TITLE: Old Woman Witch Mask
TYPE: helmet mask
GENERAL REGION: Europe
COUNTRY: Austria
ETHNICITY: Tyrolean
DESCRIPTION: Alte Frau (Old Woman) Hexe (Witch) Mask
CATALOG ID: EUAT011
MAKER: Josef “Sepp” Seidl, Sankt Veit im Pongau (1975- )
CEREMONY: Krampuslauf
AGE: 2013
MAIN MATERIAL: wood
OTHER MATERIALS: paint; cloth headscarf; horse hair; deer leather; foam padding; adhesive; mesh
Krampuslauf (the Krampus Parade) is a winter event that forms part of the Christmas festivities in much of Austria and parts of southern Germany, Switzerland, northern Italy, and the Balkan states. From mid-November until the first week of December, many towns organize a parade of Krampuses, demons who represent evil spirits with frightening horned masks with sharp teeth and long, lolling tongues, typically in a suit of goat skin with loud cowbells attached to their belt. They carry a whip of birch branches (a Rute) or a cowtail. Their function is to accompanying St. Nicholas, who rewards good children with treats and presents, while the Krampuses punish bad children by beating them with their whips or throwing them into wicker baskets on their backs to carry down to Hell for punishment. Although different regions celebrate Krampuslauf on different days, the traditional Krampus Day is December 5, and the traditional St. Nicholaus Day is December 6. Krampuses may march on both days.
Sometimes accompanying the Krampuses are witches. This mask represents a Hexe (witch) and is the companion to the old man Krampus made by the same artist, Sepp Seidl.
