Winnetou, the Chief of the Apache, Part I, Enters Old Shatterhand

Winnetou #1

by Karl May, Mary A. Thomas (Translator)

Charlie, a young German immigrant arrives to the United States in the 1860s, and takes up a position as a private tutor in St Louis. However, driven by his thirst for adventure, he joins a team that is surveying the land for a new railway line. The line would lead through the land of the Apache, the Comanche and the Kiowa. His thirst for adventure is quenched as he hunts for bison, catches mustangs, kills a grizzly, and finds himself in the middle of the war between the Apache, and the Kiowa tribes. He also gains admiration for his skills, his character, his moral values, and receives his new name: Old Shatterhand. During these times he meets the young chief of the Apache, Winnetou. This unabridged English translation retains the exciting adventures, and the strong moral conviction of May's original book, while modernising the style, and editing parts that were erroneous or may evoke bad associations. With this editing the core of May's world, the action, the dreaming of heroic deeds, and the struggle for a kind of justice have become more emphasised, and more accessible to the modern reader.

Genres: Fiction, Classics, Adventure, Westerns, German Literature, Novels, Historical Fiction

275 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1893

About the author

Karl Friedrich May (also Karol May) was one of the best selling German writers of all time, noted mainly for books set in the American Old West, (best known for the characters of Winnetou and Old Shatterhand) and similar books set in the Orient and Middle East. In addition, he wrote stories set in his native Germany, in China and in South America.

May also wrote poetry and several plays, as well as composing music; he was proficient with several musical instruments. May's musical version of "Ave Maria" became very well known.

Reviews

[Kori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Though he is virtually unknown to the English-speaking world, May is possibly the most-read German author of all time: his books have sold an estimated 100m copies to date. The Germans have a saying: "We know Goethe, but we read Karl May".

Karl May developed a love of good stories while serving time in prison for fraud. He wrote over 70 books, many of which have been translated into over 30 languages. Among his best-known works is Winnetou, published in three volumes between 1876 and 1893. The story depicted the friendship of Old Shatterhand, an American pioneer of German descent, and Winnetou, a noble Indian chief.

Picking up where Buffalo Bill Cody's 1889 German tour left off, he came up with the ingenious idea of presenting a western adventure in which a German novice, Old Shatterhand, out-lassos, out-hunts, out-shoots and finally out-wits Yankees and Indians alike. Throw in the hero's great alliance with Winnetou, the stoical "red gentleman", and May had created both a patriotic epic and a popular monument to the Native American race. The 2,000-page "Winnetou" series, is a rootin'-tootin', sure-shootin' sensation, still a great read for all western and adventure lovers everywhere.

[Andrei Stoian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Romanian review: Numărul de rating-uri de pe Goodreads poate fi adesea înșelător. În cazul acesta, ,,Winnetou" pare a fi o serie de cărți destul de obscură, dar adevărul este altul. Karl May este unul dintre cei mai bine vânduți scriitori din istoria literaturii germane, iar seria aceasta a fost foarte populară prin secolul al-XX-lea în Europa. Cel puțin în România, este una dintre seriile menționate adesea de către persoanele care au trăit în comunism.
Popularitatea cărților cu Winnetou este lesne de înțeles. Sunt cărți pline de aventuri, cu personaje simpatice, un grad ridicat de divertisment și un cadru care, pentru un european— mai ales din acea perioadă— este de-a dreptul exotic. Cine poate să citească despre prerii nesfârșite, amerindieni, Vestul Sălbatic, bizoni și mustangi, fără să viseze cu ochii deschiși? Trebuie să recunosc că și pe mine m-a prins destul de mult lumea respectivă, într-o seară citind până destul de târziu în noapte, deși aveam cursuri de dimineață. Cu toate că acțiunea era destul de previzibilă, era ceva în atmosfera romanului care mă prinsese și nu îmi mai dădea drumul. Totuși, nu voi citi și restul seriei.
Din păcate, am întâlnit numeroase probleme în acest prim roman, una dintre ele specifică și cărților lui Jules Verne— pe care l-am adorat în copilărie și primii ani ai adolescenței, dar ale cărui romane și-au pierdut din farmec de când am trecut de 19-20 de ani. Mă refer, în mod special, la personajele negative. Avem în ambele cazuri personaje negative atât de clișeice, de banale, de lipsite de complexitate sau motivație, încât este greu să citesc despre ele. Indienii kiowași, inginerii din echipa protagonistului, oamenii angajați să-i păzească— pe scurt, orice personaj care nu este prieten cu protagonistul— îmi amintește de bandiții și pirații din romanele lui Jules Verne. Sunt personaje ticăloase și netrebnice, care posedă doar trăsături negative, personaje de carton, care sunt niște neisprăviți absoluți, chiar și când personajul principal le răspunde cu bunătate. Prin comparație, toate personajele pozitive au un caracter ireproșabil și sunt aproape fără cusur. Pe scurt, nu avem o moralitate complexă în lumea lui Karl May.
A doua problemă majoră este chiar personajul principal, Old Shatterhand— un personaj simpatic, dar care este unul dintre cei mai mari Gary Stu despre care am citit vreodată. Old Shatterhand este mai bun decât toată lumea la orice. Se află pentru prima dată în vest, dar vânează mai bine decât ceilalți westmani, se luptă mai bine, nu ratează niciodată ținta, muncește singur cât patru oameni, înoată mai bine ca indienii, este neînfricat în luptă și învinge orice oponent— asta fără niciun fel de experiență, antrenament sau pregătire de orice fel. Este un personaj care nu poate să se perfecționeze în niciun fel pentru că deja este perfect din toate punctele de vedere, iar pentru ca toată situația să fie și mai enervantă, personajele cu experiență în vest, ca Sam Hawkens, îl numesc tot timpul greenhorn (adică începător sau ageamiu), apoi sunt șocați de realizările sale, apoi îl numesc iarăși greenhorn— și totul se repetă până la sfârșitul cărții, indiferent câte lucruri extraordinare realizează Old Shatterhand.
Prin urmare, dacă aș avea timp nelimitat sau ar exista un număr considerabil mai mic de cărți pe lumea asta, aș citi și restul seriei, plus toată seria de ,,Călătorii Extraordinare" a lui Jules Verne, dar, din păcate, timpul este limitat, cărțile sunt multe și chiar nu îmi permit să investesc alte ore într-o serie care, într-adevăr, m-a distrat, este scrisă destul de bine și plină de aventuri, dar care este mediocră în ceea ce privește construcția personajelor și prezintă o viziune simplistă a lumii.
Karl May aduce prin aceste cărți un omagiu pieilor-roșii, lucru pentru care îl respect, însă am cărți mult mai serioase de citit. Recomand seria celor care pot trece peste cele două probleme majore enumerate mai sus, însă eu o să mă îndrept spre alți autori de westernuri, care sper să mă mulțumească mai mult— autori precum James Fenimore Cooper, Cormac McCarthy și Larry McMurtry.



