In England, he was introduced to Karl Marx by his former aide-de-camp, Friedrich Engels, who later co-authored The Communist Manifesto.
But he eventually found Marx too conservative, as he wanted democratic communism, even challenging Marx to a duel. The duel never happened, but Marxist Konrad Schramm later challenged Willich.
With duels illegal in the United Kingdom, they relocated to Belgium for the contest. Willich’s bullet grazed Schramm’s head but didn’t kill him. Schramm died eight years later of tuberculosis.
Dueling was never illegal it was the consequences of the duel that could be crimes.
If both men shot guns in a field and no one died or got hurt, there was no crime. Which often happened. As the guns were not accurate.
But if you killed a guy and there were witnesses (both the attendant doctor and priest would turn their back as not to be witnesses) it could be manslaughter or murder.
Industrialisation made it harder to duel due to population density.
https://allthatsinteresting.com/august-willich
Dueling was never illegal it was the consequences of the duel that could be crimes.
If both men shot guns in a field and no one died or got hurt, there was no crime. Which often happened. As the guns were not accurate.
But if you killed a guy and there were witnesses (both the attendant doctor and priest would turn their back as not to be witnesses) it could be manslaughter or murder.
Industrialisation made it harder to duel due to population density.