MUNICH: A memorial set up in Germany by some of Michael Jackson’s most ardent fans the day after his sudden 2009 death has come under threat in a strangely emotional turf war.

Rival factions enamoured with the King of Pop beyond the grave are locked in a bitter battle over who tends best to the American singer’s memory, in a spat that has at times even turned violent.

Authorities in the southern city of Munich, where Jackson was a frequent guest at the plush Bayerischer Hof hotel, say the memorial may have to go to keep the peace.

A letter this month from the Bavarian state culture ministry in the tone of an exasperated parent warned that “if peaceful coexistence between the different groups of fans behind the Michael Jackson memorial is not possible, the memorial will unfortunately have to disappear.”

Just opposite the hotel’s entrance is a statue of Renaissance composer Orlando di Lasso.

Its pedestal is smothered in pictures documenting Jackson’s startling physical transformation over his four-decade career, flags from the fans’ countries of origin, flowerpots and fresh bouquets with lovingly drawn cards.

One of the top-selling recording artists of all time, Jackson died aged 50 on June 25, 2009 from a lethal overdose of sedatives as he was readying to give a series of concerts in London. The superstar was a frequent visitor to Germany, where he had one of his largest and most devoted fan bases.

In one of his more perplexing public appearances, the pop icon held his youngest son Prince Michael II out of the window of a Berlin hotel in 2002 in front of hundreds of fans.