Feldgeister


Feldgeister or Korndämonen are corn spirits from German folklore. Feldgeister often are also wind spirits causing lightning and rain.
Numerous Feldgeister are known in German folklore, some shaped as animals, some in human form. The last grain heads and tree fruits are often left at their place as a sacrifice for the agricultural spirits. During harvest season Feldgeister flee deeper into the fields to escape the mowers. With the last cornstalks the corn spirit becomes trapped. Either it is killed by cutting the grain heads, threshing the corn or it is brought to the village in a ceremonial manner, shaped as a corn doll. Direct contact to the Feldgeist causes illness.

Animal ''Feldgeister''

Carnivores

''Roggenwolf''

The Roggenwolf, Getreidewolf or Kornwolf is a field spirit shaped as a wolf. The Roggenwolf steals children and feeds on them.
Other names are Gerstenwolf, Haferwolf, Erbsenwolf, Kartoffelwolf, Graswolf and Pflaumenwolf.
Sometimes the Roggenwolf is equated with the werewolf.

''Erbsenbär''

The Erbsenbär or Roggenbär is a field spirit shaped as a bear.

''Kornhund ''

The Kornhund is a dog-shaped wind spirit feeding on flour.
Other names are Roggenhund, Heupudel, Schotenhund, Scheunbetze, Dreschhund, Weizenbeller or Kornmops
The Kiddelhunde look for children to tickle them to death.

''Kornkatze'' and ''Kornkater''

There are several cat-shaped field spirits. The Kornkatze, Wetterkatze, Heukatze or Windkatze is a female cat spirit.
The male equivalent of the Kornkatze is the Kornkater Murrkater or Bullkater who steals children looking for cornflowers.

Hoofed animals

''Scheunesel''

The Scheunesel or Baumesel is a corn spirit shaped as a donkey.

''Roggensau'' and ''Korneber''

There are also pig corn demons. One such pig is the Roggensau. The Roggensau steals human children or perches itself on a hiker's back. Other names are Windsau, Kleesau, Kornsau, Aumsau or îserne Range.
The Korneber is a male pig-shaped field spirit.

''Kornstier'', ''Märzenkalb'' and ''Kornkuh''

The Kornstier is a cattle-shaped corn spirit. At Christmas the bull fertilizes the fruit tree. In spring the Kornstier is called Aprilochse or Maiochse.
Another cattle-shaped spirit present in the fields in springtime is the Märzenkalb or Märzkalb.
Additionally, a cow is also present called the Kornkuh or Kornmockel

''Haferbock '' and ''Habergeiß''

The Haferbock or Erntebock is a he-goat spirit. This Feldgeist is also known as Austbock, Halmbock, Erbsenbock, Kornbock, Roggenbock, Arftenbuck, Bohnenbock, Nickelbock Haberbock, Grasbock, Heubock or Baumbock. At Christmas the buck fertilizes the fruit tree.
The female equivalent of the Haferbock is the Habergeiß, also known as Korngeiß, Weizengeiß Roggengeiß, Hobagoaß or Heugeiß. The Habergeiß is sometimes said to have only three legs. It is sometimes also described as a three-footed bird, as a yellow bird with goat voice, as half a goat and half a bird, as a goat with horse feet and a mouth like a half-opened scutcher or as a young chamois with wings. The cry of the Habergeiß pronounces springtime as well as bad luck. Someone who imitates the cry of the Habergeiß will get punishment. The Habergeiß hunts, scratches or even eats the meddlesome one. If not, it wil hang itself as a bloody coat at the crier's door. This corn demon also slaps people looking out of the window at night or takes part in the wild hunt, is also the mount of the devil. In heavy thunderstorm the Habergeiß bring cut grain from one field to another foreign field. The appearance of the Habergeiß causes bad luck. The corn will spoil, the cows will lose weight, give no milk and felt. When the cry of the Habergeiß is heard in autumn this means a long winter and lack of hay.
Both Haferbock and Habergeiß steal, hit or kill children.

Birds

''Weizenvogel''

A corn spirit shaped as a bird is the Weizenvogel or Rätschvogel.

''Getreidehahn'' and ''Erntehenne''

The Getreidehahn or Troadhân is a rooster-shaped corn demon who sits in corn field and waits for children to peck out their eyes. Other names are Arnhahn, Erntehahn, Bauthahn, Herbsthahn Schnitthahn, Stoppelhahn, Kornhahn or Saathahn.
The female equivalent of the Getreidehahn is the Erntehenne or Aarhenne.

Others

Other corn spirits are shaped as rabbits, deers or roe deers and also as sheep, horses, foxes, mouses, geese, storks, swans, dragons or toads.

Therioanthropomorphic ''Feldgeister''

Some Feldgeister show mixed animal and human features. One example is the Katzenmann who shares feline and human features. The Bockmann or Bockelmann instead is a human-goat hybrid who steals children. He is also known as Bockkêrl or Bockemâ.