English review: The number of ratings on Goodreads can often be misleading. In this case, "Winnetou" seems to be a relatively obscure series, but the truth is quite different. Karl May is one of the best-selling authors in the history of German literature, and this series was highly popular in 20th-century Europe. At least in Romania, it is one of the series often mentioned by people who lived during the communist era.
The popularity of the "Winnetou" books is easy to understand. They are filled with adventures, likable characters, a high level of entertainment, and a setting that, for a European—especially of that time—is truly exotic. Who can read about endless prairies, Native Americans, the Wild West, buffalo, and mustangs without daydreaming? I must admit that I was quite drawn into that world myself, staying up late one evening even though I had classes early the next morning. Despite the predictable plot, there was something captivating about the novel’s atmosphere that kept me hooked. Still, I don’t plan to read the rest of the series.
Unfortunately, I encountered numerous issues with this first novel, one of which is also specific to Jules Verne’s books—a writer I adored during my childhood and early teenage years but whose novels have lost their charm since I turned 19 or 20. I’m referring specifically to the portrayal of antagonists. Both Karl May and Jules Verne feature villains that are clichéd, simplistic, and lacking in depth or motivation. The Kiowa Indians, the engineers in the protagonist’s team, the men hired to guard them—in short, any character who isn’t a friend of the protagonist—reminded me of the bandits and pirates from Jules Verne’s novels. These are utterly wicked and contemptible characters with only negative traits, cardboard cutouts of villains who remain irredeemably bad, even when met with kindness from the protagonist. In contrast, all the positive characters possess flawless and impeccable qualities. There’s no room for moral complexity in Karl May’s world.
The second major issue is the protagonist himself, Old Shatterhand—a likable character but one of the biggest Gary Stus I’ve ever encountered. Old Shatterhand is better than everyone at everything. He’s in the West for the first time but hunts better than seasoned frontiersmen, fights better, never misses a target, works as hard as four men, swims better than the Native Americans, is fearless in battle, and defeats every opponent—all without any prior experience, training, or preparation of any kind. He’s a character who can’t improve in any way because he’s already perfect in every respect. To make matters even more frustrating, the experienced Westerners, like Sam Hawkens, constantly call him a “greenhorn” (beginner), express shock at his accomplishments, and then call him a greenhorn again—repeating the cycle until the end of the book, no matter how many extraordinary things Old Shatterhand achieves.
So, if I had unlimited time or if there were significantly fewer books in the world, I would read the rest of this series as well as Jules Verne’s entire "Extraordinary Voyages" series. Unfortunately, time is limited, there are far too many books, and I simply can’t afford to invest more hours into a series that entertained me, was well-written, and full of adventure, but ultimately mediocre in character development and simplistic in its worldview.
Karl May pays homage to the Native Americans through these books, which I respect. However, I have much more serious works to read. I recommend this series to those who can overlook the two major issues mentioned above, but I will turn to other Western authors who I hope will satisfy me more—such as James Fenimore Cooper, Cormac McCarthy, and Larry McMurtry.

[Frantiska · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is one I grew up with & played make-believe about with my sister, and i have been in love with it ever since the first time i heard it.

The sheer amount of respect and admiration this book invokes for Native American tribes is so powerful. Albeit being criticized for romanticizing the time of Native Americans, the author successfully draws attention to their talents, intelligence and skills. The story is told through the eyes of a young German protagonist, who starts off working as a surveyor to measure land for train tracks. He gradually leans away from the group of "civilized" rich white men, and towards the Native American tribe of Apache. As he gains more firsthand experience and knowledge, he begins to question what he was told about the local tribes. The stereotypes and offensive views against Native Americans are acknowledged and effectively proven wrong. Inevitably, as a novel set in North America at the beginning of colonization, this story carries bitter undertones of reality. It illustrates how Native Americans were forced to adapt to new technology and how all they ever asked for were their lives and some land to live on. However, we as the reader, the narrator, and even some Native American characters are aware from the very beginning that the race stands no chance against ever-growing groups of men with guns. Though nothing can be done to reverse the tragedy, this novel does its best to bring attention to the false stereotypes and pays a beautiful tribute to the race through storytelling.

The second main character, Vinnetou, is the main representation of the Native American people. Along with the protagonist, we are constantly in awe of his intelligence and way of life. The formed brotherhood between the protagonist and Vinnetou is a satisfying and necessary development in the novel, and enriches the reader with even more insight. The relationships formed throughout the plot are all fully developed, honest, relatable and organic.

The protagonist is in first person and often offers his inner monologues in such a way that allow us as the reader to learn side by side with him, and are encouraged to view things in the same light as him. He always finds the right lesson to learn from any situation and always listens to the truth over lies, no matter how convincing. Never have i ever respected a main character more than Old Shatterhand. His honour and righteousness are unparalleled. He values honesty, honour and justice above all else and proves himself over and over. He treats everyone fairly and every man should try to be a fraction as good as him.

I wish this novel was just as renowned all around the world as it is in Czech Republic, because it offers so many life lessons and role models and it has honestly shaped parts of the person i am today.

[Bojan Medić · Rating 5 out of 5]

Moj prvi susret sa knjižarom počinje sa ovom knjigom. Dobio sam je za deveti rođendan od oca. Sećam se, otac me je odveo u veliku knjižaru "Akademija" u Knez Mihailovoj ulici u Beogradu, na odeljenje dečije literature, i rekao mi da biram koju god želim knjigu. Pošto sam prethodno već čitao "Blago u srebrnom jezeru", moj izbor je brzo pao na ovu čuvenu trilogiju, koja me je naprosto mamila svojim sjajnim i masivnim povezom, i fantastičnim ilustracijama.
Pročitao sam je za nešto više od mesec dana. I dan-danas volim da je prelistam i pročitam poslednji pasus u knjizi, pasus zbog kojeg sam, sećam se, plakao kao kiša kad sam prvi put pročitao knjigu.

Ali tko u planinama Gros-Ventre na rijeci Metsur bude stajao kraj groba Apača, taj će reći: "Ovdje je pokopan Winnetou, Indijanac i veliki čovjek." A kad posljednji komadić oporuke sagnjije među grmljem i vodom, onda će jedna generacija istinoljubivih ljudi stajati pred savanama i planinama Zapada i reći: "Ovdje počiva crvena rasa; ona nije postala velika, jer joj to nije bilo dopušteno."

[Maciej Skulimowski · Rating 1 out of 5]

Recenzja zawiera spoilery, ale dla dobra swojego zdrowia psychicznego polecam przeczytać ją zamiast tej książki.

Nie mam pojęcia skąd wziął się fenomen tej powieści jak i jej autora. Nie mam pojęcia skąd tak wysoka jej średnia ocena, bo ja mordowałem się z nią prawie pół roku i nie sprawiła mi żadnej przyjemności. W dołączonej na wstępie krótkiej nocie biograficznej na temat Karla Maya dowiedziałem się, że nie miał on łatwego życia więc postanowił spróbować swoich sił i napisać właśnie tę powieść, po której ukazaniu się opinie były od razu mocno podzielone. Między innymi zarzucano mu brak umiejętności pisarskich. Z całym szacunkiem do niego, ale w pełni się z tymi opiniami zgadzam. Ta opowieść jest zła pod każdym względem.

Fabuła jest tak prosta i przewidywalna, że dosłownie ręce opadają. Praktycznie wszystko idzie po myśli bohaterów. Jak tylko napotykają na swojej drodze jakąś trudność to za pierwszym razem udaję im się z nią sobie poradzić i to w dodatku wybierając najbardziej szalony plan z możliwych. Głównym wątkiem fabularnym jest tu więź pomiędzy Winnetou i Old Shatterhandem. Skąd ta więź? Skąd jest ona tak nagła i silna? Tych dwóch typów dosłownie na siebie spojrzało, a Kleki-Petra opowiedział Old Shatterhandowi cośtam, że Winnetou to szlachetny wojownik i tyle. Dosłownie. Skąd to przywiązanie? Z jakiego powodu? To po prostu nie jest możliwe. Chyba oboje oni musieliby być gejami i musiałaby to być miłość od pierwszego wejrzenia w stylu Romea i Julii żebym był w stanie w to uwierzyć, ale, o ile mi wiadomo, to tak nie jest. Ten wątek to jest dosłownie rdzeń tej historii. Dwóch typów uwielbiających się na zabój, bo jeden drugiego zobaczył.

