#klaasohm

Eliot Schrefer,

When most of the tourists have left Borkum in December, the islanders are among themselves.

Then they celebrate their "most important holiday": Klaasohm.

Foreigners and the press are not welcome on this day. They want to stay among themselves.

On the evening of December 5th, costumed men, accompanied by so-called "catchers", roam the island. They hunt women and hit them on the bottom with cow horns. On the island, it is said that the custom goes back to an old whaling tradition. There is drinking and exuberant celebration.

But not everyone wants to endure the violent part of the festival, the beatings, any longer. Borkum residents report anonymously about pain, bruises and humiliating situations.

A former Klaasohm says he was in a frenzy. He hit hard. Today he is critical of his participation and the custom itself.

He also remains anonymous.

Because none of them dares to openly express criticism. STRG_F about a brutal tradition and the silence of an island.

Thank you!

I’ve stumbled upon some mentions of Ameland on twitter but wasn’t sure if the islands just got mixed because they, too, interfered with journalists trying to investigate!

Small closed-off communities separated from the mainland is no joke I see.

Here the video if anyone else is interested