BP GEOGRAPHIC

Karl May wrote traveling stories in which he was a westman in America called Old Shatterhand as well as a traveller in Northern Africa and the Middle East called Kara Ben Nemsi, although he has never really been to those places at the time he wrote the stories.

Some people accused him of pretending things. But in fact he projected the problems of mankind into his stories so they are rather symbolic, just like certain holy books.

Karl May’s stories look at first like simple travelling stories in the 19th century but are in fact deeply psychological. And he knew a lot about psychology due to his own problems. But for his opponents he was probably too intelligent.