Editing Winnetou

{{Short description|Native American character by German author Karl May}}
{{More citations needed|date=August 2019}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox character
| name          = Winnetou
| image         = Karl May Winnetou I bis III 001.jpg
| image_size    = 200px
| caption       = Cover of 1893 edition
| creator       = [[Karl May]]
| portrayer     = [[Pierre Brice]], [[Nik Xhelilaj]]
| gender        = Male
| occupation    = Tribal Leader
}}
'''Winnetou''' is a fictional [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] hero of several novels written in [[German language|German]] by [[Karl May]] (1842–1912), one of the best-selling [[Germany|German]] writers of all time with about 200 million copies worldwide, including the ''Winnetou'' trilogy. The character made his debut in the novel ''Old Firehand'' (1875).

== Stories ==
In May's story, first-person narrator [[Old Shatterhand]] encounters the [[Apache (tribe)|Apache]] Winnetou, and after initial dramatic events, a true friendship arises between them. On many occasions, they give proof of great fighting skill, but also of compassion for other human beings. May portrays a belief in an innate "goodness" of mankind, albeit constantly threatened by ill-intentioned enemies.

Nondogmatic Christian feelings and values play an important role, and May's heroes are often described as [[German Americans]].

Winnetou became the chief of the tribe of the [[Mescalero|Mescalero Apaches]] (and of the Apaches in general, with the [[Navajo people|Navajo]] included) after his father Intschu-tschuna and his sister Nscho-tschi were slain by the white bandit Santer. He rode a horse called Iltschi ("Wind") and had a famous rifle called ''Silberbüchse'' ("The Silver Gun"), a double-barrelled rifle whose stock and butt were decorated with silver studs. Old Shatterhand became the [[blood brother]] of Winnetou and rode the brother of Iltschi, called Hatatitla ("Lightning"). In a number of adaptations, Winnetou [[Illeism|referred to himself in the third person]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.dw.com/en/winnetou-actor-pierre-brice-dies/a-18499820 |title='Winnetou' actor Pierre Brice dies|work= [[Deutsche Welle]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://windspeaker.com/drew-hayden-taylor/seeking-aboriginal-experience-germany|title=Seeking the Aboriginal experience in Germany|website=windspeaker.com|accessdate=16 March 2023}}</ref>

== Themes ==
[[File:Winnetou.jpg|thumb|upright|''Winnetou's Death'' or ''Winnetou's Ascension'', cover of ''Winnetou III'' by [[Sascha Schneider]] (1904)]]
Karl May's ''Winnetou'' novels symbolize, to some extent, a romantic desire for a simpler life in close contact with nature. The popularity of the series is due in large part to the ability of the stories to tantalize fantasies many Europeans had and have for this more untamed environment. The sequel has become the origin of festivals, and the first regular Karl-May-Spiele were staged 1938 till 1941 in [[Rathen]], Saxony. [[East Germany]] restarted those open-air theater plays in 1984. In [[West Germany]], the [[Karl May Festival in Bad Segeberg|Karl-May-Festspiele]] in [[Bad Segeberg]] were started as early as 1950 and then expanded to further places like [[Lennestadt|Lennestadt-Elspe]] in honor of Karl May's Apache hero, Winnetou.

The stories were so popular that [[Nazi Germany]] did not ban them; instead, the argument was made that the stories demonstrated the fall of the American aboriginal peoples was caused by a lack of racial consciousness.<ref>[[Lynn H. Nicholas]], ''Cruel World: The Children of Europe in the Nazi Web'' p. 79 {{ISBN|0-679-77663-X}}</ref>

May's heroes drew on [[archetype]]s of Germanic culture and had little to do with actual [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] cultures. "Winnetou is noble because he combines the highest aspects of otherwise 'decadent' Indian cultures with the natural adoption of the romantic and Christian traits of Karl May's own vision of German civilization. As he is dying, the Apache Winnetou asks some settlers to sing an Ave Maria for him, and his death is sanctified by his quiet conversion to Christianity."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/Exhibits/nativeamericans/27.html|title=Foreign Views (7 of 9)|website=bancroft.berkeley.edu|access-date=27 January 2009|archive-date=12 February 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090212142629/http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/Exhibits/nativeamericans/27.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In the 1960s, French nobleman and actor [[Pierre Brice]] played Winnetou in several movies coproduced by West German–Yugoslav producers. At first, Brice was not very excited about the role beside [[Lex Barker]], but his very reduced text and stage play brought Winnetou to real life in West Germany. Brice not only became a star in West Germany, but a significant contributor to German–French reconciliation, as well.

