Intangible cultural heritage

The Thomasnikolo tradition can be traced back to the first half of the 20^th century and has its roots in the Styrian and Lower Austrian Eisenwurzen region. It is believed that the practice was observed at that time in Gams near Hieflau, but, as in many other places, it was interrupted during the war years. In the early 1970s, physician Siegfried Moser revived the practice together with the Mandlbauer family, drawing mainly on stories shared by older villagers in local inns. Since then, the members of the Mandlbauer family have served as custodians of this practice, overseeing its organisation, preserving the costumes, assigning roles, and managing all related responsibilities. This includes joining forces with the ‘Kegla Krampus’ Group from Gams to form the full ensemble: the Holy Bishop Thomas, the White Thomas (bringer of light, dressed in white), the Sack Carrier (gift bearer), the Nikolo woman, the Elder, the Thomashutzn (masked figures), as well as red, black, and brown Krampuses with bells, chimes, and rods.

On 21^st December, the night of the winter solstice, the group processes from house to house. At each house he visits, St. Thomas introduces the individual figures and explains their significance before greeting the occupants. In his customary address, St. Thomas speaks to them, offering blessings and distributing small gifts and gift bags to children and adults alike. A similar ceremony then takes place before the gathered village community in the church square, where musical entertainment and culinary delights make the Thomasnikolo celebration a joyful occasion that strengthens the village spirit in the run-up to Christmas.

Since its revival, the excitement surrounding Thomasnikolo has never faded. By handing down the practice through the generations, the Mandlbauer family plays a vital role in its safeguarding, although anyone over the age of 16 is invited to help by joining in and keeping it alive. For the people of Gams and the entire region, the Thomasnikolo procession has become an integral part of the cultural calendar.

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• Application form (German only) 659 KB (pdf)
• Expertise Frank (German only) 2 MB (pdf)
• Expertise Otte (German only) 2 MB (pdf)