List of Germans: Difference between revisions
Content deleted Content added
→H-J: Johannes Hevelius wil remain on this list as the "list of Poles" claims a certain "Jan Heweliusz" |
Space Cadet (talk | contribs) Yeah, but his "Polishness" is justified, while his "Germanness" isn't. |
||
| Line 468: | Line 468: | ||
*[[Hermann Helmholtz]], physicist |
*[[Hermann Helmholtz]], physicist |
||
*[[Heinrich Rudolf Hertz]], (1857-1894), physicist |
*[[Heinrich Rudolf Hertz]], (1857-1894), physicist |
||
*[[Johannes Hevelius]] (1611– 1687), astronomer |
|||
*[[David Hilbert]], (1862-1943), mathematician |
*[[David Hilbert]], (1862-1943), mathematician |
||
*[[Johann Homann]], (1664-1724), geographer |
*[[Johann Homann]], (1664-1724), geographer |
||
Revision as of 13:45, 28 May 2007
This is a list of famous Germans.
Actors/Actresses
- Mario Adorf, (born 1930), actor
- Hans Albers, (1891-1960), actor
- Moritz Bleibtreu, (born 1971), actor
- Eric Braeden, (born Hans Gudegast, 1941), actor
- Daniel Brühl, (born 1978), actor
- Horst Buchholz, (1933-2003), actor
- Vicco von Bülow, aka Loriot, actor, comedian, cartoonist
- Hans Clarin, (1930-2005), actor
- Geogre Dzundza (born 1945), actor
- Marlene Dietrich, (1901-1992), actress
- Heinz Erhardt, (1909-1979), actor and comedian
- Gert Fröbe, (1913-1988), actor
- Götz George, (born 1938), actor
- Heinrich George, (1893-1946) actor
- Gustaf Gründgens, (1899-1963) actor
- Brigitte Helm, (1908-1996), actress
- Emil Jannings, actor
- Klaus Kinski, (1926-1991), actor, Polish-German father, German mother
- Nastassja Kinski (born 1959), actress, daughter of Klaus Kinski
- Hildegard Knef, (1925-2002), actress, singer, writer
- Diane Kruger, (born 1976), model and actress
- Alexandra Maria Lara, (born 1978) actress
- Heike Makatsch, (born 1971) actress
- Willy Millowitsch, (1909-1999), actor
- Armin Mueller-Stahl, (born 1930), actor
- Luise Neumann, (1818-1905)
- Uwe Ochsenknecht, (born 1956), actor
- Franka Potente (born 1974), actress
- Jürgen Prochnow, (born 1941), actor
- Heinz Rühmann, (1902-1994), actor
- Otto Sander, (born 1941), actor
- Romy Schneider, actress
- Kristina Söderbaum, (1912-2001), actress and photographer
- Claudia Schiffer, (born 1970) actress and supermodel
- Til Schweiger, (born 1963) actor
Artists
- Andreas Deja, Animator
- Hans von Aachen, (1552-1615), mannerist painter
- Albrecht Altdorfer, (1480-1538), painter
- Ernst Barlach, (1870-1938), sculptor (and writer)
- Günther Behnisch (born 1922) architect
- Peter Behrens (1868 – 1940) architect
- Joseph Beuys, (1921-1986), artist
- Arnold Böcklin, (1827-1901), painter
- Gottfried Böhm (born 1920) architect
- Arno Breker, (1900 - 1991), sculptor
- Lovis Corinth, (1858-1925), painter
- Lucas Cranach the Elder, (1472-1553), painter
- Lucas Cranach the Younger, (1515-1586), painter
- Albrecht Dürer, (1471-1528), painter
- Michael Ebel, (born 1970), painter
- Egon Eiermann, (1904-1970), architect and designer
- Max Ernst, (1891-1976), surrealist painter
- Caspar David Friedrich, (1774-1840), painter
- Walter Gropius, (1883-1969), architect
- George Grosz, (1893-1959), artist
- Hannah Höch - artist
- Hans Holbein the Elder, (c.1465-1524), painter
- Hans Holbein the Younger, (c.1497-1543), illustrator, painter
- Jörg Immendorff, painter
- Helmut Jahn (born 1940) architect and designer
- Anselm Kiefer, (born 1945), painter
- Martin Kippenberger, (1953 - 1997), painter
- Leo von Klenze (1784 - 1864) architect
- Hans Kollhoff (born 1946) architect
- Käthe Kollwitz, (1867-1945), painter
- Max Liebermann, painter
- Markus Lüpertz, (born 1941), painter and sculptor
- Franz Marc, (1880-1916), painter
- Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (1886–1969) architect, designer
- Frei Otto (born 1925) architect and research scientist
- Sigmar Polke, (born 1941), painter
- Gerhard Richter, (born 1932), painter
- Karl Friedrich Schinkel, architect, painter
- Oskar Schlemmer, (1888-1943), choreographer, painter, sculptor, stage & costume designer
- Eberhard Schlotter (born 1921), painter
- Kurt Schwitters, painter, poet
- Fritz Schumacher (1869-1947) architect and urban designer
- Max Slevogt, painter
- Carl Spitzweg, (1808-1885), painter
- Franz Stuck, painter
- Bernd Ullrich, (born 1949) painter and sculptor
Composers
- Karl Friedrich Abel, (1725-1787), composer
- Martin Agricola, (1466-1506), composer
- Siegfried Alkan, (1858 - 1941), composer
- Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, (1714-1788), composer, son of J. S. Bach
- Johann Sebastian Bach, (1685-1750), composer
- Ludwig van Beethoven, (1770-1827), composer
- Martin Boettcher, (1927), film-composer (Karl May movies)
- Johannes Brahms, (1833-1897), composer
- Max Bruch, (1838-1920), composer
- Hanns Eisler, (1898-1962), composer
- Friedrich von Flotow, (1812-1883), composer
- Georg Friedrich Händel, (1685-1759), composer, opera composer
- Fanny Hensel, composer
- Paul Hindemith, (1895-1963), composer
- Engelbert Humperdinck, (1854-1921), composer
- Albert Lortzing, (1801-1851), composer
- Giacomo Meyerbeer, (1791-1864), composer
- Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, (1809-1847), composer
- Jacques Offenbach, (1819-1880), composer
- Carl Orff, (1895-1982), composer
- Johann Pachelbel, (1653-1706), composer
- Hans Pfitzner, (1869-1949), composer
- Max Reger, (1873–1916), composer
- Wolfgang Rihm, (1952-), composer
- Heinrich Schütz, (1585-1672), composer
- Clara Schumann, (1819-1896), composer
- Robert Schumann, (1810-1856), composer, songwriter
- Karlheinz Stockhausen, (1928-), modern composer
- Richard Strauss, (1864-1949), composer, opera composer
- Georg Philipp Telemann, (1681-1767), composer
- Richard Wagner, (1813-1883), composer
- Carl Maria von Weber, (1786-1826), composer