Anthropomorphic ''Feldgeister''

''Roggenmuhme''

The Roggenmuhme is a female corn demon with fiery fingers. Her bosoms are filled with tar, and may end in tips of igneous iron. Her bosoms are also long, and as such must be thrown over her shoulders when she runs. The Roggenmuhme is completely black or white, and in her hand she has a birch or whip from which lightning sparks. She can change herself into different animals; such as snakes, turtles, frogs and others.
The Roggenmuhme is well known for stealing human children which are looking for cornflowers. The Roggenmuhme is also known to replace children with changelings. She forces children to suck at her deadly bosom, and may strike the children with her bosom. The Roggenmuhme also chases children at speeds simultaneous to a running horse. She blows the eyelight of children out, and pounds children in her iron butter churn. The Roggenmuhme is said to be the mother of the Roggenwölfe and can, herself, also be in the form of a wolf. Sometimes the Roggenmuhme is accompanied by little dogs who lead children into her iron hug.
The Roggenmuhme walks through the corn field looking for food. She eats the grain, either all or just the very towering spikes. When the corn is bad or dried up, the Roggenmuhme punishes the farmer. A Roggenmuhme striding the fields is an indicator of a good harvest. The Roggenmuhme is also known to pester the maidservants who were not fully spinning their distaffs until Twelfth Night.
Other names for the Roggenmuhme are Roggenmutter, Regenmöhme, Kornwyf, Kornmutter, Kornfrau, Kornmuhme, Kornweib, Roggenmöhme, Preinscheuhe, Tremsemutter, Rockenmör, Kornengel, Weizenmutter, Gerstenmutter, Flachsmutter, Erbsenmuhme, Großmutter wilde Frau, Weizenmuhme, Gerstenmuhme, Tittewîf, Buttermuhme, Erntemutter, die Alte, Heimmutter, große Mutter, alte Hure, große Hure. and Haferfrau.
Kornmaid, Getreidemagd, die Magd, Kornjungfer, Haferbraut, die Braut and Weizenbraut are younger Roggenmuhmen.

''Hafermann''

The Hafermann is a male corn demon who steals children. He throws an iron shillelagh. Wearing a big black hat and having a giant stick in his hand, the Hafermann waits for passants to kidnap them through the air.
Other names for the Hafermann are Getreidemann, der Alte, Heidemann, Heidemänneken, Kornjude, who is said to be Jewish, Kornmann, der schwarze Mann, der wilde Mann, Grummetkerl, Getreidemännchen, Kleemännchen, Grasteufel, Roggenmann, Weizenmann, Gerstenmann, Erntemann, Schewekerl, de grîse mann or Erdäpfelmann.
A creature of similar name if not identical is the Heidmann. This ghost looks at night through the windows of a house and the person he looks at must die in year and day.
Der böse Sämann, another male corn demon, can be cast out by going over the fields with burning wisps of straw at the first day of fasting period. It is said that the Säemann is the owner of the Saathahn, a bird which is associated with seed. The Saathahn is to be gathered by going out on the fields with a bag full of green shrubbery.
The Haferbräutigam is a younger Hafermann.

''Kornkind''

The Kornkind or Ährenkind is a corn spirit shaped as a child. It is identical with the fruit of the field which is "born" by harvest. Other names for the Kornkind are das Kind, Erntekind, Hôrputtel, Hôrkind and Hurenbalg and Reppekindchen.

''Haferkönig'' and ''Haferkönigin''

The Haferkönig and Haferkönigin are the rulers of all field spirits. Other names are Kong, Lattichkönig and Maigraf.

''Bilwis''

The Bilwis is a male or female corn spirit of sometimes demonic or sometimes human origin. It has flying hair, is wrapped in white linen and wears a little triangular hat. The Bilwis rolls through the corn shaped as a destructive giant ball or appears as a whirlwind to steal grain during harvest season. Both can be repelled by throwing a knife with three crosses on its blade on the Bilwis, shouting: "Da hast du es, Bilbze!".
Sorcerers acting as Bilwis and helpful methods against them are described by Ludwig Bechstein:
"Even today, and this is popular belief, there are also such Bilsenschnitter, that are people, going out to the fields very early at the days of Himmelfahrt, St John's Eve or Trinity Sunday, barefooted, a little sickle-shaped knife bond to the big toe of the right foot. They step through the seed and cut a line with the knife through it. At the time of harvest and threshing the tenth part of the fruit of such a field must bestow on the Bilsenschnitter. However, the business is associated with great danger. Will the Bilsenschnitter be called by someone or will be shot over him with a shotgun, then he has to die in the same year. When he notices and addresses the arrival earlier, the fate of death comes upon the other. Most farmers try to save themselves against the damage threatening their fields in such a way by plowing and sowing the field from outside first, because in grain cultivated in such a way no Bilsenschnitter can break in. When threshing the grain which was cut, the Bilsenschnitter comes, giving good words, that something in the farmstead may be borrowed him, which must not happen. For revenge at the Bilsenschnitter, twigs of juniper are added during threshing of the tithed grain. Every beat with the flair then strikes the Bilsenschnitter until he comes running at the end and requests, for all in the world, threshing may be created in another manner."

Additionally, Bilwisse also can be punished by hanging some of the grain heads, which are cut by a Bilwis,into the chimney. The Bilwis will dry out as the grain heads will do, becoming a mummy alive, finally dying woefully.
The Bilwisschnitt can also be done by riding on a billy goat, then called a Bocksschnitt.
A Bilwis also muddles hair and beard, causes illness and nightmares.
Non-human Bilwisse live in mountains and trees.
Other names for the Bilwis are Bil-wiss, Bilbze, Bilbsenschnitter, Bilsenschnitter, Binsenschnitter, Belwit, Belewitte, Pilwis, Pilbis, Bilverschnitter, Bilmes, Bilgenschneider and Bilwiss.

''Windsbraut''

The Windsbraut is an spirit of the whirlwind.
Windsbräute are stealing the earnings of fieldwork. They can be disarmed by throwing a knife into the whirlwind. A Windsbraut is unable to remove the knife by own power and therefore needs the help of the knife's owner.
A Windsbraut is not always a demon but also can be a sorcerer or sorceress.
Other names for Windsbraut are Windschbrauß, Windbrauss, Windsprauch, Windgelle, Windschbrach, Windgäsperl and Windgäspele.

Literature