The Dark Side of Christmas

Growing up in East Germany, the Christmas season wasn’t all sugar and spice and everything nice. Sure, we had St. Nikolaus, the bringer of treats, but we also had Knecht Ruprecht, the bearer of punishment. To a child, Knecht Ruprecht wasn’t just a name—it was a warning. Known by many names across regions—Black Peter, Schmutzli, or Krampus—he was the shadow to St. Nicholas’s light, the enforcer who ensured you stayed on your best behavior.