Alexander Tille translated the German term Übermensch as Beyond-Man in his first English translation of Thus Spoke Zarathustra published in 1896. This choice reflected the literal meaning of the prefix über which suggests transcendence or excessiveness depending on context.
Walter Kaufmann criticized Thomas Common's decision to use the word Superman in 1950s because the English prefix super failed to capture the nuance of the German über. He also argued that this terminology allowed people to confuse Nietzsche's concept with the comic-book character Superman.
Friedrich Nietzsche defines the Übermensch as a figure who rejects Christian values that seek escape from this world into an immortal soul separate from the earthly body. The Übermensch links the concept to the body itself and interprets the soul merely as an aspect of the physical being rather than something distinct from it.
Nazi claims regarding Friedrich Nietzsche resulted from manipulation by his sister Elisabeth Förster-Nietzsche and her husband Bernhard Förster after his death. They altered his words to accommodate their worldview despite Nietzsche's actual opposition to antisemitism and German nationalism during his lifetime.
Emma Goldman defended both Friedrich Nietzsche and Max Stirner from attacks within anarchism while highlighting the value of individualism found in his work. Spanish anarchists like Salvador Segúi viewed the Übermensch as someone to whom all is permitted and Murray Bookchin described such thinkers as admirers of Nietzschean individualism.