This is a list of notable

Germans , native_name_lang = de , region1 = , pop1 = 72,650,269 , region2 = , pop2 = 534,000 , region3 = , pop3 = 157,000 3,322,405 , region4 = , pop4 = ...

. Persons of mixed heritage have their respective ancestries credited.

Architects

Walter Gropius Walter Adolph Georg Gropius (18 May 1883 – 5 July 1969) was a German-American architect An architect is a person who plans, designs and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in conne ...

(1883–1969), architect *

Carl Ludvig Engel Carl Ludvig Engel, or Johann Carl Ludwig Engel (3 July 1778 – 14 May 1840), was a German architect whose most noted work can be found in Helsinki, which he helped rebuild. His works include most of the buildings around the capital's monumental ...

(1778–1840), architect *

Leo von Klenze Leo von Klenze (Franz Karl Leopold von Klenze; 29 February 1784, Buchladen (Bockelah / Bocla) near Schladen – 26 January 1864, Munich) was a German neoclassicist architect, painter and writer. Court architect of Bavarian King Ludwig I, Leo ...

(1784–1864), architect *

Balthasar Neumann Johann Balthasar Neumann (; 27 January 1687 (?) – 19 August 1753), usually known as Balthasar Neumann, was a German architect and military artillery engineer who developed a refined brand of Baroque architecture, fusing Austrian, Bohemian, Ita ...

(1687–1753), architect and engineer *

Matthäus Daniel Pöppelmann Matthäus Daniel Pöppelmann (1662–1736) was a German master builder and architect who helped to rebuild Dresden after the fire of 1685. His most famous work is the Zwinger Palace. Life Pöppelmann was born in Herford in Westphalia on 3 ...

(1662–1736), architect *

Ludwig Mies van der Rohe Ludwig Mies van der Rohe ( ; ; born Maria Ludwig Michael Mies; March 27, 1886August 17, 1969) was a German-American architect. He was commonly referred to as Mies, his surname. Along with Alvar Aalto, Le Corbusier, Walter Gropius and Frank Lloyd ...

(1886–1969), architect *

Karl Friedrich Schinkel Karl Friedrich Schinkel (13 March 1781 – 9 October 1841) was a Prussian architect, city planner and painter who also designed furniture and stage sets. Schinkel was one of the most prominent architects of Germany and designed both neoclassica ...

(1781–1841), architect and painter *

Johann Conrad Schlaun Johann Conrad Schlaun (June 5, 1695 in Nörde now Warburg – October 21, 1773 in Münster) was a German architect. He is an important architect of the Westphalian Baroque architectural style. His designs include the Erbdrostenhof and Schloss, ...

(1695–1773), architect *

Gottfried Semper Gottfried Semper (; 29 November 1803 – 15 May 1879) was a German architect, art critic, and professor of architecture who designed and built the Semper Opera House in Dresden between 1838 and 1841. In 1849 he took part in the May Uprising in ...

(1803–1879), architect *

Albert Speer Berthold Konrad Hermann Albert Speer (; ; 19 March 1905 – 1 September 1981) was a German architect who served as the Minister of Armaments and War Production in Nazi Germany during most of World War II. A close ally of Adolf Hitler, he ...

(1905–1981), architect *

Wilhelm Kreis Wilhelm Kreis (17 March 1873 – 13 August 1955) was a prominent German architect and professor of architecture, active through four political systems in German history: the Wilhelmine era, the Weimar Republic, the Third Reich, and the founda ...

(1873–1955), architect

Artists

Johann Gottlieb Hantzsch - Häusliche Szene, 1831

A–M

Hans von Aachen Hans von Aachen (1552 – 4 March 1615) was a German painter who was one of the leading representatives of Northern Mannerism. Hans von Aachen was a versatile and productive artist who worked in many genres. He was successful as a painter of pr ...

(1552–1615),

mannerist Mannerism, which may also be known as Late Renaissance, is a style in European art that emerged in the later years of the Italian High Renaissance around 1520, spreading by about 1530 and lasting until about the end of the 16th century in Italy, ...

painter *

Albrecht Altdorfer Albrecht Altdorfer (12 February 1538) was a German painter, engraver and architect of the Renaissance working in Regensburg, Bavaria. Along with Lucas Cranach the Elder and Wolf Huber he is regarded to be the main representative of the Danube Sc ...

(1480–1538), painter *

Gertrud Arndt Gertrud Arndt (''née'' Hantschk; 20 September 1903 – 10 July 2000) was a German photographer and designer associated with the Bauhaus movement. She is remembered for her pioneering series of self-portraits from around 1930. Biography Born Ger ...

(1903–2000), photographer; pioneering self-portraiture *

Ernst Barlach Ernst Heinrich Barlach (2 January 1870 – 24 October 1938) was a German expressionist sculptor, medallist, printmaker and writer. Although he was a supporter of the war in the years leading to World War I, his participation in the war made him c ...

(1870–1938), sculptor and writer *

Günther Behnisch Günther, Guenther, Ginther, Gunther, and the variants Günter, Guenter, Guenther, Ginter, and Gunter, are Germanic names derived from ''Gunthere, Gunthari'', composed of '' *gunþiz'' "battle" (Old Norse ''gunnr'') and ''heri, hari'' "army". Gund ...

(1922–2010), architect *

Peter Behrens Peter Behrens (14 April 1868 – 27 February 1940) was a leading German architect, graphic and industrial designer, best known for his early pioneering AEG Turbine Hall in Berlin in 1909. He had a long career, designing objects, typefaces, and i ...

(1868–1940), architect *

Sibylle Bergemann Sibylle Bergemann (29 August 1941 – 1 November 2010) was a German photographer. In 1990, she co-founded the Ostkreuz photographers agency. She is remembered for documenting developments in East Berlin during the Communist era and for her inter ...

(1941–2010), photographer *

Joseph Beuys Joseph Heinrich Beuys ( , ; 12 May 1921 – 23 January 1986) was a German artist, teacher, performance artist, and art theorist whose work reflected concepts of humanism, sociology, and anthroposophy. He was a founder of a provocative art mov ...

(1921–1986), artist *

Hermann Biow Hermann Biow (1804 – 20 February 1850) was an early German photographer who worked with daguerreotypes. In partnership with Carl Ferdinand Stelzner, he opened Germany's first daguerreotype studio in Hamburg in 1841. He is remembered for his im ...

(1804–1850), photographer *

Elisabeth Böhm Elisabeth Böhm née Haggenmüller (18 June 1921, in Mindelheim – 6 September 2012 in Cologne) was a German architect. Frequently working together with her husband, Gottfried Böhm, she participated in the design of numerous projects, especial ...

(1921–2012), architect *

Gottfried Böhm Gottfried Böhm (; 23 January 1920 – 9 June 2021) was a German architect and sculptor. His reputation is based on creating highly sculptural buildings made of concrete, steel, and glass. Böhm's first independent building was the Cologne ...

(1920–2021), architect *

Arno Breker Arno Breker (19 July 1900 – 13 February 1991) was a German architect and sculptor who is best known for his public works in Nazi Germany, where they were endorsed by the authorities as the antithesis of degenerate art. He was made official ...

(1900–1991), sculptor *

Lovis Corinth Lovis Corinth (21 July 1858 – 17 July 1925) was a German artist and writer whose mature work as a painter and printmaker realized a synthesis of impressionism and expressionism. Corinth studied in Paris and Munich, joined the Berlin Se ...

(1858–1925), painter *

Lucas Cranach the Elder Lucas Cranach the Elder (german: Lucas Cranach der Ältere ; – 16 October 1553) was a German Renaissance painter and printmaker in woodcut and engraving. He was court painter to the Electors of Saxony for most of his career, and is know ...

(1472–1553), painter *

Lucas Cranach the Younger Lucas Cranach the Younger (german: Lucas Cranach der Jüngere ; October 4, 1515 – January 25, 1586) was a German Renaissance painter and portraitist, the son of Lucas Cranach the Elder and brother of Hans Cranach. Life and career Lucas Cranach ...

(1515–1586), painter *

Yitzhak Danziger Yitzhak Danziger ( he, יצחק דנציגר; 26 June 1916 – 11 July 1977) was an Israeli sculptor. He was one of the pioneer sculptors of the Canaanite Movement, and later joined the "Ofakim Hadashim" (New Horizons) group. Early life ...

(1916–1977), Berlin-born Israeli sculptor *

Otto Dix Wilhelm Heinrich Otto Dix (; 2 December 1891 – 25 July 1969) was a German painter and printmaker, noted for his ruthless and harshly realistic depictions of German society during the Weimar Republic and the brutality of war. Along with Geor ...

(1891–1969), painter *

Leon Draisaitl Leon Tim Draisaitl (; born 27 October 1995) is a German professional ice hockey centre and alternate captain for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League (NHL). Draisaitl grew up playing hockey in Germany until he was selected second ove ...

(born 1995), ice hockey player of the Edmonton Oilers *

Albrecht Dürer Albrecht Dürer (; ; hu, Ajtósi Adalbert; 21 May 1471 – 6 April 1528),Müller, Peter O. (1993) ''Substantiv-Derivation in Den Schriften Albrecht Dürers'', Walter de Gruyter. . sometimes spelled in English as Durer (without an umlaut) or Due ...

(1471–1528), painter *

Egon Eiermann Egon Eiermann (29 September 1904 – 20 July 1970) was one of Germany's most prominent architects in the second half of the 20th century. He was also a furniture designer. From 1947, he was Professor for architecture at the Technical University ...

(1904–1970), architect and designer *

Max Ernst Max Ernst (2 April 1891 – 1 April 1976) was a German (naturalised American in 1948 and French in 1958) painter, sculptor, printmaker, graphic artist, and poet. A prolific artist, Ernst was a primary pioneer of the Dada movement and Surrealism ...

(1891–1976), surrealist painter *

Carl Eytel Carl Eytel (September 12, 1862 – September 17, 1925) was a German American artist who built his reputation for paintings and drawings of desert subjects in the American Southwest. Immigrating to the United States in 1885, he settled in Palm Sp ...

(1862–1925), painter of desert landscapes in the

American Southwest The Southwestern United States, also known as the American Southwest or simply the Southwest, is a geographic and cultural region of the United States that generally includes Arizona, New Mexico, and adjacent portions of California, Colorado, N ...

Caspar David Friedrich Caspar David Friedrich (5 September 1774 – 7 May 1840) was a 19th-century German Romantic landscape painter, generally considered the most important German artist of his generation. He is best known for his mid-period allegorical landscape ...

(1774–1840), painter * Dörte Gatermann (born 1956), architect *

Willi Glasauer Willi Glasauer (born 9 December 1938 in Stříbro) is a German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German languag ...

(born 1938), artist *

(1883–1969), architect *

George Grosz George Grosz (; born Georg Ehrenfried Groß; July 26, 1893 – July 6, 1959) was a German artist known especially for his caricatural drawings and paintings of Berlin life in the 1920s. He was a prominent member of the Berlin Dada and New Objec ...

(1893–1959), artist *

Matthias Grünewald Matthias Grünewald ( – 31 August 1528) was a German Renaissance painter of religious works who ignored Renaissance classicism to continue the style of late medieval Central European art into the 16th century. His first name is also given ...

(c. 1470 – 1528),

German Renaissance The German Renaissance, part of the Northern Renaissance, was a cultural and artistic movement that spread among Germany, German thinkers in the 15th and 16th centuries, which developed from the Italian Renaissance. Many areas of the arts and ...

painter * Johann Gottlieb Hantzsch (1794–1848), painter (

genre works Genre art is the pictorial representation in any of various media of scenes or events from everyday life, such as markets, domestic settings, interiors, parties, inn scenes, work, and street scenes. Such representations (also called genre works, ...

) *

Bettina Heinen-Ayech Bettina Heinen-Ayech (3 September 1937 – 7 June 2020) was a German painter. She became known for her colorful landscape views of Algeria ) , image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = ...

(1937–2020), painter *

Hannah Höch Hannah Höch (; 1 November 1889 – 31 May 1978) was a German Dada artist. She is best known for her work of the Weimar period, when she was one of the originators of photomontage. Photomontage, or fotomontage, is a type of collage in which the pa ...

