Karl Marx · Fridtjof Nansen Were Karl Marx and Fridtjof Nansen alive at the same time? Yes. Karl Marx and Fridtjof Nansen were alive at the same time for 21 years, from 1861 to 1883. Karl Marx was 43 when Fridtjof Nansen was born.Fridtjof Nansen was 21 when Karl Marx died, aged 64. Karl MarxGerman-born philosopherBorn 5 May 1818 · died 14 March 1883, aged 64Fridtjof NansenNorwegian polar explorerBorn 10 October 1861 · died 13 May 1930, aged 68 NapoleonAbraham LincolnKarl MarxFridtjof NansenMahatma GandhiVladimir LeninAlbert EinsteinAdolf HitlerRonald Reagan Karl Marx and Fridtjof Nansen 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.