Beboki

Creatures from Silesian demonology

Beboki are creatures from Silesian demonology whose primary role was to frighten children into being polite. In the world of folk belief, a bebok was a fearsome being, but according to Grzegorz Chudy – a Silesian watercolourist and the artist behind the depictions of beboki widely recognisable throughout Katowice – this is just a pretence. Beboki only pretend to be scary so that people would leave them alone.

Bebok | Illustration by Grzegorz Chudy

Creatures from Silesian demonology

Bebok | Illustration by Grzegorz Chudy

Are you afraid of bebok?

Katowice is a city where you can meet beboki in less and less surprising places. Thanks to the figurines designed by Grzegorz Chudy, institutions and urban spaces are gaining a unique character. As people are no longer afraid of beboki and become accustomed to them in their surroundings, they also cease to hide and come out into the city.

Beboki | Photo by Jakub Dyl/WKATOWICACH.eu

50 unique bebok figurines

To date, almost 50 unique bebok figurines associated with particular places, buildings, and public and private institutions have been made, and the demand for more shows that this is certainly not the final number. Each bebok also has its own unique character, costume, attributes, and name – in some cases chosen by the city residents themselves.

Bebok | Photo by Jakub Dyl/WKATOWICACH.eu