(1889–1978), artist *

Hans Holbein the Elder Hans Holbein the Elder ( , ; german: Hans Holbein der Ältere; – 1524) was a German painter. Life Holbein was born in free imperial city of Augsburg (Germany), and died in Issenheim, Alsace (now France). He belonged to a celebrated family o ...

(c. 1465 – 1524), painter *

Hans Holbein the Younger Hans Holbein the Younger ( , ; german: Hans Holbein der Jüngere; – between 7 October and 29 November 1543) was a Germans, German-Swiss people, Swiss painter and printmaker who worked in a Northern Renaissance style, and is considered o ...

(c. 1497 – 1543), illustrator and painter *

Jörg Immendorff Jörg Immendorff (14 June 1945 – 28 May 2007) was a German painter, sculptor, stage designer and art professor. He was a member of the art movement ''Neue Wilde''. Early life and education Immendorff was born in Bleckede, Lower Saxony, n ...

, painter *

Helmut Jahn Helmut Jahn (January 4, 1940 – May 8, 2021) was a German-American architect, known for projects such as the Sony Center on Potsdamer Platz in Berlin, Germany; the Messeturm in Frankfurt, Germany; the Thompson Center in Chicago; One Liberty ...

(1940–2021), architect and designer *

Horst Janssen Horst Janssen (14 November 192931 August 1995) was a German draftsman, printmaker, poster artist and illustrator. He had a prolific output of drawings, etchings, woodcuts, lithographs and wood engravings. Janssen was a student of Alfred Mahla ...

(1929–1995), draftsman, graphic artist, woodcutter, watercolour painter, writer * Ulli Kampelmann (born 1952), sculptor and painter *

Anselm Kiefer Anselm Kiefer (born 8 March 1945) is a German painter and sculptor. He studied with Peter Dreher and Horst Antes at the end of the 1960s. His works incorporate materials such as straw, ash, clay, lead, and shellac. The poems of Paul Celan hav ...

(born 1945), painter *

Martin Kippenberger Martin Kippenberger (25 February 1953 – 7 March 1997) was a German artist known for his extremely prolific output in a wide range of styles and media, superfiction as well as his provocative, jocular and hard-drinking public persona. Kippenbe ...

(1953–1997), painter *

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner Ernst Ludwig Kirchner (6 May 1880 – 15 June 1938) was a German expressionist painter and printmaker and one of the founders of the artists group Die Brücke or "The Bridge", a key group leading to the foundation of Expressionism in 20th-centur ...

(1880–1938), painter *

(1784–1864), architect *

Hans Kollhoff Hans Kollhoff (born 18 September 1946 in Bad Lobenstein, Thuringia) is a German architect and professor. He is a representative of Postmodern and New Classical Architecture, as well as a protagonist of New Urbanism. Early life Kollhoff spent the ...

(born 1946), architect *

Käthe Kollwitz Käthe Kollwitz ( born as Schmidt; 8 July 1867 – 22 April 1945) was a German artist who worked with painting, printmaking (including etching, lithography and woodcuts) and sculpture. Her most famous art cycles, including ''The Weavers'' and ''T ...

(1867–1945), painter *

Christian Lemmerz Christian Lemmerz (born January 30, 1959) is a German-Danish Sculpture, sculptor and Visual arts, visual artist who attended the Accademia di Belle Arti in Carrara, Italy, from 1978 to 1982 and the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts from 1983 to 198 ...

(born 1959), sculptor and scenographer *

Max Liebermann Max Liebermann (20 July 1847 – 8 February 1935) was a German painter and printmaker, and one of the leading proponents of Impressionism in Germany and continental Europe. In addition to his activity as an artist, he also assembled an important ...

, painter *

Markus Lüpertz Markus Lüpertz (born 25 April 1941) is a German painter, sculptor, graphic artist, and writer. He also publishes a magazine, and plays jazz piano. He is one of the best-known German contemporary artists. His subjects are characterized by suggest ...

(born 1941), painter and sculptor *

August Macke August Robert Ludwig Macke (3 January 1887 – 26 September 1914) was a German Expressionist painter. He was one of the leading members of the German Expressionist group Der Blaue Reiter (The Blue Rider). He lived during a particularly act ...

(1887–1914), painter *

Harro Magnussen Harro Magnussen (14 May 1861 – 3 November 1908) was a German sculptor. Life Magnussen was born in Hamm, Hamburg, Hamm, and received his first lessons in drawing, modelling and carving wood from his father, the painter Christian Carl Mag ...

(1861–1908), sculptor *

Franz Marc Franz Moritz Wilhelm Marc (8 February 1880 – 4 March 1916) was a German painter and printmaker, one of the key figures of German Expressionism. He was a founding member of ''Der Blaue Reiter'' (The Blue Rider), a journal whose name later b ...

(1880–1916), painter *

Hans Memling Hans Memling (also spelled Memlinc; c. 1430 – 11 August 1494) was a painter active in Flanders, who worked in the tradition of Early Netherlandish painting. He was born in the Middle Rhine region and probably spent his childhood in Mainz. He ...

(c. 1430 – 1494), painter *

(1886–1969), architect and designer *

Paula Modersohn-Becker Paula Modersohn-Becker (8 February 1876 – 20 November 1907) was a German Expressionist painter of the late 19th and early 20th century. Her work is noted for its intensity and its blunt, unapologetic humanity, and for the many self-portraits the ...

(1876–1907), painter *

Georg Muche Georg Muche (8 May 1895 – 26 March 1987) was a German painter, printmaker, architect, author, and teacher. Early life and education Georg Muche was born on 8 May 1895 in Querfurt, in the Prussian Province of Saxony, and grew up in the Rhön ...

(1895–1987), painter, printmaker, architect, author and teacher

N–Z

Helmut Newton Helmut Newton (born Helmut Neustädter; 31 October 192023 January 2004) was a German-Australian photographer. The ''New York Times'' described him as a "prolific, widely imitated fashion photographer whose provocative, erotically charged black-a ...

(1920–2004), photographer *

Frei Otto Frei Paul Otto (; 31 May 1925 – 9 March 2015) was a German architect and structural engineer noted for his use of lightweight structures, in particular tensile and membrane structures, including the roof of the Olympic Stadium in Munich for ...

(1925–2015), architect and research scientist *

Max Pechstein Hermann Max Pechstein (31 December 1881 – 29 June 1955) was a German expressionist painter and printmaker and a member of the Die Brücke group. He fought on the Western Front during World War I and his art was classified as Degenerate A ...

(1881–1955), painter *

Sigmar Polke Sigmar Polke (13 February 1941 – 10 June 2010) was a German painter and photographer. Polke experimented with a wide range of styles, subject matters and materials. In the 1970s, he concentrated on photography, returning to paint in the 1980s ...

(1941–2010), painter *

Gerhard Richter Gerhard Richter (; born 9 February 1932) is a German visual artist. Richter has produced abstract as well as photorealistic paintings, and also photographs and glass pieces. He is widely regarded as one of the most important contemporary German ...

(born 1932), painter *

Julius Runge Julius Ludwig Friedrich Runge (28 June 1843, Röbel – 14 March 1922, Lindau) was a German landscape painter. Born in Röbel in northern Germany, he studied under Hans Gude and Gustav Schönleber. He painted in Munich, Karlsruhe, Hamburg and Lind ...

(1843–1922), marine painter *

, architect and painter *

Oskar Schlemmer Oskar Schlemmer (4 September 1888 – 13 April 1943) was a German painter, sculptor, designer and choreographer associated with the Bauhaus school. In 1923, he was hired as Master of Form at the Bauhaus theatre workshop, after working at the wo ...

(1888–1943), choreographer, painter, sculptor and stage designer *

Eberhard Schlotter Eberhard Schlotter (June 3, 1921 – September 8, 2014) worked as an international painter in Spain and Germany. He is the brother of the sculptor Gotthelf Schlotter (1922–2007). Schlotter was born in Hildesheim, eldest son of the sculptor Hei ...

(1921–2014), painter *

Karl Schmidt-Rottluff Karl Schmidt-Rottluff (Karl Schmidt until 1905; 1 December 1884 – 10 August 1976) was a German expressionist painter and printmaker; he was one of the four founders of the artist group Die Brücke. Life and work Schmidt-Rottluff was born in ...

(1884–1976), painter *

Kurt Schwitters Kurt Hermann Eduard Karl Julius Schwitters (20 June 1887 – 8 January 1948) was a German artist who was born in Hanover, Germany. Schwitters worked in several genres and media, including dadaism, constructivism, surrealism, poetry, sound, pain ...

, painter and poet * Fritz Schumacher (1869–1947), architect and urban designer *

Max Slevogt Max Slevogt (8 October 1868 – 20 September 1932) was a German Impressionist painter and illustrator, best known for his landscapes. He was, together with Lovis Corinth and Max Liebermann, one of the foremost representatives in Germany of th ...

, painter *

Carl Spitzweg Carl Spitzweg (February 5, 1808 – September 23, 1885) was a German romanticist painter, especially of genre subjects. He is considered to be one of the most important artists of the Biedermeier era. Life and career Spitzweg was born in U ...

(1808–1885), painter * Birgit Stauch (born 1961), sculptor *

Fritz Stoltenberg Fritz Stoltenberg (7 April 1855 -13 November 1921) was a German landscape and marine painter. After a summer with the Skagen Painters in 1884, he returned to Kiel where he painted and sketched the old town and the harbor, publishing many of ...

(1855–1921), landscape artist and marine painter *

Franz Stuck Franz von Stuck (February 23, 1863 – August 30, 1928), born Franz Stuck, was a German painter, sculptor, printmaker, and architect. Stuck was best known for his paintings of ancient mythology, receiving substantial critical acclaim with '' The ...

, painter *

Yigal Tumarkin Igael Tumarkin (Hebrew: יגאל תומרקין; 23 October 1933 – 12 August 2021) was an Israeli painter and sculptor. Biography Peter Martin Gregor Heinrich Hellberg (later Igael Tumarkin) was born in 1933 in Dresden, Saxony, Germany. His fa ...

(1933–2021), Israeli painter and sculptor *

Wolf Vostell Wolf Vostell (14 October 1932 – 3 April 1998) was a German painter and sculptor, considered one of the early adopters of video art and installation art and pioneer of Happenings and Fluxus. Techniques such as blurring and Dé-coll/age are ch ...

(1932–1998), artist *

Bertha Wehnert-Beckmann Bertha Wehnert-Beckmann (25 January 1815 – 6 December 1901) was a German photographer. She appears to have been Germany's first professional female photographer, and was possibly also the first professional female photographer in the world, bein ...

(1815–1901), pioneering female photographer *

Emilie Winkelmann Emilie Winkelmann (May 8, 1875 in Aken, Germany - August 1952 Hovedissen near Bielefeld) was the first freelance architect in Germany that ran an independent architecture practice. She also worked in Berlin, Dortmund and Bochum in different architec ...

(1875–1951), architect

Company founders

A–M

Karl Albrecht Karl Hans Albrecht (; 20 February 1920 – 16 July 2014) was a German entrepreneur who founded the discount supermarket chain Aldi with his brother Theo. He was for many years the richest person in Germany. In February 2014, he was ranked the 2 ...

(1920–2014) and

Theo Albrecht Theodor Paul Albrecht (; 28 March 1922 – 24 July 2010) was a German entrepreneur. He established the discount supermarket chain Aldi with his brother Karl Albrecht. In 2010, Theo was ranked by ''Forbes'' as the 31st richest person in the worl ...

(1922–2010), founder of

Aldi Aldi (stylised as ALDI) is the common company brand name of two German multinational family-owned discount supermarket chains operating over 10,000 stores in 20 countries. The chain was founded by brothers Karl and Theo Albrecht in 1946, when t ...

Ludwig Bamberger Ludwig Bamberger (22 July 1823 – 14 March 1899) was a German Jewish economist, politician, revolutionary and writer. Early life Bamberger was born into the wealthy Ashkenazi Jewish Bamberger family in Mainz. After studying at Giessen, Heid ...