Główni bohaterowie są dla mnie nie do zniesienia. Są tak płascy i jednowymiarowi, przez całą książkę dokładnie tacy sami jakby nie byli ludźmi tylko pojedynczymi emocjami. Tytułowy Winnetou jest jeszcze w porządku, szlachetny z niego człowiek, prawdziwy wojownik i w ogóle, ale Old Shatterhand, czyli równocześnie narrator opowieści? Ten facet jest alfą i omegą. Potwornie źle śledzi się losy kogoś takiego. Po co w ogóle to robić skoro wiadomo, że i tak mu się wszystko uda? Pochodzi on z Europy, przybył na Dziki Zachód stosunkowo niedawno po to żeby być nauczycielem. Nagle dostaje pracę przy budowie kolei biegnącej przez teren plemion indiańskich. W obstawie paru kowbojów, zajmuje się tam robieniem pomiarów i kreśleniem planów co prowadzi do tego, że zostaje z dnia na dzień wrzucony w życie, o którym nie ma zielonego pojęcia i już w pierwszych dniach tego nowego życia w pojedynkę (z sukcesem) poluje na bizony, z pomocą noża zabija niedźwiedzia szarego i powala wszystkich jednym uderzeniem… Co? Byłbym w stanie uwierzyć w jego wrodzoną siłę, zarówno tę fizyczną jak i siłę charakteru, ale nikt mi nie wciśnie, że jakikolwiek człowiek byłby w stanie powalić jednego z największych drapieżników na Ziemi mając do dyspozycji jedynie nóż. Nikt normalny nawet by nie pomyślał o tym żeby rzucać się na niedźwiedzia z nożem. Co autor miał w głowie kiedy pisał tę scenę? Old Shatterhandowi dosłownie wszystko udaje się za pierwszym razem, a fakt, że autor uważa za niego samego siebie jest dla mnie tylko dodatkowym gwoździem do trumny. Facet w dodatku zgrywa takiego szlachetnego, a jest zwykłym hipokrytą. Jak wódź Apaczów się go pyta czy wziął by Indiankę za żonę to mówi, że jasne, bo kolor skóry nie ma dla niego znaczenia, a dosłownie dwa zdania później mówi, że oczywiście musiałaby przejść na chrześcijaństwo, bo on poganki nie weźmie i nie ma mowy… ???????? Jest też Sam Hawkens, jeden z kowbojów i nauczyciel Old Shatterhanda. Sam Hawkens jest tak irytujący, że dosłownie nie da się tego typa słuchać. Ciągle się tylko chichra, od początku do końca książki męczy wszystkich swoimi żarcikami, na okrągło nazywa Old Shatterhanda greenhornem (kimś niedoświadczonym w życiu na Dzikim Zachodzie) nawet wtedy kiedy ten po raz kolejny wykazał się większym sprytem od niego albo uratował mu życie i ogólnie zachowuje się tak infantylnie, dosłownie gorzej niż pięcioletnie dziecko. Z początku było to jeszcze zabawne, ale nie kiedy katuje się tym czytelnika przez całe 545 stron. Ten typ zachowywał się tak nawet kiedy śmierć zaglądała mu w oczy.

Dodatkowo autor dosłownie na okrągło męczy czytelnika wielostronicowymi dialogami pomiędzy bohaterami tłumaczącymi sobie nawzajem jakiś plan. NA OKRĄGŁO. A sama akcja często rozgrywa się później na 2-4 stronach. Również na okrągło Old Shatterhand i Sam Hawkens mówią do siebie „Kochany Samie” albo „Kochany Sir”. Dosłownie chyba nie odbyli ani jednej rozmowy między sobą bez użycia tych zwrotów. Niektóre sceny są tak głupie, że szkoda aż strzępić języka. Widać, że autor nie miał pomysłu na rozwiązanie niektórych spraw w fabule więc po prostu zrobił z jakichś przypadkowych ludzi na prerii idiotów, którzy wypaplali naszym głównym bohaterom absolutnie wszystko czego ci chcieli się dowiedzieć i nie wzbudziła w nich ta odpytka przez jakichś nieznajomych, żadnych, nawet najmniejszych podejrzeń. Litości!

Najgorsze, że mam na półce całą trylogię i nie wiem teraz co z nią zrobić. Chyba najgorsza książka jaką przeczytałem w tym roku. Tragedia.

[Петър Панчев · Rating 5 out of 5]

Дивият запад на Карл Май:
(Цялото ревю е тук: https://knijenpetar.wordpress.com/201...)

Тази история е разказана много отдавна, но все още буди възхищението на млади и не толкова млади читатели по цял свят. За мен е удоволствие да видя това прекрасно издание с твърди корици, което всъщност е първи том от цели три за митичния индианец апачи Винету. Аз, както и много други читатели около моята възраст, са израснали с героите от Дивия запад, във време, когато „Да играем на индианци!“ беше едно от най-разпространените забавления за децата. Сега нещата стоят различно, но книжните приключения на Винету и Олд Шетърхенд едва ли ще бъдат забравени. Направете един паралел на тази книга с по-съвременните и веднага ще усетите колко „по-тежка“ ще ви се стори в исторически план. Поколения деца са я чели и обсъждали, въпреки суровата действителност, описана вътре. Какво ще кажете за скалпирането и многобройните мъжки битки, завършващи с убийства сред страниците? Дивият запад наистина е див в истинския смисъл на думата. Всичко в тази книга говори за мъжественост, съперничество, коварство, чест, дълг и достойнство. Днес едно дете би се изумило какви книги са чели връстниците му преди 30-40 години. „Винету I“ („Сиела“, 2016, с превод на Веселин Радков) е приключенска до последната буква, невероятна книга, в която има повече заряд и сурова действителност, отколкото куп съвременни книги, предназначени за подрастващи. Все още продължава да ми въздейства, дори да я познавам още от хлапе.
(Продължава в блога: https://knijenpetar.wordpress.com/201...)

[Daniel Villines · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Write what you know." With those words I have probably quoted or paraphrased the advice of a countless number of writers. The reason for this advice is simple: the lie that is fiction must be perceived as a truth if a book is to stand the test of time. But then we have Winnetou - The Apache Knight.

Karl Friedrich May was born in Germany in 1842 and lived to the age 70 without ever having stepped foot in the American West. Yet he chose to write about that unknown place in the absence of any first-hand experience; choosing to rely upon other means, such as travel memoirs, to know this mysterious land. By all accounts, he was a successful writer in his native country and the character Winnetou went on to appear in three subsequent novels.

In spite of this success, however, May failed to capture the true nature of the American West. Absent from Winnetou are any meaningful descriptions of endless skies, jagged snow-capped peaks rising from the plains, and distant thunderstorms moving across distant horizons. Writers such as Zane Grey and Cormac McCarthy knew the power of such an unforgiving yet beautiful landscape and they used it to shape their characters, which in turn added substance to the content of their books.

May's depictions of the American Indians are equally lacking in scope. The Apache and Kiowa Indians are represented as being simpletons that serve solely to provide the antagonism required of the plot. They are depicted as children when the wisdom of the "paleface" is being imparted to them; depicted as maniacal warriors when battles are fought; and depicted sadistic animals in the treatment of their prisoners. There is no complexity in these people probably due to May's ignorance of their culture.

Essentially, May played a game wherein he took advantage of the relatively isolated state of the world in his time. The vast majority of May's readers had never stepped foot in America and they predominately communicated in their native German language. As a result, May's fans gained their knowledge of the American West through May's words and created a feedback loop that ensured his popularity for decades after his death.

