Kindlifresserbrunnen (Child Eater Fountain), Bern

The Child Eater Fountain (Kindlifresserbrunnen) stands in the Granary Place in Bern and is one of the city's notable 16th-century fountains. Created between 1545 and 1546 by Hans Gieng, it replaced an earlier wooden fountain from the 15th century. Initially called Plaza Fountain, the current name, Child Eater Fountain, was first used in 1666. In Swiss German, "Kindli" is a diminutive form of "Kind," meaning child, and thus the name translates to "Fountain of the Eater of Little Children."

The fountain's sculpture depicts a seated ogre, devouring a naked child with a sack of other children by his side. The ogre is adorned with a pointed hat resembling a Jewish one, leading to speculation that the figure could represent a Jew as part of an antisemitic blood libel. Other theories suggest it portrays the beast-like Krampus from Alpine folklore, who punishes misbehaving children, or the Greek Titan Cronus, who devoured his offspring.

An additional theory is that the ogre symbolizes an enemy threatening the Old Swiss Confederacy's eight cantons, represented by the eight children. This interpretation aligns with the fountain's base, which displays a frieze of armed bears, possibly designed by Hans Rudolf Manuel Deutsch, marching to war.

Despite these various interpretations, the true origin remains uncertain. The fountain might simply represent a carnival figure intended to frighten unruly children during Fastnacht, Switzerland's "Night of Fasting" festival. Regardless of its original purpose, the Child Eater Fountain has intrigued and terrified generations for almost 500 years. The fountain also features prominently in Jacques Chessex's novel L'Ogre (The Ogre).

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Sight Name: Kindlifresserbrunnen (Child Eater Fountain)
Sight Location: Bern, Switzerland (See walking tours in Bern)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

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