Karl Marx Karl Marx was born on May 5, 1818 in the city of Trier in Rheinish Prussia. His family was Jewish, but converted to Protestantism in 1824. "Marx is a philosopher primarily concerned with human freedom, rather than as an economist or social scientist" (Singer 1). He was born to his Jewish parents, Heinrich and Henrietta. His father was a lawyer. Heinrich later died, causing Marx to concentrate on his studies, for with out his father's income the family could not be supported unless Marx obtained a job. After graduating from a High School in Trier, Marx entered the university, first at Bonn and later in Berlin. There he read law,