As WWII approached, it is not surprising that the German population, including Adolph Hitler, relied in part upon their beloved German writer to find insights into the nature of the American people. It's been documented that Hitler had 300,000 copies of Winnetou delivered to his soldiers. The Germans naturally reached for a source that was both readily available and readily enjoyed. It was this failure of the imagination, or rather this short-circuit of the imagination, that helped to create a false impression of Germany's future enemy.

Winnetou predominately relies upon the action of its hero and his trusty sidekicks. As a result, their actions appear heroic and the actions of everyone else, presumably the average American, seem helpless, rash, and ineffectual. In the same way that May fails to capture any of the beauty of the American West and the complexity of the American Indians, he also fails to capture any of the humanity of the American people. He simply did not know these things, and today, I would hope that the world would know better.

[Efka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Neturiu jokių priekaištų, pastabų ar šiaip padūmojimų šiai knygai. O ir kokie galėtų būti, kai skaitai knygą kokį 17-ą kartą. Love, peace and unity.

[Ron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Karl May's classic is the German answer to James Fenimore Cooper's The Leatherstocking Tales. Critics find fault with his lack of verisimilitude and authenticity, especially in view of the fact that he had no personal experience with American natives and had never seen the landscapes he was describing in his books.

However, I would assert that his depiction of the fate of the indigenous population of North America is much more sympathetic and honest than many contemporary accounts of American-born authors, despite his blatant bias towards German characters and discernable flatness of supporting characters. Anyway, in comparison with the bulk of works comprising the western genre, which has gifted us with the concept of white hats and black hats, May's American adventure stories are paragons of character development, plausibility and inventiveness.

May is able to create a sense of wonder at the exotic settings and personage and of breathless excitement at the rapid pace of implausible adventures, his novels are never less than entertaining even if recognisable as fantasy.

[Христо Блажев · Rating 4 out of 5]

Когато всички бяхме индианци…: http://knigolandia.info/book-review/h...

Всъщност “Винету” така и не я бях чел на младини, нямам понятие защо, след като купчини с разръфани от четене книги на Карл Май стоят до днес в библиотеката у нас. Не е голяма изненада, че като си минал 30 и не си бил пленен отрано в нея, не е чак толкова интересна, идеализацията на героите е прекалена от съвременна гледна точка. И все пак имаше някакъв чар в това стремително движение напред и все напред, в предопределената победа на доброто над злото и наказването на всяко коварство. Но Май никога не е дирил реализъм, неговият свят е мащабна фантазия, която изпълнява и нещо като митологична функция.

От друга страна, “Харка – синът на вожда” и останалите томове съм ги чел поне седем-осем пъти, което си личи ясно и по снимката :) Приключенията на Харка и баща му са много по-пъстри и сложни, моралните дилеми не са черни и бели, а пътят на двамата от родните типита до градовете на бледоликите е изпълнен с разочарования и болки.


CIELA Books
http://knigolandia.info/book-review/h...

[Edita · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Vinetou" is a captivating exploration of friendship, courage, and the American frontier. The bond between Old Shatterhand and Vinetou unfolds against a backdrop of wild landscapes and cultural clashes. This timeless adventure is a tribute to the spirit of the Wild West, offering a poignant and thrilling narrative.

[Ренета Кирова · Rating 5 out of 5]

Чела съм я като ученичка и съм я препрочитала. За тогава ми харесваше много.

[Michael · Rating 2 out of 5]

It pains me to negatively review a book so beloved by Germans, a people whose country, culture, and language I had the great fortune of getting to know during various parts of my life. In an attempt to not completely lose the language, I occasionally read a book in German. I was really looking forward to Winnetou because, when I lived in Germany, the "American cowboy" trope would come up around Americans despite the relatively rare presence of the Western genre in the media for the last couple generations. When I found out that the Germans had their own source of defining the American West, I knew I'd someday read it.

I was disappointed, though not surprised, that everything about this "classic" felt completely wrong to me as an American. I won't bother discussing the book in terms of its perspective on European colonialism... this is a review, not a post-modern critique of a novel written a hundred years ago. Rather, I'll choose two specific problems I have with the book.

First, the depiction of the West was ... off. I am not well enough read in the real history of the West and my exposure to the corresponding literary genre to fully break down this impression. I am however familiar enough with both to say that Winnetou misses on both counts. Sure, the broad strokes are there (railroads, Native Americans, six-shooters, buffalo, etc.), but it seemed to me that the author filled in far too many details with an imagination based on broad ideas, such as the noble savage. He also takes nuggets of the West and makes them more defining than necessary. He treats the term "greenhorn", which is only a term similar to the modern day "n00b", almost as a defined social rank. Side characters are constantly reminding the main character that he's just a greenhorn and hasn't been in the frontier long, despite the fact these same characters have seem him succeed in his endeavors time and time again. It's a small example, but the author's tendency to take a nugget about the West (history or mythos) and overemphasize it is bothersome. And seriously, where did he get the idea that his native characters should collectively say "Oof, oof, oof" when making any exclamation of surprise, displeasure, approval, etc.? I suppose it's not any worse than the old stereotypical phrase, "How. Me smokem peace pipe", which is of course pretty bad.

Secondly, this is the grossest example of a Mary Sue character I have ever read, and I do NOT accept the reason that this was an adventure book written for adolescents. That reason does not work for an author who starts the book with an introduction about the tragedy of the declining Native Americans peoples and the need to learn lessons from them. His main character, a German immigrant to Texas, becomes known as "Old Shatterhand" because he punches so hard. Truly, he even knocked down a grizzly bear by punching it in the face during the first third of the book. Read that sentence again. He punched a grizzly bear. In the face. And wasn't immediately mauled to death. He tracks better than anyone, swims better than anyone, and outsmarts and outshoots everyone with absolutely zero prior experience. The author's explanation? He is well read and well educated, which May apparently believed equated to field experience. I have never been more annoyed by a main character in my life.

To any Germans reading this review, I understand this book may be part of your childhood and you do not want some American criticizing a book from your literary history. I would imagine that it might be said that I should not compare Winnetou to the American Western literary genre, but rather to early 20th century young adult action-adventures such as The Hardy Boys or Tom Swift. Winnetou would certainly come out on top in such a comparison by a measure of required reading level alone. Nevertheless, I think comparing it to the American Western genre is appropriate, particularly due to my impression that Germans gain (or once gained) a significant part of their understanding of the American West's history and myth from Winnetou. And because of that, the German culture touches American culture in way that's perhaps not helpful.

I'd be happy to hear what a German thinks of my take on Winnetou.

[Jenni · Rating 1 out of 5]

Trite, to say the least. Would have been more enjoyable if I were a 10 year old living in Germany in 1900...

[Paul Klarname · Rating 5 out of 5]