== Original German Winnetou stories ==

=== Travel stories ===
*''Old Firehand'' (1875)
*''Winnetou'' (1878, titular character ''Inn-nu-wo, der Indianerhäuptling'' (1875) is changed)
*''Im fernen Westen'' (1879, revision of ''Old Firehand'', later revised for ''Winnetou II'')
*''Deadly Dust'' (1880, later revised for ''Winnetou III''')
*''Die Both Shatters'' (1882)
*''Ein Oelbrand'' (1882/83)
*''Im "wilden Westen" Nordamerika's'' (1882/83, later revised for ''Winnetou III'')
*''Der Scout'' (1888/89, later revised for ''Winnetou II'')
*''Winnetou I'' (1893, temporarily also entitled as ''Winnetou der Rote Gentleman I'')
*''Winnetou II'' (1893, temporarily also entitled as ''Winnetou der Rote Gentleman II'')
*''Winnetou III'' (1893, temporarily also entitled as ''Winnetou der Rote Gentleman III'')
*''Old Surehand I'' (1894)
*''Old Surehand II'' (1895)
*''Old Surehand III'' (1896)
*''Satan und Ischariot I'' (1896)
*''Satan und Ischariot II'' (1897)
*''Satan und Ischariot III'' (1897)
*''Gott läßt sich nicht spotten'' (within ''Auf fremden Pfaden'', 1897)
*''Ein Blizzard'' (within ''Auf fremden Pfaden'', 1897)
*''Mutterliebe'' (1897/98)
*''Weihnacht!'' (1897)
*''Winnetou IV'' (1910)

=== Juvenile fiction ===
*''Im fernen Westen'' (1879, revision of ''Old Firehand'') <!-- also here for the sake of completeness -->
*''Unter der Windhose'' (1886, later also within ''Old Surehand II'')
*''Der Sohn des Bärenjägers'' (1887, within ''Die Helden des Westens'' since 1890)
*''Der Geist des Llano estakado'' (1888, within ''Die Helden des Westens'' since 1890)
*''Der Schatz im Silbersee'' (1890/91)
*''Der Oelprinz'' (1893/94)
*''Der schwarze Mustang'' (1896/97)

=== Other works ===
*''Auf der See gefangen'' (1878/1879, also entitled as ''Auf hoher See gefangen'')

==Comic strip adaptations==
In the 1950s [[Yugoslavia]]n [[Comics artist|comic book artist]] [[Walter Neugebauer]] finished his 1930s comic book adaptation of Karl May's stories.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lambiek.net/artists/n/neugebauer.htm|title=Walter Neugebauer|website=lambiek.net|language=en|access-date=14 November 2017}}</ref> Another Yugoslavian artist [[Aleksandar Hecl]] also drew one.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rastko.rs/strip/1/strip-u-srbiji-1955-1972/index_l.html|title=[Projekat Rastko] Zdravko Zupan: Strip u Srbiji 1955–1972.|website=www.rastko.rs|access-date=19 July 2016}}</ref> Belgian comics artist [[Willy Vandersteen]] created a whole series of comics based on May's stories, simply titled ''Karl May'' (1962–1977).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lambiek.net/artists/v/vandersteen.htm|title=Willy Vandersteen|website=lambiek.net|language=en|access-date=19 November 2019}}</ref> More notable Winnetou comic strip adaptations were done by Spanish writer and artist [[Juan Arranz]] for the Dutch comic strip weekly [[Sjors]] between 1963 and 1970. Most of these stories were also published in comic strip albums and were syndicated to other European countries. Two Hungarian authors named Horváth Tibor and Zórád Ernö collaborated on yet another comic version in 1957. In [[West Germany]], Helmut Nickel also adapted the source material, published bi-weekly from 1962 to 1966.<ref>{{Cite web|title=E-Fachmagazin für Comic-Kultur & Bildgeschichte – unabhängig, innovativ und weltoffen|url=http://www.comicoskop.com/comicforschung-dietrich-grünewald-über-karl-may-im-comic/|access-date=18 May 2021|website=COMICOSKOP – Unabhängiges E-Fachmagazin für Comic-Kultur & Bildgeschichte|language=de-DE}}</ref>