- Kurt Weill, (1900-1950), composer (Threepenny Opera, "September Song")
- Hans Zimmer, (1957), film-composer
Filmmakers
- Andreas Deja, Animator
- Uwe Boll, film director
- Doris Dörrie, female film director
- Roland Emmerich, film director
- Rainer Werner Fassbinder, (1945-1982), film director
- Werner Herzog, (born 1942), film director
- Oliver Hirschbiegel, film director
- Fritz Lang, film director
- Ernst Lubitsch, (1892-1947), film director
- F.W. Murnau, (1888-1931), film director
- Wolfgang Petersen, (born 1941), film director
- Anthony Radziwill (born Antoni Radziwiłł; 1959 – 1999) American television executive and filmmaker, descended from King Friedrich Wilhelm I of Prussia, Nephew of John F. Kennedy
- Leni Riefenstahl, (1902-2003), female film director
- Volker Schlöndorff, (born 1939), film director
- Andreas Schnaas, (born 1968), film director
- Tom Tykwer, (born 1965), film director
- Robert Wiene, film director
- Wim Wenders, (born 1945), film director
Royalty
- Alix of Hesse and Rhine, (1872-1918), was a German princess by birth before marrying Tsar Nicholas II to become a Russian tsarina.
- Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, (1819-1861), Queen Victoria's husband & consort
- Albert (1828-1902), King of Saxony (1873-1902)
- Anton (1755-1836), King of Saxony (1827-1836)
- Carol I of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen (1839-1914), Prince (1867-1881) and King (1881-1914) of Romania
- Charles IV (1316-1378), King of Germany 1346, Holy Roman Emperor 1355-1378
- Charles V, (1500-1558), King of Spain 1516, King of Germany 1519, Holy Roman Emperor 1530-1556
- Charles (1823-1891), King of Württemberg (1823-1891)
- Claus von Amsberg (1926-2002), diplomat and husband of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands
- Ferdinand of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen (1865-1927), King of Romania (1924-1927)
- Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (1861-1948), Prince of Bulgaria (1887-1908), King (or Tsar) of the Bulgarians (1908-1918)
- Frederick I Barbarossa (1122–1190), King of Germany 1152, Holy Roman Emperor 1155-1190
- Frederick I of Prussia (1657-1713), Elector of Brandenburg (1688-1713), King in Prussia (1701-1713)
- Frederick I of Württemberg (1754-1816), Duke (1797-1803), Elector (1803-1806), and King (1806-1816) of Württemberg
- Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor (1194-1250), Holy Roman Emperor and King of Jerusalem
- Frederick II of Prussia (1712-1786), King of Prussia (1740-1786)
- Friedrich III (1831-1888), German Emperor and King of Prussia (1888)
- Frederick Augustus I (1750-1827), Elector (1763-1806) and King (1806-1827) of Saxony
- Frederick Augustus II (1797-1854), King of Saxony (1836-1854)
- Frederick Augustus III (1865-1932), King of Saxony (1904-1918)
- Frederick William I (1688-1740), King of Prussia (1713-1740)
- Frederick William II (1744-1797), King of Prussia (1786-1797)
- Frederick William III (1770-1840), King of Prussia (1797-1840)
- Frederick William IV (1795-1861), King of Prussia (1840-1861)
- George (1832-1904), King of Saxony (1902-1904)
- George V (1819-1878), King of Hanover (1851-1866)
- Henry I the Fowler (876-936), King of Germany 919
- Henry II (972-1024), King of Germany 1002, Holy Roman Emperor 1014-1024
- Henry III (1017-1056), King of Germany 1039, Holy Roman Emperor 1046-1056
- Henry IV (1050-1106), King of Germany 1056, Holy Roman Emperor 1084-1106
- Henry V (1081-1125), King of Germany 1106, Holy Roman Emperor 1111-1125
- Henry VI (1165-1197), King of Germany 1190, Holy Roman Emperor 1191-1197
- John (1801-1873), King of Saxony (1854-1873)
- Louis IV (1281-1347), King of Germany 1314, Holy Roman Emperor 1328-1347
- Ludwig I (1786-1868), King of Bavaria (1825-1848)
- Ludwig II (1845-1886), King of Bavaria (1864-1886)
- Ludwig III (1845-1921), King of Bavaria (1913-1918)
- Maximilian I (1459-1519), King of Germany 1486, Holy Roman Emperor 1508-1519
- Maximilian I (1756-1825), Elector (1799-1805) and King (1805-1825) of Bavaria
- Maximilian II (1811-1864), King of Bavaria (1848-1864)
- Otto I the Great (912-973), King of Germany 936, Holy Roman Emperor 962-973
- Otto II (955-983), Holy Roman Emperor 973-983
- Otto III (980-1002), King of Germany 983, Holy Roman Emperor 996-1002
- Otto of Greece King of Bavaria (1815-1867), King of the Hellenes (1833-1862)
- Otto of Bavaria (1848-1916), King of Bavaria (1886-1913)
- Wilhelm I (1797-1888), German Emperor (1871-1888) and King of Prussia (1861-1888)
- Wilhelm II (1859-1941), German Emperor and King of Prussia (1888-1918)
- William I (1781-1864), King of Württemberg (1816-1864)
- William II (1848-1921), King of Württemberg (1891-1918)
Musicians and singers
- 4lyn
- Accept
- Hans Albers
- Alphaville
- Agonoize
- Blind Guardian
- Böhse Onkelz
- Bushido
- Dieter Bohlen, (born 1954), music-producer
- Fritz Busch, (1890-1951), conductor
- Caliban
- Can
- Sarah Connor, (pop&soul singer)
- Michael and Sandra Cretu, founder-performers of Enigma (musical project) and Sandra (group)
- Die Ärzte
- Die Prinzen
- Die Toten Hosen
- Einstürzende Neubauten
- Eisbrecher
- Frank Farian
- Faust
- Fischer-Chöre
- Fler
- Funker Vogt
- Wilhelm Furtwängler, (1886–1954), conductor and composer
- Herbert Grönemeyer, (born 1956)
- Guano Apes
- Heino, popular singer
- Helloween,power metal band
- Chris Hülsbeck
- In Extremo
- Juli
- Michael Kiske
- KMFDM
- Kraftwerk
- Gundula Krause, (born 1966)
- LaFee
- Fernge Jussa, (born 1937)
- Reinhard Mey, (born 1942)
- Marius Müller-Westernhagen
- Anne-Sophie Mutter, (born 1963), violinist
- Modern Talking
- Karl Münchinger, conductor
- Xavier Naidoo
- Nena, (born 1960)
- Megaherz
- Meshell Ndegeocello, (born 1969)
- Klaus Nomi, (1944-1983)
- Oomph!
