Karl Marx 'comes home' thanks to statue donation from China

200th anniversary of famed thinker's birth noted with statue in Trier, city where he was born

A China-donated statue of German philosopher Karl Marx was unveiled in his hometown of Trier on May 5 - the 200th anniversary of Marx's birth.

The bronze figure portrays a middle-aged Marx, with his iconic beard, walking with a book in his left hand.

It is situated in proximity to Porta Nigra, a large Roman-styled city gate that is the most famous landmark in Trier, one of Germany's oldest cities.

Weighing 2.3 metric tons, the bronze figure was mounted in front of a former Marx family home. The statue's height, 5.5 meters, was made to coincide with his birthday, said its creator Wu Weishan, a Chinese artist.

"Marx's ideas are of great value to the world, and in particular had far-reaching influence on China," Guo Weimin, deputy director of the State Council Information Office of China, said in a speech shortly before the statue was unveiled.

"The statue presented by China at this special occasion is a demonstration of our respect to the great philosopher and it is a symbol of Sino-German friendship," Guo added.

Malu Dreyer, the governor of the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, in which Trier is located, called the statue from China "a pillar and a bridge for our partnership".

Trier's mayor, Wolfram Leibe, welcomed the statue as a new attraction of the city and said: "This is a gift of friendship which we receive from China rather than a political statement.

"Karl Marx formulated great ideas, and it is worthwhile to think about these ideas," said Leibe, adding that this year renders a good opportunity to reassess the thinker and his work, and saying Marx should take his place as one of the greatest sons of the city.

Marx, son of a Jewish lawyer, spent the first 17 years of his life in Trier, a southwestern German city near the Luxembourg border, before moving to study in Bonn and then Berlin.

The 19th-century philosopher is well known for his works The Communist Manifesto and Das Kapital. He wrote the manifesto with fellow philosopher Frederick Engels.

In a speech at a church in Trier on May 18, Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, said, "Karl Marx was a philosopher whose thought into the future had creative aspirations", and thus it was of great significance to mark this special occasion.

Artist Wu added: "It is a great honor for me to create the statue of the great thinker and to witness its unveiling in his birthplace.

"This statue shows my deep respect to the great thinker as well as my recognition of Marx in an artistic sense."

Joerg Kurpjuhn, a resident of the nearby city Koblenz, who traveled to the unveiling ceremony, said that "It is a good idea to have Marx's statue in the city of Trier, because he is the son of the city. It is a nice present from China."

Kurpjuhn added, "Also, this year is the first time that I became really interested in him and think about him."

He said that Marx was a very important person and changed the world in the 19th century, and his thoughts have contributed a great deal to the modern world.

Hundreds of people, including local residents, tourists and Chinese guests, took part in the unveiling of the statue, the climax of a series of events in Trier to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Marx's birth.

Xinhua - China Daily

(China Daily 05/25/2018 page7)