== Karl May movies with the Winnetou character ==
In all these movies, Winnetou was played by French actor [[Pierre Brice]], who was wearing [[Redface]], and was usually teamed with [[Lex Barker]] as [[Old Shatterhand]]. The music for all Winnetou movies (with its famous title melody played on the [[harmonica]] by [[Johnny Müller]]) was composed by German composer [[Martin Böttcher]], except ''[[Old Shatterhand (film)|Old Shatterhand]]'', composed by Italian composer [[Riz Ortolani]], and ''[[Winnetou and Old Firehand|Winnetou und sein Freund Old Firehand]]'', composed by German composer [[Peter Thomas (composer)|Peter Thomas]]. The films were so successful in West Germany, their budgets could be increased almost every time. Principal shooting usually took place in [[Paklenica]] [[karst]] river [[canyon]] national park, [[Croatia]]. The early films preceded the [[Spaghetti Western]].

# [[Treasure of the Silver Lake|Der Schatz im Silbersee]] (1962)&nbsp;— ''Treasure of Silver Lake'' (1965) (West Germany - Yugoslavia)
# [[Apache Gold|Winnetou 1. Teil]] (1963)&nbsp;— ''Apache Gold'' (1965) (West Germany - Yugoslavia)
# [[Old Shatterhand (film)|Old Shatterhand]] (1964)&nbsp;— ''Apaches' Last Battle'' (1964) (UK - Yugoslavia)
# [[Last of the Renegades|Winnetou – 2. Teil]] (1964)&nbsp;— ''Last of the Renegades'' (1966) (UK - West Germany - Yugoslavia)
# [[Among Vultures|Unter Geiern]] (1964)&nbsp;— ''Frontier Hellcat'' (1966) (West Germany - Yugoslavia)
# [[Der Ölprinz]] (1965)&nbsp;— ''Rampage at Apache Wells'' (1965) (Yugoslavia)
# [[The Desperado Trail|Winnetou – 3. Teil]] (1965)&nbsp;— Winnetou: ''The Desperado Trail'' (1965) (West Germany - Yugoslavia)
# [[Old Surehand|Old Surehand 1. Teil]] (1965)&nbsp;— ''Flaming Frontier'' (1969) (West Germany - Yugoslavia)
# [[Winnetou and the Crossbreed|Winnetou und das Halbblut Apanatschi]] (1966)&nbsp;— ''Winnetou and the Crossbreed'' (1973) (West Germany - Yugoslavia)
# [[Winnetou and Old Firehand|Winnetou und sein Freund Old Firehand]] (1966)&nbsp;— ''Winnetou and Old Firehand'' {{aka}} ''Thunder at the Border'' (1966) (West Germany - Yugoslavia)
# [[The Valley of Death (film)|Winnetou und Shatterhand im Tal der Toten]] (1968)&nbsp;— ''The Valley of Death'' (1968) (West Germany - Yugoslavia)

All of the Winnetou movies are available on [[VHS|VHS tape]] in [[PAL]] format&nbsp;– some also dubbed in English under the above-mentioned English titles. ''Winnetou I–III'', ''Der Schatz im Silbersee'', ''Old Shatterhand'', and ''Winnetou und Shatterhand im Tal der Toten'' are also available on DVD (region-code 2), but all in German only. In 2004–2005, the missing movies were also to reappear on DVD. In 2016 a Blu-ray box with all Winnetou movies was released; they also were made available as part of the Karl May Blu-ray box.

