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Kara Ben Nemsi

March 14, 2024

Kara Ben Nemsi is a fictional main character from the works of Karl May, best-selling 19th century German author. An alter ego of May, the stories about Nemsi are written as first-person narratives. He travels across North Africa, Sudan, and the Ottoman Empire including various parts of the Middle East and the Balkans with his friend and servant Hadschi Halef Omar.

Kara Ben Nemsi
قره بن نمسي
First appearanceGiölgeda padiśhanün (1881)
Last appearanceArdistan und Dschinnistan II (1909)
Created byKarl May
In-universe information
GenderMale
NationalityGerman

Nemsi shares his two famous rifles with Old Shatterhand, another fictional alter ego of May, the Bärentöter (Bear Killer) and the Henrystutzen (Henry Carbine). He rides the famed black horse Rih (from Arabic رِيح rīḥ meaning "wind").

Old Shatterhand edit

Kara Ben Nemsi and Old Shatterhand, who undertakes similar adventures in North America, are one and the same person, created through Karl May's first person narration and autobiographical influences. This becomes obvious in the novel Im Reiche des silbernen Löwen I (In the Realm of the Silver Lion, Volume I) where the narrator going by Old Shatterhand is located in the US and meets an acquaintance of his from the Orient to whom he reveals himself as "Kara Ben Nemsi". In another novel Satan und Ischariot II (Satan and Iscariot, Volume II), wherein Old Shatterhand travels to Tunis he also reveals himself to be Kara Ben Nemsi.

Origins and Meaning of the Name edit

May first introduces the terms "Nemsi“ and "Nemsistan“ in his third story set in the Orient Die Rose von Sokna (The Rose of Sokna) published in 1878. There he translates the terms used by a caravanner or rather by the Arab servant of the yet unnamed first-person narrator as "German" and "Germany" respectively. The name Kara Ben Nemsi first occurs in „Reise-Erinnerungen aus dem Türkenreiche von Karl May“ Giölgeda padiśhanün ("Travel-Memoirs from the Empire of Turks by Karl May" in the Shadow of the Padishah) later called Durch die Wüste (Through the desert) published in 1880/81 where it is spontaneously made up by servant Hadschi Halef Omar during an introduction:

"This steadfast fellow had once asked my name and had truly remembered the word Karl, but being unable to pronounce it, he has quickly converted it to Kara and added Ben Nemsi, ‘offspring of the Germans’." –GIÖLGEDA PADIŚHANÜN, 1880/81[1]

In a later part of the story where May uses "Nemtsche-schimakler" ("Northern Germans, Prussia") and Nemtsche-memleketler ("Austrians") it becomes evident that May associates the terms "Nemsi" and "German" with a German state in the sense of the German Confederation instead of with the young German Empire in which he publishes these stories.

“The most courageous man was the ‘Sultan el Kebihr’, but still he was vanquished by the Nemtshe-shimakler (Northern Germans, Prussia), the Nemtshe-memleketler (Austrians) and the Moskowler (Russians). Why do you look at me so intently?” –GIÖLGEDA PADIŚHANÜN, 1880/81[2]

When not taking about the name and in his later works May likes to use "Almani" and "Belad el Alman/Almanja" in his stories set in the Orient to mean 'German' and 'Germany' respectively:

"The land is called Belad el Alman; therefore I am an Almani or, in case you have heard of that term, a Nemsi and am called Kara Ben Nemsi. My fatherland is located far across the sea." – KRÜGER BEI, 1894/95

Belad el Alman ("Land of Germans“) is also directly associated with Kaiser Wilhelm I and therefore the German Empire:

"I have heard of the Belad el Alman. It is ruled by a great sultan, who is called Wi-hel (Wilhelm) and has defeated the French. They are our enemies; therefore every Almani is a friend of ours and my people will be delighted to see you. Of course you're also a warrior?" – EINE BEFREIUNG (A Liberation), 1894

The Ottoman Turkish نمچه nemçe[3] (rendered nemçe or nemse in modern Turkish) meant Austrian, the German language, or the Habsburg monarchy from it derives the modern Arabic اَلنَّمْسَاAn-Namsā meaning Austria and نِمْسَاوِيّ Nimsāwiyy meaning Austrian. The term likely originates from the Proto-Slavic word for Germans, němьcь němĭcĭ[4] meaning literally "someone who is mute" referring to foreigners in general and Germans specifically. Modern Arabic refers to a German man as أَلْمَانِيّ ʾAlmāniyy and to Germany as أَلْمَانِيَا ʾAlmāniyā.

