Karl May
Karl Friedrich May was a prominent German writer, born on February 25, 1842, in Hohenstein-Ernstthal, Saxony. Blinded in infancy but regaining his sight, May grew up to have a tumultuous early life that included periods of imprisonment for theft and fraud. Despite these challenges, he became a prolific author, gaining fame for his Western novels and adventure stories that resonated with readers across Europe, particularly in Germany. His first Western, "Im fernen Westen," published in 1879, featured German characters triumphing over American frontiersmen and portrayed a sympathetic view of Native Americans.
Interestingly, May never visited the United States until 1908, yet his vivid descriptions created an impression of familiarity with the American frontier. His writing often reflected themes of spiritual enlightenment through personal challenges, and he was known to immerse himself in character while composing his works. Although his literary style received mixed critical reception, with some dismissing it as inaccurate, his storytelling and character development found favor among a wide audience, leading to significant sales. May's works continue to inspire adaptations and remain popular, with estimates suggesting over one hundred million copies sold. He passed away on March 30, 1912, but his legacy as Germany's most beloved novelist endures.
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Karl May
Author
- Born: February 25, 1842
- Birthplace: Hohenstein-Ernstthal, Saxony, Germany
- Died: March 30, 1912
- Place of death: Radebeul, Germany
Biography
Karl Friedrich May was born on February 25, 1842, at Hohenstein-Ernstthal, Saxony, Germany, to Heinrich August May, a weaver, and Christiane Wilhelmine Weise May, a midwife. Blinded by an infection during infancy, May envisioned the fantastical tales he heard his grandmother tell to entertain him. Regaining sight after surgery when he was five, May studied at local schools.
May was awarded a scholarship at age fourteen that enabled him to study in Waldenburg to prepare for a teaching career. Administrators kicked him out of the school in 1859, accusing him of stealing candles. Two years later, May secured his teaching certificate from a school in Plauen. After teaching briefly in Glauchau and Chemnitz, May stole a watch, was jailed for that crime, and denied future teaching positions. He was assigned to the prison library and, according to his account, wrote stores while he was incarcerated. Beginning in 1865, he spent nine years in prisons in Zwickau and Waldheim as punishment for committing fraud.
After his release, May decided to earn money by writing fiction. He worked for Heinrich Gotthold Münchmeyer, a publishing house in Dresden, and edited several periodicals from 1875 to 1877. May’s early works consisted mostly of short stories and serialized novels. After reading books by such writers as James Fenimore Cooper, George Catlin, and Friedrich Gerstäcker, May published his first Western novel set in the United States, Im fernen Westen, in 1879. In this book, he portrayed German characters prevailing over American frontiersmen and depicted the Germans as being considerate to persecuted Native Americans.
May married Emma Pollmer in 1880 and began focusing on his writing career. He set his stories in the American frontier and other places that were unfamiliar to most Europeans. Although May did not visit the United States until 1908, he described Western scenes and characters so vividly that readers believed he knew that region well. May often wrote while wearing costumes and pretending he was specific characters. He enjoyed financial success and fame, invested his royalty profits in Villa Old Shatterhand, and explored northern Africa, Asia, and the Middle East from 1898 to 1900.
May divorced his wife in 1903 so he could marry Klara Plöhn. Foes publicized May’s criminal record and denounced him as an imposter who had deceived his readers regarding his credentials and experiences. In response, he sued publishers and antagonists whom he believed had harmed his professional interests. Angered by character assaults, May emphasized how his books depicted people attaining spiritual enlightenment through challenges. He prepared an autobiography two years prior to his death on March 30, 1912, in Radebeul, Germany.
Although critics dismissed much of May’s writing as inaccurate, they admired his suspenseful plotting and intriguing descriptions and characterizations. Scholars recognize May’s cultural significance. Despite his literary weaknesses, May wrote books which appealed to both contemporary and modern readers of diverse ages and socioeconomic classes, especially in Germany. May’s novels also inspired film adaptations and fan clubs. Karl-May-Verlag, a German publishing house, released May’s works posthumously, and scholars estimate at least one hundred million copies of May’s books have been sold. He remains Germany’s most popular novelist, with readers annually purchasing 250,000 copies of his books.