the Schnabelperchten achieved that really well.
The name, “Schnabelperchten”, means “Perchten with a beak”. They appear as old lady-like creatures with a face covered by a frame in the shape of a large beak made of white linen.
The head is covered with a scarf, and they wear traditional Trachten dresses with a hand-knitted jacket, carrying one of these handmade baskets from yesteryear on their backs.
Wandering around the village, from house to house, you can hear them making bird sounds, which adds to the fun of this custom.
It is said that those that do not keep themselves and their homes clean and tidy when the Schnabelperchten arrive, will have their stomachs cut open with a pair of large shears.
But fret not! These mystical creatures tend to be nice, and they are still ushering in a year filled with prosperity and luck.
You can experience and see the Schnabelperchten on the 5th January every year. The village is rather small, and therefore you will be able to see them at some point during your stay in the village.
The tour starts at 4 pm in south Rauris near the fire brigade station and the Billa grocery shop and moves upwards counterclockwise around the village from house to house. They also stop at hotels, such as the Rauriserhof. The tour ends at around 9 pm at the main center village lane.
Perchten in the Gastein Valley
The Perchten parade of the Gastein valley is one of the oldest in the alps, and perhaps one of the most fascinating Perchten traditions. It was added to the UNESCO intangible cultural heritage in 2011.
A special procession with over 140 different creatures takes place only every 4 years. The last one was organized in 2022 and the next one will be held in 2026.
Because it's such a rare event, it is all the more special. Held on the 1st and 6th January from dawn and beyond dusk, the Scheperchten move between Bad Gastein and Bad Hofgastein, a whooping 10 miles (16 kilometers) in total.
And while this may sound like nothing special to you, you will be surprised to know that the most spectacular being are the ones carrying richly decorated head-gears which can weigh up to 110 pounds (50 kilogram).
A multitude of creatures can be seen during this event such as Frau Perchta with her two faces, Hanswurscht, Schnabelperchten, the three kings, some Krampus, and witches, to just name a few.
Schiachperchten in the Pinzgau and Pongau Provinces in Salzburg
Schiachperchten, the evil Perchten, appear in many towns and villages in the Pinzgau and Pongau provinces in the Salzburg region in Austria.
These parades are held between 5 and 8 pm, depending on the village or town, and mostly take place on the 5th and 6th January.
We can recommend the one in Saalfelden, Bischofshofen, St.Johann in Pongau, Kaprun, Maishofen and Altenmarkt.
The Schiachperchten are the evil and ugly looking Perchten, which resemble the Krampus by looks. These parades include a multitude of creatures, and each has a name and purpose.
You will mostly recognize the witch and other donkey and goat-like Perchten, but perhaps you can ask one of them to take a picture with you as a memory. My parents did just that, as you can see!
Tamperer in the Tyrol Unterland Region, Austria
The Tamperer are large stiff walking straw clad creatures with wooden carved Krampus-like masks and tall curved horns that appear on the 5th and 6th of December.
Lately, the groups of Tamperers have been getting creative by implementing show-like performances for participants.
They make coordinate noise on drums or on metal bin while being accompanied by Krampus runners (Läufer or Fellteufel), bell ringers (Glockinger) and at least 1 witch.
This is not a 100% traditional anymore, but rather one that has evolved in time.
Unlike other Perchten in Austria, the Tamperer are active beginning of December in the Unterland area, which is situated east of Innsbruck, the regional capital.
Innsbruck organizes a yearly Tamperer parade, which takes place from 6 pm onwards at the Maria-Theresien-Straße. We can also recommend the ones held in and around Söll in Tirol, Wörgl, Kramsach and Rattenberg.
Berchteln in Alpbach, Tyrol
Groups of 3 to 4 witches, with overly long and ugly hair and in traditional dirndl, walk from house to house in Alpbach on the 5th of January.
The local community calls them Berchtln, and they are supposed to look hideous. The day before the 3 king's day (the 6th January) is also known as Gömmachten in the Alpbach valley.
Alpbach is a small village. The Berchtln tour around the village starts at around dusk and ends late at night.
You can spot them moving about from house to house, and they do make an appearance in restaurants and hotels in Alpbach as well, so you can't really miss them.
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