Tarvisio, the Krampus of Cave del Predil

One cold afternoon in early December, I gladly accepted an invitation from two friends, Ivan and Federico: “Come up to Cave to see the Krampus!”

I did not know what the Krampus are, let alone their story. But who better than Ivan Ziraldo to fill this gap? Indeed, around then he was completing his latest musical work: “The Legend of Krampus”, in which he tells the story of the Krampus and of the Cave del Predil through music.

Following the bends that lead from Chiusaforte to Sella Nevea, Ivan tells me something about the legend of the Krampus and the formation of the Predil lake (or Raibl, the old, originally German name of Cave del Predil).

A stranger comes to Cave del Predil asking for help, and is rejected by the suspicious inhabitants who do not notice the baby she has with her. Only two elderly people give her shelter on that cold evening, and they also take care of the baby. God’s punishment against the village is not long in coming, and a terrible deluge destroys the inhospitable village. Only the two old people and the baby Niccolò are saved. Their home is right at the centre of the lake that formed after the deluge (and thus was born the lake of Predil according to this legend).

With the passing of time, Cave del Predil comes back to life. Some bored little children, almost through play, start breaking into the houses of neighbouring villages, hiding behind goat-like masks. After a while an intruder joins them. But he wears no mask. He kidnaps the children and transforms them into demon-like beasts that terrorise the country. With the help of God, Niccolò faces down the devil and manages to free the boys who had become beasts. He wins their trust, but cannot make them human once more.

So once a year, on the first Sunday of December, the Krampus return to scare the inhabitants of Valcanale and Cave del Predil. In particular, I witnessed something that struck me a great deal: the rite of the children’s prayer to the Krampus. Some were afraid and in tears, forced to kneel before them and pray.

It is a scene that may seem cruel and rather extreme, but it fully reflects the tradition that the locals are happy to respect, and that Federico has skilfully captured in one of his photos.

During the annual performance, which takes place on the first Sunday of December at Cave del Predil near Tarvisio, the Krampus arrive in the village in spectacular fashion. They come out of the old mine and invade the streets to terrorise and beat the inhabitants (tourists are spared...)

As darkness falls, dozens of Krampus armed with chains light up and “warm” the streets of the village with their flaring torches. The rite concludes with the decapitation of the demon and the triumph of San Niccolò (St Nicholas) over evil. The legend of the Krampus has Celtic origins and is evoked in many mountain resorts in December. Great bonfires warm the cold late autumn evening in the valley near Tarvisio and the festivities begin.

It is an amazing and spectacular experience that I cannot wait to witness once more: villagers and tourists share the joy of liberation, awaiting next year…

PH: Federico Tonizzo