Karl Marx entered the world in a time of great commotion and excitement. Born to Heinrich and Henriette Marx in the spring of 1818, the young German boy grew up in a period of revolutionary events throughout France, Belgium, and Poland, which undoubtedly exposed Marx to new political ideas and actions that affected his future thoughts and objectives. Throughout his years of higher education, the student was further introduced to his bride-to-be, Jenny von Westphalen, and highly influential philosophers and scholars, such as Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel. Marx ended his formal education in the year 1841, after submission and acceptance of his doctoral thesis to the University of Jena.

 Key Words: Education, University of Berlin, University of Bonn, Hegel, University of Jena, The Difference Between the Democritean and Epicurean Philosophy of Nature, Engagement, Jenny von Westphalen

To explore the five other eras of Marx’s life, please click on one of the following links: Entrance into Journalism and Affiliation with Rheinische Zeitung, Exile in Paris and Brussels,  1848 Revolutionary Events and Writings,  Exile in London: Before Das Kapital, and  Exile in London: After Das Kapital.

*To see a visual tour of Marx’s movements throughout this era and his entire lifetime, please click on the following link to download the file and open it up in a Google Earth program: Karl Marx Tour

Please see the link above to access the visual tour of Marx’s movements