In Ottoman Turkish قره (Modern Turkish Kara, Azerbaijani Turkish Qara)[5] means black. It can be found used as first name in Turkish (see for example Kara Osman). The Ottoman Turkish spelling of this first name matches that of an Arabic name held by for example the Sabian Mathematician Thābit ibn Qurra this name however is of semitic origin and has no relation to the Turkish name.

A possible Ottoman Turkish rendition of the name Kara Ben Nemsi would therefore be قره بن نمچی Kara ben Nemçe. As most current Arabic dialects do not have a letter directly corresponding to çīm in Ottoman Turkish and because Persian yeh corresponds to Arabic yāʾ a rendition of the name in modern Arabic would be قره بن نمسي Qara bin Namsī.

In his later work May seems to prefer deriving Kara directly from the color of his beard instead of his first name:

"Concerning my name, I was not called by my actual name but instead as during my previous travels, I was called Kara Ben Nemsi. Kara means "black" and Ben Nemsi "son of Germans". I sported a dark beard and was a German; therefore this name." – EINE BEFREIUNG (A Liberation), 1894

Original German stories edit

 
Kara Ben Nemsi on Rih
  • Durch Wüste und Harem (1892), since 1895 with the title Durch die Wüste
  • Durchs wilde Kurdistan (1892)
  • Von Bagdad nach Stambul (1892)
  • In den Schluchten des Balkan (1892)
  • Durch das Land der Skipetaren (1892)
  • Der Schut (1892)
  • Orangen und Datteln (1893, Anthology: Die Gum, Der Krumir and others)
  • Eine Befreiung (within Die Rose von Kaïrwan, 1894)
  • Im Lande des Mahdi I (1896)
  • Im Lande des Mahdi II (1896)
  • Im Lande des Mahdi III (1896)
  • Satan und Ischariot II (1897)
  • Er Raml el Helahk (within Auf fremden Pfaden, 1897)
  • Blutrache (within Auf fremden Pfaden, 1897)
  • Der Kutb (within Auf fremden Pfaden, 1897)
  • Der Kys-Kaptschiji (within Auf fremden Pfaden, 1897)
  • Maria oder Fatima (within Auf fremden Pfaden, 1897)
  • Im Reiche des silbernen Löwen I (1898)
  • Die »Umm ed Dschamahl« (1898)
  • Im Reiche des silbernen Löwen II (1898)
  • Am Jenseits (1899)
  • Im Reiche des silbernen Löwen III (1902)
  • Im Reiche des silbernen Löwen IV (1903)
  • Bei den Aussätzigen (1907)
  • Abdahn Effendi (1908)
  • Merhameh (1909)
  • Ardistan und Dschinnistan I (1909)
  • Ardistan und Dschinnistan II (1909)

In the story An der Tigerbrücke (within Am Stillen Ocean, 1894) the first-person narrator mentions, that he is identical to Kara Ben Nemsi and Old Shatterhand.

Within the book series Karl May’s Gesammelte Werke there is a sequel of Am Jenseits: „In Mekka“ (1923) by Franz Kandolf.

