TRIER (GERMANY) - Germany marks the 200th anniversary of Karl Marx's birth on Saturday, but celebrations risk being marred by protests as the revolutionary philosopher remains a divisive figure almost three decades after the fall of the Berlin Wall. - 'Marx should remain contentious' -The row over Marx and his legacy has also taken on a further political dimension over the AfD's planned silent march. Trier city would have been better off using its own funds to build the long-overdue Marx statue," said the counter-protesters, which include several local left-leaning groups. Wading into the debate on Thursday, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said Marx should remain as he has been in history -- controversial. "I think that us Germans, in 2018, should neither inflate Marx nor banish him from our history," said Steinmeier.

Source: Bangkok Post May 05, 2018 03:45 UTC