Other

Karl Marx grave

Erection date: 1956

Inscription

{Incised in gold letters in the granite:}
Workers of all lands unite
Karl Marx

{On an old white marble stone:}
Jenny von Westphalan, the beloved wife of Karl Marx, born 12th February 1814, died 2nd December 1881.
And Karl Marx, born May 5th 1818, died March 14th 1883.
And Harry Longuet, their grandson, born July 4th 1878, died March 20th 1883.
And Helena Demuth, born January 1st 1823, died November 4th 1890.
And Eleanor Marx, daughter of Karl Marx, born January 16th 1856, died March 31st 1898.

{Incised in gold letters in the granite:}
The philosophers have only interpreted the world in various ways. The point is to change it.

Bronze head on granite plinth with gold leaf inscriptions.

Site: Karl Marx grave (1 memorial)

N6, Swain's Lane, Highgate Cemetery - East

As a rule we don't "do" graves but here's an exception. More a memorial than a grave this edifice has always attracted huge numbers of visitors. In 1884, on the first anniversary of Marx's death, between 5 and 6,000 people marched from Tottenham Court Road to the grave only to be turned away by police who, afraid of riots, had closed the cemetery. Marx was initially buried about 100m north but in 1956, in response to the interest in the grave, it was moved to its present location and this impressive memorial erected, funded by the British Communist Party. The original gravestone is incorporated into the plinth. A ceremony is still held here annually on the anniversary of his death, to the minute, at 2.30 pm.

Is Marx's grave a communist plot? 

A scene in the 1966 film ‘Morgan! A Suitable Case for Treatment’ was intended to take place at this grave but filming on the site was prohibited so the grave was reconstructed in Kensal Rise cemetery, where filming was allowed. (Reported on the Radio 4 programme “Free Thinking” by Stephen Frears, an assistant director on the film.) We will have to watch the film again.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
Karl Marx grave

Subjects commemorated i

Helene "Lenchen" Demuth (or Helena)

Housekeeper for Jenny and Karl Marx.  Born Germany.  Her date of birth is als...

Read More

Harry Longuet

Grandson of Karl Marx.

Read More

Eleanor Marx-Aveling

Socialist writer and activist. Karl Marx's daughter, born 28 Dean Street and ...

Read More

Karl Marx

Born Trier, Germany (then Prussia). Died Maitland Park Road, Hampstead.  Live...

Read More

Jenny von Westphalen

Wife of Karl Marx.  Born Germany.  Childhood friend of Marx, they married in ...

Read More

This section lists the subjects who helped to create/erect the memorial on this page:
Karl Marx grave

Created by i

British Communist Party

For an understanding of just how splintered the extreme left is just go to Wi...

Read More

Laurence Bradshaw

Artist and sculptor.  Born Liverpool.  Socialist.  Designed posters for Londo...

Read More

Nearby Memorials

Virtues - Defiance

Virtues - Defiance

WC2, Trafalgar Square, National Gallery - Staircase Hall - North Vestibule

In front of the white cliffs of Dover Winston Churchill, in his signature siren suit, makes a fist with his right hand and a V-sign with ...

1 subject commemorated
Streatham Street model houses

Streatham Street model houses

WC1, Streatham Street, Parnell House

There is no plaque (2022) but this is any important building so we decided to collect it. Originally called 'Streatham Street Buildings'...

Covid memorial

Covid memorial

SE1, Albert Embankment

This work consists of approximately 240,000 red and pink hearts, one for each of the UK Covid deaths. Volunteers created this mural and,...

1 subject commemorated, 2 creators
Enfield Market - Edward VII

Enfield Market - Edward VII

EN2, Market Chambers

Designed by Sidney M. Cranfield, this market house replaced a similar one which had been built 1632, and demolished in 1810.  It is shown...

2 subjects commemorated
Shells

Shells

EC3, Philpot Lane, 13

This type of information is not normally recorded on this type of building. At this date community buildings, such as libraries or town...

3 subjects commemorated

Previously viewed

Printing

Printing

EC4, Magpie Alley

Until the 1980s Fleet Street and the area around used to be dominated by the newspaper industry: the journalism and the printing.  These ...

1 subject commemorated
Stephen James Buchan

Stephen James Buchan

Non-British, killed by the Bali bomb.

Person, Tragedy

1 memorial
F. E. J. Hart

F. E. J. Hart

Co-partner or employee of the South Suburban Gas Company. Served but did not die in WW1.

Person, Armed Forces

War served, WW1
1 memorial
RAF Benevolent Fund

RAF Benevolent Fund

Created by Lord Trenchard to provide direct welfare assistance to those of the extended Royal Air Force family in need or distress.

Group, Armed Forces, Philanthropy

1 memorial
Samuel Romilly - Gray's Inn Square

Samuel Romilly - Gray's Inn Square

WC1, Gray's Inn Square

This memorial is in the north-west corner of the square.

1 subject commemorated