Das letzte Mal hatte ich Winnetou mit 14 gelesen und war beeindruckt, weil ich nie irgendetwas mit wildem Westen zu tun hatte. Jetzt, beim zweiten Mal, zeigt sich wie schematisch und klischeehaft das ganze eigentlich ist. Old Shatterhand ist basically eine Fanfiction in der sich May selbst als Superheld in ein Wildwest Szenario geschrieben hat. Er kann alles und ist stärker und schlauer als alle anderen.
Trotzdem hat es einfach Bock gemacht das Buch zu lesen. Für 1878 liest es sich extrem gut. Wahrscheinlich, weil es schon damals nicht sonderlich anspruchsvolle Literatur war. Auch ist es m.E. überraschend progressiv. Damit meine ich nicht die Darstellung der Amerikanischen Ureinwohner als "noble Wilde", ein Klischee, was in den Filmen noch deutlich stärker verwendet wurde. Nein, May hat eine Verachtung für das Verhalten Amerikanischen Siedler und eine, vielleicht durch seinen immer wieder dick aufgetragenen christlichen Glauben, Liebe für alle Unterdrückten. Ich verstehe, warum er nie in die deutsche Gesellschaft des 19 Jahrhunderts gefunden hat und mehrmals im Zuchthaus gelandet ist. Trotzdem ist für ihn Deutschland eine Idealgesellschaft, was schwer nachzuvollziehen ist, mit Blick auf die Entwicklung einige Jahre nach seinem Tod. Gleichzeitig verstehe ich auch, dass gerade die Nachkriegsgeneration so obsesses mit Winnetou war. Hier sind die Deutschen keine Verbrecher sondern werden immer mit einem gewissen Pazifismus assoziiert der schwer nachzuvollziehen ist. Natürlich entstand dadurch, gerade durch die Filme, eine Verklärung im Selbstbildnis der deutschen Zuschauerschaft.
Eine Sache, die ich witzig finde, ist, dass m.E. Old Shatterhand und Winnetou 100% ein Liebespaar sind. Er sagt immer, dass er ihn mit dem ersten Blick geliebt hat. Beschreibt seine schönen Augen und schönes Haar. Als im Raum steht, dass Shatterhand Winnetous Schwester heiraten soll, beschreibt er, wie ähnlich sie doch ihrem Bruder sieht....
Well. Das Buch ist Kitsch und ich verstehe auch jede Diskussion über die Reproduktion von Klischees durch die Erzählungen. Nichtsdestotrotz hat es extrem viel Spaß beim Lesen gemacht und war als Zeitdokument sehr interessant.

[Endah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nama Winnetou dan Karl May ibarat sekeping mata uang : tak terpisahkan. Membicarakan Winnetou sudah pasti akan menyeret pula nama Karl May bersamanya. Demikian sebaliknya.

Begitu tersohornya kisah petualangan Old Shatterhand bersama Winnetou, Sang Kepala Suku Apache (Indian), sehingga sudah dianggap legenda oleh para penggemarnya, bukan saja di Jerman, negeri asal Karl May, tetapi juga di seluruh belahan dunia.

Karl Friedrich May (1842-1912) memang terkenal dengan karya-karyanya berupa "kisah perjalanan", termasuk serial Winnetou ini yang memuat pengalaman seorang pemuda Jerman, Charlie, di tanah Wild West (Amerika Serikat).

Berawal dari niat ingin mencari penghidupan yang lebih baik - karena situasi yang kurang menguntungkan di negerinya - Charlie pun pergi melancong ke Barat (Amerika Serikat). Setelah berpindah-pindah kerja, akhirnya sampailah ia di St.Louis. Di kota ini, ia tinggal bersama satu keluarga Jerman di mana ia bekerja sebagai guru privat bagi putri keluarga itu.

Di sini pula ia berkenalan dengan Mr.Henry, seorang gunsmith (pembuat senapan) yang kelak membuka jalan baginya merantau ke wilayah Wild West.

Sebelumnya, Charlie tak pernah pergi ke manapun. Cerita tentang Wild West dengan para koboy dan bangsa kulit merah (Indian) hanya ia ketahui dari buku-buku yang dibacanya. Ia mempelajari dan lalu menjadi amat tertarik dengan kisah-kisah yang dibacanya itu. Pengetahuan yang diperoleh dari buku-buku tersebut di kemudian hari terbukti sangat bermanfaat baginya.

Singkat cerita, selanjutnya Charlie bekerja sebagai surveyor (pengukur tanah) di lahan yang akan digunakan sebagai rel kereta api sepanjang St.Louis hingga ke Pantai Pasifik melalui daerah Indian Territory, New Mexico, Arizona, dan California. Sebagai surveyor, ia mendapatkan hak perlindungan dari seorang westman : Sam Hawkens, seorang koboy kawakan yang kenyang pengalaman. Sam Hawkens juga yang mengajari Charlie "aturan main" serta cara bertahan hidup di dunia Wild West yang serbakeras, baik manusianya maupun alamnya.

Hal yang dipelajari Charlie, sang greenhorn, dari si koboy ini di antaranya berburu, mencari jejak, bertarung, dan menembak. Greenhorn adalah sebutan untuk mereka yang belum pernah menginjakkan kaki di, dan belum punya pengalaman satu kalipun dengan, dunia Wild West.

Dan ternyata Charlie murid yang cerdas. Dengan cepat ia menyerap ilmu yang diajarkan, bahkan beberapa kali mampu mengalahkan sang guru. Misalnya, ketika berburu bison, si bocah greenhorn ini mampu menembak mati seekor bison jantan, sementara Sam gagal. Atau saat menangkap mustang. murid ingusan itu kembali membuktikan kemampuan yang melebihi gurunya.

Sampai di sini, jalan cerita dan plotnya masih cukup asyik diikuti. Karl May membawa kita mengembara ke Amerika Serikat pada zaman Wild West. Dengan sangat mengagumkan ia berhasil memberikan gambaran yang real mengenainya. Lebih mengagumkan lagi sebab pada kenyataannya ia tidak pernah sekalipun berkunjung ke Wild West. Ia memang pernah berkunjung ke Amerika Serikat, namun hanya di pantai timur. Deskripsi Wild West diperolehnya lewat buku-buku petualangan, ensiklopedia, kamus, peta, dan jurnal-jurnal. Negeri-negeri "khayalannya" itu baru benar-benar ia kunjungi setelah buku-buku karyanya diterbitkan dan menuai sukses.

Tatkala kisah Winnetou I ini sampai pada bagian Charlie membunuh seekor beruang grizzly raksasa hanya dengan sepucuk belati, logika kita mulai mempertanyakan kewajaran cerita ini. Agak tidak masuk akal, seorang yang tidak punya pengalaman berkelahi sama sekali, mampu dengan mudahnya mengalahkan seekor beruang buas yang beratnya tiga kali berat tubuh orang tersebut.

Kejanggalan lain ditemukan pada lembar-lembar halaman berikutnya. Janggal di sini maksudnya adalah kebenarannya agak sukar diterima oleh logika, kendati pun jika itu dilihat sebagai suatu "kebetulan". Meski novel ini sebuah kisah fiksi belaka (artinya, apapun boleh saja terjadi dalam fiksi), namun ketidakwajaran tersebut - untuk sebuah kisah realis - tetap terasa sebagai hal yang mengganggu. Berbeda jika yang kita baca itu jelas-jelas sebuah dongeng khayali seperti Asterix, misalnya, yang memiliki kekuatan luar biasa karena minum ramuan dukun sakti.

Tokoh Charlie - kemudian berjuluk Old Shatterhand karena kehebatan tinjunya dalam menjatuhkan lawan - ditampilkan sebagai sosok jagoan tak terkalahkan, bahkan oleh seorang kepala suku Indian paling sakti sekalipun. Bayangkan! Seorang kepala suku Indian dengan pengalaman berperang dan keahlian bertempur yang tidak diragukan, tiba-tiba dikalahkan hanya oleh seorang greenhorn! Tentu saja, kening kita akan mulai berkerut menyangsikan logikanya. Old Shatterhand ini jadi mirip Rambo.

Namun, baiklah, kini mari kita lihat kelebihan novel ini, yaitu pesan moral yang dibawanya : kemanusiaan dan semangat cinta damai,tema atau pesan yang sering diangkat dalam banyak karyanya. Barangkali karena Karl May pernah mengalami sendiri pahit getirnya perang.

Pesan tersebut tergambarkan lewat hubungan persahabatan dan persaudaraan antara Winnetou (Indian) dengan Old Shatterhand (Kulit putih). Karl May menunjukkan sikap menentang pembantaian orang-orang Indian oleh orang-orang kulit putih di benua Amerika. Bukan saja karena bangsa kulit merah itu telah ada di sana jauh sebelum kedatangan orang-orang kulit putih dan itu berarti mereka (Indian) adalah pemilik sah daerah tersebut, tetapi juga karena orang-orang Indian adalah manusia sama halnya dengan kulit putih ; berhak hidup dan menempati bumi ini.

