Karl Heinrich Marx was born May 5th, 1818 in Trier. Although he had three other siblings, all sisters, he was the favorite child to his father, Heinrich. His mother, a Dutch Jewess named Henrietta Pressburg, had no interest in Karl's intellectual side during his life. His father was a Jewish lawyer, and before his death in 1838, converted his family to Christianity to preserve his job with the Prussian state. When Heinrich's mother died, he no longer felt he had an obligation to his religion, thus helping him in the decision in turning to Christianity. Karl's childhood was a happy and carefree one. His parents had a good relationship and it help set Karl in the right directio

Marx was an atheist, and believed that science and philosophy would prove everything. Thus he had no belief in a god of any type. Marx believed that Hegel must have been an atheist as well because of his strong belief in the mind. Marx's doctoral thesis was competed in 1841. It carried the title "The Difference Between the Philosophies of Nature of Democrtius and Epicurus."(The Making of Marx's Critical Theory, Oakley, page 11) It had to do with the Greek philosopher Epicurus and how his beliefs related to Marx's of that day. This thesis was an early indication of the thinking behind Karl Marx. Much of his later work and ideas are evident in this essay. He passed his thesis into the University of Jena because Bonn and Berlin required an oral part to the thesis.

The days of November 1850 fall almost exactly in the middle of Marx's life and they represent, not only externally, an important turning point in his life's work. Marx himself was keenly aware of this and Engles perhaps even more so. (The Story of his life, Mehring, page 208)

While at Berlin, Marx became part of the group known as the Yong Hegelians. The group was organized in part due to the philosophy teacher Hegel that taught from 1818 to his death. The teachings of Hegel shaped the way the school thought towards most things. Those who studied Hegel and his ideals were known as the Young Hegelians. Hegel spoke of the development and evolution of the mind and of ideas. Although Karl was younger than most in the group, he was recognized for his intellectual ability and became the focus of the group. While at Berlin "He came to believe that all the various sciences and philosophies were part of one overarching, which, when completed, which would give a true and total picture of the universe and man." (Communist Manifesto, Marx (Francis B. Randal), page 15)