Great Texts Revisited: Karl May’s Travel Novels and His Influence on German Islamophilia

As Ramadan approaches, marking a time of reflection and devotion for nearly two billion Muslims worldwide, the question of how Islam is perceived in the West takes on renewed significance. Few authors have left as lasting an imprint on the German imagination—and its understanding of the Muslim world—as Karl May, whose books have sold around 100 million copies in Germany and another 100 million in the rest of the world (making him the most-translated German author ever). Best known for his adventure novels, his depictions of the American West have cemented Winnetou as a household name. Yet, it is May’s “Orientzyklus”—a sweeping series of novels set in the Islamic world of the 19^th century—that has had an arguably more profound impact on Germany’s perception of Islam. Through his protagonist, Kara Ben Nemsi, May crafted a vision of the Muslim world that remains influential to this day, blending admiration, exoticism, and subtle condescension into a narrative that both fascinated and partly misled generations of readers.

An Author, a Hero, and a Perceived Reality

May’s Oriental tales were not mere fiction for his readers; they were absorbed as an authoritative account of the Muslim world. In a 2010 (German) survey, 93% of the readers admitted that May’s works influenced their perception of Islam. His vivid descriptions, filled with adventure and moral lessons, presented Islam as both an alluring and dangerous force—capable of great hospitality and honor but also of fanaticism and backwardness. These impressions resonated with German audiences, many of whom had little direct experience with Islam and thus took May’s novels as a reliable depiction of reality. However, May never actually visited any Muslim countries when he wrote his most influential novels and instead drew all his knowledge from second-hand sources such as popular encyclopaedias.

A crucial element of this effect was the seamless identification of May with his hero, Kara Ben Nemsi. Written in the first person, the "Orientzyklus" positioned the protagonist as a nearly invincible German traveller, who navigates the Islamic world with intelligence, physical prowess, and moral superiority. His counterpart: the stubborn and somewhat fanatic, yet endearing “Hadji” Halef Omar, who tries to convert his German “effendi” to Islam, yet is constantly outwitted by the latter’s superiority when it comes to theological argumentation. Through this iconic couple, May portrayed an Islam that could be noble but needed Western—specifically German—guidance. This notion of the enlightened Westerner civilising (and Christianising) the Orient remains a persistent theme in German perceptions of Islam and made Karl May’s approach quite different from the much more nuanced and Islamophilic depiction in the works of Sir Richard Burton, who wrote in roughly the same period.

The Legacy of May’s “Islambild”

May’s representation of Islam reflected the 19th-century German Orientalist perspective: a mixture of fascination, romanticism, and implicit Eurocentrism. His novels depict Muslim characters in black-and-white terms—either noble allies or villainous schemers. Islam itself is not condemned outright but is portrayed as a faith that, while not inherently evil, lacks the rational clarity and ethic superiority of Christianity. The Muslim world in May’s novels is defined by fatalism, superstition, an uneasy coexistence with European modernity—and a (subconscious) desire for spiritual elevation through Christianisation.

This portrayal played a significant role in shaping Germany’s cultural memory of Islam, influencing attitudes from the German-Ottoman alliance during World War I to Hitler’s well-documented fascination with May’s works, which reinforced his own romanticised view of Islamic militarism. This legacy persisted through the mass recruitment of Turkish guest workers in the 1960s and continues today in debates over refugee policy and integration, illustrating how deeply May’s narratives have permeated Germany’s evolving relationship with the Muslim world. A survey of (German) Karl May readers from 2010 found that 69.7% initially considered May’s portrayal of Islam realistic, though this perception often changed with greater exposure to actual Islamic teachings and practices. Additionally, 72.1% of readers acknowledged that May’s works influenced their understanding of Islamic culture, while 60.5% were inspired to explore the topic further. His phraseology and depictions of the Islamic world, such as the oft-repeated "by the beard of the Prophet" or the word “kismet” (for “fate”) entered common parlance, further embedding his version of Islam into popular consciousness—a process also increased by the numerous cinematographic adaptations of May’s work.

Of course, it is doubtful whether the general decline of reading competence will make May as popular with Generation Z readers as with the older generations raised on his works. Nevertheless, given the tremendous impact of May on German perceptions of Islam so far, his fiction, whether consciously or unconsciously, will still linger for a long time in the cultural subtext of Germany’s relationship with its growing Muslim population.

The Evolution of May’s Vision of Islam in the 21st Century

The modern media landscape and shifting demographics have complicated and, in some cases, reinforced May’s vision of Islam. While real-world interactions between Muslims and Germans have increased significantly, public perception of Islam remains heavily shaped by media narratives of terrorism, migration, and cultural conflict—echoing themes found in May’s works. A recent study on German perceptions of Islam found that 65% of respondents associated the religion with strict observance and fanaticism, while only 11.7% linked it to cultural richness and travel. These perceptions closely reflect the characterisations in May’s “Orientzyklus”, though rather than inventing them, his works largely reinforced existing stereotypes prevalent in lesser-known literature of the same period. 

May’s work also encouraged a fascination with the exotic Orient, a perspective that persists in the German tourism industry until this day. The Middle East remains a popular destination for German travelers, many of whom seek out the landscapes and cultural experiences romanticised in May’s novels. This is particularly relevant given that 23.6% of survey participants were inspired to visit the Middle East after reading May’s works, showing how his fiction continues to shape real-world engagement with Islam.

Hence, while Karl May never traveled to the Middle East himself, his fictional portrayals of Islam have had a remarkable staying power. His depiction of an exotic, sometimes noble, but often irrational Muslim world influenced generations of German readers and continues to echo in contemporary debates on Islam in Europe. The fact that the first literary exposure to Islam for many Germans still comes from May’s works speaks to their enduring influence.

Statement

Karl May’s “Orientzyklus” shaped Germany’s perception of Islam for generations. His tales painted a romanticised yet condescending vision—an exotic faith in need of Western guidance. This portrayal still echoes in today’s debates on integration and identity, influencing attitudes from the German-Ottoman alliance to modern refugee policies. May’s Islam was mythical, yet the impact of his depiction remains real. As Germany wrestles with its relationship to Islam, the question lingers: will fact finally overcome fiction, or does May’s legacy continue to define how the country views the Muslim world?