Hans Trapp: The Cannibal Christmas Scarecrow

Hans Trapp: The Cannibal Christmas Scarecrow

Somewhere in the borderlands between France and Germany a scarecrow waits by the road. We follow the threads of Hans Trapp, the “Christmas cannibal,” from his roots in the very real Hans von Trotha. A petty, powerful baron who feuded with an abbey and defied the Pope, to the folklore figure who haunts December nights with straw-stuffed sleeves and a sharpened stick. 

We unpack how a historical grudge spiraled into legend: dams built and shattered, towns flooded, papal letters ignored, and excommunication that turned authority into theater. Then we trace the folklore’s second life, as Hans Trapp becomes Saint Nick’s dark companion across Alsace. Santa offers sweets while the scarecrow tallies sins with sticks and chains. Along the way, we talk about why December carries so many shadow-creatures, how negative reinforcement outmuscles kind intentions.

If you love haunted history, European folklore, and the strange places where church politics meet campfire stories, this one’s for you.