The Dark Side of Christmas

Growing up in East Germany, Christmas wasn’t all sugar and spice. Alongside St. Nikolaus—the beloved bringer of treats—we also had Knecht Ruprecht, his dark, switch-carrying companion. To children, Ruprecht wasn’t just a name but a warning. Known across regions as Black Peter, Schmutzli, or Krampus, he was the shadow to St. Nikolaus’s light, the enforcer who made sure German children stayed on their best behavior.