Students Make Pilgrimage to Karl Marx's Grave

22/11/2007

As part of Introduction to Politics and Government and a discussion on Marxism, we went to visit Marx’s grave. After making our way in and out of several tube stations we finally spotted Highgate cemetery, where Karl Marx is buried. We were, of course, on the opposite side from the entrance. However, this ended up being a gift. We had to walk around the entire perimeter of the cemetery, catching glimpses of the overgrown graveyard through the rod iron fences.

Over 169,000 people are buried at Highgate cemetery and there are more than 52,500 graves. Most are decrepit; the people they serve as a memorial to are long forgotten. We, however, were ‘pilgrims’ for one of this cemetery’s major celebrities: Karl Marx.

The path leading to Marx’s memorial is almost the only paved one in the cemetery, probably due to the hoards of people who came to visit. The memorial, with its imposing marble and enormous head atop it, is intimidating. The original tombstone, which people at one time attempted to bomb, is placed within the memorial inscribed with the words “workers of all land unite,” and “the philosophers have only interpreted the world in various ways – the point however is to change.” The words are powerful regardless of your political orientation: they call for a sense of unity which we can approach from various pathways.

We both experienced a sense of awe. In the quiet afternoon we were faced with the image of a man who truly changed history. How could a person who was exiled and ignored in life come to be one of the most prominent political thinkers after his death? Few attended his funeral and yet thousands visit his grave. In a way, we were struck by what bad luck this must have been: to go through your whole life in obscurity only to become a celebrity soon after your death. However, the fact that he had true faith in his theory, that they would continue with or without him, must have given him comfort. And how right he was! His theories, interpreted in numerous ways by world leaders around the globe, still significantly affect our world today. His work still inspires millions: whether inspiring hope or hatred there can be no doubt that his words are powerful and his very person controversial.

By

Alessandra Lupski and Alessandro Berlai

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