- Lisa Otto, opera singer
- Project Pitchfork
- Rammstein
- Michael Schenker, (born 1955), guitar player of UFO and solo career
- Scooter (music)
- Scorpions (band)
- Seeed
- Silbermond
- Söhne Mannheims
- Tokio Hotel
- Ton Steine Scherben
- Melanie Thornton(1967-2001) (born in Charleston) Pop,Dance,R&B Singer
- Hannes Wader
- Bruno Walter, (1876–1962), conductor and composer
- Konstantin Wecker
- Wir sind Helden
- Funny van Dannen
- Paul Van Dyk
- U96
- U.D.O.
- Willy Hess, violinist
- Wumpscut
Philosophers
- Theodor Adorno, (1903-1969), philosopher, sociologist and composer
- Albertus Magnus, (about 1193-1280), medieval philosopher and theologian
- Hannah Arendt, (1906-1975), political theorist
- Bruno Bauer, (1809-1882), political theorist and philosopher
- Walter Benjamin, (1892-1940)
- Ernst Bloch, (1885-1977)
- Jakob Böhme, (1575–1624), mystic philosopher
- Rudolf Carnap, (1891-1970), philosopher
- Ernst Cassirer, (1874-1945)
- Friedrich Engels, (1820-1895), philosopher, political economist, and collaborator with Karl Marx
- Ludwig Feuerbach, (1804-1872), philosopher
- Johann Gottlieb Fichte, (1762-1814), philosopher
- Gottlob Frege, (1848-1925), mathematician, logician and philosopher
- Erich Fromm, (1900-1980)
- Hans-Georg Gadamer, (1900-2002), philosopher
- Jürgen Habermas, (1929-), philosopher, social theorist
- Eduard von Hartmann, (1842-1906), philosopher
- Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, (1770-1831), philosopher
- Martin Heidegger, (1889-1976), philosopher
- Max Horkheimer, (1895-1973)
- Karl Jaspers, (1883-1969), philosopher
- Immanuel Kant, (1724-1804), philosopher
- Ludwig Klages, (1872-1956), philosopher
- Gottfried Leibniz, (1646-1716), physicist, philosopher
- Leo Löwenthal, (1921-1966)
- Karl Löwith, (1897-1973)
- Herbert Marcuse, (1898-1979)
- Karl Marx, (1818-1883), philosopher and sociologist. Founder of Marxist political and economic philosophy
- Nikolaus Cusanus, (1401-1462), philosopher, theologian, mathematician
- Friedrich Nietzsche, (1844-1900), early existentialist philosopher
- Bernhard Philberth, (1927-), physicist, engineer, philosopher, theologian
- Johann Karl Friedrich Rosenkranz, (1805-1879)
- Franz Rosenzweig, (1886-1929)
- Max Scheler, (1874-1928), philosopher
- Friedrich Schelling, (1775-1854), philosopher
- Moritz Schlick, (1882-1936), philosopher
- Carl Schmitt, (1888-1985), political theorist
- Arthur Schopenhauer, (1788-1860), philosopher
- Georg Simmel, (1859-1918) philosopher and sociologist
- Ferdinand Tönnies, (1855-1936), philosopher, founder of German sociology
- Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker, (1912- ), philosopher and physicist
Politicians
Miscellaneous
- Joschka Fischer, (1948-), Foreign Minister and vice chancellor 1998-2005 (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen)
- Hans-Dietrich Genscher, (born 1927), former minister for foreign affairs (FDP)
- Jakob Grimm, (1785-1863), parliamentarian
- Wilhelm Grimm, (1786-1859), parliamentarian
- Gregor Gysi, (1948-), former leader of the Party of Democratic Left
- Adolf Hitler, (1889-1945), leader of the Nazi regime, born in Austria
- Johann Jacoby (1805-1877), radical democrat in Prussia
- Petra Kelly, (1947-1992), cofounder of the German Green Party
- Henry Kissinger, (1923-), displomat and US secretary of state from 1973 - 1977
- Ferdinand Lassalle (1825-1864), democrat and socialist, co-founder of the SPD
- Jakob Maria Mierscheid, (1933-), virtual parliamentarian (SPD)
- Hermann Müller, (1876-1931), Chancellor of the Weimar Republic (SPD)
- Hans Modrow (1928-), former leader of GDR, honorary chairman of PDS
- Walther Rathenau (1867-1922), foreign minister (DDP)
- Gerhard Schröder (1910-1989), foreign minister (CDU)
- Kurt Schumacher, (1895-1952), leader of the Social Democratic Party of Germany in the early years of the FRG
- Baron Heinrich vom Stein (1757-1831)
- Edmund Stoiber - party leader of the CSU and minister president of Bavaria
- Franz Josef Strauß, (1915-1988), Bavarian Politician (CSU)
- Ernst Thälmann, (1886-1944), leader of the Communist Party of Germany during the Weimar period
- Guido Westerwelle - party leader of the liberal party (FDP)
- Clara Zetkin, (1857-1933), socialist and fighter for women's rights
Chancellors of Germany 1871 - 1933
- Gustav Bauer, (1870-1944), chancellor of the Weimar Republic (SPD)
- Theobald von Bethmann Hollweg, (1856-1921), Imperial Chancellor
- Otto von Bismarck, (1815-1898), Imperial Chancellor
- Heinrich Brüning (1885-1970), Chancellor of the Weimar Republic (Centre Party)
- Bernhard von Bülow, (1849-1929), Imperial Chancellor
- Leo von Caprivi (1831-1899), Imperial Chancellor
- Wilhelm Cuno (1876-1933), Chancellor of the Weimar Republic
- Konstantin Fehrenbach, (1852-1926), Chancellor of the Weimar Republic (Centre)
