The theory was proposed by the German journalist Franz Remmel in the 1970s. Remmel argued that the description of Indians and physical attributes of other characters, as well as story elements in May?s books are too similar to Xantus?s letters to have been May?s own creation.
Dóra Sindelyes, writing in Hungarian weekly HVG, disputes the argument. Manfred Hecker, an expert on German literature and the Hungarian ethnographer István Sándor share her view.
May himself said his own person was the basis for the character of Old Shatterhand.
May first visited America in 1908, years after writing his series of Westerns with the memorable characters of Old Shatterhand and Winnetou.
Source: Múlt-kor
