Silvesterchlausen || Waldstatt || Switzerland
Silvesterklaus is a masked person taking part in Saint Sylvester's Day festivities in Urnäsch / Waldstatt, Switzerland, and thus contributing to maintain the Chlausen tradition. A Silvesterklaus or New Year’s Mummer (Chlaus in Swiss German) is dressed up as a Saint Sylvester or New Year’s Eve character. In the Reformed half-canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden, the turn of the year is still celebrated in this way.
Make sure to LIKE, COMMENT, & SUBSCRIBE if you like my videos! :)
All shots are handhelded
Sony a6300
Sigma 30mm 1.4
Sony 18-105 F4 OSS
S-Log2 Picture Profile
A surreal New Year's Eve in the Swiss Alps: Silvesterchlausen
In a few Swiss villages, people have been celebrating New Year's Eve in a very special way for centuries.
Even though I grew up in this little mountainous country, I had never seen Silvesterchlausen before.
Looking for it almost felt like a treasure hunt, as only 4-5 villages still practice the tradition. I woke up early and walked around the not-so-snowy moutains of Appenzell Ausserrhoden, following the sound of the bells, until I witnessed some magic.
Small groups dressed in tradi-surrealistic costumes deambulating from farm to farm, ringing cow bells and singing local yodel (Zäuerli) to wish everyone a happy new year. Each family is usually giving some wine, juice or even some cash to show respect to the groups.
There are three different groups: the Beautiful (Schöne; wearing beautifully embroidered costumes of the region, doll-like masks and headpieces showcasing traditional life scenes), the Pretty-Ugly (Schö-Wüeschte; their costume resembles a fir tree, with twigs, moss, bark and some spectacular headpiece) and the Ugly (Wüeschte; bigger and rougher costume). All characters hide their faces behind a mask, except kids.
Back to the late Middle-age, the tradition was celebrated in the Advent time (the weeks before Christmas). Apparently things got too 'wild' and the church didn't want to be associated to it and it was moved to the Saint Sylvester. The mummers got renamed Sylvester Claus: Silvesterkläuse. It is as well believed this tradition is meant to ward off evil spirits of the year gone by.
If you're interested to see it with your own eyes, the celebration takes place twice a year, on the 31st December and the 13th January (New Year's Eve in the Julian calendar), in the villages of Urnäsch, Waldstatt, Schwellbrunn, Stein, Hundwil.
Bell forging: a dying art
When the Silvesterchläuse (New Year’s Mummers) in Urnäsch, canton Appenzell Outer Rhodes, parade from house to house, they can be heard ringing and jingling from far away. Peter Preisig makes these traditional hand-made bells. He is one of the few remaining bell makers in Switzerland. (SRF/swissinfo.ch)
---
swissinfo.ch is the international branch of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). Its role is to report on Switzerland and to provide a Swiss perspective on international events.
For more articles, interviews and videos visit swissinfo.ch or subscribe to our YouTube channel:
Website:
Channel:
Subscribe: