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KARL MAY (1842–1912) |
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Year
Biographic Notes
Translated by Dr. William E.
Thomas
Residence
1842
Carl May was
born on Friday the 25th February 1842 at 10 PM, and baptized the
next day at the Evangelic-Lutheran Church of St.Trinity [St.
Trinitatis] in Ernstthal. The Godparents were master weaver Carl
Gottlob Planer (1792–1859), Miss Chr. Friederike Esche (dates of
birth and death unknown), and the apprentice smith Christian
Friedrich Weissflog (1819–1894). He is the fifth child of the 32
years old weaver Heinrich August May and his 27 years old wife
Christiane Wilhelmine, born Weise. There was a big misery in the
household of the May's family - bitter poverty, many a time even
hunger. From his four sisters born only the four-year old
Auguste Wilhelmine was still alive.
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In this year there »was a very dry and hot summer. From the sowing time on there was no rain for six to seven weeks and almost the whole summer the weather brought no rain. General shortage of water appeared so that much of the grain could not be ground and consequently was only cut. ... Live stock suffered extremely and most cattle became emaciated and weak and had to be slaughtered. …«
Ernstthal,
Niedergasse 122
(heute
Karl-May-Haus)
Because
of »lack of suitable cattle for slaughter [a] high price of
the meat« came about.
The situation of the ›Weaver's misery‹ could be
compared with the state of affairs at present in the
developing countries – ideal conditions for diseases caused by
lack of vitamins and infections; this will also be Karl May's
fate.
Niedergasse 122
28th
May: Karl May's sister Christiane Wilhelmine was born, the
later Mrs. Schöne. In Hohenstein and Ernstthal great hunger is
still present:
»Yes there in fact happened recently cases here,
that people, who were ashamed to beg, literally died from
hunger. Because it is not so rare, particularly in families
with many children, that often for many days there is not even
a piece of bread to consume and a few potatoes cooked in
jacket and eaten with salt often represent the only
nourishment of these unfortunates. But in quite many families
the potatoes are also gone, or are running short, and then is
the full suffering from hunger and begging unavoidable … It is
indeed heartbreaking, to observe these pityful unfortunates
with pale and gaunt faces, with troubled deep sunk eyes, from
which every spark of liveliness is extinguished, … to drag
themselves like shadows, …«
Lack of vitamin A was the most likely cause of
Karl May's disturbed vision – (blindness in diminished light
condition, hemeralopia). From now on he was heavily visually
handicapped – the beginning of Xerophthalmia threatened his
eyesight.
Niedergasse 122
Karl
May's condition got worse: his eye lids are closed and swollen
(Blepharitis), an inflammatory Blepharospasm follows. He could
not open his eyes for prolonged periods of time. He is
therefore blind and forgets to see. He could not remember
later his previous visual impressions. Good doctors are out of
reach financially, there was not yet any public health
insurance in existence. May complains in his autobiography Mein
Leben und Streben [My Life and Aspirations] about the
»ruinous quackery« to which he fell a victim. Most probably
were his closed eye lids quite ineffectively treated with
ointments and eye bandages: the so far small chance to see
even though for a short time, was in this way fully undone.
I could easily feel people and objects, to
hear, also to smell; however that was not enough to imagine
them in reality and form. I could have only guessed. How a
person, a dog, a table looked, I did not know; I could have
only made a picture in the inside of them, and such picture
remained in my mind. When someone spoke I heard not his body
but his soul. Not his outside but his inside came closer to
me.
Karl was in constant care of his grandmother
Johanne Christiane May, the mother of his father. She left a
deep impression on his way of thinking and the sensual world
of the boy with her fairy tales romantic. The following months
became the source of May's very rich phantasy.
Moving into the house of a weaver Carl August
Knobloch.
On the 15th August starts a six months midwifery
course for May's mother.
Marktplatz 183
13th
February: May's mother sat for examinations in midwifery at
the Surgical-Medical Academy (Kurländer Palais) in Dresden
with an »excellent pass«. The eyes of her blind boy were also
succesfully attended there by Professors Haase and Grenser –
Karl May learned to see. (Oil painting by Torsten Hermann).
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For me there were only souls, nothing but souls. And so
it stayed, even after I learned to see, from my youth on
until the present day. This is the difference between
myself and the others. This is the key to my books. This
is the explanation to all, what is praiseworthy on me, and
to all what is to blame in me. Only who was blind and who
regained his sight again, and only who possesses such a
deep founded and such a mighty inner world that he himself
afterwards, when he could see again and for the rest of
his life masters his whole external world, only he can
identify with all what I planned, what I have done and
what I wrote, and only he has the ability to critise me,
and noone else!
Latest research points to it that in
Dresden also the rickets, caused through lack of vitamin D,
were treated succesfully. In regard to this May writes in
his autobiography: I learned to see and returned, as
for the rest recovered as well, home.
On the 19th March May's mother was engaged as a
midwife by the Ernstthal council.
Marktplatz 183
Karl
May was torn away from the world of fairy tales of his
grandmother. The rough education methods of his father shook
May's psyche as from now:
On the weaver's stool hung a three times
twisted rope, which was leaving blue marks, and behind the
oven was the well-known »Johny-the birch«, especially feared
by us children, because father was fond of soaking it before
thrashing us in a big pot with warm water, to make it more
elastic and painful.
2nd June: His sister Ernestine Pauline was born.
Marktplatz 183
Easter: Karl May entered school. The classes in the Ernstthal primary school are overcrowded; one teacher had approximately 90 pupils to teach. What Karl did not learn there, his father hammered into him. The boy should have it better in life. In such way Karl was forced in the following years to read innumerable, partly scientific books, ordered by his father. The spare free time Karl spent with his godfather, the widely travelled master smith Christian Weißpflog, listening to his exotic tales.
Marktplatz 183
Karl
May became a drummer boy with the 7th Militia company of
Ernstthal, in which his father served as lance-corporal. His
father exercised and drilled him in various war games.
9th June: May's sister Karoline Wilhelmine was
born, the later Mrs. Selbmann.
Marktplatz 183
Ferry's ›Le Coureur des Bois‹ [Der Waldläufer] is published, which May twenty-nine years later reworked for young readers.
Marktplatz 183
Presumably
in this year: moving into the house of master weaver Selbmann.
Puppet theater in Ernstthal:
Now came the day in which a world open to me,
that never let me go loose again. The theater arrived. Even
if only a quite ordinary, miserable puppet show, but
nevertheless a theater. They performed in master weaver's
house. The best places were three pennies, than two pennies,
and the next one penny, children paid half. I was allowed to
attend with my grandmother. This cost us fifteen Pfennigs
for both of us. They performed: »The Miller's Rose or the
Battle at Jena.« My eyes burned; I was glowing inside.
Puppets, puppets, puppets! However for me they were alive.
[My Life and Aspirations, p.55.]
7th April: Birth of a brother Heinrich Wilhelm;
he died already a few months later on the 20th September. On
the 30th November died Christiane Friederike Weise, May's
grandmother on mother's side, 64 years old.
Marktplatz 185
16th August: May's sister Anna Henriette was born; she also died much too soon, a few weeks old, on the 4th September.
Marktplatz 185
The
aggravating education mistake started by May's father, to
hammer the ›knowledge‹ into his son, may have in this year
reached the first high point. Karl May writes in the so
appropriately named chapter Without Youth in his
autobiography:
He brought all possible so called learning
material together, without being able to make a choice or to
set an orderly line to follow. He brought everything my way
what he found. I had to read this or even to copy it,
because he thought that in such way I could remember it
better. What had I to go all through! Old prayer books,
arithmetic books, biology writings, scientific treatises
from which I did not understand one word. A German geography
from the year 1802, over 500 pages thick, I had to
transcribe in order to remember better the data. They of
course were no longer valid! I sat whole days and half the
nights long, to cram these useless, unnecessary stuff into
my head. It was an overload and excessive load unparalleled.
[My Life and Aspirations, p.53]
Marktplatz 185
Karl
May is getting privately language tutoring, which he must
finance himself. Twelve years old by now, he has to work as a
skittle boy in the neighbouring Hohenstein in a pub Engelhardt
– sometimes until midnight! There he hit upon the lending
library: ›Rinaldo Rinaldini, the Chief of Robbers‹ – ›Himlo
Himlini, the Chief of Robbers in Spain …‹ – ›Sallo Salini, the
Most Formidable Chief of Robbers …‹, are the names of his
heroes who became his imaginary idols.
5th May: Birth of his brother Karl Hermann, who
dies already on the 15th August.
Marktplatz 185
3rd July: May's brother Karl Heinrich was born; this child also dies after a short time on the 30th October.
Marktplatz 185
Flight
from reality!
The book, which I read, had the title »The
Robber's Den in Sierra Morena or the Angel of All the
Outcasts«. When father came home and then went to sleep, I
got out of bed, sneaked away from the room and got dressed.
Then I wrote a note: »You don't have to work out your hands
until they bleed; I am going to Spain, I bring help!« I put
this note on the table, stuck a piece of dry bread into my
pocket with a few pennies from my skittle job, went down the
steps, opened the door, took once more a deep and sobbed
breath, but quietly, quietly, so that noone could hear, and
went then with subdued steps down the market place and the
Niedergasse out, the Lungwitzer way, which led over
Lichtenstein to Zwickau, towards Spain, into Spain, the land
of noble robbers, who helped those in need. – – – [My
Life and Aspirations, p.79]
Karl did not go far, his worried father brought
him home.
I have never felt more clearly as then, how
he really loved me. [p.93]
Palm Sunday, the 16th March: Karl May was
confirmed.
Michaelis. 29th September: He became a
Proseminarist at the Teacher's Institute in Waldenburg.
The lessons were cold, strong, hard. Any
trace of poetry was missing. Instead of making one happy, to
inspire, it repeled. The lessons in religion were such that
one could not have become enthusiastic about them in the
least. [p.95]
On the 22nd November Emma Lina Pollmer was born,
May's first wife, in Hohenstein; her mother died on the 4th
December because of puerperal sepsis.
Marktplatz 185
Waldenburg
Karl May fell in love with the fifteen year old Anna Preßler from Ernstthal. He composed words and wrote music for a love song, which he played for her on a guitar:
Away from you,
I am with you
And wherever you are,
You are with me.
To let go off you,
this I can not do,
'cause you are my everything,
you are the light of my life!
21st November: May's sister Maria Lina was born; she died on the 13th December.
In
July the sixteen year old Anna Preßler marries a shopkeeper
Carl Hermann Zacharias, by whom she expects a child. The grief
stays deep in Karl May, he will never get over it.
May writes his first Indian story and sends it to
the ›Gartenlaube‹ magazine. Ernst Keil, the editor, rejects
the – today lost – early work.
In November May is on duty responsible for lightings at the Teacher's Institute in Waldenburg. At this opportunity he embezzles six candles, which he intends to use for a X-mas tree in the wretched parent's house. On the 21st and 22nd December this affair is investigated by the director of the Institute, Schütze.
28th
January: Expelled from the Teacher's Institute.
4th March: May's sister Emma Maria is born;she
died on the 5th August.
6th March: Supported by Ernstthal parish priest
Schmidt, May submits a plea for mercy to the Saxonian Ministry
of Education. The director of the Institute Schuetze, who in
the meantime regrets his harshness, supplies a positive
recommendation.
4th June: May is allowed to continue with his
education at the Teacher's Institute in Plauen. There he
suffers, as many of his school mates do, from the spying
system of the school directors; they are interested in the
intimate sexual life of the students.
Marktplatz 185
Plauen
9th,10th.
and 12th September: May completed his final examinations.
13th September: His leaving certificate had the
final mark »passed«.
May is active as a temporary teacher only from
7th October until 19th October in Glauchau. It came to a
jealousy scene with his room landlord Ernst Theodor Meinhold.
The businessman surprised May, as he kissed his nineteen-year
old wife Henriette, whom he was giving piano lessons. Meinhold
reported this romance to the superintendent Carl Wilhelm Otto
– Karl May was dismissed on the spot.
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His next teacher's position became May's undoing. In
Altchemnitz, where he worked from 6th November as a factory
teacher at the Firma Solbrig, he had to share his living
quarters, a room and a bedroom, with their book-keeper Julius
Hermann Scheunpflug.
He had until now both this to himself; and
now I was to lodge with him … Because of that he lost his
comfort … He got from his parents a new pocket watch. The
old one, which he now no longer needed, hung unused on a
nail on the wall. It was worth at the most twenty marks. He
offered it to me to buy, because I had none; however I
declined, because if I wanted to buy sometime a watch, it
would have to be a new, better one. Of course this was far
in the future, as I had to pay off first my debts. Now he
himself made a proposal to me to take his old watch, when I
go to school, as I was obliged to be punctual. I agreed and
was thankful to him for that. At the beginning I hang the
watch, as soon as I came back from school, immediately back
on the nail. Later it was postponed for a while; I kept it
for hours in my pocket, because to show all the time, that
it does not belong to me, seemed to me not diligent, but
ridiculous. In the end I took it even when I went out and
hung it only in the evening, after I came home, in its place
and position. A really friendly or even cordial relation
never eventuated between us. He tolerated me because he had
to and let me from time to time deliberately notice, that he
does not like sharing the flat. [Life, p.103f.]
The X-mas holiday started.On the 24th December
May hurries directly from school to the railway station and
travels home; he takes the watch with him. There he is
arrested. He is supposed to have stolen the watch, a tobacco
pipe and a cigaret holder from his flat mate. May is dismayed:
I started foolishly to deny the possession
of the watch; however it was found after a search. So the
lie destroyed me instead of saving me; that she does every
time; I was a – - – thief! [p.107]
May's description is credible. Through the
intrique of the book-keeper innocent in custody – professional
career ruined! This event had an effect on me like a
blow, like a blow on the head, under which force one breaks
down. And I collapsed! [p.109]
Glauchau
Altchemnitz
Ernstthal,
Marktplatz 185
May
was most probably – the proceedings have not survived –
sentenced because of »unlawful use of someone else's
possession« according to Art. 330, Abs. 3, [German Law]. The
highest punishment was imposed: six weeks imprisonment.
Clemency petition was refused.
From the 8th September till the 20th October:
Stay in prison at Chemnitz.
According to the present interpretation of law
May would not have been imprisoned. This fatal blow resulted
in permanent ban on becoming a teacher.
6th December: May was called for military service examination
and found »unfit for service«.
Marktplatz 185
May
performed at »music – poetic evening entertainments« in
Ernstthal. His living he made by private tutoring. On the 12th
February he was reported because of this to the teacher's
college; the school inspection found out about this through a
letter of Ernstthaler's priest Schmidt from 20st March.
20th June: May's name was removed from the list
of the Saxonian teacher's candidates. To give private lessons
was explicitly forbidden to him. His civilian existence was
destined to fail.
It was as if I had brought home from the
prison cell in which I spent six long weeks, a whole crowd
of invisible criminal characters, who made it their business
to settle down with me and make me one of them. I did not
see them; I saw only the darkest, sneering main figure from
the domestic swamp and from Hohenstein's trash novels; they
talked to me, they influenced me. And when I struggled
against, they became louder to stun and wear me out, in
order to loose my strength to resist. The main idea was for
me to take revenge, revenge on the owner of the watch who
reported me, only to get me out from his flat, revenge on
the Police, revenge on the judge, revenge on the Government,
on humankind,altogether on everyone! I was an exemplary
person, white, pure and innocent like a lamb. The world
cheated me out of my future, my life happiness. How? By
remaining what they have made out of me, namely a criminal.
This was what the tempters inside me asked me
to do … I resisted as much as I could, as far as my strength
lasted. I gave to all, what I wrote at that time, in
particular to my village stories, an ethical, a strongly law
abiding, a faithful-to-king tendency. I did that to prop up
not only others,but also myself. But how hard, how endlessly
hard it was for me! When I did not do as the loud voices
inside me asked to do, I was overwhelmed from them by
scornful laughter, by swearing and curses, lasting not only
for hours, but for half days and whole nights long. I jumped
from my bed, to escape these voices, and ran out into the
rain and snowstorm. [Life, p.117f.]
That May really suffered from considerable
psychological disturbances, ran out at night in the rain,
shows his from that time originating poem:
Do you know the Night, descending on
Earth,
With hollow wind and heavy deluge;
Thick Night, through which starshine is given no berth,
No eyes see through the weather's dense wall?
Even if this Night is gloom, in morning there is refuge;
O lie down in rest and sleep without fear!
Do you know the Night, descending on
Life,
When Death tracks you down in your last camp;
The call of eternity sounding close by,
And fear stops still your heart's pulsing call?
Even if this Night is gloom, in morning there is a refuge;
O lie down in rest and sleep without fear!
Do you know the Night descending on
your Mind,
Which cries in vain, Salvation!
Night's serpent slithers into memory
And a thousand demons spit in your brain?
O keep away in sleepless consternation,
Because this is The Night that has no morning!
At first May struggles succesfully against these »thousand devils«. He writes for the Ernstthal's choir ›Lyra‹ a whole series of his own musical pieces..
Marktplatz 185
May
is registered to stay in Nausslitz near Dresden. Nothing is
known about this time. In the second half of the year he most
probably trails a theater group through Saxony and maintains
as well amorous relationship with a ballerina from the theater
– and ballet group H. Jerwitz from Leipzig. Nearly 21 months
passed since May's six-week detention in Chemnitz. Now he lost
his composure:
This night [in my soul] was not
completely dark, it had twilight. And strangely it reached
only the soul, but not the spirit. I was sick in my soul,
but not in my mind. I had the capability to reach logical
conclusions, to solve every mathematical problem. I had the
most acute insight into all what was outside myself, but as
soon as this came close, to enter into a relation, the
understanding ceased. I was not in a position to look at
myself, to understand myself, to guide myself and to manage.
[Life, p.111]
The »thousand devils« led Karl May on the 9th
July to Penig. There he called himself »Dr. med. Heilig«, »Eye
doctor« and »previously with the military« from Rochlitz. He
had pieces of clothing made to measure and disappeared without
paying. Before that he wrote a prescription in Latin for a
young man with sore eyes.
16th December: In Chemnitz May emerges as
»Seminary teacher Ferdinand Lohse« and rents in a hotel ›Zu
goldener Anker‹ two interconnected rooms. There he had
delivered various ladies furcoats. He takes them into the next
room to a »sick Director« and disappears then with the furs.
bei Dresden
28th
February: In Gohlis May lives at a steelworker Schule. On the
20th March he looks up, as »Coppersmith Hermes« the Godfather
of thieves and merchants, the furrier Friedrich Erler and
relieves him from a castor fur. A day later May pawns the fur
with an unsuspecting broker in Leihhaus. During an attempt to
collect the proceeds May was seized on the 26th March in
Rosenthal, a park area between Gohlis and Leipzig, when a
hatchet »under his jacket was seen to glitter.«
At the office room he is »quite motionless and
apparantly lifeloss and also, after the Police doctor was
called in, he did not speak.« Such an apathy recorded on files
makes one think! Some time passed until May reacted to talking
to and confessed all.
8th June: Karl May was sentenced by district
court in Leipzig »because of repeated frauds« to four years
and one month in penitentiary. On the 14th June he was
delivered to the prison ›Schloß Osterstein‹. May is now a
prisoner »No. 171«. He was detailed to an office, failed
however such duties because of psychological weakness.
19th September: May's fairy-tales-story
grandmother dies 85 years old.
Zwickau,
Schloss Osterstein
May is detailed to making money- and cigar wallets.
Schloss Osterstein
The supervisor Friedrich Göhler discovers May's music talent. May advances to trombone player and becomes a member of the prisoner's church chorus. Presumably towards the end of the year he is named a »special clerk« to the Inspector Kreil and transferred into an isolation block. The voluminous prison's library changes his imprisonment time into a study time.
Schloss Osterstein
Literary
draft appears: the Repertorium C. May.
2nd November: May is, because of good behaviour,
»as the result of the very most clemency«, released from jail
253 days earlier than originally anticipated – with a
certificate of trustworthiness. At home he finds out about the
death of his fairy-tales-story grandmother. This news
disturbes again his psychological equilibrium.
The previous suffering started again, the
previous torture, the previous struggle with
incomprehensible forces, which were even more dangerous as I
could absolutely not discover, if they were parts of myself
or not. … they demanded as before, that I should take
revenge. Now even with a right to revenge myself, for the
lost, precious time in jail! [Life, p.157]
May tries to escape these »incomprehensible
forces«. He writes for the Dresden's publisher Münchmeyer some
texts which today are lost.
Schloss Osterstein
Ernstthal,
Marktplatz 185
About
the beginning of the year May gets to know a housemaid Auguste
Gräßler from Raschau. From this acquaintance develops a love
affair.
On the 29th March May conducts a search in
Wiederau as a »Police lieutenant from Wolframsdorf at Leipzig«
at shopkeeper's Carl Reimann premises for counterfeit money.
Allegedly finding some, he takes Reiman for »Interrogation« to
an inn and disappears then without a trace.
10th April: May searches again for counterfeit
money at the house of a rope-maker Krause in Ponitz. The
action fails. May gains a standoff with an unloaded double
barreled pocket pistol and resorts to »flight across a field.«
He keeps always disguised and wears false beards. In Ernstthal
he gives the impression that he emigrated to America.
From the 3rd May to the 5th May he is in
Jöhstadt; there he visits in the evening of 3rd May the
theater.
Whitsuntide, 16-17th May: In Schwarzenberg May
meets for the last time his sweetheart Ausguste Gräßler. On
the 27/28th May makes the Eisenhöhle [a cave in the forest],
north from Hohenstein, his place where he stays. With a pram
(!) he transports odd objects in there, which he was supposed
to steal from his godfather Weißpflog.
31st. May: In Limbach May takes a set of billiard
balls from the restaurant of Victor Reinhard Wünschmann and
departs to Chemnitz to sell them, however this failed due to
alertness of two policemen.
3./4th June: In a stable in Bräunsdorf May steals
from the owner of the inn Schreier a horse together with a
snaffle, riding crop and neck straps; then he rides off. A few
hours later his attempt to sell the horse to a slaughterman
fails.
15th June: In Mülsen St. Jacob May puts an
appearence as the »Deputy of the lawyer Dr. Schaffrath in
Dresden« and entices the baker Wappler to go to Glachau in a
matter of inheritance. Meanwhile May introduces himself to his
wife who stayed home as a Policeman and confiscates 28 Talers
as »counterfeit money«.
At the end of June May steals from the bowling
alley of the restaurant Engelhardt in Hohenstein a towel and a
cigar pipe. On the 2nd July, at night at 3 AM, he is
discovered there sleeping and »after a short struggle«
overpowered and taken to jail in Wiederau.
5th and 15th July: Confrontations at Wiederau and
Mülsen St.Jacob. 26th July: On the way to a further
confrontation at Braeunsdorf May escapes his guard ; he should
have broken his »iron handcuffs«. Despite a big search action
in the forests of Hohenstein on the 6th and 7th August May
stays at large.
In late summer he emerges in Siegeldorf by Halle. He
introduces himself as »Writer Heichel from Dresden«, later as
the »natural son of the Prince von Waldenburg«, and meets the
housekeeper Malwine Wadenbach, whom he might have known from
before. Further May's presence is known at Ellersleben,
Plößnitz and Coburg.
Marktplatz 185
Eisenhöhle
(Karl-May-Höhle)
4th January: At Niederalgersdorf
(Bohemia) May is seized as a tramp in a barn. He calls
himself »Albin Wadenbach«, landowner from Orby on the island
of Martinique, West Indies. A photograph had him convicted.
14th March: May is brought into jail at
Mittweida. On the 13th April he is sentenced by the district
court at Mittweida: »by him deserved, because of simple and
cunning thefts, frauds, and frauds under aggravating
circumstances, also for repeated unlawful theft and
falsification, in due consideration of him being a habitual
offender, sentenced to a jail term of 4 years and repayment
of the investigation expenses.«
As the respected legal expert Professor Dr.
Claus Roxin established, it could not be excluded, »that May
suffered from disturbances of consciousness, which would
exclude his criminal responsibility in the sense of
paragrraph 51 StGB [German Law] or at least considerably
decrease his responsibility.« [Karl May: Criminal Law and
Literature, Tübingen 1997, p.47.]
Following a medical study by Dr. William E.
Thomas, an Australian physician, May suffered from
Dissociative Identity Disorder and was therefore not legally
responsible for his actions.
The psychiatrist and neurologist Edgar Bayer
(from a clinic in Guenzburg) made an assumption of an
›asocial personality disorder‹ during the drifting period in
May’s life, resulting therefore in a diminished
responsibility.
Whatever the emotional state of Karl May could
have been, the damage which May caused by his offences,
reached altogether not even 1000 (one thousand) Marks. »May
had later, when he earned money, given away to the needy
many thousands Marks, and also earnings and income from his
books was left to a Foundation for writers with no monetary
means. Also the honest content,« as Claus Roxin points out,
»of his books as a basic thought – does not correspond with
the previous accusation«.
3rd May: Commencement of jail term in
penitentiary Waldheim. May is now a prisoner ›No. 402‹ and
comes into isolation. At least for 13 hours daily he works
as a cigar maker. Probably at first ›No. 402‹ does not
fulfil his work assignment, as he is presumably because of
this disciplinary punished by reduced pay.
Mittweida
Waldheim
A literary work by May is according to the prison rules at Waldheim fully excluded! »Writing material will be granted to the prisoners in each individual case in the necessary quantity by the Institution on receiving of payment, as will the envelope, in which every letter must be included. To bring more writing material is forbidden. Every prisoner has to return back so much paper as he was given, written on or clear, as well as ink and pencils.« [Paragraph 50]
The
prison's catechist Johannes Kochta became May's fatherly
friend. Meeting with Catholics left in May a lasting
impression; he discovered himself.
29th April: May's 25 year old sister Ernestine
Pauline dies in Ernstthal.
Even if a Lutheran, May plays the organ at Catholic mass-services.
May
is until the beginning of March occupied in the prison
library.
2nd May: Release from prison. May is put for the
next two years under Police supervision. Reflections in his
later writings point at him working at first as a blacksmith's
helper at his Godfather Weißpflog. In summer he writes Die
Rose von Ernstthal.
Ernstthal,
Marktplatz 185
8th March: May moves as ›Editor‹ to Dresden-Altstadt; lives in Jagdweg, where the publishing firm is situated. There he is editing a family journal ›Der Beobachter an der Elbe‹. Münchmeyer always calls May in front of his employees »Doctor«. This title which May later kept using, has not changed anything on the fact that on the 24th March he was evicted from Dresden. May, who for a good one year yet was under Police supervision, was not allowed to leave Hohenstein and Ernstthal without permission!
May continues to edit the Münchmeyer's ›Beobachter‹ from Ernstthal. There appears from the end of May his novel Wanda. Further he prepared for his publisher major parts of the Buch der Liebe, a follow up of the notorious ›Venustempel‹ (A story of Prostitution and its Origin), which was prohibited since December 1874 in Austria and later also in the German Reich.
At the beginning of August May returns to Dresden; an authorization for his stay there was approved. In the meantime he travels, among other places to Essen, Dortmund and Berlin, to get subscribers at the firm Krupp and Borsig for his newly founded journal for workers Schacht und Hütte. From September May starts instead of the ›Beobachter‹ and concurrently runs with the Schacht und Hütte a popular magazine Deutsches Familienblatt. From the middle of October appears May's first Winnetou story Old Firehand. More stories from this time: Der Gitano, Inn-nu-woh, Ein Stücklein vom alten Dessauer, Die Fastnachtsnarren, Geographische Predigten.
May's relationship to his publisher is familiar. For X-mas he was presented with a piano from Münchmeyer's wife.
Marktplatz 185
Dresden-Altstadt,
Jagdweg 6
Ernstthal,
Marktplatz 185
Dresden-Altstadt,
Falkenstr. 4,
bei der Witwe
Emma Ros. Vogel.
Dresden-Altstadt,
Jagdweg 14
As from the beginning of September 1875 Karl May lives at Muenchmeyer's residence. Minna Ey, sister of Pauline Münchmeyer, takes care of May's private quarters. She should become May's fiance; however the up and coming succesful author shows not the least interest. 23rd February: House search at H. G. Münchmeyer. The Police investigate because of unauthorized selling of the ›Venustempel‹ and the Buch der Liebe. 2nd May: With this day finishes May's two years of Police supervision. At the beginning of August May cancelled continuation of a novel ›Fürst und Junker‹, written by Friedrich Axmann:
To the readers of »deutschen Familienblattes«, who wish to acquaint themselves with the later fate of Dietrich von Quitzow until his death, the news should not come unwelcome, because the author of this topic will start on the contrary an even more fascinating and equaly moving novel: »Dietrichs von Quitzow last Journeys«, which will appear in Number 20 of the current »Feierstunden am häuslichen Heerde«, one in the Münchmeyer Publishing Firm appearing literary magazine. [Deutsches Familienblatt, No.49, p.770]
The
announced Quitzow-novel started however already in
No. 10 of the Feierstunden under the author's name
›Karl May‹.
In summer May is charged with cooperation on
the Buch der Liebe. Further charged are
Münchmeyer's brother Friedrich as publisher, later also Otto
Freitag as editor of the Venustempel. In this situation
Pauline Münchmeyer pushes for marriage with Minna Ey. May
was found not guilty; presumably he made in his Buch
der Liebe the deplorable places milder. At the end of
October May leaves his position but still writes some
»necessary manuscripts«. Supposedly at first he wants his Quitzow-novel
to continue, even if he no longer is an editor with
Münchmeyer. The hostility of Pauline because of May's
rejection of her sister, which he could not tolerate, makes
these plans impossible. Both May's Quitzow as
well as Axmann's ›Kurfürst‹ (Axmann died since he left
Münchmeyer) will be continued from March 1877 by Dr.
Heinrich Goldmann.
After his editor's time May moves for a time
into Hohenstein and Ernstthal. There he falls in love with
the attractive Emma Pollmer, who celebrates on the 22nd
November her twentiest birthday.
In the year passed May authored amongst other:
Auf den Nußbäumen, Unter den Werben, Leilet,
Der beiden Quitzows letzte Fahrten, Ausgeräuchert
and Im Wollteufel.
Jagdweg 14
Pillnitzer Straße 72
On the 26th May Emma Pollmer follows him to Dresden. She finds a position in the household of priest-widow Auguste Petzold in Mathildenstrasse 18. Karl May becomes an editor with the publisher Bruno Radelli for the 2nd year's edition of a popular magazine ›Frohe Stunden‹; the first number appears at the end of June. From No. 10 May publishes regularly his own texts: Der Oelprinz, Die Gum, Ein Abenteuer auf Ceylon, Die Kriegskasse, Aqua benedetta, Auf der [hoher] See gefangen, Ein Self-man.
At Peter Rosegger appears Die Rose von Kahira. This story was already published at Münchmeyer the year before under the title Leilet. Because of the latest publication Rosseger considers »Mr. Karl May … to be a widely traveled man, who must have lived in the Orient for a long time.«
Pillnitzer Straße 72
26th January: Emil Eduard Pollmer, Emma's alcoholic uncle, dies in Niederwürschnitz bei Stollberg; in a state of intoxication he was run over by a horse carriage but managed still to drag himself into a horse stable of a restaurant ›Zum braven Bergmann‹. The grandfather of Emma, the barber Christian Gotthilf Pollmer, does not believe it was an accident. He talked May into investigating.
25th April: May inquires as a »higher, Government appointed official«. Even if he does not name any title or service grade, he is accused of falsy claiming an official status. On the 11th June he was because of that summoned to Dresden. At the end of June May finished his editor's time with Radelli. Emma Pollmer moves back to her grandfather in Hohenstein, Karl May to his parents. Temporarily May should have stayed in Berlin. It is possible he was looking for a new editor's position.
6th September: Interrogation at the court office at Hohenstein. 15th October: Interrogation in Stollberg and a confrontation on the 25th October. May's attitude is indifferent; he forgoes legal help. In summer and autumn he writes the tales: Des Kindes Ruf, Die Universalerben, Die Laubthaler and Der Waldkönig.
Straße Nr. 4
Villa Forsthaus
Ernstthal,
Marktplatz 185
The relationship with Emma Pollmer became endangered due to her unfaithfulness; Karl May stayed presumably with his parents.
His literary activity was shaping more luckily. First contacts with the catholic weekly ›Deutscher Hausschatz‹ in Regensburg. In the travel story Unter Würgern comes for the first time the name ›Old Shatterhand‹. End of November appears in Stuttgart publishing house Franz Neugebauer his book rework of the Ferry's novel ›Der Waldläufer‹, as well as his first book for the young readers Im fernen Westen.
Further publications in this year: Ein Dichter, Der Giftheiner, Three carde monte, Unter Würgern, Der Girl-Robber, Der Boer van het Roer and the Stuttgart's newspaper novel Scepter und Hammer. From the included chapter Der tolle Prinz a serious break with Emma Pollmer could be concluded, whom May immortilized there as Emma Vollmer, who was unfaithful to her sweetheart.
Marktplatz 185
19th February: The intended marriage announcement of Karl May and Emma Pollmer was made public in Hohenstein. The notice was in place from 20th February until 7th March.
May: The ›Deutsche Hausschatz‹ reports for the first time, that the ›I narrator‹ of the travel adventures is identical with the author Karl May – he experienced all himself.
26th May: Emma's grandfather Christian Gotthilf Pollmer dies after a stroke in Hohenstein. And on the 27th May dies May's older sister Auguste Wilhelmine, married Hoppe, of blood disorder. Because of these fatal blows – probably also because of differences in opinions – the official marriage of Karl May and Emma Pollmer does not take place until the 17th August.
12th September: Church wedding in the Hohenstein church of St. Christopheri, followed by moving into a house ›Am Markt 2‹.
Publications worth mentioning from this year: Deadly Dust, Der Brodnik, Die Juweleninsel, Der Kiang-lu, Tui Fanua.
Marktplatz 185
Hohenstein
Am Markt 2
March: The ›Deutsche Hausschatz‹ writes in No. 9 an answer to a reader in Westfalen: »The author of the adventure travel stories visited himself all the countries which are the scenes of his narratives. He returned recently from a journey to Russia, Bulgaria, Constantinopel etc., and even suffered a knife wound as a souvenir. He however does not enjoy to travel with the red Bädecker [travel guidebook] in hand and via railway compartment, but seeks the less known routes. – Many thanks for your greetings!«
November 1881: The newspaper ›Le Monde‹ starts to print French translation of May's books.
Am Markt 2
May
works intensively on his Orient cycle for ›Deutscher
Hausschatz‹. The Reise-Abenteuer in Kurdistan as
well as Die Todeskaravane make him very succesful.
The final chapters of his Juweleninsel for the
Stuttgarter publisher Goeltz & Ruehling he writes
without enthusiasm; the novel finishes accordingly.
In late summer Karl and Emma May spend time on
a holiday tour in Dresden-Altstadt. In Renger's restaurant
it comes to a predestined meeting with an old acquaintance
the publisher Heirich Münchmeyer. From this meeting develops
a several years lasting business relation. A contract is
cofirmed with handshake. May should write a gripping serial
novel for a remunaration of 35 Marks per delivery. As soon
as the edition reaches 20.000 prints, May should in addition
receive a nice gratification, and further the ownership's
rights. May starts at first sporadicaly with the
Waldröschen:
»Dear
Madam!
I shall be very thankful to you, if you could
induce your dear husband, whom I have the honour to call my
trusted friend, to send to me the manuscript, to be precise
3 numbers per week. Now is the best time to publish the
small work. I have the first number ready, yet I cannot
publish it as I cannot deliver more without a manuscript.
I have done well for your husband. I have given
him about 500 Marks already for this little work, and he is
so ungrateful and lets me just sit and yet he calls himself
my best friend in his letters and promises me pies in the
sky, does not however keep a word of his promises.
I believe he listens to you, because he loves
you, as he always claims. I turn therefore with confidence
to you and think of you as my saviour angel, who should
redeem me from my expensive and highly dangerous situation.
My wife sends her cordial greetings and is asking together
with me for your help. I send my very cordial greetings, and
sign myself with familiar respect,
Your sincerest H.G.Münchmeyer
Dresden the 20 October 1882.«
Emma's
mediation is succesfull: Waldröschen oder die
Rächerjagd rund um die Erde started at the begining
of December under the pseudonym »Capitain Ramon Diaz de la
Escosura« and became shortly a bestseller.
Further works: Die Both Shatters, Der
Krumir, Ein Fürst-Marschall als Bäcker, Robert
Surcouf, Christi Blut und Gerechtigkeit, In
Damaskus und Baalbeck, Ein Oelbrand.
Am Markt 2
6th April: Emma May's friend from youth Ida Metzer holds in her Hohenstein's flat a seance.
7th April: Moving from Hohenstein to Blasewitz. In the Blasewitz local resident's list May is recorded as »Literat und Redacteur«. Most probably the »Redacteur« is editing together with Münchmeyer the ›Deutsche Wanderer‹. It should be of the same quality as both the by me founded in 1875 popular magazines. In the ›Wanderer‹ appears at the end of September, now for the fee of 50 Marks, Die Liebe des Ulanen.
May authored in this productive year further: Stambul, Im »wilden Westen« Nordamerika's, Der Amsenhändler, Pandur und Grenadier. He has to decline a cooperation with Joseph Kürschner (Publisher of Literary Calender) for lack of time.
Am Markt 2
Blasewitz,
Sommerstr. 7
Sommerstr. 7
Dresden-Altstadt,
Prinzenstr. 4
Prinzenstr. 4
Towards the end of July finishes May's verlorner Sohn. In order to publish immediately a follow up novel, about the middle of June about 50 manuscript pages of the novel Delila came into existence. Almost at the same time died under mysterious circumstances on the 13th June King Ludwig II. of Bavaria – for a popular novels publisher sensational news. May interrupts therefore Delila (a fragment remains) and writes a novel about the fairy tale king: Der Weg zum Glück. This should be his last Münchmeyer novel. At the end of the year he begins a novel for young readers Der Sohn des Bärenjägers for the Stuttgarter publisher Spemann.
Prinzenstr. 4
8th January: The boys-magazine ›Der Gute Kamerad‹ starts with May's Sohn des Bärenjägers. Meanwhile Münchmeyer has problems to print his issues on time:
»My
dear doctor!
I expected you on Sunday evening with a big load of
manuscripts, but in vain. It upset me and made me worried as
for me it is a question of my existence. If you do not
deliver enough and on time I will loose my with difficulties
subscribed readers which costs much money.
Engage a stenographer! If you dictate through
one night, you have 4 – 5 numbers of a manuscript on paper
and that will help me.
I have fulfilled almost every wish to you and
beg therefore now you to fulfill my wish. Please bring me
luck tomorrow morning because then with those already here
will make circa 66 issues.
My greetings, sincerely H. G. Münchmeyer
Dresden 21st November 1887.«
About beginning of April: Moving to Schnorrstrasse 31. Middle August May starts to write Durch das Land der Skipetaren; this travel story represents the end of the Orient cycle in ›Deutscher Hausschatz‹.
Prinzenstr. 4
Schnorrstr. 31
Beginning
of January finishes the Münchmeyer novel Deutsche
Herzen, deutsche Helden. May does not allow himself
rest – he writes a story for young readers Der Geist
der Llano estakada. In the middle of January the
›Hausschatz‹ starts to print the Skipetaren-travel
story. Beginning February starts Der Geist der Llano
… in ›Guten Kameraden‹.
On the 6th September dies after a long illness
May's father. Change of editor's board at ›Deutscher
Hausschatz‹ in Regensburg: The towards May positively
disposed Venanz Müller is followed by Heinrich Keiter – a
selfadmiring personality with his own writer's ambitions:
»The battle about the novels of travel narrator
Carl May is being hotly pursued by our readers. Whilst one
part complains to the editors with severe criticism that the
novels take such a large space which could be used more
usefuly, the others in no less certain terms say that right
at the beginning of the new year's edition a story by Carl
May should start again. The editors are then forced to go
the middle golden way to satisfy both sides.«
1st October: Moving from Dresden to
Kötzschenbroda into a Villa Idylle, Schützenstrasse 6.
12th October: May enters his name into the
local resident's list as »Dr. phil. Karl May, writer«.
Further publications in this year: Kong-Kheou,
das Ehrenwort, and also Der Scout.
Schnorrstr. 31
Kötzschenbroda,
Schützenstr. 6
Villa Idylle
Publications: Die Sklavenkarawane, Im Mistake-Cannon, Sklavenrache, Lopez Jordan.
Schützenstr. 6
Villa Idylle
Presumably at the beginning of April: moving to Niederlößnitz, Lößnitzstrasse 11. Important publications: Christus oder Muhammed, Der Schatz im Silbersee, Der Schatz der Inkas.
At the end of October appears in book edition Der Sohn des Bärenjägers, according to the title page Die Helden des Westens (included into the volume is Der Geist des Llano estakado), at the Stuttgart ›Union Deutsche Verlagsanstalt‹.
Lößnitzstr. 11
8th April: Moving to Oberlößnitz into Villa Agnes,
Nizzastrasse 13.
 |
28th May: »… the wife of Dr.May woke up because of ground
floor noise. She woke up her husband, who went immediately
down where he found to his surprise …. all the cupboards and
drawers open and the content partly strewn on the floor. The
intruder also left an axe on the bed. There was no trace of
the thief himself who forced his way into the room by
bursting open a window shutter and breaking several window
panes …«. [Kötzschenbrodaer Zeitung from 30th May]
In late summer negotiated the publisher
Friedrich Ernst Fehsenfeld from Freiburg im Breisgau with
May about the publishing of ›Hausschatz‹ stories in a book
edition. A historical moment.
In loveable, nice Lößnitzgrund
there sit two in solitude;
they enter into friendshipbond,
never part their ways again.
One sends the novels in,
The other has them printed
And the end is a happy note;
Both will be mightily lucky!
[Karl May to Friedrich Ernst Fehsenfeld]
November:
Karl and Emma May take into their home the nine-year old
niece Clara (›Lottel‹) Selbmann.
Important publications in newspapers: Das
Vermächtnis des Inka (Kamerad), Der Mahdi
(Hausschatz).
Lößnitzstr. 11
Oberlößnitz,
Nizzastraße 1 d
Villa Agnes
10th May: The first volume from the Fehsenfeld edition Durch Wüste und Harem (In later editions Durch die Wüste) appears. Following are Durchs wilde Kurdistan, Von Bagdad nach Stambul, In den Schluchten des Balkan, Durch das Land der Skipetaren, Der Schut. Karl May becomes now a wealthy man.
 |
In summer Emma associates secretly with Army officers. May's niece Lottel tells all to her uncle. It comes to marital discord. Further life together of Emma and May's niece is not possible. In August Lottel is taken home by her mother, May's sister Karoline.
From September the ›Hausschatz‹ starts with the 2nd part of Mahdi. At Union Publishers appears in October the book edition Kong-Kheu, das Ehrenwort under the title Der blau-rote Methusalem.
Nizzastraße 1 d
Villa Agnes
June: Karl and Emma travel in Schwarzwald [Black Forest]. They take the opportunity to visit publisher Fehsenfeld and his wife; together they go to Switzerland into Bönigen am Brienzer See. On the 17th September May writes to his publisher Fehsenfeld:
Your anger is justified, however I am not that much at fault, as you think. The main reason that I cannot finish anything is my present as to the previous very much increased nervousness, to which my wife does not pay the slightest consideration, and then a more familiar, about which I cannot write. My wife became since the unfortunate trip completely different. … I am as the result of domestic quarrel now always so knocked down, that I often look at the wall over my writing desk, where a loaded revolver hangs. One needs after all peace, one way or the other!
On the 26th November May writes to
Fehsenfeld that because of his eye afliction he was »shortly
twice in Leipzig».
Book editions at Fehsenfeld: Winnetou der
Rote Gentleman (3 volumes, the postscript: »der Rote
Gentleman« was later omitted), Orangen und Datteln.
Important newspaper publications: Der Oelprinz, Die
Felsenburg (later Satan und Ischariot I).
And one more book edition at the Union: Die
Sklavenkarawane.
Nizzastraße 1 d
Villa Agnes
Presumably in summer May writes about himself as ›Old Shatterhand‹ the following part for Old Surehand I:
I was born as a sick, weak child, who still at the age of six years crawled on the ground, not being able to stand or run … I was blind three times … [S. 41f.]
This is most probably a small poetic exaggeration, but behind this could be hidden May's fear from new blidness.
From September appears in ›Deutsche Hausschatz‹ Krüger Bei (later Satan und Ischariot II); there the readers at X-mas learn about Winnetou's visit at the Dresden's choir! A 440 manuscript pages containing a chapter In der Heimath is crossed out by Heinrich Keiter.
October: In the house of Münchmeyer's widow May asks for the long outstanding settlement of his five Münchmeyer's novels. Later he receives a set of bound volumes of the published novels. The original manuscripts of the Münchmeyer's novels are no longer in existence, they were destroyed as superfluous.
27th November: Pauline Münchmeyer pleads for a new novel, if possible the Delila (1886) should be continued. May refuses!
Fehsenfeld book editions: Am Stillen Ocean, Am Rio de la Plata, In den Cordilleren, Old Surehand I.
Further book editions: Die Rose von Kairwan (Wehberg, Osnabrück), Der Schatz im Silbersee (Union)..
Nizzastraße 1 d
Villa Agnes
23 December: Bought a new Villa! [for 37.300 mark] Yesterday moved in with new furniture! Day and night to write manuscripts! [May to Carl Felber]
3oth December: The official sales contract for the Villa »Shatterhand.« in Radebeul, Kirchstrasse 5, (today Karl-May-Straße) is signed.
Book editions: Old Surehand II. (Fehsenfeld), Das Vermächtnis des Inka (Union).
 |
Nizzastraße 1 d
Villa Agnes
Radebeul,
Kirchstraße 5
Villa »Shatterhand.«
Karl-May-Museum
March/April: Karl May takes possession of the ›Silberbüchse‹ [Silver rifle] and the ›Bärentöter‹ [Bear Killer] from Dresden gunsmith Max Fuchs made to order. He will document with these the genuineness of his travels, to forget at the same time his sad past. May could use publicity exercise like a modern showstar.
 |
 |
Easter: The
amateur photographer Alois Schießer, who arrived from Linz,
took 101 costume shots with Karl May as ›Old Shatterhand‹
and ›Kara Ben Nemsi‹. The ›Old Shatterhand Legend‹ reaches
its highest point; many Karl May Clubs are founded.
In summer, presumably in July, Heinrich Keiter
visits the succesful writer. He apologises personally for
crossing out the Heimath chapter in Krüger
Bei. May declared previously that he will not supply
the ›Deutscher Hausschatz‹. At the end of September appears
in ›Hausschatz‹ May's Freuden und Leiden eines
Vielgelesenen:
The night, often two, three nights one
after the other, without then being able to sleep during
the day, is in general my working time, because of the
many visitors, coming daily, to personally get to know
»their« Old Shatterhand resp. Kara Ben Nemsi Effendi.
.
 |
In ›Guten Kameraden‹
is from September published May's last novel for young
people Der schwarze Mustang.
Book editions at Fehsenfeld: Der Mahdi
(3 volumes), Old Surehand III, Satan und
Ischariot I–III.
Kirchstraße 5
Villa »Shatterhand.«
26th
January: »Herr Keiter, who will in the future abstain from
any literary interference in your manuscripts, begins in the
8th issue of ›Hausschatz‹ with your new and so keenly
expected travel story ›Im Reiche des silbernen Löwen‹ …
Hopefuly you will please us soon with a continuation of the
most interesting manuscripts.« [Friedrich Pustet jun. to
Karl May]
Presumably in early spring May composed music
to Ave Maria of Winnetou's dying wish. From May
until July Karl und Emma travel through Germany and Austria.
Places they visit are: Leipzig, Hamburg, Deidesheim (they
pay a visit there to the family of befriended wine merchant
Seyler), Stuttgart, Bodensee, Innsbruck, Achensee, Munich,
Regensburg, Böhmen. The stay in Munich turned out to be the
highlight of the publicity tour:
On the first day over 900 visitors, second day over 600, third again 800. Towards the evening I went out through the side door and ran away. The high school students who were after an autogram stood in such great numbers before the hotel, that the tramway could not get through and they had to be sprayed away with a water hose. It's a fact! [Letter to Fehsenfeld from 27th July]
Book editions: Auf fremden Pfaden, Weihnacht (Fehsenfeld), Der Oelprinz (Union).
Kirchstraße 5
Villa »Shatterhand.«
6th May: In Gartow (Lower Saxony) May was seized by two Policemen; he is not to leave his hotel room. He is considered to be a swindler, because he gives for smallest services rich tips. In the end news came from Radebeul: »Karl May domiciled here, likes to exercise charity.«
On 30th August dies Heirich Keiter; Dr.Otto Denk takes over his editorial position at ›Deutsche Hausschatz‹. At this time it also comes to a nine years split with ›Wochenblatt‹; a catholic opposition against May comes into existence.
Book editions at Fehsenfeld: Im Reiche des silbernen Löwen I–II. Further appear Ernste Klänge, a publication with both May's music compositions Ave Maria and Vergiß mich nicht!
Kirchstraße 5
Villa »Shatterhand.«
16th March: Pauline Münchmeyer sells the Publishing firm to Adalbert Fischer, who is interested in particular in May's popular literature novels.
26th March: Departure for Orient. Importen visited places: Genua (4th April – farewell from Emma and the Plöhn's couple because of health reasons), Port Said (9th April), Cairo (30th April – May hires there little later the Arab servant Sejd Hassan), Beirut (26th June), Haifa (18th July), Jerusalem (30th July), Jaffa (21st August – 2nd September), Aden/South Arabia (15th September). Many liked me on the ship [›Gera‹] even if I am just now the opposite from the previous Karl. He was with a great ceremony drown by me in the Red See, with ship's coal, which took him right to the bottom … [Letter to Plöhn's from 16th September].
10th November: Arrival in Padang on Sumatra. May suffers from emotinal outbursts, refuses all nourishment and should have acted insane – it is possible he suffered from dysentery. Nothing is known for sure. This state lasts for about a week.
22nd November: May sends a telegram from Padang to Radebeul; he asks Emma to come with the Plöhns to Port Said.
11th Dezember: May is quarantined because of danger of diseases and suspicion of plague. On the 18th December he is allowed to leave Port Said. His friend Richard Plöhn, who suffers from Bright's kidney disease, becomes in the meanwile seriously ill and stays with Klara and Emma in Arenzano (20 km west of Genoa).
In Germany in the meantime began fierce press attacks against May; in particular Dr. Fedor Mamroth (Frankfurter Zeitung) and Hermann Cardauns (Koelnische Volkszeitung) criticised May's selfpromotion and the connected with it Old Shatterhand legend. The argument, started somewhat objectively at first, became in following years polemic, upright malicious: a witch hunt to death begins.
Book edition: Am Jenseits [Fehsenfeld], Der schwarze Mustang [Union].
Kirchstraße 5
Villa »Shatterhand.«
 |
In Instanbul May suffered again from emotional outbursts. Klara Plöhn was worried that »one would have to take him into a mental institution«! May's later wife certainly possessed a flair for colorful description of events and might have here a little exaggerated.
The conclusion of the trip was: Coprinth, Bologna, Athens, Corfu, Venice and Bozen.
25th March: The Münchmeyer's successor Adalbert Fischer disregards May's author's right and puts a new edition of Die Liebe des Ulanen on the market.The other four Muenchmeyr's novels should follow shortly, partly reworked by writer Paul Staberow.
17th June: May says tearful goodby to his servant Sejd Hassan.
31st July: Arrival in Radebeul after 15 months of absence. Karl May became a new person – the Old Shatterhand legend is dead. Only love of humanity and reconciliation of nations are from now his great ideals; also in private life he is restrained: the sexuality of Emma is not capable to have an hold on him.
All my writings so far are just an introduction, only preparation. What I really want, no person knows except myself … only now I start my proper task … [May's letter to his publiher Fehsenfeld from 10th September]
In time for X-mas festivities appears May's volume of poems Himmelsgedanken.
Kirchstraße 5
Villa »Shatterhand.«
For Joseph Kürschner May writes his pacifist novel Et in terra pax. With that May undermines the imperialistic tendency – the hurrah-patriotism of the collected work ›China‹ in which his text appears.
End of September May travels with Emma and Klara in Switzerland to Vierwaldstaetter See. In autum he writes as an answer to polemic press attacks an anonymous pamphlet »Karl May als Erzieher« and »Die Wahrheit über Karl May«.
10th December May is sueing Adalbert Fischer for unauthorized reprint of his Münchmeyer novels.
Kirchstraße 5
Villa »Shatterhand.«
At
the beginning of the year the editor from Cologne Hermann
Cardauns holds several anti-May lectures, in which he
describes May's Münchmeyer novels as »abysmally immoral«.
10th March: Karl May takes to court Pauline
Münchmeyer, against the will of his wife Emma who is her
intimate friend. On the 16th March May engaged barrister
Rudolf Bernstein to ask the accused Pauline Münchmeyer for
the following
- to state the number of copies of Karl May's works, which were printed and circulated by Münchmeyer Publishing House to the 16th March 1899
- the account of net profits and
- to pay a gratification, if more than 20.000 numbers were printed.
In
summer travel Karl May, Emma and Klara through Berlin,
Hamburg, Leipzig and Munich to Bozen and finally to Mendel.
In the Hotel Penegal on 21st August ends the marriage of
Karl May with Emma words: »You take the guy, I've had enough
of him!« More detailed circumstances which in the end led to
the divorce, so far are not satisfactorily researched. One
can suppose that the way Emma behaved through her change of
life years, turned out to be difficult; also signs of
increasing psychological disturbance are possible (Emma died
on 13th December 1917 in an Institution). She was also prone
to fits of rage, which were directed against Karel May and
were making the survival of the marriage impossible.
Unquestionably Klara Plöhn willingly chose the favourable
time. Finally however in Karl and Klara two people found
each other who suited better together.
19th August: Emma May signs divorce papers.
10th September: May lodges in Radebeul the
divorce documents.
Fehsenfeld's book edition: Im Reiche des
silbernen Löwen III.
Kirchstraße 5
Villa »Shatterhand.«
4th March: The divorce became legally valid.
30th March: Wedding of Karl May and Klara Plöhn at registrar's office. A day later follows a church wedding in the Lutheran church at Radebeul.
25th May: At Adalbert Fischer [Publisher] appears May's Erzgebirgische Dorfgeschichten.
3rd November: Emma receives from May a yearly income of 3000 Mark; for that she has to live at least 100 km away from Dresden – she moves to Weimar.
Beginning November the Münchmeyer's lawyer Dr. Gerlach succeds in bringing in May's criminal records. The result comes on 8th November. May becomes seriously ill: High fever with heart weakness.
Fehsenfeld's book edition: Im Reiche des silbernen Löwen IV.
Kirchstraße 5
Villa »Shatterhand.«
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Middle of September appears Et in terra pax in Fehnsenfeld's enlarged book edition under the title Und Friede auf Erden!
26th September: Pauline Münchmeyer is obliged to produce accounts, as soon as Karl May provides a sworn statement.