(1823–1899), co-founder of

Deutsche Bank Deutsche Bank AG (), sometimes referred to simply as Deutsche, is a German multinational investment bank and financial services company headquartered in Frankfurt, Germany, and dual-listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and the New York Sto ...

John Jacob Bausch John Jacob Bausch (born Johann Jakob Bausch; July 25, 1830 – February 14, 1926) was a German-American maker of optical instruments who co-founded Bausch & Lomb (with Henry Lomb). Over six decades he transformed his small, local optical shop into ...

(1830–1926), co-founder of

Bausch & Lomb Bausch + Lomb is an eye health products company based in Vaughan, Ontario, Canada. It is one of the world's largest suppliers of contact lenses, lens care products, pharmaceuticals, intraocular lenses, and other eye surgery products. The compan ...

, makers of contact lenses and

Ray-Ban Ray-Ban is an American-Italian brand of luxury sunglasses and eyeglasses created in 1936 by Bausch & Lomb. The brand is known for its Wayfarer and Aviator lines of sunglasses. In 1999, Bausch & Lomb sold the brand to Italian eyewear conglomerate ...

sunglasses *

Friedrich Bayer Friedrich Bayer (born Friedrich Beyer, 6 June 1825 in Barmen now Wuppertal – 6 May 1880 in Würzburg) was the founder of what would become Bayer, a German chemical and pharmaceutical company. He founded the dyestuff factory ''Friedrich Bayer'' ...

(1825–1880), founder of what would become

Bayer Bayer AG (, commonly pronounced ; ) is a German multinational corporation, multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology company and one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world. Headquartered in Leverkusen, Bayer's areas of busi ...

, a chemical and pharmaceutical company *

Hans Beck Hans Beck (6 May 1929, Greiz – 30 January 2009, Markdorf) was the German inventor of Playmobil toys. He is often described as "The Father of Playmobil". He began to make toys at an early age and trained as a cabinet maker, before being recruit ...

(1929–2009), founder of

Playmobil Playmobil () is a German line of toys produced by the Brandstätter Group (Geobra Brandstätter GmbH & Co KG), headquartered in Zirndorf, Germany. The signature Playmobil toy is a tall (1:24 scale) human figure with a smiling face. A wide range ...

Paul Beiersdorf Paul Carl Beiersdorf (26 March 1836 – 17 December 1896) was a German pharmacist from Neuruppin, Brandenburg. He was founder of Beiersdorf AG in Hamburg. Life In 1880 he founded the Beiersdorf Company, a Hamburg pharmaceutical operation where ...

(1836–1896), founded

Beiersdorf AG Beiersdorf AG is a German multinational company that manufactures and retails personal-care products and pressure-sensitive adhesives. Its brands include Elastoplast, Eucerin (makers of Aquaphor), Labello, La Prairie, Nivea, Tesa SE (Tesa ta ...

, manufacturers of

Nivea Nivea (, stylized as NIVEA) is a German personal care brand that specializes in skin and body care. It is owned by the Hamburg-based company Beiersdorf Global AG. The company was founded on 28 March 1882, by Paul Carl Beiersdorf. In 1890, it w ...

Eucerin Eucerin is a trademarked brand of Beiersdorf AG. In addition to body and face care products, Eucerin offers sun protectant and cleansing products. History In 1900, Isaac Lifschütz manufactured a non-perishable and sleek ointment base consi ...

Melitta Bentz Amalie Auguste Melitta Bentz (31 January 1873 – 29 June 1950), born Amalie Auguste Melitta Liebscher, was a German entrepreneur who invented the paper coffee filter brewing system in 1908. She founded the namesake company Melitta, which still ...

(1873–1950), invented the coffee filter and started

Melitta Melitta () is a German company selling coffee, paper coffee filters, and coffee makers, part of the Melitta Group, which has branches in other countries. The company is headquartered in Minden, North Rhine-Westphalia. It is named after Meli ...

, manufacturers of coffee, paper coffee filters and coffee makers *

Karl Benz Carl Friedrich Benz (; 25 November 1844 – 4 April 1929), sometimes also Karl Friedrich Benz, was a German engine designer and automotive engineer. His Benz Patent Motorcar from 1885 is considered the first practical modern automobile and fir ...

(1844–1929), inventor of the gasoline-powered automobile; co-founder of the automobile manufacturer

Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-Benz (), commonly referred to as Mercedes and sometimes as Benz, is a German luxury and commercial vehicle automotive brand established in 1926. Mercedes-Benz AG (a Mercedes-Benz Group subsidiary established in 2019) is headquartere ...

* Maximilian Delphinius Berlitz (1852–1921), founder of

Berlitz Language Schools Berlitz Corporation is a language education and leadership training company which is based in Princeton, New Jersey. The company was founded in 1878 by Maximilian Berlitz in Providence, Rhode Island in the United States. Berlitz Corporation is ow ...

Carl Bertelsmann Carl Bertelsmann (11 October 1791 – 17 December 1850) was a German businessman, publisher, and founder of German company Bertelsmann. Life C. Bertelsmann Verlag was founded as a publishing house and print shop in July 1835 by Carl Bertelsmann ...

(1791–1850), founder of

Bertelsmann Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA () is a German private multinational conglomerate corporation based in Gütersloh, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is one of the world's largest media conglomerates, and is also active in the service sector and ...

AG, subsidiaries include

Random House Random House is an American book publisher and the largest general-interest paperback publisher in the world. The company has several independently managed subsidiaries around the world. It is part of Penguin Random House, which is owned by Germ ...

and

BMG BMG may refer to: Organizations * Music publishing companies: ** Bertelsmann Music Group, a 1987–2008 division of Bertelsmann that was purchased by Sony on October 1, 2008 *** Sony BMG, a 2004–2008 joint venture of Bertelsmann and Sony that wa ...

Johann Adam Birkenstock Johann Adam Birkenstock (also Birckenstock, Birkenstok, Berkenstock; 1 February 1687 – 26 February 1733) was a German composer and violinist. He was regarded as one of the foremost violinists of his day. Life As a young boy, Birkenstock studi ...

, in 1774 founded

Birkenstock Birkenstock Group B.V. & Co. KG is a German shoe manufacturer known for its production of Birkenstocks, a German brand of sandals and other shoes notable for their contoured cork footbeds (soles) made with layers of suede and jute, which conform ...

shoe company *

Hermann Blohm Hermann Blohm (born 23 June 1848 in Lübeck; died 12 March 1930 in Hamburg) was a German shipbuilder and company founder of Blohm+Voss. Life His father was German merchant Georg Blohm from Lübeck (1801-1878). He studied at ETH Zurich in Switz ...

(1848–1930), in 1877, co-founder of

Blohm+Voss Blohm is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Hans Blohm C.M. (born 1927), photographer and author *Hermann Blohm (1848–1930), German businessman and co-founder of German company Blohm+Voss *Linn Blohm (born 1992), Swedish handbal ...

, manufacturer of ships *

Carl F. W. Borgward Carl Friedrich Wilhelm Borgward (November 10, 1890 in Altona, Hamburg – July 28, 1963 in Bremen (city), Bremen) was a German engineer and designer and the creator of the Borgward group, based in Bremen. Biography He was of modest origin, ...

(1890–1963), founder of

Borgward The former Borgward car manufacturing company, based in Bremen, Germany, was founded by Carl F. W. Borgward (1890–1963). It produced cars of four brands, which were sold to a diversified international customer base: Borgward, Hansa, Go ...

August Borsig Johann Karl Friedrich August Borsig (23 June 1804 – 6 July 1854) was a German businessman who founded the ''Borsig-Werke'' factory. Borsig was born in Breslau (Wrocław), the son of cuirassier and carpenter foreman Johann George Borsig. After ...

(1804–1854), founder of Borsig Werke *

Robert Bosch Robert Bosch (23 September 1861 – 12 March 1942) was a German industrialist, engineer and inventor, founder of Robert Bosch GmbH. Biography Bosch was born in Albeck, a village to the northeast of Ulm in southern Germany as the eleventh of t ...

(1861–1942), industrialist, engineer and inventor; founder of

Robert Bosch GmbH Robert Bosch GmbH (; ), commonly known as Bosch and stylized as BOSCH, is a German multinational engineering and technology company headquartered in Gerlingen, Germany. The company was founded by Robert Bosch in Stuttgart in 1886. Bosch is 9 ...

Hugo Boss Hugo Boss AG, often styled as BOSS, is a luxury fashion house headquartered in Metzingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The company sells clothing, accessories, footwear, and fragrances. Hugo Boss is one of the largest German clothing companies, ...

(1885–1948), fashion designer, founder of

Hugo Boss AG Hugo Boss AG, often styled as BOSS, is a luxury fashion house headquartered in Metzingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The company sells clothing, accessories, footwear, and fragrances. Hugo Boss is one of the largest German clothing companies, ...

Max Braun Max Braun (March 12, 1883 – May 1967 in Miami) was an American tug of war competitor and Olympic medalist. He competed in the 1904 Summer Olympics in St. Louis St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It ...

(1883–1967), founder of Braun GmbH, makers of personal care appliances, coffee makers and other home appliances *

Adolphus Busch Adolphus Busch (10 July 1839 – 10 October 1913) was the German-born co-founder of Anheuser-Busch with his father-in-law, Eberhard Anheuser. He introduced numerous innovations, building the success of the company in the late 19th and early 20 ...

(1839–1913), co-founder of

Anheuser-Busch Anheuser-Busch Companies, LLC is an American brewing company headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. Since 2008, it has been wholly owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (AB InBev), now the world's largest brewing company, which owns multiple glo ...

brewing company *

Adolph Coors Adolph Herman Joseph Coors Sr. (February 4, 1847 – June 5, 1929) was a German American brewer who founded the Adolph Coors Company in Golden, Colorado, in 1873. Early years Adolph Hermann Joseph Kuhrs was born in Barmen in Rhenish Pruss ...

(1847–1929), founder of the

Adolph Coors Company The Adolph Coors Company was formerly a holding company in Golden, Colorado controlled by the heirs of founder Adolph Coors. Its principal subsidiary was the Coors Brewing Company. The brewery was founded in 1873. In 2005, Adolph Coors Co. merge ...

brewery, now part of

MillerCoors MillerCoors was a beer brewing company in the United States. MillerCoors was formed in 2008 as a joint venture between SABMiller and Molson Coors to combine their brewing, marketing and sales operations in the United States. The company was acqui ...

Gottlieb Daimler Gottlieb Wilhelm Daimler (; 17 March 1834 – 6 March 1900) was a German engineer, industrial designer and industrialist born in Schorndorf (Kingdom of Württemberg, a federal state of the German Confederation), in what is now Germany. He was a ...

(1834–1900), inventor and engineer; founder of Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft, now

Daimler-Benz AG The Mercedes-Benz Group AG (previously named Daimler-Benz, DaimlerChrysler and Daimler) is a German multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is one of the world's leading car manufacture ...

Adolf Dassler Adolf "Adi" Dassler (3 November 1900 – 6 September 1978) was a German cobbler, inventor and entrepreneur who founded the German sportswear company Adidas. He was also the younger brother of Rudolf Dassler, founder of Puma. Dassler was an innov ...

(1900–1978), founder of sportswear company

Adidas Adidas AG (; stylized as adidas since 1949) is a German multinational corporation, founded and headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Bavaria, that designs and manufactures shoes, clothing and accessories. It is the largest sportswear manufactur ...

Rudolf Dassler Rudolf "Rudi" Dassler (26 March 1898 – 27 October 1974) was a German cobbler, businessman, a member of the Nazi party and also the founder of the sportswear company Puma. He was the older brother of Adidas founder, Adolf "Adi" Dassler. The b ...

(1898–1974), founder of sportwear company

Puma Puma or PUMA may refer to: Animals * ''Puma'' (genus), a genus in the family Felidae ** Puma (species) or cougar, a large cat Businesses and organisations * Puma (brand), a multinational shoe and sportswear company * Puma Energy, a mid- and d ...

