Stutenkerl

As Weck ( s) man, Stutenkerl, Krampus or Grittibänz is called a Gebildbrot from yeast dough. The pastry in the shape of a stylized man, as it is to the bishop Nicholas of Myra and his feast day, the " St. Nicholas Day " on December 6, refers. The mare guy is a typical Christmas pastry. There are other names for it in Germany. One of the preambles is Nicholas, especially when the Gebildbrot is eaten for St. Nicholas Day. In the Ruhr and the Rhineland have been eating it for St. Martin and is included in the bags of the kids at the Martin singing.

Used a usually sweetened yeast dough ( mares). Frequently the pastry is decorated with raisins for the face and button placket, sometimes dusted with sugar, and it gets a clay pipe plugged. Previously most simple bread dough was used.

Name

Regionally there is a wide variety of names, Stutenkerl or mare males in Lower Saxony, Mecklenburg and Westphalia, in East Westphalia -Lippe also Kiepenkerl, possibly Klaas guy or Backsmann; Mare man or Piefekopp in Bergisch Land, in the western Ruhr and Rhineland Puhmann; Weckmann, also Weckemann or figure in parts of southwest Germany, named after waking; this Weckmann is also a surname. In the dialects of northern Rhineland belly is pronounced as Buck so that dialect Handsome Buck man would literally translate man with belly. In the dialects of Viersen, Mönchengladbach and its further surroundings Weckmann Buck man is called. In Hadeln he called Kaiten Jais, in nordbadisch - Palatine- southern Hesse 's his name Dambedei or Hefekerl, in northern Rhineland -Palatinate Ditz. In other parts of southern Germany it is called a Klaus Mann. In Switzerland, is called the pastry Grittibänz or only Teigmännli in Basel Grättimaa, in Thurgau Elggermaa; in the area around Breisach he is the man Basel. In Luxembourg it is called Boxe males, in Alsace Manala or Männele, in Franche -Comté and Lorraine Jean Bonhomme. In Hessen, especially in the Rheingau, the figure is also called Weggbopp, which means High German bread doll. Weggbopp is also used as a derogatory term for well-nourished women. In the Netherlands it is called Buikman, Wekkeman, Weckman, Weggekèl, Stevensman, Piepespringer (after the Pfiefe ) or Ziepesjprengert.

Origin and Meaning

The name Stutenkerl and Weckmann refers to the type of dough and shape the pastry: a little man made ​​of flour, sugar, fat and yeast ( mares) or from flour, salt, yeast and water (wake ). Designations such as print or man Klasmann originate from the mold. It should be emphasized, however, that Printe is a Lebkuchenart. The pastries figure usually represents a bishop with a clay crosier represents: the similarity with today's clay pipe, which is added to the North German versions and the Rhenish Weckmännern to St. Martin in particular, is unmistakable when it rotates with the bowl to the top. The use of clay pipes probably dates from the heyday of the pipes bakeries in Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries, and may be influenced by the Reformation to secularize Catholic symbols.

This home is situated in the series of formations loaves, which were administered the penitents and sufferers who had not received the Eucharist as Communion replacement in the early Middle Ages. In the Eastern Orthodox liturgy, this custom has survived to this day.

In the Catholic calibration field (for example, in Bickenriede ) the Martin bread is given to the children on St. Martin's Day ( the Memorial of St. Martin of Tours ) on November 11. Today, it is available throughout the Advent season. In Protestant Ravensberger Land children receiving traditional Stutenkerle at the Martin singing on November 10. In the Rhineland and the Rhine -Neckar region, there are still traditional Weckmänner after St. Martin's procession.

Traditionally, the Stutenkerl regularly had one hand on the whistle. Meanwhile, both arms are splayed out on a regular basis (see figure), so that the characteristic handle is usually not seen with arm bent. To which the waiver is due to the gesture is not yet known.

Weckmänner with clay pipes

Homemade dough couple with dog

Variant Martinsgans as Hefeteiggebildbrot

Basel man