Jägerbar

A Jägerbar (pronunciation: YAY-gər-bar; Germ. Jäger "hunter" + Bär "bear") is a bear-like Wesen seen in. Nick Burkhardt confronted a family of Jägerbars shortly after learning of his duties as a Grimm.

While Gilda Darner and Rocky are wrecking the Rabes' home after breaking in, they are interrupted and forced to flee when they are chased by an unknown creature. One grabs Rocky and drags him back through the bedroom window while Gilda escapes.

When Nick goes to the Rabe residence with Hank and uniformed officers to investigate Gilda's claims of being chased by monsters, Nick notices a claw-like weapon in a glass case. Frank Rabe and his wife, Diane Rabe are questioned about the break-in and Gilda's claims of Rocky being taken. Frank tells the detectives that no one should have been in the house that night, as Frank and Diane were out while their son, Barry, was with his friends Jason and T.B. Colbert. Nick returns the next day, and runs into Barry and his friends on motorbikes. When questioned about being at the house the night of Rocky's disappearance, Barry denies being there and briefly woges into his Jägerbar form.

When Nick goes to Monroe for information on Jägerbars, Monroe tells him of the Roh-hatz, a bloody rite of passage among young male Jägerbars revolving around the ceremonial hunting of one or more humans.

After the police leave, Barry and his friends are seen testing out a crudely dug spike pit with a dummy in the forest.

When Gilda makes bail, she drives to the Rabe residence with a gun and threatens Diane, demanding to have Rocky back. She is then tackled to the ground by a woged Barry. Diane tells her son he can use her during the Roh-hatz.

When Nick and Hank arrive, they try to talk to the Rabes about Gilda coming to their home armed. Frank is unaware of his son participating in a Roh-hatz, believing it to be a lost tradition from more barbaric times, and helps Nick find them before they kill Gilda and Rocky.

Frank and Nick find an old cave with clothes from the young Jägerbars and their victims, along with a fire. Frank woges and smells the clothing, catches their scent and leads Nick to them. Elsewhere, Gilda and Rocky run for their lives from Barry and the Colbert brothers, who are woged and wielding the traditional bear claw. Unknown to their victims, the young Jägerbars are chasing them into their spiked trap.

Frank and Nick then come in to intervene, stopping the trio from killing Gilda and Rocky. Diane then charges in from the bushes fully woged. Barry tries to warn his mother of the spike pit, but Diane falls in and is impaled. Afterwards, Barry, the Colbert brothers, Rocky and Gilda are all arrested while Diane is put into an ambulance.

Characteristics
Upon woge, Jägerbars grow brown fur over their face, head, arms, and shoulders, but not over their chest. Their features change, gaining bear like ears, a snout, and fangs. They also gain bear-like claws. They can roar and snarl like bears, suggesting their vocal cords change. They may be sexually dimorphic as Diane Rabe's Jägerbar form looked almost exactly as a regular bear, while Frank and Barry Rabe's Jägerbar forms were much more humanoid.

Physically Jägerbars are superhumanly strong and very fast, as one was easily able to overpower a grown man of similar build. However they are weaker than Grimms, as Nick was able to almost casually overpower two unarmed. They are also able to perform great leaps like actual bears. As well, they possess razor sharp bear like claws, which are able to leave big imprints in wood. They are good trackers and hunters, and possess an enhanced sense of smell, as Frank was able to track down his son purely by scent.

Behavior
In ancient times, Jägerbars practiced a brutal and savage ritual called the Roh-hatz to celebrate their young becoming adults. They would kidnap two humans, and hunt them like animals.

In the modern era, Jägerbars have found a more civilized role in society. They can easily live among humans, and are mostly civil and non-hostile. They can be found as lawyers, clerks, and the like. As such, their more barbaric practices, such as the Roh-Hatz, are rarely put into effect.

Jägerbars relationship with Grimms seems reasonably neutral. They neither greatly fear them, nor do they hate them. However, they are still wary of them, particularly if confronted by them.

Excerpt from Grimm Diaries
An entry in Marie Kessler's book reads thus:

"Jägerbars are bear-like creatures that date back to 900 AD. Jägerbars can live safely in society as long as they stay away from alcohol. Most Jägerbars are politicians and mortgage lenders.

''They use a rare Germanic weapon with a carved bear head and a claw-like scoop to disembowel their victims. This weapon is used during Roh-hatz, a coming-of-age celebration of a young Jägerbar from boy to man.'' "

Trivia

 * The Jägerbars seem to be inspired by Native American stereotypes, this is emphasized when Nick draws a totemic bear figure while having a dream about the Jägerbars. Although somewhat ironically they are not actually native to America, and originated in Germany.