Jenny Marx (born von Westphalen) 1814 – 1881)

Jenny von Westphalen was born on February 12, 1814 in the hanseatic city of Salzwedel in the state of Saxony Anhalt. The family moved to Trier in her infancy (1816). In Trier she would meet her future husband, Karl Marx. After an engagement of seven years the couple married in 1843. She shared the political views of her husband, Karl, and devoted her life, thereafter, to supporting her husbands work. She transcribed and proofread her husband’s manuscripts and discussed ideas with him as he developed his theories. . The couple had seven children of whom only three survived childhood, Eleanor, Jenny and Laura.

She accompanied her husband to exile in Brussels, Paris and finally London. Although Friedrich Engels was able to supply some financial assistance, the family lived in near poverty during the London years. In 1856 Jenny fell ill with smallpox. She recovered but was left deaf and heavily scarred. In 1867 she was diagnosed with cancer and died of that malady in London in 1881.

Jenny Marx geborene von Westphalen lebte von 1814 bis 1881. Sie kam aus einer reichen, konservativen Familie und war die Ehefrau von Karl Marx, den sie gegen den Willen ihrer Familie im Jahre 1843 heiratete. Sie ging mit ihm ins Exil, zuerst nach Paris und später nach Brüssel und London. Die Familie lebte in extremer Armut, trotz des Verdienstes von politischem Journalismus. Sie hatten sechs Kinder, drei von ihnen starben jung.