Biography of Karl Marx Essay -- Karl Marx Communism biographies Essays

Biography of Karl Marx Karl Marx was a professional intellectual and philosopher. Throughout Marx's life, chance meetings with other professional intellectuals and philosophers helped guide Marx to his final destination. Although Marx died in March of 1883, some 122 years ago, his theories are still being studied, and in some cases, used in some governments. In his lifetime Marx explored many different social settings and groups. His final accumulation of work can be found in his Communist Manifesto, which he co-authored with Fredrick Engels. Although very meager at times, Marx lived an extraordinary life. Karl Marx was born on May 5, 1818 in Trier Rheinish Prussia (Germany). Although his family was ultimately Jewish, Karl's father, Hirschel Marx, changed the family's religion to Protestant to avoid anti-Semitism. Later, to avoid further persecution, Hirschel changed his name to Heinrich 1. Young Karl was raised mostly in Prussia. Once he had graduated from the Gymnasium, today's equivalent of high school, Marx entered Bonn University to continue his education and follow in his father's footsteps as a lawyer. While at Bonn, Karl spent much of his time socializing and running up large debts. Karl was once wounded during a duel, because a debt collector2. After hearing about Karl's attitude towards higher education, Heinrich paid off his son's depts. However the injury involving the duel made Heinrich insist that Karl no longer attend Bonn, but instead move to Berlin and attend the University of Berlin. While in Berlin, Karl met a lecturer named Bruno Bauer. While under Bauer's influence, Marx was introduced to the writings of G.W.F. Hegel, whom had been a fellow lectur... ...y his wife's passing, Marx needed his eldest daughter, Eleanor, to take care of him. In January 1883 Eleanor herself passed away due to cancer of the liver. Marx, left to take care of himself, died three months later in March of 1883. Although Marx and his wife were separated by death for over two years, they now lay side by side at Highgate Cemetery in London. Notes 1 Frank E. Manuel, A Requiem for Karl Marx (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1995) 12 2 V.I. Lenin, The Marxists Internet Archive, 16 September 1999, (9 March 2002) 3 Spartacus Educational, 3 March 2002 (9 March 2002) 4 Richard P. Appelbaum, Karl Marx Vol. 7 of Masters of Social Theory (Newbury Park: SAGE Publications, 1988) 5 Appelbaum, 21 6 Manuel, 35 7 Manuel, 37