Berlin - The German city of Trier is
struggling to keep up with demand for 0-euro notes, bearing the
face of its most famous son and communism's creator Karl Marx,
and sold for 3 euros each as part of celebrations for his 200th
birthday.
Marx's best known and most influential works are the
Communist Manifesto, co-written with Friedrich Engels and
released in 1848, and his caustic analysis of capitalism "Das
Kapital" two decades later.
"The souvenir plays on Marx's criticism of capitalism and of
course the 0-euro note fits perfectly with Marx as a motif,"
said Norbert Kaethler, managing director of Triers' tourism
office.
He pointed out that Marx did not earn much from his theories
and had to live in poverty for several years of his life.
Rubber ducks depicting German philosopher Karl Marx are for sale at the price of 5.90 euro at a souvenir shop in his hometown in Trier. Picture: Wolfgang Rattay/Reuters
Trier's tourism office said it had already sold 5,000 of the
purple notes, which resemble genuine euros but are labelled
"souvenir", and was printing 20,000 more. They are on sale at
the Porta Nigra, the southwestern German city's most famous
landmark and one of the largest Roman gates north of the Alps.
An image of German philosopher Karl Marx is seen in a traffic light for passengers in his hometown in Trier. Picture: Wolfgang Rattay/Reuters
Marx, who forecast that capitalism would be superseded by
socialism, spent the first 17 years of his life in Trier. The
city is proud of its most famous resident though some Germans
blame his ideas for the rise of Communist dictators in Russia,
China and Cuba and the Cold War division of their country.
The Karl Marx bronze statue by Chinese artist Wu Weishan is pictured after it was erected in Trier. Picture: Wolfgang Rattay/Reuters
The city is making the most of his 200th birthday on May 5.
Other memorabilia include a bearded Karl Marx rubber duck with
an edition of Das Kapital tucked under one wing.
Trier is also unveiling a giant three-tonne bronze statue of
Marx, a gift from the Chinese government, despite concerns from
critics about China's alleged human rights abuses.