* Adelbert Delbrück (1822–1899), co-founder of

Guido Henckel von Donnersmarck Guido Georg Friedrich Erdmann Heinrich Adalbert Graf Henckel von Donnersmarck, from 1901 Prince (''Fürst'') Henckel von Donnersmarck (born 10 August 1830 in Breslau, died 19 December 1916 in Berlin) was a German nobleman, industrial magnate, mem ...

(1830–1916), founder of company Schlesische AG für Bergbau und Zinkhüttenbetrieb *

Claude Dornier Claude (Claudius) Honoré Désiré Dornier (born in Kempten im Allgäu on 14 May 1884 – 5 December 1969) was a German-French airplane designer and founder of Dornier GmbH. His notable designs include the 12-engine Dornier Do X flying boat, ...

(1884–1969), founder of

Dornier Flugzeugwerke Dornier Flugzeugwerke was a German aircraft manufacturer founded in Friedrichshafen in 1914 by Claude Dornier. Over the course of its long lifespan, the company produced many designs for both the civil and military markets. History Originally ...

Friedrich Engelhorn Friedrich Engelhorn (17 July 1821 – 11 March 1902) was a German industrialist and founder of BASF in Ludwigshafen. Curriculum Vitae Friedrich Engelhorn was born on 17 July 1821 in Mannheim, where his father was a brewery master and pub ow ...

(1821–1902), founder of the chemical company

BASF BASF Societas Europaea, SE () is a German multinational corporation, multinational chemical company and the List of largest chemical producers, largest chemical producer in the world. Its headquarters is located in Ludwigshafen, Germany. The ...

Kaspar Faber Kaspar Faber (1730 – 1784) was a German entrepreneur. He was the founder of the well-known stationery company now known as Faber-Castell. Life and work After finishing school, Faber trained as a carpenter. In 1758 he moved from the town of ...

(1730–1784), founder of

Faber-Castell Faber-Castell AG is a manufacturer of pens, pencils, other office supplies (e.g., staplers, slide rules, erasers, rulers)Faber-Castell InternationalOffice Products and art supplies,Faber-Castell InternationalProducts for FineArts and FineWriting ...

, manufacturers of office supplies, art supplies, writing instruments and leather goods *

Günther Fielmann Günther Fielmann (born 17 September 1939) is a German billionaire businessman, the founder, majority owner and the former chief executive officer of Fielmann, a German optics company focusing on retail eyewear. As of August 2021, his net worth ...

(born 1939), founder of

Fielmann Fielmann AG is a German eye-wear company. The Fielmann stock is listed in the German SDAX index and at the northern German regional HASPAX index. With 5% of all optical stores, Fielmann achieved a 22% sales market share and a 53% market share ...

Wilhelm von Finck Wilhelm von Finck (born 6 February 1848 - 4 April 1924) was a German entrepreneur and banker. Finck was a co-founder of the German companies Allianz and Munich Re. Life In Frankfurt am Main, he was a student at the Hasselsche Institut. He work ...

(1848–1924), co-founder of

Munich Re Munich Re Group or Munich Reinsurance Company (german: Münchener Rück; Münchener Rückversicherungs-Gesellschaft) is a German multinational insurance company based in Munich, Germany. It is one of the world's leading reinsurers. ERGO, a Muni ...

and

Allianz Allianz ( , ) is a German multinational financial services company headquartered in Munich, Germany. Its core businesses are insurance and asset management. The company is one of the world's largest insurers and financial services groups. The ...

Eduard Fresenius Eduard Fresenius (November 17 1874, Frankfurt am Main – February 10, 1946, Bad Homburg) was a German entrepreneur and pharmacist. In 1912, Eduard Fresenius founded German company Fresenius. Eduard Fresenius was married. Else Fernau, Eduard's ...

(1874–1946), founder of Fresenius *

Jakob Fugger the Elder Jakob Fugger (1398 in Augsburg – 1469 in Augsburg) was a German master weaver, town councillor and merchant, as well as the founder of the Fugger dynasty. He was later known as Jakob Fugger the Elder to distinguish him from his son Jakob F ...

(1368–1469), founder of

Fugger The House of Fugger () is a German upper bourgeois family that was historically a prominent group of European bankers, members of the fifteenth- and sixteenth-century mercantile patriciate of Augsburg, international mercantile bankers, and vent ...

bank *

Marcus Goldman Marcus Goldman (born Marcus Goldmann; December 9, 1821 – July 20, 1904) was a Jewish American investment banker, businessman, and financier. He was the founder of Goldman Sachs, which has since become one of the world's largest investment ba ...

(1821–1904), co-founder of

Goldman Sachs Goldman Sachs () is an American multinational investment bank and financial services company. Founded in 1869, Goldman Sachs is headquartered at 200 West Street in Lower Manhattan, with regional headquarters in London, Warsaw, Bangalore, H ...

Max Grundig Max Grundig (; 7 May 1908 – 8 December 1989) was the founder of electronics company Grundig AG. Early life Grundig was raised by his parents in Nuremberg where he delayed his final school exams (''Abitur'') and completed training as an electr ...

(1908–1989), founder of

Grundig Grundig (; ) is a German consumer electronics manufacturer owned by the Turkish Arçelik A.Ş., the white goods (major appliance) manufacturer of Turkish conglomerate Koç Holding. The company made domestic appliances and personal-care produ ...

Max Herz Max Herz (born as Herz Miksa (Ottlaka, Hungary (today Grăniceri, Romania), 19 May 1856 – Zurich, Switzerland, 5 May 1919) Hungarian architect, conservator, museum director and architectural historian, active in Egypt. Life Max Herz was born i ...

(1905–1965), co-founder of

Tchibo Tchibo is a German chain of coffee retailers and cafés known for its range of non-coffee products that change weekly. The latter includes: clothing, furniture, household items, electronics and electrical appliances. In Germany, Tchibo's slogan i ...

Ernst Heinkel Dr. Ernst Heinkel (24 January 1888 – 30 January 1958) was a German aircraft designer, manufacturer, ''Wehrwirtschaftsführer'' in Nazi Germany, and member of the Nazi party. His company Heinkel Flugzeugwerke produced the Heinkel He 178, th ...

(1888–1958), founder of

Heinkel Heinkel Flugzeugwerke () was a German aircraft manufacturing company founded by and named after Ernst Heinkel. It is noted for producing bomber aircraft for the Luftwaffe in World War II and for important contributions to high-speed flight, with ...

, manufacturer of airplanes *

Richard Hellmann Richard Hellmann (born June 22, 1876, in Schönebegk, Prussia, now Vetschau, Germany; died February 3, 1971, in New York City) was a German businessman who founded Hellmann's. Life In 1903, Richard Hellmann emigrated from Vetschau, Germany, to ...

(1876–1971), founder of Hellmann's Mayonnaise *

Friedrich Karl Henkel Friedrich ("Fritz") Karl Henkel (* March 20, 1848 in Vöhl; † March 1, 1930 in Rengsdorf) was a German entrepreneur and founder of the Henkel Group. Early life Fritz Henkel was born as the fifth child of his parents, the teacher Johann Jost ...

(1848–1930), founder of

Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, commonly known as Henkel, is a German multinational chemical and consumer goods company headquartered in Düsseldorf, Germany. It is active in both the consumer and industrial sectors. Founded in 1876, the DAX company is organi ...

* J.A. Henckels, manufacturers of kitchen knives, scissors, cookware and flatware *

August Horch August Horch (12 October 1868 – 3 February 1951) was a German engineer and automobile pioneer, the founder of the manufacturing giant which would eventually become Audi. Beginnings Horch was born in Winningen, Rhenish Prussia. His init ...

(1868–1951), founder of

Audi Audi AG () is a German automotive manufacturer of luxury vehicles headquartered in Ingolstadt, Bavaria, Germany. As a subsidiary of its parent company, the Volkswagen Group, Audi produces vehicles in nine production facilities worldwide. Th ...

automobile company in 1909 *

Helmut Horten Helmut Horten (8 January 1909 Bonn – 30 November 1987, Croglio, Switzerland) was a German entrepreneur who built up and owned the fourth-largest chain of department stores in Germany: the Horten AG. Early life Helmut Horten was born on Janua ...

(1909–1987), founder of

Horten AG Horten AG (Aktiengesellschaft) was a German department store chain founded by Helmut Horten in 1936 and headquartered in Düsseldorf, Germany. With up to 80 stores throughout Germany, Horten ranked fourth-largest among German department store ch ...

August Howaldt August Ferdinand Howaldt (23 October 1809 – 4 August 1883) was a German engineer and ship builder. The German sculptor Georg Ferdinand Howaldt was his brother. Biography Born in Braunschweig, the son of the silversmith David Ferdinand Howal ...

(1809–1883), founder of

Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (often abbreviated HDW) is a German shipbuilding company, headquartered in Kiel. It is part of the ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) group, owned by ThyssenKrupp. The Howaldtswerke shipyard was founded in Kiel in 183 ...

in 1835 *

Hugo Junkers Hugo Junkers (3 February 1859 – 3 February 1935) was a German aircraft engineer and aircraft designer who pioneered the design of all-metal airplanes and flying wings. His company, Junkers Flugzeug- und Motorenwerke AG (Junkers Aircraft and Mo ...

(1859–1935) founder of

Junkers Junkers Flugzeug- und Motorenwerke AG (JFM, earlier JCO or JKO in World War I, English: Junkers Aircraft and Motor Works) more commonly Junkers , was a major German aircraft and aircraft engine manufacturer. It was founded there in Dessau, Germ ...

, manufacturer of airplanes in 1895 *

Rudolph Karstadt Rudolph Karstadt (16 February 1856 – 15 December 1944 in Schwerin) was a German entrepreneur. Biography Karstadt was born in Grevesmühlen near Lübeck on 16 February 1856, he apprenticed in Rostock and then worked in his father’s textile ...

(1856–1944), founder of

Karstadt Karstadt Warenhaus GmbH was a German department store chain whose headquarters were in Essen. Until 30 September 2010 the company was a subsidiary of Arcandor AG (which was known until 30 June 2007 as KarstadtQuelle AG) and was responsible wi ...

Ernst Keil Ernst Victor Keil (6 December 1816 – 23 March 1878) was a German bookseller, journalist, editor and publisher. His early publications promoted liberal views and satirized famous politicians leading up to the German revolutions of 1848–49, resul ...

(1816–1878), founder and publisher of ''

Die Gartenlaube ''Die Gartenlaube – Illustriertes Familienblatt'' (; ) was the first successful mass-circulation German newspaper and a forerunner of all modern magazines.Sylvia Palatschek: ''Popular Historiographies in the 19th and 20th Centuries'' (Oxford: ...

'' * Carl Kellner, founder of Ernst Leitz GmbH, which later became

Leica Camera Leica Camera AG () is a German company that manufactures cameras, optical lenses, photographic lenses, binoculars, Telescopic sight, rifle scopes and microscopes. The company was founded by Ernst Leitz in 1869 (Ernst Leitz Wetzlar), in Wetz ...

AG, Leica Geosystems AG, and Leica Microsystems AG, producing cameras, geosurvey equipment and microscopes *

Carl Heinrich Theodor Knorr Carl Heinrich Theodor Knorr (15 May 1800 in Wendeburg, Meerdorf near Braunschweig – 20 May 1875 in Heilbronn), was a German businessman and founder of food and beverage company Knorr (brand), Knorr. References

1800 births 1875 deaths P ...

(1800–1875) founder of Knorr *

Friedrich Krupp Friedrich Carl Krupp (Essen, 17 July 1787 – Essen, 8 October 1826) was a German steel manufacturer and founder of the Krupp family commercial empire that is now subsumed into ThyssenKrupp AG. Biography After the death of his father, he was bro ...

(1787–1826), steel manufacturer and founder of the steel producers

ThyssenKrupp AG ThyssenKrupp AG (, ; stylized as thyssenkrupp) is a German industrial engineering and steel production multinational corporation, multinational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate. It is the result of the 1999 merger of Thyssen AG and Krupp and h ...

