Polish Christmas Traditions, The Puppet Crib

A unique phenomenon is the Polish puppet crib. It is the only one to contain not only Nativity-play characters but also a stage where puppets give a performance which blends classical motifs of the Nativity with purely secular satirical motifs pertaining to manners. Crib performances were assumed at the beginning of the l8th century by friars who introduced movable puppets to the crib put up in the church. Friars produced a number of funny scenic pieces by animating and giving their own voices to the puppets.

The city of Krakow, the former capital of Poland, where the art of crib-making has flourished and survived until this day and age, has been a notable exception. The great success of the Krakow crib could be partly attributed to its imitation of the city's ancient architecture. The beauty of the crib, the ingenuity of the text and the artistry of the puppets, all contributed to the its' triumph. The texts in their numerous local variants were continuously brought up to date through the introduction of current motifs and personages from the current social or political life. Through ridiculing various human imperfections they were an incessant source of fun for the audience.

In the 1920s Krakow lost its interest in puppet crib performances. To keep up the tradition, the town authorities organized a competition for the most beautiful Krakow crib. The first was held in the main city market at the foot of the monument to the great Polish poet Adam Mickiewicz, in December 1937. The contest has been held in the same place until this day. It gave birth to a new kind of the Krakow crib, known as contest crib. Its maker gives all his attention to architectural and aesthetic values of the building.

Polish Traditions