The Ogre Fountain

This is one of Berne’s most famous fountains, known in English as the Ogre Fountain. Its name in German is quite a mouthful, but it translates to the Fountain of the Child-Eater. Lovely, right? One look at the statue and you’ll understand why. It shows a terrifying ogre devouring a naked child, while others peek out of the bag slung over his shoulder or dangle from his belt, clearly next in line. This fountain has sparked controversy, not because it might scare kids, but because of the many interpretations that surround it, one of which is deeply antisemitic. If you look closely at the ogre’s hat, you’ll notice it resembles the Judenhut, a pointed hat that Jewish people were forced to wear in the Middle Ages as a way to mark them out. Over time, this hat became a symbol of discrimination. By the 15th century, when this fountain was built, anti-Semitic myths had been circulating in Europe for over a century. These stories claimed that Jews kidnapped and murdered Christian children, drank their blood during rituals, or used them in dark prophecies. These accusations were obviously entirely false, but the idea that this fountain may have been inspired by such hateful rumors is disturbing. Others believe the figure is actually a Krampus, the Alpine folklore creature that punishes naughty children at Christmas, kind of like a demonic Santa Claus. Either way, it’s not exactly cheerful. Around the base of the pillar, you’ll see a group of bears, holding weapons, joined by a flutist and a drummer, as if gearing up for battle. This unsettling fountain even inspired a novel, The Ogre by Jacques Chessex, which won France’s prestigious literature prize, the Prix Goncourt, in 1973 and was later adapted into a film.