Ded Moroz

Father Frost (among Russian Дед Мороз / Ded Moroz (Russian Grandfather Frost ), also Deduschka Moroz ( Father Frost Russian major ), but also in non-Slavic languages, such as Lithuanian or Estonian Senis Saltis Näärivana ) is a Santa Claus similar, original Russian fairy tale character who blessed the children in the New Year night. Shown as a personification of winter, he is accompanied by his granddaughter Snegurochka ( Snow Maiden or The Snow Maiden ). Also, in some Eastern European countries, this custom spread.

Concept

As for the Russian October Revolution, the Christian religion was suppressed, and it was forbidden to celebrate Christmas as a religious festival and at the same time the Gregorian calendar was introduced instead of the previously usual Julian, all Christmas - solemn rituals of Christmas according to Julian calendar moved on New Year's Eve Gregorian calendar. Therefore, the Christmas tree is set up in time for the Gregorian New Year's Eve and Santa Claus ( " Ded Moroz " ) brings gifts in the Gregorian New Year's Eve.

After today popular image of Father Frost has a long, thick white beard and carries a magical scepter, the tip of everything they touched, freezes. He lives deep in the taiga, is very close to nature, drives one of three white horses or reindeer -drawn sleigh - the troika - and traditionally carries an iron-gray, woven through with shades of blue fur coat, they can however also be yellow or green. Under Western influence are today but also quite representations in red coat to find.

Formation

In contrast to a German conservative circles in the widespread notion that Jack Frost is an introduced only in the 20th century modification of St. Nicholas, he is already for centuries in ( fantasy) literature detectable and gained especially in the second half of the 19th century in Russia prevalence and widespread popularity.

Originally Father Frost was rather a kind of personification of winter. In the first years after the October Revolution, he was like all the other Christmas traditions, including Snegurochka and Jolka ( Christmas Tree) denigrated.

The figure of Father Frost and the artificially created " Jolkafest " ( on the Gregorian New Year's Eve ) were so successful that even after re-introduction of the holy day hold for the Orthodox Christmas, most Russians to him in Russia. Meanwhile, he has even an official postal address in Veliky Ustjug under which the children can write him.

Father Frost also played in other Slavic countries, especially during socialism and communism a big role, but was also previously known there. So the figure, for example, in Serbia Deda Mraz, the Czech Republic and Slovenia Mráz Deda Mraz Dedek is called. The figure, however, was largely rejected as a (supposedly) from the Soviet Union imported artificial Christmas replacement, and is no longer used today. Solely in Slovenia ( Dedek Mraz ) and Bulgaria this has received. There, it is also called Дядо мраз ( Djado Mraz ).

Attitude of the Church

Today, after the fall of socialism, it has the Orthodox Church difficult to solve the legend of Father Frost from the faith because of the people are Father Frost and Saint Nicholas, one and the same person. For the Orthodox Church, however, Father Frost is a "communist invention ".

In an article in the Süddeutsche Zeitung of December 28, 2007 was to read that the Russian government had banned an advertisement in which the existence of Father Frost was denied because many children believed. The counter-argument was said that advertising itself is not directed to children but to adults.

Processing

• Adventures in the Magic Forest (1964 ), Russian fairy tale movie
• Frost Fire ( 2005), a fantasy novel by German author Kai Meyer, plays in northern Russia. Father Frost occurs in the introduction.
• The Keepers of Light (2012 ), American animated film produced by DreamWorks Animation.