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.