Quick answer
The only publicly visitable Buttnmandllauf event is the Bundeswehr Gebirgsjäger procession on December 5, which departs the Strub barracks in Bischofswiesen at 14:00 and arrives at Berchtesgaden's Schlossplatz around 15:15. It's a free, daylight afternoon event, not an evening lantern procession. The other district customs (Loipl, Winkl, Maria Gern) are private house-visiting traditions closed to outside spectators.
- Best for
- Families and folklore-curious travelers already in Berchtesgadener Land for the region's landscape (Königssee, Obersalzberg, the Eagle's Nest) who want to add one afternoon of distinctive Alpine winter custom — not travelers making a special trip solely to see the Buttnmandllauf, since most of the tradition is not open to visitors.
- Booking urgency
- Free and unticketed — no booking required. Arrive at the Strub barracks by 13:30 for the Glühwein send-off, or claim a spot at Schlossplatz well before the roughly 15:15 arrival, since the crowd concentrates at those two points.
Straw- and fur-clad Buttnmandl figures clang cowbells through Berchtesgaden villages to chase off winter spirits before St. Nicholas.
Each December 5, soldiers of the Gebirgsjägerbataillon dress as straw- and fur-clad Buttnmandl — carved wooden masks, heavy waist-hung cowbells, and lighter-costumed Ganggerl/Kramperl companions — and process from the Strub barracks in Bischofswiesen into Berchtesgaden's Marktplatz and Schlossplatz on a fixed early-afternoon schedule, with St. Nicholas greeting children at the finish. This free, public Bundeswehr procession is the only Buttnmandllauf variant staged as a spectator event; the district house-visiting rounds in Loipl, Winkl, and Maria Gern are private Einkehrbrauch customs carried out door-to-door within the family circle, not public performances.
The full story
Every December 5, rain or shine, soldiers from the Gebirgsjägerbataillon at the Strub barracks in Bischofswiesen dress as Buttnmandl and lead Berchtesgaden's only publicly staged Nicholas procession. Spectators gather at the barracks gates from around 1:30 p.m. for Glühwein and Kinderpunsch before the costumed column — straw- and fur-clad Buttnmandl ringing waist-hung cowbells, lighter-costumed Ganggerl and Kramperl figures tapping onlookers with a switch, and St. Nicholas with a Nikoloweibl companion — departs at 2 p.m. and winds into town, arriving at Berchtesgaden's historic Marktplatz and Schlossplatz by around 3:15 p.m., where children receive small gifts. It's a daylight, early-afternoon event from start to finish, not an evening or lantern-lit one.
The custom itself predates Christianity, rooted in the three Rauhnächte of the Alpine winter-solstice calendar, when noise and disguise were used to drive off the darkest season's evil spirits. From around 1730, the tradition shifted from its original Christmas Eve timing into the Advent season in most Berchtesgadener Land villages, and by the early 1960s the Strub garrison had adopted its own version, run by soldiers to build ties between the military post and the surrounding community — a newer, specifically military layer grafted onto a far older village custom.
Everywhere else in Berchtesgadener Land, the Buttnmandllauf looks different: the Loipl, Winkl, and Maria Gern district runs are private, door-to-door Einkehrbrauch visits within the family circle, staged on their own moveable dates through Advent and on Christmas Eve, and are not intended for outside spectators. For visitors, the Strub procession is the one dependable way to see the tradition firsthand — regional press has described it as the next-biggest public event of its kind after Munich's Krampuslauf, on a smaller, more community-rooted scale. No food vendors operate along the route, so plan to follow the afternoon with dinner at a Berchtesgaden Gasthaus once the procession reaches Schlossplatz. See Upper Bavaria events for more Alpine winter traditions nearby.
History
A pre-Christian winter custom re-adapted into the Christian St. Nicholas tradition. The version staged for the public — the Strub barracks procession — is a distinct, more recent institution, established by the Gebirgsjägerbataillon in the early 1960s to link the military garrison with local Advent custom; the district variants remain private house-to-house customs by long-standing local right.
Eat & Drink Nearby
- Local specialty
- A winter procession tradition in Berchtesgaden — no documented food stalls, so plan to warm up with Glühwein or a meal at a local Gasthaus afterward.
- Pair it with
- A Berchtesgaden Gasthaus for a hearty meal after watching the procession.
- Itinerary fit
- The Strub barracks procession on December 5 runs in daylight, from a 13:30 Glühwein gathering to roughly 15:15 arrival at Schlossplatz — plan dinner around it rather than expecting festival food, since no food vendors operate along the route.
Frequently asked questions
- Is the Buttnmandllauf one event or several?
- It's a cluster of separate village customs held on different dates across Berchtesgadener Land, not a single event. The only one staged for the public is the Bundeswehr procession from the Strub barracks on December 5.
- Which Buttnmandllauf events can visitors actually watch?
- Only the Bundeswehr Gebirgsjäger procession on December 5 is open to the public. The Loipl, Winkl, and Maria Gern district runs are private house-visiting customs (Einkehrbrauch) conducted within the family circle and are not staged for outside spectators.
- What time does the Strub barracks procession happen?
- It's a daylight event: Glühwein and children's punch are served at the barracks from about 13:30, the procession departs at 14:00, and it arrives at Berchtesgaden's Schlossplatz around 15:15 for the gift-giving finale.
- Is there an entry fee?
- No. The Strub barracks procession is a free, unticketed public street event.
- What's the difference between a Buttnmandl and a Kramperl?
- The Buttnmandl is wrapped in straw (first-time participants) or fur (veterans), wears a carved wooden mask, and carries heavy cowbells at the waist; the lighter-costumed Ganggerl/Kramperl carries a switch used to tap onlookers' legs. Both accompany St. Nicholas and a Nikoloweibl/Engerl companion figure.
- Is there food or a market at the event?
- No public food-stall program exists at any Buttnmandl event; the only confirmed refreshment is Glühwein and Kinderpunsch served at the barracks before departure, so plan to have dinner at a Berchtesgaden Gasthaus afterward.
- Free entry