Subject: Re: Karl May query
Date: Tue, 30 Jan 2001 12:15:04 -0500


Hi Jon,
there was a conference on "Germans" and "Indians" ("Cultural Encounters 
Across Three Centuries")at Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire in May 
1999. This conference, at which Karl May was one of the topics, generated a 
book of articles titled GERMANS AND INDIANS:FANTASIES,ENCOUNTERS,PROJECTIONS 
ed. Colin Calloway, Susanne Zantop, and Gerd Gemuenden to be published by 
the University of Nebraska Press very soon. The articles are all in English. 
In there is an article by Katrin Sieg who also published "Ethnic Drag and 
National Identity" in THE IMPERIALIST IMAGINATION:GERMAN COLONIALISM AND ITS 
LEGACY, eds. Sara Friedrichsmeyer, Sara Lennox, and Susanne Zantop. Ann 
Arnbor: The University of Michigan Press, 1998.
There is also the work by German scholar Hartmut Lutz. His article in NATIVE 
NORTH AMERICA ed. by Renee Hulan (ECW Press, 1999)puts Karl May into the 
context of Germany's history,German views on Native Americans in general and 
the German reception of Native literature. Lutz wrote already in 1985 a book 
on "INDIANER" AND "NATIVE AMERICANS" discussing stereotyping, but the book 
(to which he refers in the above article) is in German. I got the following 
articles from his detailed bibliography:
Cracroft, Richard H. "The American West of Karl May." AMERICAN QUARTERLY 19 
(1967): 249-258.
Howard, James. "The Native American Image in Western Europe." AMERICAN 
INDIAN QUARTERLY 4 (1978):33-56.
Mann, Klaus. "Karl May, Hitler's Literary Mentor." KENYON REVIEW 2 (1940): 
391-400.
There are a number of articles on the German/European image of Native 
Americans, but I don't know how specific and detailed they are regarding 
Karl May. I don't know of any monograph on Karl May in English.
A sad afterthought to this answer: the day I read your query I also learnt 
about the tragic death of Susanne Zantop, professor at Dartmouth College, 
whom I mentioned above as editor (and she was co-organizer of the conference 
as well). If she were still alive, I would have forwarded your email to her 
... She was a very good scholar and gave advice and help generously.
Renate


>From: Jon Stratton <rstratto-AT-cc.curtin.edu.au>
>Reply-To: postcolonial-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu
>To: postcolonial-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu
>Subject: Karl May query
>Date: Sun, 28 Jan 2001 18:57:00 +0800
>
>
>    Hi All,
>      I am wondering if anybody knows of any work that has been done -- in
>English -- on Karl May. This is the turn-of-the-century German author who
>wrote many Westerns, and books set in the 'Orient'. His works were a great
>favorite of Hitler ... and Einstein (!) For those interested readers on 
>this
>List, it seems that Hitler's application of the term 'redskins' to the
>Russians was taken from May's Westerns where the native Americans were
>described as a superceded and dying race.
>Many thanks,
>Jon
>
>
>******************************************************************************
>Dr Jon Stratton, Professor of Cultural Studies,
>The School of Communication and Cultural Studies,
>Curtin University of Technology,
>GPO Box U1987,
>Perth 6845,
>Western Australia.
>
>tel. Int+61-(0)8-9266-7291
>
>
>
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