Louise Juta facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Louise Juta
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | 14 November 1821 |
| Died | 3 July 1893 (aged 71) Rondebosch, Cape Colony
|
| Nationality | German |
| Occupation | Bookseller |
| Spouse(s) |
Jan Carel Juta
(m. 1853) |
| Children | 7, including Henry |
| Parents |
|
| Relatives |
|
Louise Juta, born Louise Marx (November 14, 1821 – July 3, 1893), was a successful bookseller. She was also the sister of the famous thinker Karl Marx.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Louise Marx was the sixth child in her family. Her parents were Heinrich Marx, a lawyer, and Henriette Pressburg. They lived in Trier, which was then part of the Prussian Rhineland.
Her older brother, Karl, was a very strong personality in the family. Louise's niece, Eleanor Marx, later shared stories about him. She said Karl was an amazing storyteller. As a child, he would pretend his sisters were horses. He would "drive" them down a hill at full speed. He even made them eat "cakes" made from dirty dough. But his sisters went along with it because they loved his stories.
Her father, Heinrich, was Jewish and the son of a rabbi. He became a Christian around 1817. Louise and her brothers and sisters were also baptized in 1824.
In 1838, Louise and her sister Emilie were called to Trier. Their father was very sick with tuberculosis. Heinrich Marx passed away on May 10, 1838. Because Louise was still young, she was given a guardian. This meant her education was not heavily invested in. However, her mother made sure to remember her in her will.
Marriage and Moving to South Africa
Louise met Jan Carel Juta in a town called Zaltbommel. They got married on June 5, 1853, in a simple civil ceremony in Trier. Two days later, they had a church wedding in Traben. Her mother and other relatives were there.
Before their long journey to South Africa, they signed a special contract. This contract helped manage the difficult travel conditions.
On their way to the Cape Colony, the newly married couple visited Karl Marx and his family. This was on June 29, 1853, in London. During dinner, Louise showed she didn't agree with Karl's political ideas. Another guest noted that Louise didn't like her brother being a leader of socialists. She insisted they came from a respected family. Later, Louise, Jan Carel, and their children visited Karl Marx again. They also met Friedrich Engels in Manchester.
Starting a Business
Soon after arriving in South Africa in 1853, Louise and Jan Carel started a business. It was called JC Juta, Bookseller and Stationer. Their shop was on Wale Street in Cape Town. They sold many different items, including textbooks, government papers, and science books.
In 1883, Louise sold part of the company. She sold it to two people who worked for her, Jacobus Cuypers and Thomas Mullins Duncan. Louise passed away in Rondebosch, Cape Town, in 1893.
Louise and Jan Carel had seven children together. One of their children was Sir Henry Juta QC. He became a lawyer and a senior judge in South Africa. He also served as the Speaker of the Parliament of Cape Colony.
Today, Juta Publishing is still in business. It is one of South Africa's most important publishers for academic and law books.
Images for kids
-
8 Simeonstrasse, Trier. This was Louise's home until her family moved in 1842.
-
J. C. Juta, bookseller, Cape Town, around 1860.
