Saint Nicholas and Père Fouettard: An Ancient Tradition with a Strong Emphasis on Discipline

The figures of Saint Nicholas and Père Fouettard, very popular in certain Christian countries

The feast of Saint Nicholas, celebrated on December 6 in several regions of Europe—especially Lorraine, Alsace, Belgium, and the Netherlands—is a centuries-old tradition that blends joy, gifts, and… punishment. At its heart stands Saint Nicholas, protector of children, accompanied by his dark companion, Père Fouettard (Father Whipper). The latter, whip or martinet in hand, embodies the shadowy side of the celebration: the reprimand of naughty children. In this comprehensive article, we explore the history of these characters, with particular emphasis on the whipping of disobedient children and real or historical examples of the practice.

The Legend of Saint Nicholas (Grok)

Saint Nicholas, inspired by Nicholas of Myra, a 4th-century bishop in what is now Turkey, became the patron saint of children thanks to a famous legend. According to the story, three lost children knock on the door of an evil butcher. He invites them in, kills them, cuts them up, and salts them in a barrel to preserve the meat. Seven years later, Saint Nicholas passes by, asks for some salted meat, and miraculously resurrects the children by blessing the barrel. The children emerge unharmed, saying they had simply slept well. This tale, popularized by songs such as “Il était trois petits enfants qui s’en allaient glaner aux champs,” made Saint Nicholas a symbol of protection and generosity. On December 6, he distributes gifts and treats—speculoos biscuits, chocolate figures in his likeness—to good children, often accompanied by a donkey to carry the presents.

In French-speaking regions, Saint Nicholas arrives on the night of December 5–6, filling the shoes of well-behaved children. Traditions vary: in Belgium, people leave a carrot for the donkey and a glass of alcohol for the saint. But this kindness is always accompanied by a shadow: Père Fouettard, tasked with punishing the wicked.

The Origin of Père Fouettard

Père Fouettard, known by various names such as Hans Trapp in Alsace or Zwarte Piet in the Netherlands, has several legendary and historical origins. In one popular version, he is the butcher from the legend of the three children. As punishment for his crime, Saint Nicholas condemned him to accompany him forever, assigning him the task of disciplining naughty children. In this interpretation, Père Fouettard wears a large black coat, a hood, a shaggy beard, and often carries a sack to take away the bad children.

Another, more historical origin dates back to 1552, during the siege of Metz by the troops of Emperor Charles V. The city’s tanners created a dummy in the emperor’s likeness, armed with a whip, to mock him and boost the morale of the inhabitants. The effigy was paraded through the streets and then burned, giving rise to the figure of Père Fouettard in Lorraine.

In Alsace, Père Fouettard is inspired by a real historical figure: Hans von Trotha, a 15th-century knight. A giant over two meters tall and known for his cruelty, he was granted Berwartstein Castle in 1480 as a reward for his loyalty to the emperor. In conflict with local monks, he diverted a river, flooding their lands and causing famine and economic ruin. Excommunicated by the Pope, he died in 1503. After his death, legends turned him into a monster who plundered, killed, sold his soul to the devil, and even ate children. Thus he became Hans Trapp, the Alsatian Père Fouettard, terrorizing naughty children.

These multiple origins highlight Père Fouettard’s role as a bogeyman—an educational scarecrow meant to instill discipline.

The Role of Père Fouettard: The Whipping of Naughty Children

Père Fouettard is above all the executioner of the Saint Nicholas tradition. While the saint rewards the good, Fouettard punishes the bad. His emblematic tool? The whip, or more precisely the martinet—a bundle of thin branches or leather straps used for striking. He threatens to deliver blows to turbulent, lazy, or disobedient children. In some versions, he carries a sack to take the naughty ones away—to Spain or to drown them in the Black Sea.

The practice of whipping is central to the tradition. Père Fouettard “tests the degree of wisdom” of children and strikes those who have misbehaved. In Moselle or Alsace, he is depicted as an ogre armed and ready to “tan the hides” of rascals. In the Netherlands and Flemish Belgium, under the name Zwarte Piet, he carries a martinet to whip and a sack of treats… or coal for the bad ones. Historically, this figure was used to frighten children into good behavior, reflecting an era when corporal punishment was a standard part of education.

In modern parades, such as those in Nancy or Metz, Père Fouettard marches beside Saint Nicholas, brandishing his whip to simulate punishments, creating an atmosphere that is half joyful, half frightening. Yet the emphasis on whipping reminds us that the tradition is not merely festive—it is a moral tool in which fear of the martinet encourages virtue.

Real and Historical Examples of Whipping

Although whipping is primarily folkloric, it is rooted in real historical disciplinary practices. From the Middle Ages until the 19th century, corporal punishment was common in European education. Père Fouettard, as a symbol, reinforced this: parents and teachers invoked his name to threaten children and sometimes administered physical punishments in his name.

