Hitler and the Nazis' War on Christmas

Krampus loves tasty children.

During the Christmas season in Germany, there was plenty of Silent Night and O Tannenbaum—two Christmas carols that originated there.

But during the Third Reich, one was more likely to hear a hymn called Exalted Night instead of a silent one.

The popular hymn—which dwelled on motherhood, renewal, and holiday fires—seemingly fit right in with the rest of the Christmas songs. But like so much in Nazi Germany, it was a carefully constructed fake, written by a Nazi songwriter as part of an attempt to apply Leader Adolf Hitler’s hateful ideology to Christmas.

Saint Nikolaus, an angel, and a clutch of Krampi in Begleitung des Krampus und Engeln (Wiki)

 

I'm not Hisler...yet. Give it time. One more term

During the 1930s and 1940s, the Nazis did their best to transform Germany’s beloved Christmas traditions into Nazi ones. Though Hitler’s attempts to create a national church failed, his party’s attempt to redefine religious celebrations was more successful.

To do this, they used ideology and propaganda to put the holiday in line with the national socialists’ antisemitic values.

Have you been misbehaving, little child? Krampus is here!

Jews traditionally love Christmas, right?

The Nazis’ problem with Christmas was baked into Christmas itself. After all, [Nordic depicted] Jesus Christ was a dark-skinned [Mizrahi] Jew—and both antisemitism and the goal of expelling Jews and Jewishness were part of the core of Nazi ideology.

This presented a problem when it came to Germany.

An Ashke'NAZI Jew is my ideal German.

Not only was the nation devoutly Christian, but it was the place where many Christmas traditions, like Advent calendars, [Krampus and Saint Nick aka Santa Klaus], Christmas trees, and Christmas markets, were born. The Nazis knew it would be impossible to eradicate Christianity entirely, so they decided to rework it in their own image. More

• Erin Blakemore | HISTORY, Nov. 10, 2025; Sheldon S., Seth Auberon, Pfc. Sandoval (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Krampus: Christmas Devil's Night (audio)

Pat Macpherson, Wisdom Quarterly wiki edit; Al Ridenour (KrampusLA), Connie Willis (C2C)

Evil Krampus Xmas card

Krampuses are horned, anthropomorphic folkloric figure, "half-goat, half-demon," who during the Catholic Christmas season punish children who have misbehaved, in contrast to Saint Nick, who rewards the well-behaved with little gifts.

Krampuses are companions of Saint Nicholas in regions including Austria, Bavaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia, and Northern Italy along with Black Pete.

Black Pete, Santa's Euro elf

The origin of the figure is unclear; some folklorists and anthropologists have postulated a pre-Christian origin for the figure.

 

In traditional parades and in such events as the Krampuslauf ("Krampus run"), young men dressed as the ogres participate. Such events occur annually in most Alpine towns.

Krampuses are also featured on holiday greeting cards called Krampuskarten. More

Rise of Krampus, Creepy Christmas

The Moorpass [Krampus] troupe from Maishofen, Austria (© Moorpass Maishofen/C2C).

Krampus (creepychristmascoloringbook/com)

Krampus, the European horned Christmas Devil character, has increasingly been featured in movies, TV, greeting cards, and ads, as well as parades in North America and Europe. 

Krampus expert Al Ridenour (facebook) the stuttering historian, researcher, and author of The Krampus and the Old, Dark Christmas joins co-host Connie Willis to discuss how this darkly folkloric figure is once again becoming iconic and why its true history and meaning is still a guarded secret.
 

CREEPY XMAS: Is the happiest time of year also the creepiest (Creepy Christmas)?

Winter has an even darker and richer lore than Halloween according to artist, researcher, and author Sam Shearon.

His creepy Christmas coloring book has a variety of traditional and legendary beliefs from around the world, including stories of characters and creatures like Grýla, Santa Claws, Rabid Rudolph, the Grimace Tree, the Yule Cat, the Abominable Snowman (Yeti, Yakshi, Rakshasa), and more. It's fearsome festive cheer. More + Audio

• IMAGES of Krampuses -- Buddhist ogres or yakshas

Isn't Krampus just a yakkha version of German Belsnickel? 

Belsnickel or Pelznickel (from pelzen or belzen, German "to wallop, to drub") and Nickel, a hypocorism of the given name Nikolaus) is a crotchety, fur-clad Christmas gift-bringer figure in the folklore of the Palatinate SW Germany along the Rhine, the Saarland, the Odenwald area of Baden-Württemberg, and Pennsylvania Dutch communities.

• Archbishop James Long discusses the tradition of Christmas and birth of the Christian god, which is a little different than what the Bible tells us. More 

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  It happened to me; I was molested.

  Molesting children as a social norm in U.S. (Monarch or Auschwitz II?) From very early childhood, Paul Bonacci was subjected to tortures as profound as any the Nazis inflicted. This is not merely a comparison but an actual continuation. From sexual degradation to witnessing and forced participation in Satanic cult murders, Bonacci suffered the cracking of his mind and "multiple personality disorder." Tens of thousands of American children have been diagnosed MPDs; virtually all of them are thought to have resulted from sexual abuse, of which perhaps 85 percent were cases of Satanic ritual abuse.

Miracle Survival

Crewmembers from Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater, Florida and the Coast Guard Cutter Tornado rescue Nick Schuyler(L) from an overturned vessel west of Tampa Bay on 3/2/09. Schuyler's survival story was a miracle, his doctor said (AFP/Coast Guard).

Surviving cancer, diabetes, and all the "incurable" diseases is easy. Restore your diet and remove environmental toxins. But imagine surviving a 46 hour ordeal clinging on to a capsized boat 38 miles out to sea. One man did today.

Doctor: Boater's Survival a "Miracle"

TAMPA, FLORIDA (TICKER) — The attending physician for the lone survivor of a boating mishap off Florida’s Gulf Coast said it was a “miracle” that his patient withstood the 46-hour ordeal.

Nick Schuyler, a former football player at South Florida, was in “good condition” Wednesday, two days after he was plucked from the sea while clinging to an overturned fishing boat.

Schuyler, wearing a yellow life vest, was discovered perched atop the capsized boat approximately 38 miles west of Tampa Bay. He was rushed via helicopter to Tampa General Hospital, where he was listed in serious condition....

• Father still hopeful for others
• Photos from the rescue effort

Rumbak said one key to survival is the physical condition of Schuyler, who is a personal trainer, and also credited his mental toughness.

“Extremely important. This guy is very tough mentally,” Rumbak said. “Even so, being in the water that long saps the energy you have.

“I think if he didn’t have that type of background, I don’t think he would have made it.”

Rumbak said the 24-year-old Schuyler was suffering from moderate hypothermia with a body temperature of 89 degrees when he was pulled from the water.

Schuyler also has significant muscular damage, some kidney issues along with pain in his knees and ankles, which will be checked by an orthopedic surgeon on Wednesday. Rumbak attributed some of the sustained trauma from repeatedly knocking up against the boat.

Rumbak declined to say when Schuyler would be released from the hospital, although he could get out of intensive care unit in the next few days and possibly leave the hospital by the end of the week. More>>