On the North Sea island of Borkum, the controversial St. Nicholas custom “Klaasohm” is celebrated every year on December 5th. Disguised men beat women on the buttocks with cow horns, as the “Bild” newspaper reports.
Although the custom, which dates back to the 18th century, is mostly only attended by island residents, it has caused horror among the public for years. Women report oppressive situations, pain and fear of leaving the house that evening. “The crowd laughs at you, it’s shameful,” one affected person tells the “Bild” newspaper.
Another resident also described the night as traumatic: “In the evening the stage is set for a woman hunt. You just feel anxious because you know that it’s going to hurt like crazy soon.”
Although other islands have abolished similar customs, Borkum has stuck to them so far. Almost no one spoke about the problematic side of the tradition. Not least because of the organizers of the festival, the “Borkum Boys of 1830” association. According to NDR research, they are said to have called for people to remain silent about the custom. This NDR research also made recordings of the custom accessible with the help of hidden cameras – and caused horror.
After this documentation and the strong media response of the last few days, the organizer, the association “Borkumer Jungs e. V. 1830”, announced that the tradition would end. “We reject any form of violence and apologize for the actions of the past,” it said in a statement.
The custom dates back to whaler times, when men wanted to demonstrate their power after months of absence. Young, unmarried men dress up as Klaasohms and carry cow horns with them. In the evening they parade through the streets with great noise. Women who venture out of the house are caught and beaten with a cow horn.
By announcing that it will end the custom, the association is sending a clear signal against violence and for change on the island.
Have you been following on Whatsapp for 20 minutes?
A news overview in the morning and at the end of the day, surprising stories and breaking news: Subscribe to the 20 Minutes WhatsApp channel and you will receive regular updates with our best stories directly to your cell phone.