- Georg von Hertling, (1843-1919), Imperial Chancellor
- Prince Chlodwig zu Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst, (1819-1901), Imperial Chancellor
- Hans Luther, (1885-1962), Chancellor of the Weimar Republic
- Wilhelm Marx, (1863-1946), Chancellor of the Weimar Republic (Centre)
- Prince Maximilian of Baden, (1867-1929), Last Imperial Chancellor
- Georg Michaelis, (1857-1936), Imperial Chancellor
- Franz von Papen (1879-1969), Chancellor of the Weimar Republic
- Philipp Scheidemann (1865-1939), Chancellor of Weimar Republic (SPD)
- Kurt von Schleicher (1882-1934), last Chancellor of the Weimar Republic
- Gustav Stresemann, (1878-1929), Chancellor of the Weimar Republic (DVP)
- Joseph Wirth, (1879-1956), Chancellor of the Weimar Republic (Centre)
Chancellors of Germany (after 2nd World War)
- Konrad Adenauer, (1876-1967), first democratically elected Federal Chancellor in Western Germany (after the second world war) from 1949 to 1963 (Christian-Democratic Union, CDU)
- Ludwig Erhard, (1897-1977), Federal Chancellor from 1963 to 1966 (CDU)
- Kurt Georg Kiesinger, (1904-1988), Federal Chancellor from 1966 to 1969 (CDU)
- Willy Brandt, (1913-1992), Federal Chancellor from 1969 to 1974 (Social Democratic Party, SPD)
- Helmut Schmidt, (born 1918), Federal Chancellor from 1974 to 1984 (SPD)
- Helmut Kohl, (born 1930), Federal Chancellor from 1982 to 1998 (CDU)
- Gerhard Schröder, (born 1944), Federal Chancellor from 1998 to 2005 (SPD)
- Angela Merkel (born 1954), Federal Chancellor since 2005 (CDU)
Presidents of Germany
- Friedrich Ebert, (1871-1925), First President of the Weimar Republic (SPD) 1919-1925
- Paul von Hindenburg, (1847-1934), Field Marshal, President 1925-1934
- Adolf Hitler, (1889-1945), combining legally both offices, President and Chancellor ("Führer und Reichskanzler") 1934-1945
- Karl Dönitz, (1891-1980), Admiral of the Fleet, after Hitler's death, President for 27 days, 1945
Presidents of the Federal Republic of Germany since 1949:
- Theodor Heuss, (1884-1963), Federal President 1949-1959 (Liberal-Democratic Party, FDP)
- Heinrich Lübke, (1894-1972), Federal President 1959-1969 (CDU)
- Gustav Heinemann, (1899-1976), Federal President 1969-1974 (SPD)
- Walter Scheel, (born 1919), Federal President 1974-1979 (FDP)
- Karl Carstens, (1914-1992), Federal President 1979-1984 (CDU)
- Richard von Weizsäcker (born 1920), Federal President 1984-1994 (CDU)
- Roman Herzog, (born 1934), Federal President 1994-1999 (CDU)
- Johannes Rau, (1931-2006), Federal President 1999-2004 (SPD)
- Horst Köhler, (born 1943), Federal President since 2004 (CDU)
Politicians in East Germany
- Otto Grotewohl, (1894-1964) - minister president of the GDR
- Erich Honecker, (1912-1994) - leader of the GDR until 1989
- Egon Krenz, (born 1937) - leader of the GDR after Honecker
- Erich Mielke, (1907-2000) - head of the Stasi
- Wilhelm Pieck, (1876-1960) - first president of the GDR
- Günter Schabowski, (born 1929) - member of politburo
- Willy Stoph, (1914-1999) - Premier of the GDR
- Walter Ulbricht, (1893-1973) - leader of the GDR
Personalities of the Nazi Party and Regime
- Klaus Barbie, (1913-1991), the "Butcher of Lyon"
- Martin Bormann, (1900-probably 1945), nazi leader
- Eva Braun, (1912-1945), Hitler's mistress and finally his wife
- Karl Brandt, (1904-1948)
- Karl Dönitz, (1891-1980), Admiral of the Fleet, briefly Hitler's successor as President
- Anton Drexler, (1884-1942), founder of German Workers Party, which became the NSDAP
- Hans Frank, (1900-1946), Governor-General of Poland
- Roland Freisler, (1893-1945), infamous Nazi-judge
- Wilhelm Frick, (1877-1946), Minister of the Interior
- Walter Funk, (1890-1960), Minister of Economics
- Joseph Goebbels, (1897-1945), Chancellor of Germany, propaganda chief for the Nazis
- Hermann Göring, (1893-1946), Nazi, Reich Marshal and chief of Luftwaffe
- Rudolf Hess, (1894-1987), Hitler's private secretary, later Deputy Führer
- Reinhard Heydrich, (1904-1942), Nazi officer, head of the Sicherheitsdienst and Gestapo
- Heinrich Himmler, (1900-1945), Nazi head of the SS
- Adolf Hitler, (1889-1945), Reichskanzler and Nazi leader
- Ernst Kaltenbrunner, (1903-1946), Heydrich's successor at the SD
- Hans Kammler, author and organiser of first Death Camps
- Wilhelm Keitel, (1882-1946), Field Marshal, head of the OKW (1939-45)
- Robert Ley, (1890-1945), head of the German Labour Front
- Erich von Manstein, (1885-1973), Field Marshal and commander of the Eleventh Army (1941-42), Army Group Don (1942-43), and Army Group South (1943-44)
- Erhard Milch, (1892-1972), Göring's second-in-command, Air Inspector General
- Konstantin von Neurath, (1873-1956), Foreign Minister in the early years of the regime
- Franz von Papen (1879-1969), Deputy Chancellor in Hitler's first cabinet.
