M Marx

Identification (2026-10-21, revised 2026-10-22)

«M. Marx», a man Marie has «vu partout», introduced to her on the Grand Hôtel steps in Paris on 16 July 1876 by the baron and baronne de Mertens; he tells her she will give up singing and painting and end «comme toutes les jeunes filles du monde» (063.0341). Marie meets him again on the Promenade in Nice («Manara, Angelini et Marx font la haie à la Promenade», 068.0762, 21 January 1877) and at Wiesbaden in September 1877, where she names him: «Les Gerbel, les Lisander, les Lieman, et Marx. Vous vous souvenez, cet Américain de toujours» (074.0323). In May 1878 her family meet him in Paris near the Grand Hôtel: «M. Marx vous vous souvenez celui de l'été passé à Wiesbaden» (080/1878-05-12). Kernberger (2013) also calls him an American acquaintance (as quoted in the RSR note at 068.0762).

He is therefore not Karl Marx, whom the Mon Journal t.8 index names («Marx (Karl)», p.283): Karl Marx was a German living in London, not an American met at Paris, Nice and Wiesbaden. The later indexes agree with Marie: t.9 «Marx (M.) : 275» (068.0762) and t.10 «Marx (M.) Américain, 337, 341». (The «gretchen de Marx» of 074.0370 is the painter Gabriel von Max, not this man: see Gretchen (Gabriel von Max).)

Identity uncertain

We are not sure who this is beyond «cet Américain de toujours»: Marie gives no first name, and his calling is not stated. A man of the international spa and Riviera set, 1876–1878. Sources checked: 063.0341, 068.0762, 074.0323, 080/1878-05-12, the t.8 and t.10 indexes. If you can identify this person, we would be glad to hear from you.

Research Notes