Is Krampus taught to kids as a real being, in the same way that they are taught that Santa Claus/Father Christmas/Whatever is a real thing (which they then figure out later is a myth)? Or is he taught simply as a fairy tale, like the Boogey Man (or the cultural equivalent)?
Norway doesn’t have the Krampus tradition, but I’m just sneaking in a: Not every country with a Santa tradition goes to the effort of the US in maintaining children’s belief in a ‘real’ Santa.
Of course not, but some do. Here is a German woman describing her family going to great lengths to get her to enjoy the legend of the Weihnachtsmann, obviously taught to her as a real being as a child. I’m going to postulate that her experience wasn’t particularly unique among culturally Christian German kids of the middle 1990’s.
Wait a minute. Are you saying Santa Claus isn’t real? 
There’s not much effort outside of Hallmark channel Christmas specials. It’s a lazy “fun” tradition for most people.
Krampus! Ahh ahh ahh aaahhhh!
Fighter of the Weihnachstmann! Ahh ahh ahhhhh ahhhhhhh!
As someone who grew up not in a Krampus culture but with the more benign northern German Knecht Ruprecht sidekick to the Weihnachtsmann, my recollection was that the Weihnachtsmann and Knecht Ruprecht operated under suspension of disbelief - true if not factual. That‘s how folklore and myths operate.
‘True if not factual.’ (licks pencil and writes that down)
Is your real name Kellyanne Conway? 