- Erich Raeder, (1876-1960), Admiral of the Fleet
- Joachim von Ribbentrop, (1893-1946), Nazi foreign minister
- Ernst Röhm, (1887-1934), head of the SA
- Alfred Rosenberg, (1893-1946), Nazi ideologist
- Gerd von Rundstedt, (1875-1953), Field Marshal, Commander-in-Chief East (1939-40), commander of Army Group South (1939-41), Commander-in-Chief West (1942-44 and then 1944-45)
- Hjalmar Schacht, Minister of Finance
- Baldur von Schirach, (1907-1974), Hitler Youth leader
- Arthur Seyss-Inquart (1892-1946), Austrian Nazi leader
- Albert Speer, (1905-1981), "Hitler's architect", Minister of Armaments
- Gregor Strasser, Left-wing Nazi leader
- Julius Streicher, (1885-1946), Nazi Party leader in Franconia
- Johann Tillmann, (1921-?), WW2 German war criminal
Scientists and engineers
A-G
- Otto Wilhelm Hermann von Abich, (1806-1886), mineralogist, geologist
- Peter Apian, (1495-1552), mathematician, astronomer and cartographer
- Manfred von Ardenne, (1907-1997), physicist
- Anton de Bary, (1831-1888), surgeon, botanist, microbiologist
- Johann Bayer, (1572-1625), astronomer
- Carl Benz, (1844-1929), one of the inventors of the gasoline-powered automobile
- Friedrich Bessel, (1784-1846), mathematician
- Hans Bethe, (1906-2005), physicist
- Max Born, (1882-1970), physicist
- Carl Ferdinand Braun - physicist
- Wernher von Braun, (1912-1977), space engineer, rocket scientist
- Robert Wilhelm Bunsen, (1811-1899), chemist
- Georg Cantor, (1845-1918), mathematician
- Hans Gerhard Creutzfeldt - neuropathologist
- Gottlieb Daimler, (1834-1900), one of the inventors of the gasoline-powered automobile
- Carl Duisberg, (1861-1935), chemist and industrialist
- Rudolf Diesel, (1858-1913), inventor of the Diesel engine
- Albert Einstein (1879–1955) physicist
- Hans Jürgen Eysenck, psychologist
- Joseph von Fraunhofer, (1787-1826), physicist
- Gottlob Frege, (1848-1925), mathematician and logicist
- Wilhelm Siegmund Frei, (1885-1943), dermatologist
- Erich Fromm, (1900-1980), psychologist
- Carl Friedrich Gauss, (1777-1855), mathematician
H-J
- Fritz Haber, (1868-1934), chemist
- Ernst Haeckel, (1834-1919), physician
- Otto Hahn, (1879-1968), chemist
- Felix Hausdorff, (1868-1942), mathematician
- Robert Havemann, (1910-1982), chemist
- Ernst Heinkel, (1888-1958), Aircraft engineer
- Werner Karl Heisenberg, (1901-1976), physicist
- Hermann Helmholtz, physicist
- Heinrich Rudolf Hertz, (1857-1894), physicist
- David Hilbert, (1862-1943), mathematician
- Johann Homann, (1664-1724), geographer
- Erich Hueckel, (1896-1980), physicist
- Carl Gustav Jakob Jacobi, (1804-1851), mathematician
- Alfons Maria Jakob, (1884-1931), neurologist
- Hugo Junkers, (1859-1935), Aircraft engineer
K-L
- Theodor Kaluza (1885-1954), mathematician, theoretical physicist
- Friedrich August Kekulé von Stradonitz (1829-1896), chemist
- Johannes Kepler (1571-1630), astronomer
- Gustav Robert Kirchhoff (1824-1887), physicist
- Felix Klein (1849-1925), mathematician
- Wolfgang Franz von Kobell (1803-1882), mineralogist
- Robert Koch (1843-1910), physician
- Walter Karl Koch (1880-1962), surgeon
- Adolph Wilhelm Hermann Kolbe (1818-1884), chemist
- Nikolaus Kopernikus (1473–1543), astronomer
- Leopold Kronecker (1823-1891), mathematician
- Ernst Eduard Kummer (1810-1893), mathematician
- Edmund Landau (1877-1938), mathematician
- Max von Laue (1879-1960), physicist
- Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646-1716), mathematician
- Justus von Liebig (1803-1873), chemist
- Ferdinand von Lindemann (1852-1939), mathematician
- Alexander Lippisch (1894-1976), aerodynamicist
- Johann Josef Loschmidt (1821-1895), physicist, chemist
- Reimar Lüst (1923- ), astrophysicist
M-R
- (Albertus Magnus see "A")
- Ludwig Immanuel Magnus, mathematician
- Siegfried Marcus, (1831-1898), automobile pioneer
- Wilhelm Maybach, (1846-1929), car-engine and automobile constructor
- Wilhelm Messerschmitt, (1898-1978), Aircraft engineer
- Lothar Meyer, (1830-1895), chemist
- Franz Mertens, (1840-1927), mathematician
- August Ferdinand Möbius, (1790-1868), mathematician, theoretical astronomer
- Johannes Müller, (1801 - 1858), physiologist
- Walther Nernst, (1864-1941), physicist
- Franz Ernst Neumann, (1798-1895), mathematician
- Carl Gottfried Neumann, (1832-1925), mathematician
- Emmy Noether, (1882-1935), mathematician
- Georg Ohm, (1789-1854), physicist
- Wilhelm Ostwald, Nobel prize winning chemist, philosopher
- Nikolaus Otto, (1832-1891), coinventor of the Otto cycle
- Bernhard Philberth, (1927-), physicist, engineer, philosopher, theologian
- Jesco von Puttkamer, (born 1933), space-scientist (NASA-Manager), engineer and author
- Max Planck, (1858-1947), physicist
- Manfred Raupp, (born 1941) management educator and author
- Bernhard Riemann, (1826-1866) mathematician
- Adam Riese, (1492-1559), mathematician
- Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen, (1845-1923), physicist
S-V
- Carl Wilhelm Scheele, (1742-1786), chemist
- Matthias Jakob Schleiden, (1804-1881), botanist
- Heinrich Schliemann, (1822-1890), archaeologist
- Christian Friedrich Schonbein, (1799-1868), chemist
- Friedrich Hermann Schottky, (1851-1935), mathematician
