World

Marx's birth town celebrates anniversary with big new statue

05 of May 2018

Brochures with a portrait of Karl Marx lie on the floor during a press preview of the exhibition 'Dystopia - For the 200th birthday of Karl Marx' in the art collection of the town museum in Jena, Germany, Friday, May 4, 2018. The exhibition, inspired by the 200th birthday of philosopher and and revolutionary socialist Karl Marx on May 5, 2018, shows artworks of 12 contemporary artists. The exhibition starts on May 5, and last until Aug. 12, 2018. (AP Photo/Jens Meyer),Brochures with a portrait of Karl Marx lie on the floor during a press preview of the exhibition 'Dystopia - For the 200th birthday of Karl Marx' in the art collection of the town museum in Jena, Germany, Friday, May 4, 2018. The exhibition, inspired by the 200th birthday of philosopher and and revolutionary socialist Karl Marx on May 5, 2018, shows artworks of 12 contemporary artists. The exhibition starts on May 5, and last until Aug. 12, 2018. (AP Photo/Jens Meyer)

A larger than life statue of the famous Communist philosopher Karl Marx will soon be unveiled on the 200th anniversary of his birth in the western German town of Trier. The celebratory uncovering of the 4.4-meter (14-feet) statue of Marx, donated by China, has sparked criticism by some who blame Marx for the crimes committed by social revolutionaries in Russia, China and elsewhere in the name of Communism.

BERLIN (AP) — A larger than life statue of Communist philosopher Karl Marx will soon be unveiled on the 200th anniversary of his birth in the western German town of Trier.

Saturday’s celebratory uncovering of the 4.4-meter (14-foot) statue of Marx, donated by China, has sparked criticism by some who blame Marx for crimes committed by social revolutionaries in Russia, China and elsewhere in the name of Communism.

The city has invited about 200 guests for the anniversary celebrations.

Marx laid the philosophical foundations for Communism, an ideology that aims for shared ownership of the means of production and the absence of social classes.

The revolutionary thinker was born in Trier on May 5, 1818 and lived there until he was 17 years old. He died in London in 1883.