* Heinrich Lanz (1838–1905), founder of

Heinrich Lanz AG Heinrich Lanz AG is a former agricultural machinery manufacturer from Mannheim, Germany. Its tractors were sold bearing the LANZ brand. LANZ won numerous awards at the Strasbourg Agricultural Fair in 1866; namely four Gold, five Silver, and th ...

Henry Lehman Henry Lehman (born Hayum Lehmann; September 29, 1822 – November 17, 1855) was a German-born American businessman and the founder of Lehman Brothers, which grew from a cotton and fabrics shop during his life to become a large finance firm under ...

(1822–1855),

Emanuel Lehman Emanuel Lehman (born Mendel Lehmann; February 15, 1827 – January 10, 1907) was a German-born American banker. The younger brother of Henry Lehman, he was a co-founder of Lehman Brothers. Biography Emanuel Lehman was born in Rimpar, Bavaria on ...

(1827–1907) and

Mayer Lehman Mayer Lehman (January 9, 1830 – June 21, 1897) was a German-born American businessman, banker, and philanthropist. He was one of the three founding brothers of the investment bank Lehman Brothers. Early life Mayer Lehman was born in 1830 to ...

(1830–1897), German-born bankers, co-founders of

Lehman Brothers Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. ( ) was an American global financial services firm founded in 1847. Before Bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers, filing for bankruptcy in 2008, Lehman was the fourth-largest investment bank in the United States (behind Gol ...

Carl von Linde Carl Paul Gottfried von Linde (11 June 1842 – 16 November 1934) was a German scientist, engineer, and businessman. He discovered a refrigeration cycle and invented the first industrial-scale air separation and gas liquefaction processes, whi ...

(1842–1934), founder of

The Linde Group Linde plc is a global multinational chemical company founded in Germany and, since 2018, domiciled in Ireland and headquartered in the United Kingdom. Linde is the world's largest industrial gas company by market share and revenue. It serves ...

Henry Lomb Henry Lomb ( – ) was a German-American optician who co-founded Bausch & Lomb (with John Jacob Bausch) and led a group of businessmen to found The Mechanics Institute, the forerunner of Rochester Institute of Technology. Biography Lomb was bo ...

(1828–1908), co-founder of

Friedrich Lürssen Friedrich Lürssen (born 1 March 1851 in Lemwerder; died 30 November 1916 in Bremen) was a German shipbuilder and company founder of the German company Lürssen. He constructed the first motorboat for inventor Gottlieb Daimler. Life On 27 Ju ...

(1851–1916), founder of

Lürssen Lürssen (or Lürssen Werft) is a German shipyard with headquarters in Bremen-Vegesack and shipbuilding facilities in Lemwerder, Berne and Bremen-Fähr-Lobbendorf. Lürssen designs and constructs yachts, naval ships and special vessels. Tradin ...

in 1875, manufacturers of ships * Oscar Ferdinand Mayer (1859–1955), founder of the processed-meat firm

Oscar Mayer Oscar Mayer is an American meat and cold cut producer known for its hot dogs, bologna, bacon, ham, and Lunchables products. The company is a subsidiary of the Kraft Heinz Company and based in Chicago, Illinois. History Early years German immigr ...

Joseph Mendelssohn Joseph Mendelssohn (11 August 1770 – 24 November 1848) was a German Jewish banker. He was the oldest son of the influential philosopher Moses Mendelssohn. In 1795, he founded his own banking house. In 1804, his younger brother, Abraham Mendel ...

(1770–1848), founder of former bank Mendelssohn & Co. *

Friedrich Jacob Merck Friedrich Jacob Merck (18 February 1621—1678) was a German pharmacist and a member of the Merck family. He was the founder of the world's oldest pharmaceutical company, now known as the Merck Group, which was established in 1668.Merck KGaA (Edi ...

(1621–1678), founder of

Merck KGaA The Merck Group, branded and commonly known as Merck, is a German multinational science and technology company headquartered in Darmstadt, with about 60,000 employees and present in 66 countries. The group includes around 250 companies; the ma ...

(''Engel-Apotheke'' in Darmstadt) *

George Merck George Wilhelm Herman Emanuel Merck (March 29, 1894 – November 9, 1957) was the president of Merck & Co. from 1925 to 1950 and a member of the Merck family. Early life George W. Merck was born in New York City, to George Friedrich and Fri ...

(1867–1926), founder of Merck & Co. *

Willy Messerschmitt Wilhelm Emil "Willy" Messerschmitt (; 26 June 1898 – 15 September 1978) was a German aircraft designer and manufacturer. In 1934, in collaboration with Walter Rethel, he designed the Messerschmitt Bf 109, which became the most importan ...

(1875–1978), founder of

Messerschmitt Messerschmitt AG () was a German share-ownership limited, aircraft manufacturing corporation named after its chief designer Willy Messerschmitt from mid-July 1938 onwards, and known primarily for its World War II fighter aircraft, in partic ...

, airplane manufacturer *

Heinrich Meyerfreund Chocolates Garoto S.A. is a Brazilian chocolate manufacturer. Its headquarters are located in Vila Velha, Espírito Santo. The company was founded in 1929 by German immigrant Heinrich Meyerfreund and acquired by Nestlé in 2002. History Early ...

, founder of

Garoto Chocolates Garoto S.A. is a Brazilian chocolate manufacturer. Its headquarters are located in Vila Velha, Espírito Santo. The company was founded in 1929 by German immigrant Heinrich Meyerfreund and acquired by Nestlé in 2002. History Early ...

, a chocolate company in

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

Carl Miele Carl Miele (25 July 1869, in Herzebrock – 24 December 1938, in Gütersloh) was a German businessman. He was a company co-founder of the German company Miele Miele ( ; ) is a German manufacturer of high-end domestic appliances and commer ...

(1869–1938), founder of

Miele Miele ( ; ) is a German manufacturer of high-end domestic appliances and commercial equipment, headquartered in Gütersloh, Ostwestfalen-Lippe. The company was founded in 1899 by Carl Miele and Reinhard Zinkann, and has always been a family-own ...

, a manufacturer of domestic appliances *

Frederick Miller Frederick Edward John Miller (November 24, 1824 – May 11, 1888) was a brewery owner in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Born as ''Friedrich Eduard Johannes Müller'' in Riedlingen, Württemberg, he founded the Miller Brewing Company at the Plank Road Bre ...

(born as Friedrich Eduard Johannes Müller) (1824–1888), founder of the

Miller Brewing Company The Miller Brewing Company is an American brewery and beer company in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It was founded in 1855 by Frederick Miller. Molson Coors acquired the full global brand portfolio of Miller Brewing Company in 2016, and operates the M ...

in 1855

August Thyssen, Captain-General of German industry

N–Z

Josef Neckermann Josef Carl Peter Neckermann (5 June 1912 – 13 January 1992) was a German equestrianism, equestrian and Olympic champion. He won Olympic medals at four different Olympics, in 1960, 1964, 1968 and 1972. Later Neckermann became a member of th ...

(1912–1992), founder of the company Neckermann *

August Oetker August Oetker (; January 6, 1862 – January 10, 1918) was a German inventor, food scientist and businessman. He is known as the creator of baking powder as a ready-to-use product, and also as the founder of the Dr. Oetker company. Biography E ...

(1862–1918), founder of the company Dr Oetker *

Adam Opel Adam Opel (9 May 1837 – 8 September 1895) was the founder of the German automobile company Adam Opel AG. Biography Adam Opel was born on 9 May 1837 to Wilhelm, a locksmith, and his wife in Rüsselsheim. Opel studied with his father until ...

(1837–1895), founder of the automobile company

Adam Opel AG Opel Automobile GmbH (), usually shortened to Opel, is a German automobile manufacturer which has been a subsidiary of Stellantis since 16 January 2021. It was owned by the American automaker General Motors from 1929 until 2017 and the PSA Gro ...

Salomon Oppenheim Salomon Oppenheim, Jr. (19 June 1772 – 8 November 1828) was a German Jewish banker, and the founder of the Sal. Oppenheim private bank. He was born in Bonn, the scion of an illustrious family of "Court Jews" (german: Hofjuden) who had serve ...

(1772–1828), founder of bank

Sal. Oppenheim Sal. Oppenheim was a German private bank founded in 1789 and headquartered in Cologne, Germany. It provided asset management solutions for wealthy individual clients and institutional investors. In 2009, the bank became a subsidiary of Deutsche Ba ...

Ernest Oppenheimer Sir Ernest Oppenheimer (22 May 1880 – 25 November 1957), KStJ was a diamond and gold mining entrepreneur, financier and philanthropist, who controlled De Beers and founded the Anglo American Corporation of South Africa. Career Ernest Oppenhei ...

(1880–1957), diamond and gold mining entrepreneur, financier and philanthropist, who controlled

De Beers De Beers Group is an international corporation that specializes in diamond mining, diamond exploitation, diamond retail, diamond trading and industrial diamond manufacturing sectors. The company is active in open-pit, large-scale alluvial and c ...

and founded the

Anglo American Corporation Anglo is a prefix indicating a relation to, or descent from, the Angles, England, English culture, the English people or the English language, such as in the term ''Anglosphere''. It is often used alone, somewhat loosely, to refer to people o ...

of South Africa * Werner Otto (1909–2011), founder of

Otto GmbH Otto GmbH & Co KG (doing business as Otto Group, stylized as otto group, formerly Otto Versand) is a German mail order company and one of the world's biggest e-commerce companies. Based in Hamburg, it operates in more than twenty countries. Ott ...

, now Otto Group, a mail order company *

Ferdinand Porsche Ferdinand Porsche (3 September 1875 – 30 January 1951) was an Austrian-German automotive engineer and founder of the Porsche AG. He is best known for creating the first gasoline–electric hybrid vehicle (Lohner–Porsche), the Volkswag ...

(1875–1951), designer and founder of

Porsche Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, usually shortened to Porsche (; see #Pronunciation, below), is a German automobile manufacturer specializing in high-performance sports cars, SUVs and sedans, headquartered in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany ...

Günther Quandt Günther Quandt (28 July 1881 – 30 December 1954) was a German industrialist who founded an industrial empire that today includes BMW and Altana, a car and chemical company, respectively. Between, 1921 and 1929 he was married to Magda Ritsche ...

(1881–1954), industrial, entrepreneur of different companies (today includes BMW AG and

Altana Altana AG (styled as ALTANA) is a German chemical company headquartered in Wesel. It was created in 1977 through the spin-off of divisions of the Varta Group. The first CEO was Herbert Quandt. The group comprises the divisions BYK (coating ad ...

) * Karl Friedrich Rapp (1882–1962), co-founder of Rapp Motorenwerke GmbH, which later became BMW AG *

Emil Rathenau Emil Moritz Rathenau (11 December 1838 – 20 June 1915) was a German entrepreneur, industrialist, mechanical engineer. He was a leading figure in the early European electrical industry. Early life Rathenau was born in Berlin, into a w ...

(1838–1915), founder of

AEG Allgemeine Elektricitäts-Gesellschaft AG (AEG; ) was a German producer of electrical equipment founded in Berlin as the ''Deutsche Edison-Gesellschaft für angewandte Elektricität'' in 1883 by Emil Rathenau. During the Second World War, AEG ...

Paul Reuter Paul Julius Reuter (born Israel Beer Josaphat; 21 July 1816 – 25 February 1899), later ennobled as Freiherr von Reuter (Baron von Reuter), was a German-born British entrepreneur who was a pioneer of telegraphy and news reporting.Reuters Reuters ( ) is a news agency owned by Thomson Reuters Corporation. It employs around 2,500 journalists and 600 photojournalists in about 200 locations worldwide. Reuters is one of the largest news agencies in the world. The agency was estab ...

news agency * Hans Riegel, Sr. (1893–1945), founder of

Haribo Haribo ( ) is a German confectionery company founded by Hans Riegel Sr.. It began in Kessenich, Bonn, Germany. The name "Haribo" is a syllabic abbreviation formed from Hans Riegel Bonn. The company created the first gummy candy in 1960 in the for ...

