There are a lot of weird things in Switzerland, but a statue in Bern is by far the weirdest thing you’ll ever see. It’s a statue of a man eating a sack of babies and it is often called Child Eater of Bern.
The Kindlifresser, or child eater, is one of the many fountains and sculptures that line the streets of Bern. But it’s undoubtedly one that lingers the longest in most minds. Dating back to the 16th century, the fountain is one of the city’s oldest monuments.
One of the theories behind the statue is that it represents the wicked brother of the founder of Bern, one Duke Berchtold. Berchtold’s brother was apparently quite the deranged man and couldn’t handle that his younger brother had more power than him. So, he is said to have sought revenge by rounding up the city’s children and eating them. Luckily for those prone to nightmares, this tall tale isn’t supported by any historical evidence.
The fountain sculpture depicts a seated ogre devouring a naked child. Placed at his side is a bag containing more children. Because the ogre is wearing a pointed hat resembling a Jewish one, it has been speculated about the possibility of the ogre being the depiction of a Jew as an expression of blood libel against Jews. Another theory is that the statue is the likeness of Krampus, the beast-like creature from the folklore of Alpine countries thought to punish children during the Christmas season who had misbehaved. According to other theories it is a depiction of the Greek god Cronus eating his children or the Roman Saturn eating the months, though Cronus should have six and Saturn twelve rather than the sculpture’s eight.
