Petermännchen ('; ) is a small good-natured

household spirit A household deity is a deity or spirit that protects the home, looking after the entire household or certain key members. It has been a common belief in paganism as well as in folklore across many parts of the world. Household deities fit int ...

who is said to live in the Schwerin Palace in

Schwerin Schwerin (; Mecklenburgisch-Vorpommersch dialect, Mecklenburgisch-Vorpommersch Low German: ''Swerin''; Polabian language, Polabian: ''Zwierzyn''; Latin: ''Suerina'', ''Suerinum'') is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Germ ...

Mecklenburg Mecklenburg (; ) is a historical region in northern Germany comprising the western and larger part of the federal-state Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The largest cities of the region are Rostock, Schwerin, Neubrandenburg, Wismar and Güstrow. ...

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

. The diminutive spirit, maybe only a few feet tall, is often described as carrying many keys, roaming through the vaults and tunnels underneath the castle, unlocking doors as he goes. Other descriptions of Petermännchen have him carrying a lantern and a sword or dagger. He is also said to be the keeper and watchman of the castle, rewarding those who are honest and good. Conversely the spirit will punish or drive away thieves and intruders. To do so Petermännchen will cause a nuisance or play pranks. The spirit is said to make crashing and banging noises at night. Petermännchen is also said to have woken soldiers who fell asleep on their night-watch in order to save them from being punished. Legend further has it that when

Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, which states that Jesus in Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God (Christianity), Son of God and Resurrection of Jesus, rose from the dead after his Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion, whose ...

first came to the Schwerin area, a pagan god, who was worshiped at the site of the present Schwerin castle, fled leaving his servants, the spirits. Eventually these spirits also departed, except for one: Petermännchen, who would not leave his post. Other legends surrounding the ghost have him once working in the tunnels as a

blacksmith A blacksmith is a metalsmith who creates objects primarily from wrought iron or steel, but sometimes from #Other metals, other metals, by forging the metal, using tools to hammer, bend, and cut (cf. tinsmith). Blacksmiths produce objects such ...

. Petermännchen has been described as appearing in numerous forms over the years, sometimes as an old man with a white, flowing beard extended down to his waist. On another occasions Petermännchen would have a

cavalier The term ''Cavalier'' () was first used by Roundheads as a term of abuse for the wealthier royalist supporters of Charles I of England and his son Charles II of England, Charles II during the English Civil War, the Interregnum (England), Int ...

look with a stylish moustache, wearing a waistcoat, riding boots with spurs and a feathered hat.

References

External links

Haunted Castle - Little Peter
{{DEFAULTSORT:Petermannchen Kobolds German ghosts Medieval European legendary creatures Schwerin Household deities Fictional smiths