Curious Traveler

Christkindl, Krampus, and Ischler Krapferl, it is time to get curious about Austria's Christmas markets. Remember when you were a child, and all you asked was why, why, why? Well I never quite outgrew that whole quest for knowledge phase. In fact, I've made a career out of asking who, what, where, why, and how, as an arts and travel journalist for the past 20 years.

(classical music) So if I have an insatiable curiosity about the exciting, inspiring, beautiful world of art, architecture, and hidden history all around us, I bet you do too. This isn't your typical what to do on a vacation travel show, oh no. This is your all access pass to a deeper understanding of the world's great art and architecture, people and places, history, and how did they do that's? So come along on our educational journey, our field trip for grown ups who have never quite grown up, and learn, on Curious Traveler.

(soft piano music) European Christmas markets, or the Christkindlmarket, is a celebration of advent in the weeks leading up to Christmas. The very first Christmas market was held in what is now Germany, back in the middle ages. Today here in Austria, this beautiful tradition continues. With inviting open air stalls, gleefully packed full of Christmas decorations, and toys, and presents, and of course those sugary smells of those traditional Austrian pastries, the Christmas market, or Christkindlmarket, or Weihnachtsmarkt has its origins in the Holy Roman Empire.

Which is why you can find them in many parts of Europe, including Germany, France, and of course, Austria. (bells chime) So, here's what I'm curious about with Austria's Christmas markets and traditions. Why are these markets sometimes called a Christkindlmarket? How did this tradition start, and why?

Why are Christmas markets so popular in German speaking countries? And what does Austria have to do with a famous Christmas carol? What is a schoko-kipferl, a kaiserschmarrn, and a brandteigringe? Thank you.

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Vendor

Thank you. Why aren't these Christmas letters written to Santa? Why are there trumpet players on this balcony? And the most curious question of all, what the heck is a Krampus, and is it different than a Krapfen?

We begin our curious journey into Austrian Christmas traditions in Vienna, although this isn't where the first Christkindlmarket began. The first was in what is today's Germany, back in the middle ages then, that same tradition spread across the Holy Roman Empire, which of course included Austria. Fast forward to today and one of the largest in Vienna is right here in front of City Hall. In Vienna there are many Christmas markets to choose from, like this one in front of Schonbrunn Palace, or this one in front of Hofburg the Imperial Palace, or this one in front of Belvedere Palace.

Yes, there are a lot of palaces here in Vienna. Then there is this one at St. Stephansplatz, that literally spills over from St. Stephen's Cathedral into the surrounding streets with heavenly and sparkly chandeliers hanging overhead.

And of course, the most popular one is right back here in front of Vienna City Hall. I mean, how can you compete with an entrance like this? It's very magical, and the lights, and all the people here, so people can dance, can drink something hot or eat chocolate, or typical traditional Viennese cuisine. -

Christine

Did someone say linzerschnitten, or karottenkuchen, ah, you had me at nussstangerl. But in the sea of tasty treats and shiny objects, Christmas markets are of course all about Christmas and advent, with ornaments, advent calendars, and advent wreaths. (instrumental Christmas music) Every Sunday you have to light up one candle, and then it's Christmas, so you have four candles. The first Sunday of the month you light the first candle, and then the second one, the third one, until Christmas.

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Christine

The advent wreath is believed to have been started in Germany. Then the tradition spread to Austria, and later to the United States. But what does the advent wreath symbolize? Well the circle and the evergreen branches represents God's infinite love.

And the four candles symbolize the four weeks of advent, and sometimes the four candles also represent hope, peace, joy, and love. But as lovely as that tradition is, here at the Christmas markets somehow the conversation always seems to go back to those tasty treats. Typical, traditional, are kirschtorte. And then we have krapfen, marmalades, especially apricots.

And here in Austria, we have the marillen marmalade. We come mostly for food here. Yes. -

All

Yes. -

Christine

We will get back to those soon, but first it's time to get curious about more Austrian Christmas traditions in one of the towns that celebrates it best, Salzburg. ("Deck the Halls") Salzburg's old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it's Christmas markets are simply magical. The grandest of its markets is fittingly in front of its grandest church, the Salzburger Dom or Salzburg Cathedral. This baroque version was built in the 17th century, but it's origins date back to the eighth century.

And somewhere in between all those centuries, someone decided that this square out front was the perfect spot for a Christmas market. Actually, all of them developed out of farmer's markets. It was the same here in Salzburg, where in 1491 already, one year before Christopher Columbus entered America, the farmer said they didn't know where to go in winter. They thought it was quite tough for them to carry around with their horse and carriages, so the city of Salzburg offered them the place to be, and it was the Cathedral Square.

