Born in 1842 in a poor working class family in Saxony, Germany, he could not see anything when he was born. His mother sought medical treatment from many sources and did not regain her sight until she was 6 years old.

During the blind stage, he had to rely on hearing and touch to perceive the world around him, and his imagination developed abnormally.

The first half of his life was full of misfortune - he suffered from amblyopia in the first six years and was almost blind. He dropped out of college due to financial difficulties. After becoming a primary school teacher, he was falsely accused and lost his job. He was involved in legal disputes many times. However, the ups and downs of life, spirituality and

The pain made him study hard and determined to become a talent.

In 1875 he became the editor of several local magazines, where he found his own path.

After having a solid foundation for writing novels about foreign affairs and becoming a successful novelist, he resolutely resigned from his job as an editor in 1878 and began to create professionally.

"The Story of Neto" stood out and became a dazzling new star in the German literary world.

Around 1900, he made a field trip to the East. At this time, he had become one of the best-selling and most read writers in Europe, and became a rich man from royalties.

His luxurious villa is filled with various cultural relics and souvenirs he collected, especially Indian cultural relics. His collection is called the "souvenirs of his great adventure."

Today, Karl Mai's former residence in Saxony, Germany has been converted into a memorial hall, and a bronze bust of Karl Mai decorates the square of that city; his villa near Dresden - the "Old Iron Hand Villa"

"It has also become a museum, which displays a large number of precious American Indian artifacts, as well as all of Karl Mai's writings and a large number of memorabilia collected by him; many of his stories have been adapted into movies, plays, and comic books.

According to Karl Mai's last wish, Ladyboar University there has become a specialized institution responsible for the "Karl Mai Charitable Fund".