Waktu kita kanak-kanak, kita sering menonton film koboy dengan orang-orang Indian sebagai tokoh antagonis. Mereka ditampilkan sebagai bangsa barbar, primitif, bodoh, jahat, serta kejam (suka menguliti kepala musuh-musuhnya). Oleh sebab itu harus diperangi agar kejahatan mereka tidak tambah merajalela.

Setelah dewasa, barulah kita mengerti kebenaran sesungguhnya. Film-film tersebut dibuat sebagai pembenaran atas tindakan orang-orang kulit putih yang dengan sewenang-wenang menyerobot tanah milik para Indian itu. Kini, keberadaan orang-orang Indian nyaris punah. Sungguh tragis! Sebuah bangsa perlahan-lahan lenyap dari muka bumi akibat keserakahan bangsa lain.

Melalui Winnetou I (dan karya-karyanya yang lain), Karl May menyerukan ajakan perdamaian bagi seluruh umat manusia tanpa memandang batas-batas agama, suku, ras, warna kulit, dan kebangsaan. Ia mengajari kita nilai-nilai kejujuran dan kekuatan persahabatan.

Maka, ujungnya kitapun terkesima oleh gagasan-gagasan ihwal kemanusiaan dan perdamaian tersebut, sehingga segera bisa memaafkan dan melupakan kekurangan-kekurangan novel Trilogi Winnetou ini.

Demikianlah, serangkai kalimat telah tertulis. Howgh!

[Maksym Valevatyi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Це одночасно і дуже гарна книга, �� дуже погана.
Коли я прочитав "Віннету" у дитинстві, мені снилося продовження. Причому не просто продовження пригод. Мені буквально снилося, що читаю це продовження. Я був у захваті. Шляхетний герой, наділений всіма чеснотами, вправний у бійці, плаванні, стрільбі, полюванні, пластуванні, військовій тактиці, а також чесний, сміливий, розумний, освічений і так далі. По суті, це історія про супермена, суперздібності якого замасковані під надзвичайний комплекс видатного хисту до всього. Потрапляє у скрутні становища, але долає труднощі, рятує інших і тому подібне.
Що ще потрібно дитині для натхнення?
Але після 13 років дитина, підозрюю, почне дивуватися. Наскільки однозначні персонажі книги, просто як у казці, які бузглузді довгі розмови, які протиприродні фрази. Приклад: "Тоді Віннету шпорнув мене ножем, проколовши горло і язик. Через це я більше не міг говорити, бо інакше сказав би йому, що симпатизую йому і хотів би бути його другом і братом". Я щиро сміявся.
Ну і сюжет: герой, далекий від всіх умов життя в поході, раз за разом робить неймовірне. Автор не дав йому шансу схибити. А які всі навколо нього тупі й недолугі - верзуть дурниці, щосторінки драматично помиляються у всьому, поводяться зверхньо, а Вбивчу Руку (героя) висміюють, потім він всіх вражає та перемагає, але вони продовжують. А серед довгих промов індіанців - постійні ремарки автора про те, які індіанці небагатослівні. І постійно в потрібний момент то хтось з'явиться все пояснити, то човен порожній пропливає, то люди починають вибовкувати головне саме в момент підслуховування. Deus ex machina в ході справ, а вирішує все потім супермен особисто.
Але якщо хочете дізнатися, як полювати на бізонів чи ведмедів - мабуть ліпше пошукати щось менш фантазійне.
А ще, в дитинстві я, схоже, читав скорочений варіянт. Тож промов було менше.
Видання дуже гарно оформлене, з фото індіанців та вестменів серед сторінок, переклад гідний, для дітей - саме те.
Поставив 3 зірки, бо з дитячої точки зору 5, з дорослої 1. Ну 2.
Словом, чудова книга для певного віку, а також для тих, хто ностальгує за такою літературою.

[Yacoob · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lieber Leser, weißt du, was das Wort Greenhorn bedeutet?

Už jako chlapec jsem neměl rád příliš kladné hrdiny, zejména ve filmu. Vadil mi James Bond, Američané ve druhé válce, Aragorn, nejrůznější neprůstřelní detektivové a podobně. Vždycky jsem si strašně přál, aby ten který charakter už konečně někdo zastřelil/porazil/odklidil z cesty a pro jednou udělal tu výjimku, že vyhrajou bad guys.

Je mi tedy trochu žinantní v tomto duchu přistupovat k největší klasice mezi Mayovkami, ale musím říct, že mě to teda štvalo víc než dost a nebýt závazku, že zkusím resuscitovat svoji němčinu, asi bych už se do Vinnetoua ani nepouštěl. S Charliem Shatterhandem je to v tomto ohledu téměř k nevydržení.

Neměl by někdo tip na jinou německou klasiku, která je aspoň trochu k uvěření?

[Vinzenzo · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very interesting novel and a testimony of its time. While May's belief in the superiority of the white race and of Christian religion is clearly percievable, there are also many indicators of a certain respect for the Native Americans and their culture, as well as a melancholic perception of a dying culture. May shows good and evil on both sides and delivers many colourful episodes about tracking and adventorous ruses. In conclusion, bearing in mind the very specific mindset of May and his use of his works as a manifestation of his own wishes and fantasies, one can certainly get a good impression of the main elements linked to Wild-West-escapism in fiction and understand why people were enthralled by those.

[Emily · Rating 1 out of 5]

I stumbled by chance on Karl May’s novels after I learned that every year, about a million or more Germans gather at festivals in homage to his works. Looking at the widely available photos and videos online, I was… disturbed and upset to see so many white men and women dressed as Natives, to say the least (for reference, Karl May Spiele, 2017: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpawV... http://wild-west-reporter.com/galerie/) .

I’m the kind of person who feels required to look into the primary source material before forming an opinion, which is why I read this English translation (note for English speakers: the available translations have been edited to remove much of the overt racism and white superiority…) along with a great deal of articles, theses, etc. on the topic.

I will be blunt: my conclusion is that the whole phenomenon is racist. The novels, the festivals, the hobbyism, all of it.

Since I feel compelled to show my work, the rest of this review is going to be lengthy quoting of various scholars and Native American activists. You have been warned.


Introduction

“Westerns have earned their place at the heart of the national culture and American iconography abroad because they've provided a reliable vehicle for filmmakers to explore thorny issues of American history and character…
It's the task of Westerns to address that history, even as decade by decade that history becomes more and more embarrassing to us… [B]y now they all take place on contested ground.”
How the Western Was Lost (and Why It Matters)” by Michael Agresta (https://www.theatlantic.com/entertain...)

This quote is as good a place to start as any, and helps me understand just why this whole Winnetou thing got completely under my skin. There’s a lot to unpack about the Western genre. Much of the history of America is ugly, and a lot of things are still in the process of being worked through. In other words, the history is fresh, and the wounds still unhealed. So it seems an egregious affront to me that any other country would have the arrogance to play dress-up with that history, particularly, as it seems, for self-soothing and self-gratifying ends.

I cannot emphasize this enough: Europeans are directly responsible for America. The country would not exist as it does today if Europeans had not colonized it. There would not even be a discussion of the marginalization and victimization of Native peoples if Europeans hadn’t caused it. If they hadn’t, in their arrogance, each attempted to claim the continent for themselves. German settlers were a significant part of the colonization of America, and they too bear some responsibility for what happened to Natives (along with the Dutch, the French, the Spanish, the British... you get the picture).

