Anklöpfeln (knocking on doors) in the Tyrolean Unterland
Social practices in Tyrol, inscribed 2011
„Anklöpfeln“ (dialect for “to knock”) is a practice cultivated in the Tyrolean lower Inn valley. Here, a group of mostly male singers dress up as shepherds and visit the neighbouring houses on the three Thursdays before Christmas (“knocking nights”).
The singers are invited into the homes and strike up several songs to herald the Christmas message of the birth of Jesus Christ. Often, these singers are accompanied by instrumentalists. As a way of thanking the singers, they are given a minimum of one drink, some Christmas biscuits or a snack. Sometimes money is given as well, which is collected by the society of "knockers" and spent on charity.
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- Application form (in German only) 37 KB (doc)
- Expertise Riedmann (in German only) 18 KB (doc)
- Expertise Nussbaumer (in German only) 676 KB (pdf)
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