This was the first time where there was a market over the winter time. In those days, the first Christkindl or Christmas markets developed. -

Christine

So, why are these markets sometimes called a Christkindl market? Well, here's where it gets really interesting. Christkindl translates to Christ child. And in many parts of Europe, the Christ child is represented as an angel.

The one who brings the gifts to the children at Christmas. Next, if you say Christkindl really fast, it kind of sounds like Kris Kringle, right? Well, that is exactly where we get the name Kris Kringle, a nickname for Santa Clause. Although, Santa Claus actually comes from Saint Nicholas, but let's not get confused.

So, back to those Salzburg markets. It's a wonderful tradition for families, generation after generation. People really come in, and they remember last year. They remember 10 years ago, when they came here with their grandparents or grand greatparents.

This is definitely something where people just remember history. Think about the time when they were younger. -

Christine

And for the young ones, Christmas is of course, all about toys. So let's me Thomas, the toy making Santa of Salzburg. This is actually a toy or kid's toy store from Thomas Fell Parker. He's from a region quite far away from the city of Salzburg, but still belongs in the province of Salzburg.

He really literally moves to the city of Salzburg during the time of the Christmas market. -

Christine

So Thomas brings his toy factory to the Salzburg market every year, and he hand makes many of these traditional, wooden toys. You put your name into it, and I personally think it's just a very nice memory with your kids or for your kids. My little boy, he's four and half now. Every year he gets a toy from Thomas with his name on it.

Aww, and as a child, there is nothing better than looking forward to Christmas day. Except here in Austria, children don't look forward to the morning of December 25. As in many parts of Europe, families celebrate Christmas on the 24th, not the 25th, exchanging presents in the evening and then going to church together at midnight. But one tradition that is definitely the same in Austria as in America, is decorating the tree.

And here in the European Christmas markets, there are beautiful Christmas ornaments. From tiny, glass angels, to big, beautiful, hand painted, blue ones. There are special editions every year. There are some motives, for example, the Castle of Salzburg or the Cathedral of Salzburg.

There are families that come here for the last, more or less, 40 years already. Maria is here from the very first beginning of the market. It's lovely, how do I say beautiful in german? Wunderschonen.

Wunderschonen. Wunderschonen. Maria? Yeah.

Maria es wunderschoen. Es ist. Ist, I'm sorry, ist wunderschonen, close. And there are many different shapes to those handmade Christmas ornaments, including the bell, which is instrumental to a darling Austrian Christmas tradition.

Ring the bell, which is very important for us on the 24th. Why is that? Because when the bell rings, the Christ child was here. And so all the kids are going crazy, because usually they got kicked out of the living room, so that Mom or Dad can light up the Christmas tree.

And then suddenly there's the bell, and then the Christ child was here. Just secretly came in, left some gifts, and it's amazing that the kids never saw. (bells ring) From delicate, little bells to booming horns, we go up above the Salzburg market to get curious about another Christmas market tradition. Wonderful trumpets and horns playing from the towers and balconies surrounding the market for the visitors below.

It's an Austrian tradition? I would say Alpine, also in southern parts of Germany and Switzerland, but very much in Salzburg markets. Excellent. It's only the best musicians from Salzburg who are allowed to play here.

But the origins of this seemingly serene sound, aren't so serene at all. So being an Alpine tradition, does it go back to where they were on mountaintops playing to each other? This type of music was literally actually to alarm the people. For example, right in the city of Salzburg or on the fortress, people who live here realized there's something going on.

We have to be careful. Oh, that's amazing. Okay, so it was to alert people if the bad guys were coming or whatever the case may be. And now it's this beautiful Christmas tradition.

("Silent Night") And just across from the market, is an Austrian Christmas vault full of treasures. But we know the combination, so lets go inside. (slow classical music) The Salzburger Weihnachtsmuseum is an incredible collection of Christmas knickknacks and traditions from German speaking countries from about 1840 to 1940. And it's all thanks to one Christmas loving woman.

No, not Mrs. Claus, but a Mrs. Kloiber. Mrs.

Kloiber was gathering about 40 years. She was so impressed by the Christmas tree of her grand-grandmother in her early childhood. Then she was gathering this wonderful things. It's amazing that these are preserved so well.

Yes, yes. It's incredible. And some of them, they found in America in the States. Oh nice, including some very precious and very fragile paper advent calendars kept under glass for safe keeping.

