st9fan

it's called "Krampus" - a local custom in tyrol, happening every year at the 6th of december (or a few weeks before). i don't know where it really comes from - certainly not a christian custom, though these guys are traditionally accompaniing St. Nikolaus (a saint, originally comming from turkey, now bring cookies and stuff for well behaving children).
in fact the krampus-custom is quite a brutal custom: every year there are dozens of injured at that particular day - especially in eastern tyrol (where i am originally from). it seems this custom serves as an outlet for supressed agressions - which has not really something to do with tradition - rather an indicator for frustration and sociologic habits gone wrong.

some more information from Wikipedia