“Did you ever imagine a writer’s tomb resembling a Greek temple?” The Grabmal für Karl und Klara May stands before you a miniature replica of the Nike Temple on the Athenian Acropolis. This isn’t just any grave. It’s the final resting place of Karl May the famed German author of adventure novels. His second wife Klara May shares this unique mausoleum.
The idea for this extraordinary tomb germinated during Karl and Klara’s 1899-1900 Orient journey. A visit to Athens proved pivotal. Klara’s idea to replicate the Nike Temple as their final resting place solidified during a moonlit night on the Acropolis. This was made possible by the connections of Professor Ziller a Radebeul native.
The temple-like structure was constructed in 1903. It served as the family burial site for both the May and Plöhn families. The architect Paul Ziller oversaw the construction. He was from Serkowitz and carried out the work with his brother’s firm. Interestingly Richard Plöhn Klara’s first husband was initially interred here. However during a time of Nazi influence Plöhn and Klara’s mother were later exhumed.
The interior of the Grabmal für Karl und Klara May is captivating. A glass roof illuminates a marble group. Selmar Werner sculpted this piece titled “Angels Receive an Earthly Soul”. An inscription offers a poignant message of hope and eternal reunion. The central space houses a grave slab adorned with a palmette frieze. Karl May’s and Klara May’s names and birth and death dates are inscribed inside the tomb.
Two sarcophagi flanked by lion-griffins designed by Sascha Schneider another friend of Karl May stand opposite the temple. The Grabmal für Karl und Klara May is more than a grave. It is a testament to a love story a creative inspiration and an enduring legacy. It’s a fascinating blend of German literary history and classical Greek architecture. A true Dresden gem.