This one is the oldest known to date advent calendar. It's like an advent clock. You put the clock hand every day one hour to the next. Now I don't know any German, so forgive me.

I recognize kinder for children. For children. What's the first word? Christmas clock, Christmas clock for children.

Excellent, so that's what that word means? (both speak in a foreign language) For kinder. For kinder that's lovely. Lots of Christmas and Christian imagery from angels to crosses, to nativity scenes.

Although, I don't remember seeing one of Snow White's dwarves being one of the three wise men. We have an area in Germany called the (speaks in a foreign language). And they put many dwarfs in the scenes and also the Christian symbols, because (speaks in a foreign language) they were miners. Oh right, like the dwarves.

Oh, so that's what that's a symbol of. And then there are some decidedly non-dwarf sized Christmas decorations here too. This is made in the (speaks in a foreign language) in the mountain ball in Germany for the festive light in the living room. It's beautiful, do we know which year this was made or how old?

It's about 1900. -

Christine

And next, instead of letters to Santa begging for tons of toys, German and Austrian children used to do something completely shocking. They wrote thank you letters to their parents. To wish all the best and health. -

Both

To the parents. Yes, it was common in the 18 and 19th century, but we forgot it now. They don't do it nowadays. I was going to say, nowadays kids, it's the opposite.

You don't see them really being. That's a great tradition to bring back. But let's not get crazy here, those darling little lieblings of the past still asked for a present or two, but still differently than an American child would. Children wrote to Christkind, yeah.

And they put it in the window in the evening. And when it disappeared... That means that Christkind came and has the letter. But how would the Christkind know the letter was for him?

Can you read that for me in English, or translate it in English? (speaks in a foreign language) It's just to the lovely baby child in heaven. In heaven. In heaven.

Oh, so that would be the pre-printed envelope and the children would put their letter in it. Yeah, and it goes to heaven. Oh, thats so sweet. And another difference is that, in America we have Santa, and the elves, and the reindeer.

But in Austria, the Christmas gift distribution system is handled by a few other characters. Christkind is bringing the parcels in Austria and Germany on the 24th in the evening of the 24th. Christkind looks like an angel. In Austria and south Germany, Christkind comes.

In northern Germany, the Weihnachtsmann. And who's the Weihnachtsmann? The Weihnachtsmann helped the Christkind in the beginning, but then he went by himself to the children, so he's a strong man with a beard. He's a good guy and he carries the gifts?

Yes, yes. Okay good, sound familiar? That good guy with the beard carrying all those gifts, we'll, he later became known as Santa Claus. And it's a good thing that Weihnachtsmann is a good guy, because there is a seriously bad guy associated with Christmas here in Austria.

Who we will meet later, whether we want to or not. ("Holy Night") Maybe if we sing a Christmas carol, we can keep the bad guys away, but not just any Christmas carol. The Christmas carol, Silent Night, was first performed in 1818 in a small town near Salzburg. But it was actually written by a Salzburg priest named Joseph Moore, and he was baptized right here at Salzburg Cathedral.

Silent Night was first performed on Christmas Eve in 1818 at St. Nicholas Parish Church in Oberndorf, Austria. Later, it was performed for many of the royal families of Europe. Then it went on to become a favorite around the world, and has been translated into more than 100 languages.

Two people created this lovely song. First of all Joseph Mohr, the priest who wrote the lyrics in 1816 all ready, and two years later he asked his friend, Franz Xaver Gruber to compose the melody. This is what made Silent Night. It's two people working together.

Often, Christmas concerts in local churches will include nativity scenes complete with manger, sheep, ox, and donkeys, but I don't remember ever seeing a mouse in attendance. There's a wonderful legend about a mouse chomping through an organ or something. Yeah, what was that story? This is an Oberndorf.

There's the legend the mouse destroyed the organ and it's the reason why you couldn't use the organ for the Christmas service. Then they all had the idea to use the guitar. It's probably an urban legend, but it's a nice one and the children love it. So according to that legend, that's why the original sheet music for Silent Night was written for the guitar.

But what's even more curious, is that you might get sleepy when you hear it. There's many Christmas carols out there, but there's something about Silent Night. When you hear it, especially if your at a church service, and there's this sort of calm that comes over. What do you think it is about this particular song that resinates so well?

Well I think no scholar, and probably no one, has the answer to this question. We know that there melodies influenced by the Cecilia and melodies for cradle songs. Ah, a lullaby. Lullaby.

