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14.03.

1884: Karl Marx’s Wife was a German Beauty and Noblewoman

1884: Karl Marx’s Wife was a German Beauty and Noblewoman
Photo Credit To Wikipedia Commons

Story Highlights

  • Historical event:
  • 14. March 1883
  • Marx's wife was the German beauty Jenny von Westphalen, the daughter of a Prussian baron, who broke off her engagement to a young German officer so she could be with Marx.

On this day, Karl Marx died in London, aged 64. He died of a lung disease which had been bothering him for a long time.



He was buried at the Highgate Cemetery in London. Only between 9 and 11 people were present at his funeral, including Friedrich Engels and Wilhelm Liebknecht, one of the founders of the German social-democrats (SPD).

It is interesting to note that Marx’s wife was the German beauty Jenny von Westphalen, the daughter of a Prussian baron, who broke off her engagement to a young German officer so she could be with Marx.

Their marriage was controversial since she was a noblewoman, while he was of common birth. They had a total of seven children, but only three of them survived to adulthood due to the poverty they lived in.

All three were named Jenny after their mother: Jenny Caroline, Jenny Laura, and Jenny Julia Eleanor. The first two married famous French socialists Longuet and Lafargue, while the third had a relationship with British socialist Aveling.




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