A concrete historical example comes from Hans von Trotha (Hans Trapp). Though he did not personally whip children, his acts of terror—such as causing famine by diverting a river—terrified entire populations, including families with children. Posthumous legends portrayed him as a child-eater, justifying his role as punisher. In Alsace during Saint Nicholas celebrations, actors playing Hans Trapp brandished whips or chains to scare the young, simulating whippings to “correct” them.

During the 1552 siege of Metz, the effigy of Charles V—ancestor of Père Fouettard—was armed with a whip and used to “chase young people” and threaten to tan their hides—a form of symbolic harassment that could turn physical amid the chaos of the siege.

In the 19th century, in schools and families in eastern France, Père Fouettard was invoked to justify real punishments. Oral testimonies report that teachers or parents, dressed as Fouettard, gave light strokes of the martinet to unruly children during Saint Nicholas visits, blending tradition with effective discipline. Although rare, modern incidents have been recorded: in 1999, in a school in Lorraine, an actor playing Père Fouettard frightened children by simulating (or slightly exceeding) whippings, leading to complaints of excess. These examples show how legend sometimes translated into real acts, though today they are softened by modern educational standards.

The Modern Evolution of the Tradition

Over time, the role of Père Fouettard has softened. In the Netherlands, Zwarte Piet has become a clownish assistant who distributes treats rather than blows. However, the figure remains controversial: his blackface makeup has sparked debates about racism, notably at the United Nations in 2013. In France, the tradition persists in the east, with parades in which whipping is purely theatrical.

Today, Père Fouettard symbolizes less physical punishment than the balance between good and evil, reminding us that actions have consequences.

Conclusion

Saint Nicholas and Père Fouettard form an iconic duo in which generosity walks hand in hand with discipline. By emphasizing whipping, the tradition reveals an ancient educational aspect rooted in legends and historical figures such as Hans von Trotha. Although real punishments are now limited to simulations or past practices, they illustrate how folklore once influenced daily life. This festival, rich in symbols, continues to enchant and frighten, perpetuating a unique cultural heritage.

Children Actually Whipped for Real (Grok)

In certain regions (especially Lorraine, Alsace, and northeastern France), children were genuinely whipped or received symbolic strokes of the martinet during Saint Nicholas and Père Fouettard visits as late as the 1980s and 1990s, and occasionally even in the very early 2000s. It was not universal, but it was common enough that many people born between 1950 and 1985 still have clear memories of it.

Testimonies and Concrete Practices from the Late 20th Century

1. In schools and parishes (roughly 1970–1985)
   • In many Catholic or public schools in Moselle, the Vosges, or Bas-Rhin, an actor (often a parent or catechist) dressed as Père Fouettard carried a real martinet or a “verge” (bundle of willow or birch twigs).
   • Children who had been reported as “naughty” during the year (by the teacher or priest) were called forward in front of everyone and received 1 to 3 symbolic strokes on the hands or buttocks (over clothing).
   • It was rarely very painful, but it stung and, above all, humiliated them in front of their peers. Many adults today recall: “I got the martinet from Père Fouettard in 1982 at Saint-Joseph school in Sarreguemines” or “in Saint-Dié in 1978.”
2. In parades and home visits (up to the mid-1990s)
   • In some villages in Lorraine or Alsace, Père Fouettard really accompanied Saint Nicholas into homes.
   • If parents had warned that a child had been “naughty,” Fouettard would take out his martinet and give a few light strokes on the buttocks or calves.
   • Common testimony: “In our house in the 1985–90 period, my father would say to Fouettard, ‘That one talked back—you can go ahead,’ and we’d get three strokes. It was ritualized, but it was real.”
3. The last traces (late 1990s–early 2000s)
   • In a few highly traditionalist villages (especially German-speaking Moselle or certain Vosges communes), the practice continued until around the year 2000, though increasingly contested.
   • From 1995–2000 onward, parental complaints and new laws on educational violence (1998 law banning corporal punishment in schools, followed by broader societal change) almost completely ended the real practice.
   • The last widely reported case occurred in 1999 in Saint-Nicolas-de-Port (near Nancy): an overzealous Père Fouettard gave strokes that were a little too hard to several children; parents filed complaints, and the town hall banned all physical contact thereafter.

In Summary

• Before 1985: yes, it was common, and the strokes were real (though usually symbolic and not very severe).
• 1985–1995: increasingly rare, but still occurred in very traditional areas.
• After 2000: virtually disappeared; the martinet became purely decorative, and Fouettard no longer touches anyone.

Today, if a child received even a single light stroke of the martinet during a Saint Nicholas celebration, it would immediately cause a scandal. But for the generation born before 1985 in eastern France, “getting the whip from Père Fouettard” remains a very real childhood memory.