It was Karl May's collections of Indian artifacts that were the basis
for the American Indian Museum in Dresden that I referred to in my
message to Joe Clay. Many Germans traveled to the US in the 19th
century and became fascinated with the Indian cultures and
their accoutrement...headdresses,beads, leather, wampum, etc. They
became "collectors"of such materials...and followed with regular
"pow-wows." When we sent four people to document, two of them were
Native Americans who completely bowled over the Germans. Many, of
course, had never seen a "real" Indian...just the lore and tales
of the past. It was quite an education for them. As you said, Karl
May never visited the US...more of a German P.T. Barnum, perhaps.