Samichlaus & Schmutzli
In most regions of Switzerland, Samichlaus (Santa Claus) has a
somewhat sinister helper called Schmutzli [the little dirty one],
carrying a large sack on his back. Schmutzli represents the dark side
and used to intimidate children. He is equipped with a birch. "If
you're not being good, Schmutzli will put you into his sack and carry
you away!" Schmutzli is the Swiss German equivalent to Knecht Ruprecht as the Germans call him.
Today this aspect is not so popular anymore and some groups operate
without a Schmutzli.
Comments and faves
outdoorPDK (67 months ago | reply)
Thanks Mark for sharing the Switzerland Christmas traditions
lido_6006 (67 months ago | reply)
I know you like these, Philip, so I'll continue looking for such stuff :-)
gms (67 months ago | reply)
I can well imagine that Schmutzli will be out of fashion in our modern age. Very interesting to learn all this. It's very similar to the Dutch tradition.
outdoorPDK (67 months ago | reply)
Hmmmm...?...I wonder if I have some Schmutzli blood in me...Our names both end with zli ??
lido_6006 (67 months ago | reply)
@ Graham: Schmutzli's decline in popularity must have some relation to Scottish educator Alexander Sutherland Neill ...
Is the Dutch tradition still alive these days? Here in Switzerland, Samichlaus is visiting primary schools on December 6th and also most families with children below age 7 (except non-christian immigrants).
@outdoorbare: never wrong to give room to one's dark side in a controlled way ;-)
The -li ending seems to be of more trivial origin, however: In all Alemannic German dialects -li (southern Germany: -le) after a noun or name is used to mark it as small (comes from the same word as little in English). The Alemannic tribes were the only German tribes that never strived for a great empire, they preferred to settle in small villages, so there is nothing devaluating with -li, to the contrary, the Swiss like smallness ...
pyota (67 months ago | reply)
sorry but this schmutzli is just not threatening enough :) i think the cultural shift away from schmutzli is a bad thing; its important to keep children as frightened as possible.
gms (67 months ago | reply)
*tsk* These Scots get everywhere.
A. S. Neill actually has a lot to answer for. I don't know if Schmutzli should be frightening, but children/youths should certainly be taught that they are responsible for their actions - good and bad.
I'll get off the soapbox.
lido_6006 (67 months ago | reply)
@pyota: you're right, this schmutzli does look too sleepy to be frightening...
@gms: I agree that people should learn that they are responsible for their actions (goes for some managers, too) - I only doubt whether fritghtening is a good means to achieve that goal.
Btw. These Scots don't get everywhere, we've been missing all three of you here at our December fliCHr meeting today
bynich added this photo to their favorites. (55 months ago)
Davydutchy (42 months ago | reply)
Before reading your caption I thought these were the Dutch Sinterklaas and his helper "Zwarte Piet". I had no idea there was a similar Swiss tradition. The Dutch tradition is still very much alive, and Sinterklaas easily beats the "imported" Father Christmas in popularity.
Thanks for your interesting info!