Karl May: From prison to the bestseller - a legal odyssey!

In 1904 the well -known writer Karl May stayed in Bad Nauheim and Friedberg. However, this stay did not serve a entertainment, but was scheduled for a court trial and a friendship meeting. Klara May, his wife, noted on October 26, 1904 on the stay in Bad Nauheim.

During his stay, Karl May met various companions, including the Mayor of Mainz Dr. Emil Göttelmann. May was involved in a legal conflict, the background of which reconstructed city archivist Alexander Jung. Jung, who has over 90 Karl May volumes and letters in his possession, found that May's work contains topics such as pacifism, tolerance and international understanding, far beyond the classic Indian stories.

Karl May's legal disputes

The stay in Bad Nauheim was not the only legal dispute in May's life. Overall, the writer was involved in over a hundred processes. As the criminologist Erich Wulffen emphasizes, Karl May was often cruel, although his works never lost censorship. His first process was a formative experience; He was sentenced to six weeks in prison after not returning a loaned pocket watch, which from today's perspective is considered unjustified.

After this experience, May developed a criminal career out of revenge, and this topic is also reflected in his writings. His criminal career ended with a conviction for high -stacking, which led to four years of prison. The experiences that Karl May had in court also shaped his literary works, in particular the presentation of innocence and indictment. His last prison sentence was a conviction for measurement of office, for which he spent three weeks in prison.

The legal argument about Karl May was also scientifically processed. Jürgen Seul wrote a biography that addressed May's promotion years, his divorce process, publishing processes and his relationship with the press. In this context, the work "Old Shatterhand in court" is worth mentioning, which exceeds the scope of 624 pages and is not only aimed at lawyers as part of the legal series of the Karl May Society.

The court date, which took place on October 20, 1904, initially brought no decision. On October 26, 1904, Karl May traveled to Bad Nauheim with his wife and stayed in the Hotel Reichshof. There he met Baurat Dr. Carl Eser and Dr. Emil Göttelmann, with whom he maintained an intensive correspondence. A meeting between May, Eser and Göttelmann took place in the old bathhouse I. Klara May described Göttelmann as extraordinary and Eser as loyal and honest. Eser said goodbye to the Mays on October 31, 1904 at the train station with a rose bush. In addition, May visited the Bindenail bookstore in Friedberg, where he was recognized by Geometer Julius Heineck.