Comparative Analysis of Czech and German demonological legends of Bohemian Forest and Bavarian Forest

This bachelor's thesis focuses on a comparative analysis of historical demonological legends from the Bohemian Forest and the Bavarian Forest regions in both Czech and German languages, while also briefly addressing their continuities in the contemporary period. The thesis will focus on these research questions: What demonic beings are common in Bohemian Forest legends? Was there a specific guardian landscape spirit in the Bohemian Forest, similar to how a Rübezahl is associated with the Giant Mountains today? If such a guardian spirit existed, was it the only one, or did different areas in this region have their own? What about the German side of the Bohemian Forest - Bavarian Forest? What demonic beings appeared in the local legends there? Did this area also have a landscape spirit? Were there beings in the legends that were shared by both the Czech Bohemian Forest and the German Bavarian Forest? The thesis will also touch on the contemporary period, examining which demonic beings from historical legends are still part of cultural memory, both oral and written, on the Czech and German sides of the Bohemian Forest today. Have these beings changed significantly over time? Which legends are still told? Which demonic beings are featured in them? The core part of the thesis is based on written...