Karl Marx · Philippe Pétain Were Karl Marx and Philippe Pétain alive at the same time? Yes. Karl Marx and Philippe Pétain were alive at the same time for 26 years, from 1856 to 1883. Karl Marx was 37 when Philippe Pétain was born.Philippe Pétain was 26 when Karl Marx died, aged 64. Karl MarxGerman-born philosopherBorn 5 May 1818 · died 14 March 1883, aged 64Philippe PétainFrench military and political leaderBorn 24 April 1856 · died 23 July 1951, aged 95 NapoleonAbraham LincolnKarl MarxPhilippe PétainMahatma GandhiVladimir LeninAlbert EinsteinAdolf HitlerRonald ReaganDonald Trump Karl Marx and Philippe Pétain in bold, with some of their best-known contemporaries. Drag across to see the age each reached in any year. Faded ends mark uncertain dates.