der Waldschrat

Noun (colloquial, sometimes humorous)

Literally: forest goblin

Pronunciation (for English speakers):

VALT-shraht

Meaning: an eccentric, reclusive person who lives in or is strongly associated with the forest (often described as shabby, wild-looking, and out of touch with modern society)

Example:

“Seit er in der Hütte im Wald lebt, gilt er als richtiger Waldschrat.”

“Since he’s been living in the cabin in the woods, people call him a real forest hermit.”

Fun Fact:

The word combines Wald (forest) and Schrat. In Germanic folklore, a Schrat was a woodland spirit, sometimes friendly, sometimes mischievous, and often linked with goblin- or dwarf-like figures in Middle High German texts. Over time, the mythical meaning faded. Today Waldschrat describes a person instead: someone who isolates themselves in the woods, appears unkempt, or seems out of touch with modern life. Depending on tone, it can be mocking, affectionate, or

humorous.

Related Words:

der Einsiedler – hermit

der Kauz – oddball, eccentric (literally “owl”)

weltfremd – unworldly, out of touch