The living conditions in the household were extremely cramped, requiring the secretary, Pieper, to share a bed with Marx. Despite this lack of privacy, Marx found opportunities to engage in a romantic relationship with the housekeeper. Their affair led to her becoming pregnant.
This relationship resulted in the birth of a son during the year of the Great Exhibition, highlighting the personal complexities in Marx’s life amid the chaotic domestic environment. The circumstances reflect the intertwining of Marx’s public persona with his private struggles in a crowded household.