, the manufacturer of gummy and jelly sweets *

Nathan Mayer Rothschild Nathan Mayer Rothschild (16 September 1777 – 28 July 1836) was an English-German banker, businessman and financier. Born in Frankfurt am Main in Germany, he was the third of the five sons of Gutle (Schnapper) and Mayer Amschel Rothschild, an ...

(1777–1836), founder of British company

N M Rothschild & Sons Rothschild & Co is a multinational Investment banking, investment bank and financial services company, and the flagship of the Rothschild banking group controlled by the French and British branches of the Rothschild family. The banking business o ...

Ernst Christian Friedrich Schering Ernst Christian Friedrich Schering (31 May 1824 – 27 December 1889) was a German apothecary and industrialist who created the Schering Corporation. The company split into Schering AG and Schering-Plough after US assets were seized during W ...

(1824–1889), founder of the pharmaceutical company

Schering AG Schering AG was a research-centered German multinational pharmaceutical company headquartered in Wedding, Berlin, which operated as an independent company from 1851 to 2006. In 2006, it was bought by Bayer AG and merged to form the Bayer subsi ...

Gustav Schickedanz Gustav Abraham Schickedanz (1 January 1895 – 27 March 1977) was a German entrepreneur and Nazi party member who profited from the Aryanization of Jewish companies. Early life Schickedanz came from a modest background. After attending ''real ...

(1895–1977), founder of Quelle *

Anton Schlecker Anton Kut Schlecker (born 28 October 1944, in Ehingen) is a German businessman, founder and owner of the Schlecker drug store chain in Germany. He is married to Christa Schlecker and has two children, Lars Schlecker and Meike Schlecker, both act ...

(born 1944), founder of

Schlecker Schlecker was a German retail company with headquarters in Ehingen which once had a workforce of some 52,000. There were stores across Europe including Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Luxembourg, Portugal, Poland, France, Spain and Italy ...

Ernst Schmidt Ernst Schmidt (12 October 1924 – 16 December 2009) was a German communist activist in West Germany during the Cold War. He was an active member of the Communist Party of Germany, which was banned as unconstitutional in 1956, and was senten ...

and

Wilhelm Schmidt-Ruthenbeck Wilhelm Schmidt-Ruthenbeck (1906-1988) was a German entrepreneur, the co-founder of the retail chain Metro AG. Life His father was Karl Schmidt, who founded in 1923 in Duisburg, the company ''Karl Schmidt OGH''. In 1963, Schmidt-Ruthenbeck fou ...

(1906–1988), founders of

Metro AG Metro AG is a German multinational company based in Düsseldorf which operates business membership only cash and carry stores primarily under the Metro brand. Until 2020 it was also active in general retail business through Real division, wh ...

Fritz Sennheiser Fritz Sennheiser (9 May 1912 – 17 May 2010) was a German inventor and entrepreneur who founded and served as chairman of Sennheiser Electronic, a manufacturer of audio equipment. Biography Early life and education Born in Berlin on 9 ...

(1912–2010), founder of

Sennheiser Sennheiser electronic GmbH & Co. KG (, ) is a German privately held audio company specializing in the design and production of a wide range of high fidelity products, including microphones, headphones, telephone accessories and aviation headse ...

Electronic GmbH & Co. KG, specializing in high fidelity products *

Georg von Siemens Georg von Siemens (21 October 1839 – 23 October 1901) was a German banker and liberal politician. Georg von Siemens was on the board of directors of the Deutsche Bank from 1870 to 1900. One of his top priorities was the financing of internati ...

(1839–1901), co-founder of

Werner von Siemens Ernst Werner Siemens (von Siemens from 1888; ; ; 13 December 1816 – 6 December 1892) was a German electrical engineer, inventor and industrialist. Siemens's name has been adopted as the SI unit of electrical conductance, the siemens. He foun ...

(1816–1892), inventor, founder of

Siemens Siemens AG ( ) is a German multinational conglomerate corporation and the largest industrial manufacturing company in Europe headquartered in Munich with branch offices abroad. The principal divisions of the corporation are ''Industry'', '' ...

, the electronics and electrical engineering company * J.S. Staedtler, in 1835 founded

Staedtler Staedtler Mars GmbH & Co. KG () is a German multinational stationery manufacturing company based in Nuremberg. The firm was founded by J.S. Staedtler (1800–1872) in 1835 and produces a large variety of stationery products, such as writing implem ...

Mars GmbH & Co. KG, suppliers of writing, artist, and engineering drawing instruments *

Bruno Steinhoff Bruno Ewald Steinhoff (born November 1937) is a German billionaire businessman, the founder of Steinhoff International, a South African-based international retail holding company, and its executive chairman until September 2008. He is now a non-e ...

(born 1937), founder of Steinhoff *

Henry E. Steinway Heinrich Engelhard Steinweg, anglicized name Henry Engelhard Steinway, (February 22, 1797 – February 7, 1871)B ...

(1797–1871), founder of the piano company

Steinway & Sons Steinway & Sons, also known as Steinway (), is a German-American piano company, founded in 1853 in Manhattan by German piano builder Henry E. Steinway, Heinrich Engelhard Steinweg (later known as Henry E. Steinway). The company's growth led to ...

Hugo Stinnes Hugo Dieter Stinnes (12 February 1870 – 10 April 1924) was a German industrialist and politician. During the late era of the German Empire and early Weimar Republic, he was considered to be one of the most influential entrepreneurs in Europe. ...

(1870–1924), co-founder of Rheinisch-Westfälisches Elektrizitätswerk AG * August Storck-Oberwelland, in 1903 founder of Werther's Sugar Confectionery Factory, now August Storck AG *

Franz Ströher Franz Ströher (born 21 February 1854 in Oberwiesenthal; died 1936 in Germany) was a German hairdresser and businessman. Life Franz Ströher worked as a hairdresser in Saxony. German Company Wella was founded in 1880 by him. The company Wella or ...

(born c. 1854–1936), in 1880 founded cosmetics company Wella AG *

Carl Tchilinghiryan Carl Tchilinghiryan (27 February 1910 – 8 May 1987) was a German businessman of Armenian origin, who co-founded the coffee house Tchibo. Career In 1949, together with Max Herz, he founded the "Frisch-Röst-Kaffee Carl Tchiling GmbH", which ...

(1910–1987), co-founder of

Carl von Thieme Carl von Thieme (born 30 April 1844, Erfurt – died 10 October 1924, Munich) was a German banker. His father was the director of German insurance company ''Thuringia''. In 1880, he founded together with Wilhelm von Finck and Theodor von Cramer- ...

(1844–1924), founder of

Allianz AG Allianz ( , ) is a German multinational financial services company headquartered in Munich, Germany. Its core businesses are insurance and asset management. The company is one of the world's largest insurers and financial services groups. The ...

, a financial services company *

August Thyssen August Thyssen (; Eschweiler, 17 May 1842 – Landsberg Castle, Ratingen, near Kettwig, 4 April 1926) was a German industrialist. Career and marriage After he had completed his studies at the RWTH Aachen University, University of Karlsruhe and ...

(1842–1926), founder of ''Walzwerk Thyssen & Co.'' in Mülheim an der Ruhr *

Friedrich Thyssen Johann ''Friedrich'' Thyssen (1 October 1804 in Aachen – 25 May 1877 in Eschweiler) was a German banker and patriarch of the Thyssen family dynasty. Family He was the son of Nikolaus Thyssen and wife Christine Nellessen. His family had sett ...

(1804–1877), founder of ''Draht-Fabrik-Compagnie'' in Aachen *

Hermann Tietz Hermann Tietz (born 29 April 1837, in Birnbaum an der Warthe near Posen (today Międzychód, Poland), died on 3 May 1907 in Berlin) was a German-Jewish merchant, co-founder of the Tietz Department Store. He was buried in the Weißensee Cemeter ...

(1837–1907), founder of Hertie, a department store *

Leopold Ullstein Leopold Ullstein (6 September 1826 – 4 December 1899) was the founder and publisher of several successful German language, German newspapers, including ''B.Z. (newspaper), B.Z. am Mittag'' and ''Berliner Morgenpost.'' Many of these are still ...

(1826–1899), founder of publishing company

Ullstein Verlag The ''Ullstein Verlag'' was founded by Leopold Ullstein in 1877 at Berlin and is one of the largest publishing companies of Germany. It published newspapers like '' B.Z.'' and ''Berliner Morgenpost'' and books through its subsidiaries ''Ullstein B ...

Ernst Voss Ernst Voss (January 12, 1842 in Fockbek – August 1, 1920 in Hamburg) was a German shipbuilder and co-company founder of German company Blohm+Voss. Life Since 1863 Voss studied in Zürich, Switzerland engineering. After his university studie ...

(1842–1920), in 1877, co-founder of

, manufacturer of ships *

Carl Walther Carl Wilhelm Freund Walther (22 November 1858 – 9 July 1915) was a German gunsmith from Zella-Mehlis, Saxe-Coburg and Gotha Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (german: Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha), or Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (german: Sachsen-Coburg-Go ...

(1858–1915), founder of

Walther Walther is a masculine given name and a surname. It is a German form of Walter, which is derived from the Old High German ''Walthari'', containing the elements ''wald'' -"power", "brightness" or "forest" and ''hari'' -"warrior". The name was fir ...

Moses Marcus Warburg Moses hbo, מֹשֶׁה, Mōše; also known as Moshe or Moshe Rabbeinu (Mishnaic Hebrew: מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ, ); syr, ܡܘܫܐ, Mūše; ar, موسى, Mūsā; grc, Mωϋσῆς, Mōÿsēs () is considered the most important pro ...

(1763–1820) and Gershon Warburg (1765–1826), co-founder of M. M. Warburg & Co., German bank *

Siegmund Warburg Sir Siegmund George Warburg (30 September 1902 – 18 October 1982) was a German-born English banker. He was a member of the prominent Warburg family. He played a prominent role in the development of merchant banking.S. G. Warburg & Co., British bank *

Bartholomeus V. Welser Prince Bartholomeus Welser (25 June 1484 in Memmingen28 March 1561 in Amberg, Swabia, Amberg) was a Germans, German banker. In 1528 he signed an agreement with Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V, emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, granting ...

(1484–1561),

Welser Welser was a Germans, German banking and merchant family, originally a patrician (post-Roman Europe), patrician family based in Augsburg and Nuremberg, that rose to great prominence in international high finance in the 16th century as bankers t ...

brothers bank *

Georg Wertheim Georg Wertheim (11 February 1857 in Stralsund – 31 December 1939 in Berlin) was a German merchant and founder of the popular Wertheim chain of department stores. Early years Wertheim grew up in Stralsund. After being an apprentice at ''W ...

(1857–1939), founder of Wertheim, a department store *

Stef Wertheimer Stef Wertheimer ( he, זאב סטף ורטהיימר, born 16 July 1926) is an Israeli billionaire industrialist, investor, philanthropist and former politician. He was a Member of the Knesset, and is known for founding industrial parks in Israe ...

(born 1926), German-born Israeli industrialist, investor, philanthropist, billionaire, and former Member of the

Knesset The Knesset ( he, הַכְּנֶסֶת ; "gathering" or "assembly") is the unicameral legislature of Israel. As the supreme state body, the Knesset is sovereign and thus has complete control of the entirety of the Israeli government (with ...

Aloys Wobben Aloys Wobben (22 January 1952 – 31 July 2021) was a German billionaire businessman, engineer, and the founder and owner of the wind turbine company Enercon. He was one of the 50 richest people in Germany, with a fortune estimated at €4.78 bi ...

(1952–2021), founder of

Enercon Enercon GmbH is a wind turbine manufacturer based in Aurich, Lower Saxony, Germany. It has been the market leader in Germany since the mid-1990s. Enercon has production facilities in Germany (Aurich, Emden and Magdeburg), Brazil, India, Canada, ...

Reinhold Würth Reinhold Würth (born 20 April 1935) is a German billionaire businessman and art collector. In 1954, at the age of 19, he took over his father's tiny wholesale screw business and built it into the Würth Group, which posted €14.4 billion (US$ ...

(born 1935), company

Würth The Würth Group (german: Würth-Gruppe, ) is a worldwide wholesaler of fasteners, screws and screw accessories, dowels, chemicals, electronic and electromechanical components, furniture and construction fittings, tools, machines, installation mat ...

