Balduin Mollhausen, Karl May and the Mormons: The Portrayal of Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 19th Century German Literature

Nineteenth Century Europe's fascination with the American West is well known and Germany's appreciation for the Western tale is no exception. Letters from emigrated German family members coupled with newspaper accounts of thrilling tales told by noble adventurers captivated the hearts and minds of the German speaking people. This passion for American Western stories increased after Balduin Mdllhausen and Karl May began writing their versions of the American Western but it was their overwhelmingly negative portrayal of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or Mormons, that truly captivated German reading audiences. With that in mind, and where appropriate, this thesis briefly discusses the founding history of the Church, Joseph Smith's "First Vision," polygamy and the Church's missionary activities in 19th Century central Europe. The aforementioned topics shed light on the authors' choosing of Mormon themes and provide a necessary foundation to appreciate more fully the analysis of the authors' works. Furthermore, the thesis reviews contemporary German travelogues and novels that first introduced American Western themes to Germany prior to the inclusion of Mormon subject matter. Finally, the novels themselves are reviewed resulting in an overwhelming conclusion that in nearly every instance Mormons are negatively portrayed in Mollhausen's and May's works.