- Theodor Schwann, (1810-1882), physiologist
- Hermann Amandus Schwarz, (1843-1921), mathematician
- Karl Schwarzschild, (1873-1916), physicist
- Carl Semper (1832-1893), ecologist
- Rolf Singer, (1906-1994), mycologist
- Arnold Sommerfeld, (1868-1951), physicist
- Eduard Adolf Strasburger, (1844–1912), German-Polish professor, one of the most famous botanists of the 19th century
- Georg Steller, (1709-1746), naturalist
- William Stern, (1871-1938), psychologist, philosopher
- Alfred Stock, (1876-1946), chemist
- Levi Strauss, (1829-1902), jeans
- Max Vasmer (1886-1962), linguist
- Rudolf Virchow, (1821-1902), pioneer of medicine
W-Z
- Otto Wallach, physicist
- Hellmuth Walter, (1900-1980), propulsion
- Felix Wankel, (1902-1988), inventor of the Wankel engine
- Alfred Wegener, meteorologist
- Karl Weierstrass, (1815-1897), mathematician
- August Weismann, (1834-1914), biologist
- Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker, (1912- ), physicist
- Hermann Weyl, (1885-1955), mathematician
- Maximilian zu Wied-Neuwied, (1782-1867), zoologist
- Wilhelm Wien, (1864-1928), physicist
- Mieczysław Wolfke, (1883–1947), Polish physicist of German descent
- Wilhelm Wundt, (1832-1920), physiologist, psychologist
- Ferdinand von Zeppelin, (1838–1917), inventor of the Zeppelin
- Ernst Zermelo, (1871-1953), mathematician
- Konrad Zuse, (1910-1995), computers
Sportspersons
- Adolf Anderssen (1818-1879), chess grandmaster
- Max Baer (died 1959), World Heavyweight Boxing Champion
- Michael Ballack (born 1976), football player
- Karin Balzer (born 1938), hurdler
- Dieter Baumann (born 1965), athlete
- Franz Beckenbauer (born 1945), football player
- Boris Becker (born 1967), tennis player
- Elly Beinhorn (born 1907), aviatrix
- Stefan Bellof (1957-1985), race car driver
- Frank Biela , race car driver
- Heike Drechsler (born 1964), athlete
- Timo Boll, table tennis player
- Kai Budde (born 1979), professional Magic: The Gathering player
- Bettina Bunge (born 1963), tennis player
- Rudolf Caracciola (1901-1959), race car driver
- Ursula "Uschi" Disl (born 1970), biathlete
- Christian Ehrhoff, German Olympian and NHL hockey player currently playing for the San Jose Sharks.
- Erich Gottlieb Eliskases (1913-1997) leading chess player of the 1930s-40s, represented Austria, Germany and Argentina in international competition
- Harald Ertl , race car driver
- Jürgen Fanghänel (born 1951), boxer
- Rudi Fink (born 1958), boxer
- Birgit Fischer (born 1962), kayaker
- Sven Fischer (born 1971), biathlete
- Marcel Goc, German Olympian and NHL hockey player currently playing for the San Jose Sharks.
- Steffi Graf (born 1969), tennis player
- Michael Greis (born 1976), biathlete
- Michael Groß (born 1964), swimmer
- Ricco Groß (born 1970), biathlete
- Georg Hackl (born 1966), luger
- Sven Hannawald (born 1974), ski jumper
- Armin Hary (born 1937), athlete
- Nick Heidfeld (born 1977), racing driver
- Peter Hussing (born 1948), boxer
- Robert Hübner (born 1948), chess grandmaster
- Reinhold Joest , race car driver and racing team owner
- Klaus Junge (1924-1945), one of the youngest German chess grandmasters
- Oliver Kahn (born 1969), football player
- Andy Kapp (born 1967), curler
- Jutta Kleinschmidt, rally driver
- Jürgen Klinsmann (born 1964), football player and coach
- Olaf Kölzig (born 1970), ice hockey player
- Louis Krages, (1949-2001), racing driver who raced under the pseudonym of John Winter
- Philipp Lahm, football player
- Andre Lange, Bobsledding champion
- Hermann Lang, (1909-1987), Champion race car driver
- Bernhard Langer (born 1957), golfer
- Emanuel Lasker (1868-1941), the second World Chess Champion (1894-1921)
- Jens Lehmann (born 1969), football player (goalkeeper)
- Ellen Lohr, racing driver
- Klaus Ludwig, racing driver
- Sepp Maier (born 1944), football player
- Henry Maske (born 1964), boxer
- Jochen Mass, racing driver
- Lothar Matthäus (born 1961), football player
- Georg Meier (1910-1999) Motor-Cycle Racer
- Christoph Metzelder (born 1980), football player
- Ulrike Meyfarth (born 1956), high jumper
- Rosi Mittermaier (born 1950), alpine ski champion
- Gerd Müller (born 1945), football player
- Jörg Müller, race car driver
- Petra Müller (born 1965), athlete
- Patricia Neske (born 1966), figure skater
- Gunda Niemann-Stirnemann (born 1966), speed skater
- Dirk Nowitzki (born 1978), NBA star
- Aron Nimzowitsch (1886 - 1935) Latvian-Danish German chess master and chess writer
- Sylke Otto (born 1969), luger
- Claudia Pechstein (born 1972), speed skater
- Uta Pippig (born 1965), athlete
- Birgit Prinz (born 1977), football player
- Lina Radke (1903-1983), athlete
- Teodor Regedziński(aka Theodor Reger)(1894 – 1954) Polish chess master of German origin, fathers name was Reger
- Annegret Richter (born 1950), athlete
- Lars Riedel (born 1967), athlete
- Walter Röhrl, rally and racing driver
- Bernd Rosemeyer, (1909-1938), racing driver
- Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, football player
- Max Schmeling (1905-2003), World Heavyweight Boxing Champion
- Martin Schmitt (born 1978), ski jumper
- Paul Felix Schmidt (1916 – 1984), an Estonian–German chess master.