Carl Zeiss Carl Zeiss (; 11 September 1816 – 3 December 1888) was a German scientific instrument maker, optician and businessman. In 1846 he founded his workshop, which is still in business as Carl Zeiss AG. Zeiss gathered a group of gifted practica ...

(1816–1888), founder of

Carl Zeiss AG Carl Zeiss AG (), branded as ZEISS, is a German manufacturer of optical systems and optoelectronics, founded in Jena, Germany in 1846 by optician Carl Zeiss. Together with Ernst Abbe (joined 1866) and Otto Schott (joined 1884) he laid the f ...

, a maker of optical instruments *

Ferdinand von Zeppelin Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin (german: Ferdinand Adolf Heinrich August Graf von Zeppelin; 8 July 1838 – 8 March 1917) was a German general and later inventor of the Zeppelin rigid airships. His name soon became synonymous with airships a ...

(1838–1917), inventor of the

Zeppelin A Zeppelin is a type of rigid airship named after the German inventor Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin () who pioneered rigid airship development at the beginning of the 20th century. Zeppelin's notions were first formulated in 1874Eckener 1938, pp ...

; founder of the Zeppelin Airship company Heidi Klum by Glenn Francis

Fashion models

Johanna Acs Johanna Acs (born 1992) is a German model and beauty pageant titleholder who won Miss Universe Germany 2016 and represented Germany at the Miss Universe 2016. Personal life Johanna works as a model in Germany and is studying Textile and Clothin ...

(born 1992), model *

Nadja Auermann Nadja Auermann (born 19 March 1971) is a German supermodel and actress. Fashion designer Valentino once commented on her physical resemblance to Marlene Dietrich. A New York Times fashion columnist, Guy Trebay, wrote of her "ice maiden visage a ...

(born 1971), supermodel *

Eugen Bauder Eugen Bauder (born 5 March 1986) is a German model and actor. Early life Bauder was born in Almaty, Kazakhstan on 5 March 1986. He moved to Germany at the age of five with his mother. He has live in various locations around Germany. After high ...

(born 1986) * Charlott Cordes (born 1988) *

Zohre Esmaeli Zohre Esmaeli (born 1 July 1985) is a model, designer and author from Afghanistan. She lives in Berlin, Germany. She was said to be the only international top model from Afghanistan in 2014. Biography Early years Zohre Esmaeli was born on Jul ...

(born 1985 in Afghanistan), model, author, designer *

Toni Garrn Antonia Pettyfer ( née Garrn; ; born 7 July 1992) is a German fashion model and actress. She rose to prominence in the fashion industry after signing an exclusive contract with Calvin Klein in 2008. In October 2020, Garrn married British acto ...

(born 1992) *

Stefanie Giesinger Stefanie Giesinger (born 27 August 1996) is a German model. She was the winner of the ninth season of the modeling-competition ''Germany's Next Topmodel'', and was on the cover of the German '' ''Cosmopolitan' in June 2014. Early life Giesi ...

(born 1996), model *

Lena Gercke Lena Johanna Gercke (born 29 February 1988) is a German fashion model and television host. She won the first season of ''Germany's Next Topmodel'' and was the host of ''Austria's Next Topmodel'' (seasons 1–4). Early life Gercke was born in Ma ...

(born 1988), winner of 2006 ''

Germany's Next Topmodel ''Germany's Next Topmodel'' (often abbreviated as ''GNTM'') is a German reality television series, based on a concept introduced by Tyra Banks with ''America's Next Top Model''. The competition is hosted by Heidi Klum who also serves as the le ...

'' *

Jennifer Hof Jennifer Karin-Luise Hof (born 15 May 1991) is a German fashion model and winner of the third cycle of ''Germany's Next Topmodel''. Biography Hof lives in the Hessian town of Rodgau, Germany, where she attended a Realschule. She graduated du ...

(born 1991), winner of 2008 ''Germany's Next Topmodel'' *

Alexandra Kamp Alexandra Kamp-Groeneveld (born 29 December 1966) is a German model and actress. Biography She was born in Karlsruhe to Peter Kamp and his wife and grew up in Baden-Baden. She visited drama schools in New York, Los Angeles and Paris before s ...

(born 1966) *

Heidi Klum Heidi Klum (; born 1 June 1973) is a German-American model, television host, producer, and businesswoman. She appeared on the cover of the ''Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue'' in 1998 and was the first German model to become a Victoria's Secre ...

(born 1973), model and host of ''

Project Runway ''Project Runway'' is an American reality television series that premiered on Bravo on December 1, 2004. The series focuses on fashion design. The contestants compete with each other to create the best clothes and are restricted by time, mater ...

'' and ''Germany's Next Topmodel'' *

Diane Kruger Diane Kruger ( Heidkrüger; ; born 15 July 1976) is a German and American actress. Early in her career, Kruger gained worldwide recognition and received the Trophée Chopard from the Cannes Film Festival. Kruger became known for her roles in f ...

(born 1976), model and actress *

Barbara Meier Barbara Meier (born 25 July 1986) is a German fashion model and actress. She is best known as the winner of the second season of ''Germany's Next Topmodel''. Early life Born in the small Bavarian town of Amberg, Meier did not originally aspi ...

(born 1986), winner of 2007 ''Germany's Next Topmodel'' *

Uschi Obermaier Ursula "Uschi" Obermaier (; born 24 September 1946) is a former fashion model and actress associated with the 1968 left-wing movement in Germany. She is considered an iconic sex symbol of the so-called "1968 generation" and the protests of 1968. ...

(born 1946), model and actress *

Eva Padberg Eva Padberg (born 27 January 1980) is a German fashion model, singer, and actress. Early life Padberg was born in Bad Frankenhausen and grew up in Rottleben, Germany. In 1995, she applied for ''Bravos ''Boy & Girl'' contest; she made it among ...

(born 1980) *

Nico Naftiran Intertrade Company Société à responsabilité limitée#In Switzerland, limited (NICO) is a Switzerland, Swiss-based subsidiary of the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC). NICO is a general contractor for the oil and gas industry. NIOC bu ...

(1938–1988), model, singer and actress *

Tatjana Patitz Tatjana Patitz (born 25 March 1966) is a German model and actress who achieved international prominence in the 1980s and 1990s representing fashion designers on runways and in magazines such as ''Elle'', ''Harper's Bazaar'', and ''Vogue''. Patitz ...

(born 1966), supermodel *

Claudia Schiffer Claudia Maria Schiffer (; born 25 August 1970) is a German model and actress based in the United Kingdom. She rose to fame in the 1990s as one of the world's most successful models, attaining supermodel status. In her early career, she was compa ...

(born 1970), supermodel *

Julia Stegner Julia Stegner (born 2 November 1984 in Munich, Bavaria, West Germany) is a German model. Early life Stegner, the daughter of Günter Stegner, the Director Central and Eastern Europe for LSI Corporation, and Erika Stegner, an accountant, was rai ...

(born 1984) Karl Lagerfeld Cannes

Fashionmakers

(1885–1948), fashion designer *

Wolfgang Joop Wolfgang Joop (born 18 November 1944) is a German fashion designer. He is the founder of the fashion and cosmetics company JOOP! as well as the fashion brand Wunderkind. He is the father of fashion and jewel designer Jette Joop as well as writer ...

(born 1944), fashion designer *

Karl Lagerfeld Karl Otto Lagerfeld (; 10 September 1933 – 19 February 2019) was a German fashion designer, creative director, artist and photographer. He was known as the creative director of the French fashion house Chanel, a position held from 1983 ...

(1933–2019), fashion designer *

Michael Michalsky Michael Michalsky (born 23 February 1967) is a German fashion designer. He is the founder and head designer of the fashion label ''Michalsky''. He is also the creative director of the luxury handbag manufacturer MCM since 2005. Besides his fash ...

(born 1967), fashion designer

Film and theatre

Actresses and actors

ROMY 2012 Michael Bully Herbig (cropped)

A–M

* Inga Abel (1946–2000), actress *

Mario Adorf Mario Adorf (; born 8 September 1930) is a German actor, considered to be one of the great veteran character actors of European cinema. Since 1954, he has played both leading and supporting roles in over 200 film and television productions, am ...

(born 1930), actor and writer *

Hans Albers Hans Philipp August Albers (22 September 1891 – 24 July 1960) was a German actor and singer. He was the biggest male movie star in Germany between 1930 and 1960 and one of the most popular German actors of the twentieth century. Early life ...

(1891–1960), actor *

Iris Berben Iris Renate Dorothea Berben (, born 12 August 1950) is a German actress and voice actress. Biography Berben was born in Detmold, North Rhine-Westphalia. She grew up in Hamburg, where her parents ran a restaurant. Berben has appeared in about ...

(born 1950), actress *

Moritz Bleibtreu Moritz Johann Bleibtreu (; was born in Munich, Germany on August 13, 1971. He has worked over the years as a film actor, voice actor, and film director. Bleibtreu has been a successful actor in many movies such as '' Run Lola Run, Das Experimen ...

(born 1971), actor *

Grit Boettcher Grit Boettcher (; born 10 August 1938) is a German actress. Early life In 1938, Boettcher was born in Berlin, Germany. Career Boettcher is an actress in various films on German TV and in stage productions. Boettcher is sometimes credited i ...

(born 1938), actress *

Eric Braeden Eric Braeden (born Hans-Jörg Gudegast; April 3, 1941) is a German-born film and television actor, known for his roles as Victor Newman on the CBS soap opera ''The Young and the Restless'', as Hans Dietrich in the 1960s TV series ''The Rat Patrol ...

(born Hans Gudegast, 1941), actor *

Daniel Brühl Daniel César Martín Brühl González Domingo (; born 16 June 1978) is a Spanish-German actor and filmmaker. He received his first German Film Award for Best Actor for his roles in '' Das Weisse Rauschen (The White Sound)'' (2001), ''Nichts ...

(born 1978), actor *

Horst Buchholz Horst Werner Buchholz (4 December 1933 – 3 March 2003) was a German actor who appeared in more than 60 feature films from 1951 to 2002. During his youth, he was sometimes called "the German James Dean". He is perhaps best known in English- ...

(1933–2003), actor *

Vicco von Bülow Bernhard-Viktor Christoph-Carl von Bülow (12 November 1923 – 22 August 2011), known as Vicco von Bülow or Loriot (), was a German comedian, humorist, cartoonist, film director, actor and writer. He was best known for his cartoons, the sk ...

(also known as Loriot), actor and comedian *

Zazie Beetz Zazie Olivia Beetz ( ; ; born June 1, 1991) is a American actress. She stars in the FX comedy-drama series ''Atlanta'' (2016–22), for which she received a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy ...

(born 1991), German born American actress *

Hans Clarin Hans Clarin (14 September 1929 – 28 August 2005) was a German actor. He became a well-known voice actor of characters in children audio plays, particularly the kobold ''Pumuckl'' (including its TV and cinematic film adaptations), the German voic ...

(1930–2005), actor *

August Diehl August Diehl (; born 4 January 1976) is a German actor, primarily known to international audiences for playing Gestapo major Dieter Hellstrom in Quentin Tarantino's ''Inglourious Basterds'' and Michael "Mike" Krause, Evelyn Salt's husband, in the ...

(born 1976), actor *

Marlene Dietrich Marie Magdalene "Marlene" DietrichBorn as Maria Magdalena, not Marie Magdalene, according to Dietrich's biography by her daughter, Maria Riva ; however Dietrich's biography by Charlotte Chandler cites "Marie Magdalene" as her birth name . (, ; ...

(1901–1992), actress *

George Dzundza George Dzundza ( ; born July 19, 1945) is an American television and film actor. Early life and education Dzundza was born in Rosenheim, Germany, to a Ukrainian-Jewish father, Roman Dzundza, originally from Kalush, Ukraine, and a Polish-Jewish m ...