The attitude conveyed by modern day Germans (and other Europeans) seems to be one of complete disavowal of that responsibility. They use the image of Natives as they please, seemingly without even the vaguest feeling that maybe they shouldn’t portray a historically oppressed, minority group without their consent or input or participation. It is painfully obvious that the only reason there isn’t any outrage or protest within Germany over these festivals is because there are not enough Natives physically present to do it.


Native American Activist, Red Crowhair

I want to begin by giving all due credit to Red Crowhair, an activist currently living in Germany, who has spent a great deal of time discussing, writing, speaking at events, and even filming a documentary on this issue.

Regarding the phenomenon, he says this: “[some Germans] vehemently feel they have the right to be “Indian hobbyists”, with some even making up “native sounding” names, choosing a tribe, and gathering a following by saying they’re native (when they’re really German, etc.). Some ignore or don’t seem to care what harm such practices can cause both natives and non-natives, negatively influencing their next generation of with “half-truths”.

One of the most important things they dismiss or won’t acknowledge, and what causes frustration for natives when anyone does this (and it’s a huge problem) is the way any minority might feel when someone is pretending to be them: They have not lived with the centuries of oppression, racism and genocide, much of which is still on-going for Native Americans.” (from his article “Pretendians” https://redhaircrow.com/2015/07/10/pr...)

[Before I move on, it would be remiss of me not to mention the ongoing issue of repatriating human remains from the Karl May Museum. The Museum has, by various means, gotten ahold of seventeen scalps from North America, some which belonged to Native Americans. When Native American tribes were alerted, they requested that the remains be returned. The Museum refused. More requests were made. After seven (!!) years, the Museum deigned to return one (!!) scalp, and has retained the rest. Read Red Crowhair’s post on the issue here: https://redhaircrow.com/2016/02/04/ka.... A German article, written in 2021, confirms that only one scalp was returned: (https://www.dw.com/en/karl-may-museum...).]


“Fiction and Politics: Karl May and the American West in Nineteenth Century German Sociopolitical Consciousness.”

Now let’s get into the scholarship. I’m going to quote extensively from this article: https://irl.umsl.edu/cgi/viewcontent...., a thesis written by Emily Scott, graduate from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Anything bolded was done by me, for emphasis.

Scott says, “May’s novels and short stories do much more than tell a fascinating tale of life in the American West; they provide a German perspective on American culture and history which reveals much more about Germany than it ever could about the United States.

Influenced first by German political upheaval and a season of violence which led to the unification of Germany, May like many others spent much of his life searching for what it meant to be German. He found his answer in Germania , which supported the common belief that Germans were members of a superior race with a glorious ancestry which could be restored by looking to the past; in these novels, this played out in the glorification of Old Shatterhand, a German, and Winnetou, an Apache, who exhibited the noble qualities of Germany’s own “indigenous people.”

May’s depiction of Native Americans, particularly Winnetou, affirmed the idea of the “noble savage”. Although he could never hope to be fully equal with whites, Winnetou became an admirable character through his adoption of European religious and cultural practices.

Winnetou’s transformation also served as a justification for European imperialism; if he could become “better” with the help of a white man, so could the people of Africa and Asia that Germany and so many other nations were desperate to colonize.

Winnetou’s story arc proved the common European notion, based on theories of scientific racism, that members of “lesser” races could improve themselves by striving for whiteness, while also affirming the German belief that indigenous peoples, like the Saxons of Germania, where inherently brave and admirable due to their connection to nature.

It is this saint-like depiction of Winnetou that has led many scholars to argue that May was some sort of advocate against racism. As was mentioned before, caution must be taken with this statement, and those studying May must remember that while Winnetou was indeed a hero, he only became one by abandoning his religion and culture for those of a “superior” German man.

Winnetou is the perfect example of how many nineteenth century Europeans viewed Native Americans, as well as other peoples deemed lesser by theories of scientific racism. Just as it was Old Shatterhand’s “duty” in the novels to convert Winnetou into a pacifistic Christian, many of May’s contemporaries came to see it as their duty to Christianize and colonize other peoples by the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Winnetou, therefore, must be read as a tale heavily influenced by nineteenth century notions of race and racial mobility, rather than an early cry out against racism.

The following is a tiny excerpt showing Winnetou's Christianization: Winnetou’s last words, which signify the end of his journey towards nobility, are: “Schar-lih, ich glaube an den Heiland. Winnetou is ein Christ. Lebe wohl!” Translating roughly to “Charlie, I believe in the savior/salvation. Winnetou is a Christian, farewell!”

If you are interested, I recommend reading the entire thesis, although it is quite long.

[Important!!! One thing Scott doesn’t mention is May’s portrayal of the Kiowas. They are a still-existing tribe of people that May uses as the main antagonist in Winnetou I. I have seen on goodreads, and elsewhere, a lot of protestation that the novels depict Natives positively. To that I say, positive for whom? Because that is definitely not the case for the Kiowas. They are portrayed as greedy, aggressive, thieving, stupid, boastful, lying, and bloodthirsty (in other words, exactly the way holier-than-thou Europeans like to claim Americans represent Natives in their Westerns).

One of May’s characters says this of the Kiowas: “Friend! The word means nothin’ to these Kiowas. You’re a friend so long as you got nothin’ worth stealin’.”

Our protagonist also yells into the Kiowa chief’s face at one point, “Liar! Cheat!” just to really underscore how the audience is supposed to feel about him.

If you’d like to learn more about the Kiowa tribe, their official website can be found here: https://kiowatribe.org/]


Conclusion

To be honest, it’s hard for me to decide where to end the review. There are more issues I could touch on (the German anatopisms, the fact that Adolf Hitler loved these novels, Karl May’s life of criminality and fraud…) but this has gone on long enough already. My main contentions, I suppose, are as follows:

-Karl May’s books are a racist product of his time, and reflect an attitude of German superiority and nationalism that was growing within the country.

-If modern-day Germans and Europeans understood this and accepted the novels as flawed, but perhaps still containing some historical value, I don’t think I would have a problem with them.

-However, the ongoing “Karl May mania” that has sprung up around them displays an unbelievable amount of disregard and disrespect for North American Native tribes. (It also seems troubling in the way it allows Germans to indulge in the kind of nationalism they say they despise…)

-Dressing up and “playing Indian” is ugly behavior that betrays a colonial mindset. Participants feel that they do not need to respect the wishes of a minority group regarding their narratives or depictions.

-The problem is further compounded by the very obvious profit motive. Many so-called Native products are being made and sold, not only by the festival staff, and by the museum, but also by the hobbysists themselves.

Lisa Aldred, who wrote “Plastic Shamans and Astroturf Sun Dances: New Age Commercialization of Native American Spirituality”, says this: “Native Americans have commented on the bitter irony of these plastic shamans profiting from the degrading, twisted versions of Native American rituals while many indigenous people still live below the poverty level. New Age interest in Native American cultures appears more concerned with exoticized images and romanticized rituals revolving around a distorted view of Native American spirituality than with the indigenous peoples themselves and the very real (and often ugly) socio-economic and political problems they face as colonized peoples.”

I end my rant here. To any still reading, I encourage you to dispense with the colonial and post-colonial image of Natives you may be holding onto. Learning history is one thing, keeping Natives in the past is another. Think critically about the media you consume, particularly when it comes from an older time. Accept that just because you may love these novels, or you can think of worse examples in the genre, or you feel that there have been at least a few positive outcomes, the colonial mindset and racism is not excused. Those reasons, or any other reason you might come up with (cognitive dissonance is real, folks), cannot erase the racism present in these novels and attendant festivals.