- Bernd Schneider, racing driver
- Detlef Schrempf (born 1963), former NBA star
- Rainer Schuettler, tennis player
- Michael Schumacher (born 1969), racing driver
- Ralf Schumacher (born 1975), racing driver, brother of Michael
- Harald Schumacher (born 1954), football player
- Ralf Schumann (born 1962), pistol shooter
- Uwe Seeler, Football player
- Werner Seelenbinder, (1904-1944), wrestler
- Katja Seizinger, alpine ski champion
- Renate Stecher (born 1950), athlete
- Michael Stich (born 1968), tennis player
- Rolf Stommelen, (-1983), racing driver
- Hans Stuck, (-1978), racing driver
- Hans Joachim Stuck, racing driver and son of Hans
- Siegbert Tarrasch (1862-1934), chess grandmaster
- Richard Teichmann (1868–1925), leading German chess player, easily of grandmaster strength
- Toni Turek (1919-1984), football player
- Jan Ullrich (born 1973), cyclist
- Wolfgang Unzicker (1925-2006), chess grandmaster
- Franziska van Almsick (born 1978), swimmer
- Berti Vogts, football player and coach
- Rudi Völler (born 1960), football player
- Ralf Waldmann, motorcycle racer
- Fritz Walter (1920-2002), football player
- Fritz Walter (born 1960), football player
- Jens Weissflog (born 1964), ski jumper
- Kati Wilhelm (born 1976), biathlete
- Joachim Winkelhock, racing driver
- Manfred Winkelhock (1951-1985), racing driver, brother of Joachim
- Katarina Witt (born 1965), figure skater
- Sigrun Wodars (born 1965), athlete
- Erik Zabel (born 1970), cyclist
- Johannes Hermann Zukertort (1842-1888) - German Polish-Jewish chessmaster
Theologians, Saints, Beatified Persons
See also List of German popes
- Heinrich Abeken, (1809-1872), theologian
- Johannes Agricola, (1494-1566), Protestant reformer
- Albertus Magnus, medieval philosopher and theologian
- Eusebius Amort, (1692-1775)
- Pope Benedict XVI, a.k.a. Joseph Ratzinger (born 1927)
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer, (1906-1945), Theologian
- Johannes Bugenhagen, (1485-1558) Protestand Reformer of Pomerania and Denmark, Theologian
- Rudolf Bultmann
- Alfred Delp
- Matthias Faber, (1586-1653)
- Adolf Harnack, (1851-1930)
- Johann Gottfried Herder, poet, translator, philosopher and theologian
- Hildegard von Bingen, (1098-1179), saint, abbess, mystic
- Clemens August Graf von Galen, beatified, cardinal
- Adolph Kolping, (1813-1865), beatified, priest
- Hans Küng
- Karl Lehmann
- Martin Luther, (1483-1546), of the Protestant Reformation
- Philipp Melanchthon, (1497-1560), Protestant Reformation
- Moses Mendelssohn
- Jürgen Moltmann, (born 1926), theologian
- Bernhard Philberth, (1927-), physicist, engineer, philosopher, theologian
- Karl Rahner, theologian
- Friedrich Schleiermacher, (1768-1834), theologian, philosopher
- Albert Schweitzer, (1875-1965), musician, physician, pastor, philosopher and theologian
- Dorothee Sölle, (1929-2003)
- Edith Stein, (1891-1942), saint, nun, victim of Holocaust
- Carsten Peter Thiede, (1952-2004), theologian, New Testament historian, chaplain
- Helmut Thielicke, theologian
- Paul Tillich, theologian, philosopher
Writers
- Ernst Moritz Arndt - poet, songwriter, and patriot
- Achim von Arnim, (1781-1831), poet
- Bettina von Arnim, (1785-1859), writer and novelist
- Heinrich Böll, (1917-1985), author
- Bertolt Brecht, (1898-1956), playwright, poet
- Clemens Brentano, (1778-1842), poet and novelist
- Georg Büchner, dramatist and author
- Wilhelm Busch, (1832-1908), poet and satirist
- Matthias Claudius, (1740-1815), poet and writer
- Annette von Droste-Hülshoff, (1797-1848), poet
- Michael Ende, (1929-1995), author of fantasy novels and children's books
- Joseph von Eichendorff, (1788-1857), poet
- Hans Magnus Enzensberger, (born 1929), essayist and poet
- Wolfram von Eschenbach, (died 1220), poet
- Theodor Fontane, (1819-1898), novelist and poet
- Paul Gerhardt, (c. 1606-1676), hymn writer
- Johann Wolfgang Goethe, (1749-1832), author, poet
- Joseph Görres, (1776-1848), essayist
- Günter Grass, (born 1927), author, Nobel Prize in Literature 1999
- Brothers Grimm, famous collectors of fairy tales
- Wilhelm Hauff, (1802-1827), wrighter
- Heinrich Heine, (1797-1856), poet
- Johann Gottfried Herder, (1744-1803), essayist and poet
- Hermann Hesse, (1877-1962), author
- Rolf Hochhuth, (born 1931), playwright
- E.T.A. Hoffmann, (1776-1822), author
- Friedrich Hölderlin, (1770-1843), poet
- Ernst Jünger, (1895-1998), writer/novelist
- Wladimir Kaminer, (born 1967), short story writer
- Erich Kästner, (1899-1974), novelist
- Daniel Kehlmann, (born 1975), novelist
- Friedrich Kellner, (1885-1970, diarist My Opposition
- Heinrich von Kleist, (1777-1811), poet, dramatist, novelist
- Brigitte Kronauer, (born 1941), novelist and essayist
- Siegfried Lenz, (born 1926), author
