«The Final Problem» as a godsend.

Sherlock Holmes really existed! Really?

At least that's what 58 percent of British people thought according to a survey by UKTV Gold in 2008. The master detective is omnipresent. That can cause us some confusion. Winston Churchill isn't as successful: 23 percent of people asked assumed that the British statesman was a fictional figure. We won't comment on the English education system, we'll focus on praising the way in which Conan Doyle was able to breathe life into his stories.

Shirking responsibilities. The plan goes wrong.

«The Final Problem», the last story in the anthology «The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes», appears in the December edition of «The Strand». That sounds good. But: At the beginning of the story there's an illustration of Sherlock Holmes and professor Moriarty. Both are entangled in a lethal hug next to the Reichenbach Waterfall – with the title: «The Death of Sherlock Holmes». Okay. We admit it. That is unexpected. We could not have uttered more than a «whaaat?» of disbelief either.

Sidney Paget (1860-1908) illustrated the pictures of Sherlock Holmes in «The Strand». The role model was supposedly his younger brother. His older brother denied this adamantly. Now then, perhaps there's a little jealousy involved here? Whatever the case, the checked deerstalker hat which Holmes wears in many pictures can be traced back to Paget's preference for exactly that hat. And it looks elegant. Conan Doyle on the other hand, only once described it in «Silver Blaze» as «an ear flapped travelling cap». The rest comes from the British illustrator.

Conan Doyle had the idea of how to end the life of his cult figure in Meiringen.

In August 1893 he went there with his wife, who was suffering from Tuberculosis, for spa treatment. Following a visit to the Reichenbach Waterfall, everything went quite fast. The inspiration seemed to just come out of nowhere. The «Napoleon of crime» was brought to life. A machiavellian, criminal superbrain. Professor James Moriarty. Holmes' alter ego. They fight at the Reichenbach Waterfall and fall into the depths at the end of «The Final Problem». That's it. The end. Game over. Problem solved.

«Where it is always 1891»

So that there's no confusion with the dates: Conan Doyle visited Meiringen in 1893. «The Final Problem» was set two years earlier though – in 1891. Just so we can differentiate between reality and fiction. Again, as a reminder: Conan Doyle really did exist, Sherlock Holmes didn't.
Whatever, fiction or not, for many Holmesians it's still 1891 in Meiringen. And nothing will change there. That's for sure. Because their bubble bursts here on this fateful 4th of May 1891.

Crime scene Reichenbach Waterfall.

There he is. Sherlock Holmes meets professor Moriarty. What does he do? Of course, he writes a last letter to his loyal helper Dr. John Watson. Behind him, the Reichenbach Waterfall goes thundering into the depths. That's it. The end. We know the story. They're never found.
Sherlock Holmes comes a couple of years too early – the tracks of the nostalgic railway doesn't get laid until 1899. His arch enemy completely takes advantage of this of course and tricks Dr. Watson into coming back to Meiringen. The poor guy has to walk the whole way. To professor Moriarty's joy – now he can talk to Sherlock Holmes alone, without interruption.

Annus Horribilis 1891. Around half a year after the supposed death of Sherlock Holmes, Meiringen becomes the scene of a catastrophe for the second time. But not in the world of fiction unfortunately.

On 25th October at 7.30 am, a fire breaks out in a house above the Brewery in the district of Stein. The oldest Haslital resident, the föhn, a warm wind from the mountains, doesn't think twice and leaves the districts of Stein, Meyringen, Eisenbolgen and Hausen in ashes. How would Sherlock Holmes have died if Conan Doyle had walked through Meiringen a couple of months later?
The full extent of the destruction only becomes clear a day later.

A closed, fictional world becomes real in an English church. Welcome to Baker Street 221b – in Meiringen.

We are not surprised that Conan Doyle's stories belong to the tradition of realism. The descriptions are so detailed that the office of Holmes and Watson can be found in the basement of the English church.
The Sherlock Holmes museum presents valuable original objects, provides background information and gives interesting insights into the crime and police history of the 1890s in London. Unbelievable that people think this detective didn't exist. Really.