X-mas: As a revenge for refused loan, which the unscrupulous press-bandid Rudolf Lebius sought to get from May, shout from the shopwindows of Dresden's bookshops big placards, on which is from far visible announcement in red huge letters: »The Previous Convictions of Karl May«.
Kirchstraße 5
Villa »Shatterhand.«
On the 3rd October is May's complaint of slander by Lebius dealt with before the Dresden' country court. Through a tactical mistake of May's lawyer Klotz, public reading from previous convictions record of Karl May was allowed.
In the same month May visits in Dresden a lecture by the Nobel peace prize winner Bertha von Suttner, a friendship develops between them.
Kirchstraße 5
Villa »Shatterhand.«
30th June: Rudolf Lebius calls May a hereditary criminal.
1st September: May's drama Babel und Bibel. Arabische Fantasia in zwei Akten appears at Fehsenfeld in one edition of 1200 prints.
Kirchstraße 5
Villa »Shatterhand.«
9th January: May wins at the [German] Reich court in Leipzig the Münchmeyer process in 3rd session. About the repayment of damages is yet to be decided. May's legal representative Rudolf Netcke put a sum to the Waldröschen alone to 250.000 Mark! On 11th Februar May gave the following sworn statement:
I
swear in the name of the Omnipotent and Omniscient God
1. I have, after I accidently met in 1882 the deceased
Heinrich Gotthold Münchmeyer in a restaurant in Dresden,
promised to write a novel for him, namely the WALDRÖSCHEN
under following conditions:
The novel should appear under a pseudonym and should be
printed and distributed only up to 20.000 prints. As
compensation I should receive for every issue 35 mark and
apart from that, when the authorized number of prints is
reached, once more a fine gratification.
Besides I should keep the right to include the novel into
my collected works.
2. These stipulations were carried over later to the
novels DEUTSCHE HERZEN UND HELDEN, DER VERLONERE SOHN und
DER WEG ZUM GLÜCK, however with the stipulation that the
remunaration for each print of the named novels will be
not only 35, but 50 Mark.
3. With regard to the novel DIE LIEBE DES ULANEN I agreed
in 1883 with Münchmeyer that I will allow him to print the
novel only in the 1884 edition of »Deutscher Wanderer«.
4. The same has been agreed with Münchmeyer about six
stories from 1875 and 1884 AUS DER MAPPE EINES
VIELGEREISTEN (INN-NU-WOH and OLD FIREHAND), EIN STÜCKLEIN
VOM ALTEN DESSAUER, DIE FASTNACHTSNARREN, UNTER WERBERN,
DER GITANO and DIE POLIN [WANDA] that one print only in
one particular year's edition is to be published.
5. I have not agreed with Münchmeyer in regard to 1 – 4 of
my works that he after once only payment will get
unrestricted publishing rights.
In this help me God.
7th
April: The Münchmeyer's successor Adalbert Fischer dies. On
the 15th April 1907 reports the Münchmeyer's lawyer
Dr.Gerlach May and his associates for perjury. The reproach
is proven untenable.
8th October: Inheritors of the publisher
Fischer declare in a settlement, »that the in the publishing
house H. G. Münchmeyer printed novels of writer Karl May
suffered over a period of time through insertions and
changes by a third hand such changes, that in their present
form cannot be considered any longer as to be authored by
Karl May.« The author's name Karl May is taken away from the
famously notorious five Münchmeyer's novels and can be from
now on printed solely anonymously.
Münchmeyer's succesor … has made such changes that between the old and his new edition a difference of hundreds of pages appeared. This is after all just horrible! If some person would dare to cut and paintbrush pictures of a painter or to hack and chisel statues of a sculptor and offer such mutilations for sale as originals, the whole Presscorp would take the cause of the injured artist and brand the falsificator in such way that he would not be able to show his face again. [Karl May: Ein Schundverlag, p. 852f.]
13th
September: Meeting with the Hausschatz editor Otto Denk.
After nine years May is ready to write again for the
›Deutscher Hausschatz‹. Immediately he starts with a draft
for 'Mir von Dschinnistan. By this he makes a move
into fine literature. With the readers of ›Hausschatz‹, who
expected the old travel stories full of action as before,
this novel finds little approval.
At the end of the year May writes Frau
Pollmer, eine psychologische Studie, in which he
tries in vain to write himself free from his first wife.
This text stays unprinted. Fom October appears in the
Regensburg newspaper ›Efeuranken‹ the travel tale Schamah.
Kirchstraße 5
Villa »Shatterhand.«
23rd March till 23rd April: In ›Grazer Volksblatt‹ appears Abdahn Effendi.
The anthropologist and sexual researcher F. S. Krauss visits May and names him »a blessing for humanity«.
In this year Karl May with his Klara undertake the first and only trip to America. The places visited: Bremen (5th September), New York (16th September), Albany (22/23rd September), Buffalo (end of September), Niagara Falls (beginning of October), Lawrence/Massachusetts at school friend Pfefferkorn (October), Boston and New York (November).
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On 4th November Mays are presumably again in Radebeul. Beginning of December they stay for a short time in London.
Kirchstraße 5
Villa »Shatterhand.«
September: Dr. Adof Droop publishes a study: »Karl May. An analysis of his travel stories«.
22nd November: Rudolf Lebius write to a friend of Emma the opera singer Selma vom Scheidt that he considers Karl May »to be a born criminal«.
17th December: Karl May lodges a complaint at the magistrate court Berlin-Charlottengurg against Lebius for slander.
8th December: May has a lecture in Augsburg Sitara, das Land der Menscheitsseele.
Fehsenfeld book editions: Ardistan und Dshninnistan I and II.
Kirchstraße 5
Villa »Shatterhand.«
May's frequent illnesses, made worse by the character assassinations, led in the end to the writer's death. Main court proceedings never eventuated. According to law experts Lebius would have been sentenced to jail term.
On 12th April Lebius was found firstly not guilty with regard to slander action (complaint from 17 December 1909) in the letter to Selma vom Scheidt; May appealed.
12th May: I do not deny that I came into conflict with the law 40 or 50 years ago and was punished for it; but what I did then in the deepest mental depression and coerced state [of mind] would be in the present, more enlightened time heard not by a judge, but a physician. My opponents bring this up and put cunning lies to it. There are five legal proceedings underway from which the truth will come out. [May in a letter to Peter Rosegger]
In August of 1910 Dr. E. A. Schmid was a guest for a few days at the »Villa Shatterhand.«. After May’s death, as a Director of the ›Karl-May-Verlag‹ [Publishing House], he widely and with great effort made generally known May’s views.
Fehsenfeld book editions: Winnetou IV, Mein Leben und Streben. Almost simultaneously with May's autobiography Rudolf Lebius published »Die Zeugen Karl und Klara May«, – a pamphlet of the worst kind! Because of reciprocal objections both May's autobiography and also the Lebius pamphlet were banned.
Kirchstraße 5
Villa »Shatterhand.«
11th May: Departure in Joachimsthal. Dr. Gottlieb ordered bathing. From the middle of June till end of July Karl and Klara May spent in South Tirol on recreational holiday. On the Mendel his state of health becomes worse again.
18th December: In an appeal proceedings (complaint from 17th December 1909) Rudolf Lebius is found guilty of slander and given 100 Mark penalty to pay.
Kirchstraße 5
Villa »Shatterhand.«
Beginning March May travels for the last time in Hohenstein-Ernstthal. He visits there his sister Wilhelmine Schöne; their niece Ilse receives from him for the beginning of school a large cone full of lollies.
22nd March: Karl May delivers a lecture in Vienna at the invitation of »Akademischen Verbandes für Literatur und Musik« in front of over 2000 listeners, his big peace address is entitled Empor ins Reich der Edelmenschen. Amongst the present is Bertha von Suttner.
30th March: Karl May dies around 8 PM in his Villa »Shatterhand.« His breathing stopped, presumably as a result of lung disease. The big heart became still. May's funeral follows on 3rd April at Radebeul's cemetery.
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Kirchstraße 5
Villa »Shatterhand.«