Luxembourg Myths: Kropemann

Despite its compact size, Luxembourg has its fair share of fables, folktales, myths and legends, from a mermaid and a wild woman to a wolfman and an underwater bogeyman.

In this series of articles, Chronicle.lu will be delving into some of these tales and their lasting impact in Luxembourg.

Next up is the “Kropemann” (literal translation: “hook man”), who could be described as Luxembourg’s very own legendary bogeyman.

According to early versions of the myth, this dark and devious figure lived in the Attert river near Redange in western Luxembourg. Depicted as a small man wearing tattered clothes and a shaggy beard, his skin was believed to be covered in algae and other underwater plants. He always carried a long pole with a hook (“Kropestang”), which he used this to drag his young victims into watery depths.

This cautionary tale is thought to have helped prevent children from getting too close to the river and other water sources. One of the best-known accounts of this nasty underwater bogeyman is Willy Goergen’s poem “De Kropemann”.

The mythical figure remains the symbol of his “home” municipality, Redange-sur-Attert, where brave visitors can check out Belgian sculptor Jef Claerhot’s Kropemann fountain (if they dare). The municipality even has a monthly newsletter called “Kropemann Info”.