Overview
The Gütel (sg., pl.; ) is a variant of and synonym for the Kobold in German folklore. Originating in the Middle High German term gütel, güttel (= little god) signifying an idol, the name was later connected with the adjective gut = good. The Gütel is first attested in 1507 as Güttgen, denoting a hunchbacked Kobold. Georgius Agricola mentions them as Saxon mining sprites in the Latinized form gutelos (acc. pl. masc.) based on which they entered Swiss literature as Guteli or Gueteli. Other early sources from the 16th or 17th century call them Gütelen or Güttichen. Another name from the Vogtland and the Ore Mountains is Heugütel (hay Gütel), in dialect variously given as Heigidl, Heigidle, Heigitel, Hagitel, and Haagitel.
Identity, appearance and dwelling
The Gütel appear in the Vogtland and the Ore Mountains as domestic sprites or the souls or deceased children. For this reason newborn children have to be baptized soon so that they don't become Heugütel. Thus it is not surprising when the footprints left behind in ash by the Heugütel are like that of little children. In Lower Lusatia, the Gütel are Erdmännlein (sg., pl.; earth manikins), i.e. dwarves. In Halle (Saale) in Saxony-Anhalt, the newborn children are said to come from the Gütchenteich (Gütel pond) or the Gütchengrube (Gütel pit). The former relates the G.s to water sprites, as does the Gütgesbach (Gütel creek) near Bonn in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Activities
The Gütel usually is a good-natured, obliging, and child-friendly household spirit, while the rather malicious Jütel or Jüdel tends to torment domestic animals and children. The characteristics blend into each other, though. The connection between the Gütel and Jews is purely dialectal in its origin Seizures in particular are caused by the Gietel playing with the child. Women in childbirth are also in jeopardy. A gift of clothing also drives the usually half-naked benign Heugütel away, and with it also the blessing on the house. If somebody has already fallen ill, or if at night a loud, heavy plunge was heard which, according to belief in the Ore Mountains, is an omen of impending death, then the Gütgen is offered animals as sacrifice which it kills instead.
The offerings are as follows: a cock for a man, a sow for a woman, a goat for the person actually offering the animal, or hens for children. At night, the Jütel or Jüdel enters the stable and plays with the cows until they growl and harasses the horses until they wildly bite and kick around. Jüdel and Güttichen also like to tangle the manes of horses and hair of women. The resulting Polish plait is thus called Jüdenzopf (Jew plait) or Güttichen Zopf (Gütel plait). From this activity of knotting hair together, in Upper Saxony the Gütel is also known as Haargütel in Standard German and Hoorgitel in dialect. Both terms mean "hair Gütel".
In Saxony, a Jütel, Jüdchen or Mützchen (little cap (wearer)) is attested once to practice "aufhocken" (leaping upon a person's back and forcing them to carry the aufhocking spirit), tormenting lonesome travelers until they are faint, out of breath, and ill due to that experience. This Hockelmännchen (aufhocking manikin) appears in the woods.
Literature
* Bächtold-Stäubli: Krampf. In: Hanns Bächtold-Stäubli, Eduard Hoffmann-Krayer: Handwörterbuch des Deutschen Aberglaubens: Band 5 Knoblauch-Matthias. Berlin 1933. (reprint: Walter de Gruyter, Berlin/New York 2000, ) * Burren: Gütel, Gütchen; Jütel, Jüdel. In: Hanns Bächtold-Stäubli, Eduard Hoffmann-Krayer: Handwörterbuch des Deutschen Aberglaubens: Band 3 Freen-Hexenschuss. Berlin 1931. (reprint: Walter de Gruyter, Berlin/New York 2000, ) * Burren: Haargütel. In: Hanns Bächtold-Stäubli, Eduard Hoffmann-Krayer: Handwörterbuch des Deutschen Aberglaubens: Band 3 Freen-Hexenschuss. Berlin 1931. (reprint: Walter de Gruyter, Berlin/New York 2000, ) * Burren: Heugütel. In: Hanns Bächtold-Stäubli, Eduard Hoffmann-Krayer: Handwörterbuch des Deutschen Aberglaubens: Band 3 Freen-Hexenschuss. Berlin 1931. (reprint: Walter de Gruyter, Berlin/New York 2000, ) * Burren: Jüdel.
In: Hanns Bächtold-Stäubli, Eduard Hoffmann-Krayer: Handwörterbuch des Deutschen Aberglaubens: Band 4 Hieb- und stichfest-Knistern. Berlin 1932. (reprint: Walter de Gruyter, Berlin/New York 2000, ) * Jungbauer: Kleid. In: Hanns Bächtold-Stäubli, Eduard Hoffmann-Krayer: Handwörterbuch des Deutschen Aberglaubens: Band 4 Hieb- und stichfest-Knistern. Berlin 1932. (reprint: Walter de Gruyter, Berlin/New York 2000, ) * Jungwirth: Kobold. In: Hanns Bächtold-Stäubli, Eduard Hoffmann-Krayer: Handwörterbuch des Deutschen Aberglaubens: Band 5 Knoblauch-Matthias. Berlin 1933. (reprint: Walter de Gruyter, Berlin/New York 2000, ) * Mengis: schwarz. In: Hanns Bächtold-Stäubli, Eduard Hoffmann-Krayer: Handwörterbuch des Deutschen Aberglaubens: Band 7 Pflügen-Signatur. Berlin 1936. (reprint: Walter de Gruyter, Berlin/New York 2000, ) * Ranke: Irrlicht.
In: Hanns Bächtold-Stäubli, Eduard Hoffmann-Krayer: Handwörterbuch des Deutschen Aberglaubens: Band 4 Hieb- und stichfest-Knistern. Berlin 1932. (reprint: Walter de Gruyter, Berlin/New York 2000, ) * von Geramb: Ofen. In: Hanns Bächtold-Stäubli, Eduard Hoffmann-Krayer: Handwörterbuch des Deutschen Aberglaubens: Band 6 Mauer-Pflugbrot. Berlin 1935. (reprint: Walter de Gruyter, Berlin/New York 2000, )