St Nicholas and rupelz tryptich - a photo on Flickriver

            Graphic pen on paper.

Copyright © 2011 by Ian J MacDonald. Permission required for any use. All rights reserved

PART 1 of St Nicholas Day Triptych. Depicts Saint Nicholas. He was a 4th century Greek priest revered by both the orthodox and catholic churches. He is the model for modern Santa Claus (from Dutch Sinterklaas) known for giving coins to poor children. He is also the patron saint of sailors. 

Several tales exist about his miracles:  Providing 3 dowries for 3 poor women, saving three condemned men, resurrecting children who were butchered and barreled as hams during a famine, and reportedly during another famine he urged sailors of a ship loaded with wheat for the Byzantine emperor  to unload some of the wheat for the poor. He promised that they would not be punished for it and when they arrived in Constantinople the entire weight of wheat was still in the hold.

He probably did not travel to Europe but Saint Nicholas Day, through the Catholic Church, is celebrated on December 5th. Children put out their boots and if they were good he leaves apples, oranges, chocolate, nuts, cookies, candy, and coins. Naughty children however may have to meet his helper, Rupelz a burly farmhand who wields a switch of twigs to spank naughty children. He carries a book for the saint containing all the children's transgressions and will usually let them off with appropriate prayers and remorse for their naughtiness and the Saint fills their boot. 

The most naughty children get put in Rupelz's sack and hauled off into the Black Forest never to be seen again! (Coal in your stocking seems like a pretty good deal doesn't it? The Germans know how to keep kids in line - even Santa is rigidly authoritarian and uncompromisingly harsh!) 

This version of Saint Nicholas day is particular to my Wife's region of the Black Forest. Different regions of Southern Germany, France, Belgium, Austria and Switzerland have different versions. The Saint's helper ranges from pleasant angels in Belgium to Satan himself in Austria. The Austrian version is known as Krampas and is generally a horned demon whom Saint Nicholas leads around on a chain (symbolizing his domination over the devil) and reels him out to horrified children before finally filling their boots with goodies. An Austrian colleague (~65 years old) of mine recalls the terror of hearing the chain jangle as it came through the village. Ho Ho Ho.

In researching this tradition a bit it has become clear that Rupelz is actually French, specific to the Rhine Valley region. This is fascinating. My wife's region of the Black Forest is very close to the Rhine valley and somehow Rupelz found his way, long ago to her village. More fascinating is that almost nobody there seems to know this because it has been that way for so many generations. 

In America here we have only been here about 250 years and these have not evolved in the same manner (although there are certainly ancient Native American legends and lore but sadly so many of these have been lost and excluded - but that's another discussion). Interestingly my hometown of the lower Hudson River Valley is heavily influenced by the early Dutch colonists. The Santa Claus tradition was brought and practiced here. 

Washington Irving described it and another author, C. Clement Moore sowed the seed of the modern American Santa Claus with his poem "A Visit by Saint Nicholas" (notice Nicholas' name has been Anglicized) which described flying reindeer, entering through the chimney, etc...    

I recently discovered that this legend is celebrated in Rhinebeck NY. The helper is apparently named "Grumpus" and is similar to Rupelz.

Finally I am fascinated by ancient European history and have been wondering what elements of remnants of pre-Christian  Europe.  Christmas trees, wreaths, mistletoe are formerly pagan and the name Yule comes from ancient Germanic festivals.           

In my depiction Nicholas is the 4th century, Greek priest. Rupelz is a 4th century peasant and Europe was a harsh dangerous place to travel at night highlighting the devotion to the poor.

Taken in: Deutschland / Baden-Württemberg / Oberharmersbach (show map)

Taken on: December 14, 2011

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