English translations of Karl May's works edit

  • Amazon.com (Karl May's works translated by Marlies Bugmann)
  • Nemsi Books (Publisher of new unabridged translations)

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ May, Karl (2002). Oriental Odyssey: Through the desert. Translated by Michalak, Michael M. Nemsi Books. p. 27. ISBN 0971816468.
  2. ^ May, Karl (2002). Oriental Odyssey: Through the desert. Translated by Michalak, Michael M. Nemsi Books. p. 78. ISBN 0971816468.
  3. ^ "نمچه - Wiktionary". en.wiktionary.org. Retrieved 2021-06-01.
  4. ^ "Reconstruction:Proto-Slavic/němьcь - Wiktionary". en.wiktionary.org. Retrieved 2021-06-01.
  5. ^ "قره - Wiktionary". en.wiktionary.org. Retrieved 2021-06-01.
  • Essay about Kara Ben Nemsi (in German)

March 14, 2024
kara, nemsi, fictional, main, character, from, works, karl, best, selling, 19th, century, german, author, alter, stories, about, nemsi, written, first, person, narratives, travels, across, north, africa, sudan, ottoman, empire, including, various, parts, middl. Kara Ben Nemsi is a fictional main character from the works of Karl May best selling 19th century German author An alter ego of May the stories about Nemsi are written as first person narratives He travels across North Africa Sudan and the Ottoman Empire including various parts of the Middle East and the Balkans with his friend and servant Hadschi Halef Omar Kara Ben Nemsiقره بن نمسيFirst appearanceGiolgeda padishanun 1881 Last appearanceArdistan und Dschinnistan II 1909 Created byKarl MayIn universe informationGenderMaleNationalityGermanNemsi shares his two famous rifles with Old Shatterhand another fictional alter ego of May the Barentoter Bear Killer and the Henrystutzen Henry Carbine He rides the famed black horse Rih from Arabic ر يح riḥ meaning wind Contents 1 Old Shatterhand 2 Origins and Meaning of the Name 3 Original German stories 4 English translations of Karl May s works 5 See also 6 ReferencesOld Shatterhand editKara Ben Nemsi and Old Shatterhand who undertakes similar adventures in North America are one and the same person created through Karl May s first person narration and autobiographical influences This becomes obvious in the novel Im Reiche des silbernen Lowen I In the Realm of the Silver Lion Volume I where the narrator going by Old Shatterhand is located in the US and meets an acquaintance of his from the Orient to whom he reveals himself as Kara Ben Nemsi In another novel Satan und Ischariot II Satan and Iscariot Volume II wherein Old Shatterhand travels to Tunis he also reveals himself to be Kara Ben Nemsi Origins and Meaning of the Name editMay first introduces the terms Nemsi and Nemsistan in his third story set in the Orient Die Rose von Sokna The Rose of Sokna published in 1878 There he translates the terms used by a caravanner or rather by the Arab servant of the yet unnamed first person narrator as German and Germany respectively The name Kara Ben Nemsi first occurs in Reise Erinnerungen aus dem Turkenreiche von Karl May Giolgeda padishanun Travel Memoirs from the Empire of Turks by Karl May in the Shadow of the Padishah later called Durch die Wuste Through the desert published in 1880 81 where it is spontaneously made up by servant Hadschi Halef Omar during an introduction This steadfast fellow had once asked my name and had truly remembered the word Karl but being unable to pronounce it he has quickly converted it to Kara and added Ben Nemsi offspring of the Germans GIOLGEDA PADISHANUN 1880 81 1 In a later part of the story where May uses Nemtsche schimakler Northern Germans Prussia and Nemtsche memleketler Austrians it becomes evident that May associates the terms Nemsi and German with a German state in the sense of the German Confederation instead of with the young German Empire in which he publishes these stories The most courageous man was the Sultan el Kebihr but still he was vanquished by the Nemtshe shimakler Northern Germans Prussia the Nemtshe memleketler Austrians and the Moskowler Russians Why do you look at me so intently GIOLGEDA PADISHANUN 1880 81 2 When not taking about the name and in his later works May likes to use Almani and Belad el Alman Almanja in his stories set in the Orient to mean German and Germany respectively The land is called Belad el Alman therefore I am an Almani or