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Image by Billy Huynh
Sylvia Rose

Wolpertinger - German Myths & Folklore

Updated: Jun 14

Wolpertinger (Wolperdinger, Woiperdinger) lives in the dark alpine forests and rolling hills of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. An elusive creature, it's a hybrid of several animals. Wolpertinger likes to scare people or make them lose their way.


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Wolpertinger has the head of a hare with fangs; body of a squirrel, antlers of a deer, wings and sometimes legs of a pheasant. Taxidermic or skeletal representatives of Wolpertinger are conversation pieces and novelties at beer halls and museums.


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Wolpertinger is a south German tradition but has equivalents in other locales. Gift shops carry stuffed toy versions and Wolpertinger souvenirs. Wolpertinger art made from an Albrecht Dürer painting, Young Hare, above, is a classic in prints and posters.



Illustration of Wolpertinger skeleton
Illustration of Wolpertinger skeleton

Wolpertinger relates to other hybrid mythological creatures such as

  • Rasselbock - Thuringian Forest in central Germany, a rabbit with antlers

  • Dilldapp - Alemannic region: southern Germany, Switzerland, Tyrol, Lichtenstein, Swabia

  • Elwedritsche - Palatinate region, a chicken-like creature with antlers

  • Skvader - Swedish cousin of Wolpertinger.

  • Raurakl - Austrian Wolpertinger

  • Jackalope - America esp Colorado, Wyoming & Nebraska, a jackrabbit with antlers

  • Al-Mi'raj - one-horned hare or unicorn rabbit in Arabian mythology. The sight of it causes enemies to flee in terror.




Wolpertinger and its relatives are among the more mild-mannered spirits of the German pantheon. The Hare is a canny trickster element. The Stag is a creature of Faerie. Those who try to follow Wolpertinger's trail get lost as if they've stepped on an Irrwurz.


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This prankster spirit can also fly up from the bushes like a pheasant, scaring passersby. It's quickly gone before they get a look at it. The sound of thumping, mumbling, snorting or a whistle could be signs of a Wolpertinger nearby.



Stuffed Taxidermic Wolpertinger
Stuffed Taxidermic Wolpertinger

Wolpertinger and relations such as Elwedritsche are also the imaginary targets of hunts. Much like the famous snipe hunt in 19th century America, a person is deceived into waiting for the "prey" to show up while his friends sneak back to the hunting lodge and have a beer.







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