- Gotthold Lessing, (1729-1781), writer
- Thomas Mann, (1875-1955), author
- Heinrich Mann, (1871-1950), author (brother of Thomas)
- Klaus Mann, (1906-1949), author (oldest son of Thomas)
- Golo Mann, (1909-1994), author, philosopher and historian (second-oldest of Thomas)
- Karl May, (1842-1912), author
- Christian Morgenstern, (1871-1914), poet
- Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué (1777-1843), writer
- Novalis, (1772-1801), poet and novelist
- Hermann von Pückler-Muskau, (1785-1871), writer and landscape gardener
- Erich Maria Remarque, (1898-1970), novelist
- Rainer Maria Rilke, (1875-1926), poet
- Peter Rühmkorf, (born 1929), poet
- Leopold Schefer, (1784-1861), writer, poet, and composer
- Friedrich Schiller, (1759-1805), poet, playwright
- August Wilhelm Schlegel, (1767-1845), poet, translator
- Bernhard Schlink, (born 1944), author, professor of law
- Arno Schmidt, (1914-1979), writer
- Theodor Storm, (1817-1888), author
- Patrick Süskind, (born 1949), author, screenwriter
- Ludwig Tieck, (1773-1853), poet, editor, novelist
- Kurt Tucholsky, (1890-1935), writer, satirist
- Martin Walser, (born 1927), playwright and novelist
- Walter von der Vogelweide, (c. 1170 - c. 1230), poet
- Gero von Wilpert, (born 1933), essayist
- Christa Wolf, (born 1929), novelist and essayist
Military
- Erich von Falkenhayn (1861-1922), General,Prussian minister for War (1913-15) and Chief of general Staff (1914-16)
- August von Gneisenau (1760-1831), Prussian field marshal and chief of the Prussian General Staff (1813-14)
- Günther von Kluge (1882-1944), field marshal and commander of the Fourth Army (1939-41) and Army Group Center (1941-43)
- Manfred von Richthofen, also known as the Red Baron, (1892-1918), fighter pilot and air ace
- Erwin Rommel (1891-1944), field marshal and commander of Afrika Korps (1942-43) and Army Group B (1944)
- Alfred von Schlieffen (1833-1913), field marshall, Strategist and Chief of General Staff (1891-1905)
- Gerhard von Scharnhorst (1755-1813), General and Prussian Minister for War (1808-10)
- Heinz Guderian (1888-1954), Military theorist and innovative General (1907-1945)
- Erich Ludendorff (1865-1937),General and Quartermaster General (1916-18)
- Friedrich Paulus (1890-1957), General and commander of the German Sixth Army, later promoted to Field Marshal (1910-1943)
- Erich von Manstein (1887-1973), Field Marshal and professional soldier (1906-1944)
- Gerd von Rundstedt (1875-1953), Field Marshal and famed commander (1892-1945)
- Michael Wittman (1914-1944), SS-Captain and celebrated tank ace (1934-1944)
- Hans-Ulrich Rudel (1916-1982), Stuka dive-bomber pilot and air ace (1936-1945)
- Erich Hartmann (1922-1993), fighter pilot and air ace (1941-1970)
Others
- Rodolphus Agricola, (1443-1485)
- Hugo Boss, fashion designer
- Johann Eck, (1486-1543)
- Gudrun Ensslin, (1940-1977), terrorist
- Adolf Eugen Fick, inventor of contact lenses
- Anne Frank, (1929-1945), diarist and victim of the Holocaust
- Klaus Fuchs, (1911-1988)
- Reinhard Furrer, (1940-1995), astronaut
- Herschel Grynszpan
- Johann Gutenberg, (circa 1390s-1468), printer
- Saint Hedwig of Andechs (1174 - 1243)
- Hildegard von Bingen, (1098-1179), abbess, mystic
- August Horch, (1868-1951), car designer and manufacturer
- Karen Horney, psychoanalyst
- Heribert Illig, (born 1947), historian
- Sigmund Jähn, (born 1937), the first German in space
- Alfred Jodl, (1890-1946), general, operations chief of the OKW
- Siegfried Kracauer
- Johann Machemehl, (1816-1880), forester for Annaberg, Saxony
- Michael Machemehl, a German Texan Forty Eighter
- Ulrike Meinhof, (1934-1976), terrorist
- Ulf Merbold, (born 1941), astronaut
- Christian Friedrich Martin, (1796-1867), Inventor of the steel-string guitar
- Gerardus Mercator, (1512-1594), cartographer
- Heinrich Meyerfreund, founder of Garoto, a chocolate company in Brazil
- Carl von Ossietzky, (1889-1938), journalist and pacifist
- Ferry Porsche, (1909-1998), designer and founder of Porsche
- Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, (1935-), designer and member of the Porsche family
- Ferdinand Oliver Porsche, (1961-), lawyer, executive and family member of Porsche
- Ludwig Quidde, (1858-1941), historian and pacifist
- Mathias Rust, (born 1968), aviator who landed on Moscow's Red Square in 1987
- Albert Schweitzer, (1875-1965), physician, humanitarian
- Henry Shultz, (1776-1851), emigrant to USA, entrepreneur
- Edith Stein, (1891-1942), nun, victim of Holocaust
- Johann Tetzel, (1465-1519)
- Ulrich Walter, (born 1954), astronaut
- Alfred Weber, sociologist
- Max Weber, sociologist
- Diedrich Hermann Westermann, (1875-1956), linguist
- Adi Dassler, (1900-1978), founder of Adidas
- Shane Ruttle Martinez, (1979-), human rights journalist