Katzenveit

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The Katzenveit is a little known German legendary figure . It should be a nature spirit or Schrat , similar to the Rübezahl .

description

The Katzenveit is described as a shapeshifter who always hides his true appearance. In most anecdotes, it appears elegant or unobtrusive, or it takes on a form that the victim perceives as familiar. The character of Katzenveits is portrayed as ambivalent: on the one hand he scares unsuspecting hikers with various ghostly phenomena , on the other hand he plays tricks on dishonest people as punishment.

Origins and Legends

Occur

The Legend of lives it in Kohlberg south of the historic Zwickau (after incorporations today in the city area between Zwickau- Niederplanitz and Zwickau- Cainsdorf ). The Katzenveit is said to come from the Vogtland southwest of Zwickau ( Saxony ). Currently, however, the Vogtland border is located around 9 km further west, near Neumark in the Vogtlandkreis .

Say to the origin

Local legends say that in 1479 a hunter tried to shoot a fox . But the animal fled into the Kohlberg cave and when the hunter shot the fox again, he hit a "bottomless" pit that has been glowing tirelessly and "spewing fire" ever since. The original identity of the Katzenveits, however, is not explained in detail. Only later did the legend arise about a greedy and deceitful governor from Hesse , who was referred to as "Katten- Vogt " because of his origins . When the Vogt died, his restless spirit remained until a magician and “devil catcher” banished the spirit to the Kohlberg. That displeased the spirit very much because the mountain was "too heavy" for him and since that day he has been supposed to go around the area and occasionally make the mountain tremble and spit fire.

Anecdotes

The cats Veit to play dishonest people as punishment pranks: a fraudulent spectacle traders and peddlers named Matz Flederwisch he outwitted by transforming the inferior and overpriced spectacles in all kinds of string work. As a souvenir, Katzenveit leaves a miniature gallows . In another anecdote , Katzenveit sets a trap for a stingy farmer: the farmer tries his hand at being an illegal beekeeper who hoards beehives. The Katzenveit turns into an owl, hides in a beehive that is ready to be harvested and pelts the farmer with feces . While trying to chase the Katzenveit, the farmer breaks both legs and loses all of his bees. A third story tells of an incorrigible drunkard who decorates his home at Pentecost with unauthorized birch branches . When his buddies visit him and the group drinks and celebrates, Katzenveit lures the drunkards out of the hut with all sorts of animal noises, then he turns the bunches of birch branches into pretty girls. When the men want to hook up with the supposed girls, they show their true form as one-eyed devils. Then they force the men to dance until the entire group passes out on the floor. In a fourth and little-known story, Katzenveit punishes a greedy botanist who looks for rarities in the area and then sells them for dearly. The Katzenveit leads the collector to collect partly useless, partly poisonous herbs with promising names (including “ centaury ”, “ silver leaf ” and “ pennywort ”) and to develop severe allergic symptoms. In addition, most of the "rarities" turn out to be worthless weeds and the botanist is laughed at for his faux pas .

Another anecdote has striking similarities to the legend of the Pied Piper on: The Cats Veit appears in Tripstrille in Zwickau and gives himself as an experienced exterminator from. The city promised him a few thalers as a reward, but refused to pay after all the rats and mice had actually been driven out of the city. The Katzenveit returns soon afterwards, calls all the cats from Tripstrille and leads them out of town. Since then there are no more cats in this place.

backgrounds

In addition to his nature as a shapeshifter, Katzenveit shows great similarities with Rübezahl: both legendary figures go back to mining spirits, which medieval mine and coal mine workers already knew about. The habit of playing tricks on disapproving people as punishment and instruction is also common to both characters.

literature

  • Johann Georg Theodor Grasse: Treasure trove of the Kingdom of Saxony (fairy tales of the world) . CH Beck, Munich 2012, ISBN 9783849602949 , pp. 86-91.
  • Johann August Ernst Köhler: Book of legends of the Erzgebirge (Johann August Ernst Köhler) (Literary Thought Edition) . epubli, Berlin 2016, ISBN 9783741861376 , pp. 219-224.
  • Dr. Frank Löser: Legends and stories from the upper Flöhatal in the Ore Mountains: Pfaffroda - Neuhausen - Olbernhau - Seiffen . Rockstuhl, Bad Langensalza 2015, ISBN 9783867778275 , pp. 19-20.