in case you have heard of that term a Nemsi and am called Kara Ben Nemsi My fatherland is located far across the sea KRUGER BEI 1894 95Belad el Alman Land of Germans is also directly associated with Kaiser Wilhelm I and therefore the German Empire I have heard of the Belad el Alman It is ruled by a great sultan who is called Wi hel Wilhelm and has defeated the French They are our enemies therefore every Almani is a friend of ours and my people will be delighted to see you Of course you re also a warrior EINE BEFREIUNG A Liberation 1894 The Ottoman Turkish نمچه nemce 3 rendered nemce or nemse in modern Turkish meant Austrian the German language or the Habsburg monarchy from it derives the modern Arabic ا لن م س ا An Namsa meaning Austria and ن م س او ي Nimsawiyy meaning Austrian The term likely originates from the Proto Slavic word for Germans nemc nemĭcĭ 4 meaning literally someone who is mute referring to foreigners in general and Germans specifically Modern Arabic refers to a German man as أ ل م ان ي ʾAlmaniyy and to Germany as أ ل م ان ي ا ʾAlmaniya In Ottoman Turkish قره Modern Turkish Kara Azerbaijani Turkish Qara 5 means black It can be found used as first name in Turkish see for example Kara Osman The Ottoman Turkish spelling of this first name matches that of an Arabic name held by for example the Sabian Mathematician Thabit ibn Qurra this name however is of semitic origin and has no relation to the Turkish name A possible Ottoman Turkish rendition of the name Kara Ben Nemsi would therefore be قره بن نمچی Kara ben Nemce As most current Arabic dialects do not have a letter directly corresponding to cim in Ottoman Turkish and because Persian yeh corresponds to Arabic yaʾ a rendition of the name in modern Arabic would be قره بن نمسي Qara bin Namsi In his later work May seems to prefer deriving Kara directly from the color of his beard instead of his first name Concerning my name I was not called by my actual name but instead as during my previous travels I was called Kara Ben Nemsi Kara means black and Ben Nemsi son of Germans I sported a dark beard and was a German therefore this name EINE BEFREIUNG A Liberation 1894Original German stories edit nbsp Kara Ben Nemsi on RihDurch Wuste und Harem 1892 since 1895 with the title Durch die Wuste Durchs wilde Kurdistan 1892 Von Bagdad nach Stambul 1892 In den Schluchten des Balkan 1892 Durch das Land der Skipetaren 1892 Der Schut 1892 Orangen und Datteln 1893 Anthology Die Gum Der Krumir and others Eine Befreiung within Die Rose von Kairwan 1894 Im Lande des Mahdi I 1896 Im Lande des Mahdi II 1896 Im Lande des Mahdi III 1896 Satan und Ischariot II 1897 Er Raml el Helahk within Auf fremden Pfaden 1897 Blutrache within Auf fremden Pfaden 1897 Der Kutb within Auf fremden Pfaden 1897 Der Kys Kaptschiji within Auf fremden Pfaden 1897 Maria oder Fatima within Auf fremden Pfaden 1897 Im Reiche des silbernen Lowen I 1898 Die Umm ed Dschamahl 1898 Im Reiche des silbernen Lowen II 1898 Am Jenseits 1899 Im Reiche des silbernen Lowen III 1902 Im Reiche des silbernen Lowen IV 1903 Bei den Aussatzigen 1907 Abdahn Effendi 1908 Merhameh 1909 Ardistan und Dschinnistan I 1909 Ardistan und Dschinnistan II 1909 In the story An der Tigerbrucke within Am Stillen Ocean 1894 the first person narrator mentions that he is identical to Kara Ben Nemsi and Old Shatterhand Within the book series Karl May s Gesammelte Werke there is a sequel of Am Jenseits In Mekka 1923 by Franz Kandolf English translations of Karl May s works editAmazon com Karl May s works translated by Marlies Bugmann Nemsi Books Publisher of new unabridged translations See also editMarah Durimeh RIH bicycle References edit May Karl 2002 Oriental Odyssey Through the desert Translated by Michalak Michael M Nemsi Books p 27 ISBN 0971816468 May Karl 2002 Oriental Odyssey Through the desert Translated by Michalak Michael M Nemsi Books p 78 ISBN 0971816468 نمچه Wiktionary en wiktionary org Retrieved 2021 06 01 Reconstruction Proto Slavic nemc Wiktionary en wiktionary org Retrieved 2021 06 01 قره Wiktionary en wiktionary org Retrieved 2021 06 01 Essay about Kara Ben Nemsi in German Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Kara Ben Nemsi amp oldid 1165061702, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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