[Tommy Verhaegen · Rating 5 out of 5]

De cover toont ons een indiaan te paard die gewapend met een lang mes ten aanval rijdt. Daarmee zien we meteen de bekendste creaties van Karl May. Winnetou, de Mescalero Apache en Old Shatterhand, het groentje dat in recordtijd een ervaren prairieloper wordt in het Wilde Westen.
De clichés zijn er wel, maar het zijn vooral clichés geworden omdat ze zo lang geleden de trend gezet hebben voor alle westerns. Lang voor woke ontstond, bestond er een verschil tussen de goeden en de slechten, de eersten stierven en werden betreurd, de laatsten stierven, liefst op een pijnlijke manier.
In het boek vinden we enkel foto's uit de zwart-wit films over Old Shatterhand en Winnetou.
In het verhaal komen we te weten hoe beide vrienden elkaar ontmoetten, hoe de vader en zus van Winnetou aan hun einde kwamen, hoe Winnetou aan zijn beroemde zilveren geweer kwam, hoe Old Shatterhand zijn bijnaam en zijn vaardigheden verkreeg en heel wat zaken over het leven van de indianen en het Wilde Westen in het algemeen.
Dit was meteen een voltreffer en de aanleiding tot een lange reeks verhalen en films met de twee helden in de hoofdrol.

[Belinda Vlasbaard · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 sterren - Nederlandse pocket
Uit de collectie van mijn vader mocht ik dit boek lezen. Ik had al mijn boeken uit en toen der tijd was de bibliotheek op zondag niet open. Ik vond het een geweldig, avontuurlijk verhaal. Dat weet ik nog heel goed. Dat het een geromantiseerd en vertekend beeld gaf van Native Americans (indianen) kwam ik pas veel later achter. Maar het blijft een goede herinnering. Met mijn zaklamp onder de dekens.

[Daria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Am dat cartea asta din stanga in dreapta ani de zile din simplul motiv ca "nu e stilul meu".

Totusi a fost o surpriza foarte placuta. M-a captivat, am fost alaturi de Old Shatterhand si de Winnetou peste tot.

Este o poveste despre adevarata prietenie. Insa aventurile nu se termina aici, de abia astept sa citesc si volumele urmatoare:)

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Asi bohužel, ale přečteno až po prvním, a pak několikátém, shlédnutí slavné filmové verze, takže jsem jako dětský čtenář byl o celkový dojem z knihy ochuzenější. I tak však nutno podotknout, že Karl May byl prostě frajer a klobouk dolů před jeho fantazií!:-)

[Reelika Raimet · Rating 5 out of 5]

https://raamaturiiulike.wordpress.com...

[Dario · Rating 3 out of 5]

karl may war hochstapler, plagiator, aufschneider und sachse. das ist ein buch von ihm und ich habe gemischte (der fachmann sagt ambivalente) gefühle. weiter bin ich noch nicht

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Winnetou and Karl May are of course German classics, which I remember reading as a teenager....multiple times. So this is really a somewhat nostalgic review, having re-read the book recently.

Overall, it is easy to understand why Winnetou captured (and still does capture) the reader - the story of a 'nobody' becoming not only versed in the skills required in the West, but also becoming bloodbrother with an Indian chief and experiencing many avdentures alongside this does provide an escape from daily life - and would have done more so in the 19th century.

Karl May's books have strong Christian undertones, which can be a bit on the nose, but dont bother me too much. What does limit his books a bit more, is his rather simple brush with which he paints
the various Indian tribes - from the gallant Apache to the base Comanche; and reflecting (to a large degree the opinion of the times) the superiority of the white race.
One can spend a lot of time discussing this from political and societal angle - which I shall abstain here from doing - but from a literary angle, it does not help the book(s): It all becomes a bit one-sided if the Whites/Apache are always clever than their enemy.

This brings me to two other points that jumped out at me. Firstly, the protagonist is simply "too good" - exceeding even experienced scouts on his first try, being a master shot, rider, and hulk of a man. How about a learning curve? Character development?

The other frustration I have are Karl May's extreme use of repetition and premonition. By the end of the book, I simply cannot bear to hear Sam Hawkens talk anymore (the laugh...!), and it remains a maystery to this day why May chooses to spoiler his own books throughout by referencing events that will happen in the future.

Still - a nice trip down memory lane, so 4 stars for that (on purely literary grounds, it'd be 3)

[Jeroen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ha!
ik moet dit boek toch al een keer of 5 gelezen hebben. Ooit één per één de hele reeks gekregen van mijn oma voor St-Maarten. De max natuurlijk zo'n verhalen. Soort van onoverwinnelijke, alles-meteen-kunnende Duitse studiebol gaat als landmeter naar het wilde, wilde westen, raakt geïntrigeerd door de nobele Apache-wilden en wordt hun vriend. Op een maand of 3 schopt hij het tot opperhoofd van de hele stam.

Als klein manneke geestig omwille van de heldenverhalen van de zotte woudlopers tussen de gevaarlijke roodhuiden (die dan toch nobele wijzen blijken te zijn als je ze beter kent - of toch Winnetou en de zijnen, de rest is vrij eenduidig stelende en bedriegende rotzak).

Als midlifer weer geestig omwille van het jeugdsentiment bij het herlezen (en ontdekken dat je nog al die namen als "Intschu-Tsuna" vlotjes in je memorie hebt). En vooral als je leest over de machtige Old-Shatterhand (toevallig ook een Duitser met de naam Karl - net als de schrijver *ahum*) die de eerlijkheid zelve is en voor iedereen goed wil doende de wereld afreist, terwijl je weet dat Karl May (de schrijver) blijkbaar nooit zijn geboorteland verliet, maar wel in't gevang zat voor diefstal en zo. tsjakkaa.

Nu gelezen als voorleesmateriaal voor de kindjes. Een boekje uit vaders schof. 't is eens wat anders dan de melige brol van Harry Potter. Vooral de stukken in het genre "sterf, schurftige hond" waarna de buik van de vijand wordt opengereten met een mes tot de ingewanden er uit vielen konden menig huistoneeltje inspireren.

Van de overal door gelardeerde diep-christelijke bekeringsdrang in het boek zullen we hier - de uitgestorven Native Americans indachtig - zedig zwijgen.

Niet zo supergoed dus, maar wel een aanrader!

[Emon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book a long time ago when I really crushed to Kary May and his works.

This book is the first (and beginning) American Series of Karl May. It begins when Carlie (or later known as Old Shatter hand) came to the USA from Germany and worked for construction. It led him to meet his blood brother and his best friend, Winnetou, the head of Apache tribal after the death of his father.

It describes why Carlie and Winnetou had quarrel and how it turned to friendship. How Winnetou's father and sister had been killed by their eternal enemy. This book is the beginning from all Karl May's adventures with his best friend in America.

Almost of Karl May's books have moral message such as love the environment, how people actually can get much things from the environment, and eternal friendship. Old Shatter Hand friendship with Winnetou made me cries. It made me so touched.

I think this book is suitable for children or teenagers since it has many good messages and lesson learned. For grown up people like me, it's just like a memorabilia.

[Glenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

The copy I have is on loan from a friend, a Bavarian dedicated to this book. I see now why this and the other works of Karl May have become classics in Germany. Granted, some of the details of the American West have been misinterpreted and misrepresented, but May was hightly inventive and at all times captivating. His hero quickly earns the name "Old Shatterhand," and proves that he is truly no Greenhorn, surpassing the brilliance of all Indian braves, even the fabled Winnetou. With every turn there is action and adventure, and though the writing goes heavy on the virtues of the German folk (nearly every good person in America turns out to be of German heritage) and violence, this story in my opinion eclipses even America heroes like "the Lone Ranger"- Winnetou, for example, is certainly not a "German Tonto." I just can't wait to find time to read the other two volumes lent to me!