Max Kairies

The story of Max Kairies, "The Hermit Of Oakville".

I just stumbled across this incredibly sad story in the Post Dispatch archives, and while I'm too young to remember it as it happened, here's what I learned...
Apparently in early 1977, the 78 year old German immigrant who spoke English as a second language (it was reported that he "thought in German") was physically removed from his cabin home of nearly 50 years on the grounds of the old Oakville Stables, across from today's Oakville Middle School, where he had taken care of horses his entire adult life after coming to America in the 1920's. He usually worked without wages in exchange for the promise of one day owning the land and stables.
In short, as the story unfolded it seems he never had full legal claim to the land according to developers of what would become Southgate Nursing Home. After multiple sales of the land over the years, he had remained, expecting to live the rest of his life there.
Then on January 14, 1977 the power and gas were shut off to his cabin. The next day, Max was 'carried off' the property by firefighters and taken to Mercy South Hosptial (called St. Anthony's at the time) where he was said to be confused and befuddled over what was happening. In a fairy tale twist, as reports of his plight were published, a woman who had been his neighbor a half centry earlier before either came to America came into the story. Now, as fate would have it, she lived in Creve Couer leaning of his plight through stories in the Post-Dispatch and took him in to her family's home.
Ultimately, the Legal Aid society went to bat for Max and won him an out-of-court settlement of $4,500 in late 1978 for his troubles. He would die of a heart attack in March 1983 while still living with the family who had been his neighbor on another continent.