Well, time to wake up and explore one more glorious and curious Christmas market here in Austria. And this one is super sized. From the number of red ornaments, to counting down the days until Christkindl visits. Here at the Hellbrunn Christmas market, everything is large than life.

In fact, the entire facade of the palace is an advent calendar. I wonder how big the chocolates are when you open those windows, but those aren't the only big numbers around here. We building up 700 of the trees. We decorate them with almost 10,000 of these red ornaments, five kilometers of lights.

I think the ambience and everything is very special. It is very special. But why is a Christmas market held here at Hellbrunn Palace? Just to kind of put it into context, who lived in Hellbrunn Palace?

Or who used Hellbrunn Palace, originally? 400 years ago, Archbishop Markus Sittikus, built it as a summer residence, and it was always a palace of pleasure. He never lived here, he just had parties over here. Well that's kind of nice then, so this is sort of carrying on that tradition?

Of course. And here there are many traditional Austrian Christmas finds, like these spice bouquets, these brandteibgringe, these nussstangerl, and these kaiserschmarrn, which happen to be a favorite of Austrian Emperor, Franz Josef. And wait, are there non-food items here too? This is a family from.

Their living in the mountains of Salzburg, in the area. They produce everything themselves. What is the? Golschtanen succumber.

Say it again? Voschstadel. Voschstadle. It's like a dialect word.

It's like dialect. And they do their own stuff, so you have these shoes for homes, and you have hats. They do everything themselves. Because you have to keep warm when you're here in Salzburg.

Here in Austria, you have to keep warm. And there is one more Austrian Christmas tradition you will find here at the Christmas markets, but he's not very cuddly at all. I've not heard of this creepy guy that's hanging out here in the river. Who's this guy over here?

Well this is our Krampus. Krampus? Yeah, he's going with Saint Nicolas. On the sixth of December, the Krampus and the Saint Nicholas are visiting families at home, and going to the kids.

If they were nice, they get little treats, chocolates, and nuts. If they were naughty, they get the Krampus. (growling) And kids, trust me, you do nowt want to get the Krampus. The origins of Krampus are believed to date to pre-Christian times.

And by the 17th century, were firmly embedded into the Christmas traditions of central and eastern Europe. -

Man

Yikes. Krampus is a fictional character, well at least I hope he's fictional. He hangs out with Saint Nicholas, and swats the bad children with birch branches or sometimes puts them in a basket or sack, and carts them off. You know, depending on his mood.

So, you better be good for goodness sake. Is he half beast, half human? What is he? Demon, and he's very scary.

The costume is a fur, and the mask are all hand-carved of wood. It's like a tradition that if you have one in your family, one of these masks, you pass it down from generation to generation. Oh what a lovely yuletide tradition, dressing up in a costume like this to scare the daylights out of your children year after year. He's a little scary.

I can remember my childhood like this. Describe your childhood with this Krampus around. Where you traumatized? I was always very scared of the Krampus.

and even now, 'cause they have this huge. On the sixth day, walking around with this huge bells on their back. And if you hear those bells, you know what's going on and you know what's gonna happen. And so on the fifth and sixth December, they're everywhere around.

And every girl and women are just running. So Austrians everywhere, when they hear a jingle bell, normally that's a positive thing. Here it's like, oh gosh Krampus is coming. What do I do?

Like a Krampus bell, yeah. Oh, I love it. - Very scary. Well I hope you feel better now.

I hope you know Krampus isn't real, sorry. Or is he? (growling) So from a kaiserschmarrn, to a linzerschnitte, to a brandteigringe, to wooden stalls lined up one after another full of Christmas toys and Christmas joys that make up entire Christmas markets, some held in the same spot for more than 600 years. And those markets are often called Christkindlmarkets for the Christ child represented as an angel who brings toys to children throughout Europe.

Which gives us the name Kris Kringle, who brings the toys to the American children. Which leads us to even more Austrian traditions, like which day you celebrate on, and to whom you write your Christmas letters. But the Christmas music is something we all have in common. From a Silent Night and a hungry little mouse, to the horns played up on high that no longer warn the villagers below, who now happily warm up with a mulled wine or punch, or paper cone filled with roasted nuts, or a lindserschnitzer or two.

As they count down the days to Christmas with an advent calendar so fragile and dear, to one as big as a palace, to a seriously sinister Saint Nick sidekick. I mean, come on Santa, can't you get some better friends? (growling) Austrian Christmas traditions have so much to be curious about. Thank you for joining us on our educational journey, and hopefully now you're even more curious about the who, what, where, why, when and how of Austria's Christmas markets.

As they say here in Austria (speaks in a foreign language).