In April 2009, DVDs of the cleared [[remaster]]ed movies were issued in the [[Czech Republic]], selling as an add-on to the ''Metro'' newspaper for 50 [[Czech koruna|Czech crowns]]. All movies are dubbed into [[Czech language|Czech]] and [[German language|German]], with subtitles in Czech and [[Slovak language|Slovak]].

== Television miniseries ==
Also in these television series, Winnetou was played by Brice.
*''[[Mein Freund Winnetou]]'' (1980)&nbsp;— ''My friend Winnetou''&nbsp;— ''Winnetou le Mescalero'', 7 episodes at 52 min.
*''Winnetous Rückkehr'' ("The Return of Winnetou") (1998), 2 parts, 171 min. in total
*''[https://www.cbc.ca/cbcdocspov/episodes/searching-for-winnetou CBC Documentary ]

In 2016, ''[[Winnetou (2016 film)|Winnetou]]'' was published, a modernized version of the classic movies in three parts directed by [[Philipp Stölzl]], starring [[Nik Xhelilaj]] as Winnetou.<ref>[https://www.mmc.de/en/winnetou-der-mythos-lebt-ab-dem-25-12-als-event-dreiteiler-bei-rtl/] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210820145644/https://www.mmc.de/en/winnetou-der-mythos-lebt-ab-dem-25-12-als-event-dreiteiler-bei-rtl/|date=20 August 2021}} MMC Studios, The Myth Lives on!, Announcement 2016]</ref>

== In popular culture ==
* The artwork for [[Gang of Four (band)|Gang of Four]]'s album ''[[Entertainment!]]'' features a heavily processed image from a Winnetou film.
* The song "Mein Bester Freund" ("My Best Friend") on the 1991 [[Die Prinzen]] album ''Das Leben ist grausam'' refers to Winnetou in a short list of heroes, alongside [[Robin Hood]] and [[Sherlock Holmes]]. 
* In 2001, a parody of the Winnetou films, ''[[Der Schuh des Manitu]]'', was directed by [[Michael Herbig]]. This movie is based on various sketches of Herbig's TV show ''[[Bullyparade]]''. In ''[[Bullyparade – Der Film]]'', which was also directed by Herbig, Winnetou is one of the main characters of the episode ''Winnetou in Love''.
* Director [[Quentin Tarantino]] mentioned Winnetou in his 2009 film ''[[Inglourious Basterds]]''.
* Music Duo [[Abor & Tynna]]'s 11th Song on the "Bittersüß" ("Bittersweet") Album is named "Winnetou."

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* Perry, Nicole ([[McGill University]] Department of German Studies). "[http://digitool.library.mcgill.ca/webclient/DeliveryManager?pid=99741&custom_att_2=direct Karl May's ''Winnetou'': The Image of the German Indian. The Representation of North American First Nations from an Orientalist Perspective]" ([https://web.archive.org/web/20190708132700/http://digitool.library.mcgill.ca/webclient/StreamGate?folder_id%3D0%26dvs%3D1403888765806%7E812 Archive]). August 2006. – [http://digitool.library.mcgill.ca/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=99741&local_base=GEN01-MCG02 Info page]
* Scott, Emily ([[University of Missouri]] Department of History). "[https://irl.umsl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1331&context=thesis Fiction and Politics: Karl May and the American West in Nineteenth Century German Sociopolitical Consciousness, May 2018."]

==External links==
{{Commons category-inline}}

{{Karl May}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Characters in German novels of the 19th century]]
[[Category:Fictional Apache people]]
[[Category:Fictional illeists]]
[[Category:German novels adapted into films]]
[[Category:Karl May characters]]
[[Category:Literary characters introduced in 1875]]
[[Category:Male characters in literature]]
[[Category:Novels adapted into comics]]
[[Category:Book series]]
[[Category:Western (genre) heroes and heroines]]