(born 1945), actor *

Heinz Erhardt Heinz Erhardt (; 20 February 1909 – 5 June 1979) was a German comedian, musician, entertainer, actor, and poet. Life Heinz Erhardt was born in Riga, the son of Baltic German Kapellmeister Gustav Erhardt. He lived most of his childhood at his ...

(1909–1979), actor and comedian *

Veronica Ferres Veronica Maria Cäcilia Ferres (; born 10 June 1965) is a German film, television, and stage actress. Her 2007 portrayal of Sara Bender in ''Die Frau vom Checkpoint Charlie'', based on the true story of Jutta Fleck, earned her the award for Be ...

(born 1965), actress *

Gert Fröbe Karl Gerhart "Gert" Fröbe (; 25 February 1913 – 5 September 1988) was a German actor. He was best known in English-speaking countries for his work as Auric Goldfinger in the James Bond film '' Goldfinger'', as Peachum in ''The Threepenny Oper ...

(1913–1988), actor *

Cornelia Froboess Cornelia Froboess (; born 28 October 1943) is a German actress and a teen idol of the 1950s and early 1960s. During that time, Froboess appeared in many West German and Austrian musical films, especially after the rock and roll wave had hit Germa ...

(born 1943), actress *

Martina Gedeck Martina Gedeck (; born 14 September 1961) is a German actress. She came to broader, international attention due to her roles in films such as '' Mostly Martha'' (2001), ''The Lives of Others'' (2006), and ''The Baader Meinhof Complex'' (2008). Sh ...

(born 1961), actress *

Götz George Götz George (; 23 July 1938 – 19 June 2016) was a German actor, the son of actor couple Berta Drews and Heinrich George. His arguably best-known role is that of Duisburg detective Horst Schimanski in the TV crime series ''Tatort''. Early lif ...

(1938–2016), actor *

Heinrich George Georg August Friedrich Hermann Schulz (9 October 1893 – 25 September 1946), better known as Heinrich George (), was a German stage and film actor. Career Weimar Republic George is noted for having spooked the young Bertolt Brecht in his first ...

(1893–1946), actor *

Gustaf Gründgens Gustaf Gründgens (; 22 December 1899 – 7 October 1963), born Gustav Heinrich Arnold Gründgens, was one of Germany's most famous and influential actors of the 20th century, and artistic director of theatres in Berlin, Düsseldorf, and Hamburg ...

(1899–1963), actor *

Eva Habermann Eva Felicitas Habermann (born 16 January 1976) is a German actress who has appeared in numerous films and TV series. She is best known for playing the role of Zev Bellringer in the television series ''Lexx''. While studying for (the German equ ...

(born 1976), actress and model *

Evelyn Hamann Eveline Braun, (née Hamann; 6 August 1942 – 28 October 2007) commonly known as Evelyn Hamann, was a German actress best known for her work with popular German comedian Loriot as well as for her appearances in television series such as ''The B ...

(1942–2007), actress *

Brigitte Helm Brigitte Helm (born Brigitte Gisela Eva Schittenhelm, 17 March 1906 – 11 June 1996) was a German actress, best remembered for her dual role as Maria and her double named Futura, in Fritz Lang's 1927 silent film, ''Metropolis''. Early life and ...

(1908–1996), actress *

Henriette Hendel-Schütz Johanne Henriette Rosine Hendel-Schütz, née Schüler, (1772–1849) was a German actress, mimoplastic performer, dancer and singer. Biography Born on 13 February 1772 in Döbeln, Saxony, Hendel-Schütz was the daughter of the actor Carl Julius ...

(1772–1849), stage actress, mimoplastic performer *

Michael Herbig Michael may refer to: People * Michael (given name), a given name * Michael (surname), including a list of people with the surname Michael Given name "Michael" * Michael (archangel), ''first'' of God's archangels in the Jewish, Christian and ...

(born 1968), actor, director and comedian *

Emil Jannings Emil Jannings (born Theodor Friedrich Emil Janenz, 23 July 1884 – 2 January 1950) was a Swiss born German actor, popular in the 1920s in Hollywood. He was the first recipient of the Academy Award for Best Actor for his roles in '' The L ...

(1884–1950), actor *

Harald Juhnke Harald Juhnke () (born Harry Heinz Herbert Juhnke, 10 June 1929 – 1 April 2005), was a German actor, comedian, and singer. Life and career Juhnke was born in Berlin-Charlottenburg. His father was a police officer and his mother came from a ...

(1929–2005), actor and comedian *

Heidi Kabel Heidi Bertha Auguste Kabel (; 27 August 1914 – 15 June 2010) was a German actress and musician. Most of her stage roles were performed at the Ohnsorg-Theater in Hamburg, many of them in Low German. She became famous in Germany as many of the pr ...

(1914–2010), actress *

Klaus Kinski Klaus Kinski (, born Klaus Günter Karl Nakszynski 18 October 1926 – 23 November 1991) was a German actor, equally renowned for his intense performance style and notorious for his volatile personality. He appeared in over 130 film roles in a c ...

(1926–1991), actor; Polish-German father, German mother *

Nastassja Kinski Nastassja Aglaia Kinski (; , ; born 24 January 1961) is a German actress and former model who has appeared in more than 60 films in Europe and the United States. Her worldwide breakthrough was with ''Stay as You Are'' (1978). She then came to gl ...

(born 1959), actress; daughter of actor

(born 1973), model and actress *

Hildegard Knef Hildegard Frieda Albertine Knef (; 28 December 19251 February 2002) was a German actress, voice actress, singer, and writer. She was billed in some English-language films as Hildegard Neff or Hildegarde Neff. Early years Hildegard Knef was born ...

(1925–2002), actress, singer and writer *

Sebastian Koch Sebastian Koch (born 31 May 1962) is a German television and film actor. He is known for roles in the 2007 Academy Award-winning film ''The Lives of Others'', in Steven Spielberg's '' Bridge of Spies'', and as Otto Düring in the fifth season of ...

(born 1962), actor *

Thomas Kretschmann Thomas Kretschmann (; born 8 September 1962) is a German actor who has appeared in many European and American films. His notable roles include Lieutenant Hans von Witzland in '' Stalingrad'' (1993), Hauptmann Wilm Hosenfeld in '' The Pianist'' ( ...

(born 1962), actor and model *

(born 1976), actress and model *

Alexandra Maria Lara Alexandra Maria Lara (''née'' Plătăreanu; 12 November 1978) is a Romanian-German actress who has appeared in ''Downfall (2004 film), Downfall'' (2004), ''Control (2007 film), Control'' (2007), ''Youth Without Youth (film), Youth Without You ...

(born 1978), actress *

Siegfried Lowitz Siegfried Lowitz (22 September 1914 – 27 June 1999) was a German actor. Born in Berlin, he played the Hauptkommissar ''Erwin Köster'' in the German television drama '' Der Alte''. Prior to his tenure as Hauptkommissar, he played a killer ...

(1914–1999),actor *

Heike Makatsch Heike Makatsch (; born 13 August 1971) is a German actress. She is known for her roles as Lisa Addison in ''Resident Evil'' (2002), Mia in ''Love Actually'' (2003), and as Liesel's mother in ''The Book Thief'' (2013). Early life Makatsch was bo ...

(born 1971), actress *

Hanna Maron Hanna Maron ( he, חנה מרון; 22 November 1923 – 30 May 2014) was a German-born Israeli actress, comedian and theater personality. She held the world record for the longest career in theater. Life and career Hanna Meierzak was born i ...

(1923–2014), Israeli actress *

Inge Meysel Inge Meysel (; 30 May 1910 – 10 July 2004) was a German actress. From the early 1960s until her death, Meysel was one of Germany's most popular actresses. She had a successful stage career and played more than 100 roles in film and on televisio ...

(1910–2004), actress *

Brigitte Mira Brigitte Mira (, 20 April 1910 – 8 March 2005) was a German actress. She worked in both theater and film, later in her career with Rainer Werner Fassbinder on many occasions. Believed to have been born in Hamburg, she moved early on to Berli ...

(1910–2005), actress *

Willy Millowitsch Willy Millowitsch (, ; 8 January 1909 – 20 September 1999) was a German stage and TV actor and the director of the ''Volkstheater Millowitsch'' in Cologne. Early life Millowitsch was born in Cologne, Rhine Province. His parents were Peter ...

(1909–1999), actor *

Ulrich Mühe Friedrich Hans Ulrich Mühe (; 20 June 1953 – 22 July 2007) was a German film, television and theatre actor. He played the role of Hauptmann (Captain) Gerd Wiesler in the Oscar-winning film ''Das Leben der Anderen'' (''The Lives of Others'', 200 ...

(1953–2007), actor *

Armin Mueller-Stahl Armin Mueller-Stahl (born 17 December 1930) is a retired German film actor, painter and author, who also appeared in numerous English-language films since the 1980s. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role i ...

(born 1930), actor

N–Z

Luise Neumann Luise Neumann (7 December 1818 – 17 October 1905) was a German actress, the daughter of the actress Amalie Haizinger. Her younger sister, , was also an esteemed actress of the period. She made her debut at the age of 16 in a performance ...

(1818–1905) *

Uwe Ochsenknecht Uwe Adam Ochsenknecht (; born 7 January 1956) is a German actor and singer. Career Films Ochsenknecht has starred in include ''Das Boot'' (1981), ''Schtonk!'' (1992), and the TV miniseries ''Frank Herbert's Dune'' (2000). In the early 1990s, ...

(born 1956), actor *

Christian Oliver Christian Oliver (born 3 March 1975) is a German actor. Oliver was born in Celle and grew up in Frankfurt am Main. He relocated to the United States to work as a model and subsequently took acting lessons in New York and Los Angeles. From 200 ...

, actor *

Lilli Palmer Lilli Palmer (; born Lilli Marie Peiser; 24 May 1914 – 27 January 1986) was a German actress and writer. After beginning her career in British films in the 1930s, she would later transition to major Cinema of the United States, Hollywood produ ...

(1914–1986), actress *

Franka Potente Franka Potente (; born 22 July 1974) is a German actress. She first appeared in the comedy film ''After Five in the Forest Primeval'' (1995), for which she won a Bavarian Film Award for Best Young Actress. Her breakthrough came in 1998, when she ...

(born 1974), actress *

Jürgen Prochnow Jürgen Prochnow ( ; born 10 June 1941) is a German-American actor. His international breakthrough was his portrayal of the good-hearted and sympathetic U-boat Captain "Der Alte" ("Old Man") in the 1981 war film ''Das Boot''. He is also known f ...

(born 1941), actor *

Luise Rainer Luise Rainer ( , ; 12 January 1910 – 30 December 2014) was a German-American-British film actress. She was the first thespian to win multiple Academy Awards and the first to win back-to-back; at the time of her death, thirteen days shy of her ...

(1910–2014), actress *

Heinz Rühmann Heinrich Wilhelm "Heinz" Rühmann (; 7 March 1902 – 3 October 1994) was a German film actor who appeared in over 100 films between 1926 and 1993. He is one of the most famous and popular German actors of the 20th century, and is considered a Ge ...

(1902–1994), actor *

Otto Sander Otto Sander (; 30 June 1941 – 12 September 2013) was a German film, theater, and voice actor. Life Education and early career Sander grew up in Kassel, where he graduated in 1961 from the Friedrichgymnasium. After leaving school he s ...

(1941–2013), actor *

(born 1970), actress and supermodel *

Romy Schneider Romy Schneider (; born Rosemarie Magdalena Albach; 23 September 1938 – 29 May 1982) was a German-French actress. She began her career in the German genre in the early 1950s when she was 15. From 1955 to 1957, she played the central chara ...

(1938–1982), actress *

Jessica Schwarz Jessica Schwarz (born 5 May 1977) is a German film and TV actress. Life and career Schwarz was born in Erbach im Odenwald and grew up in the small town of Michelstadt, Germany. She won a contest of the German teen magazine Bravo (magazine), ''Br ...

(born 1977), actress *

Til Schweiger Tilman Valentin Schweiger (; born 19 December 1963) is a German actor, voice actor and filmmaker. He runs his own production company, Barefoot Films, in Berlin. Early life Schweiger was born in Freiburg, West Germany, to two teachers. He grew ...

(born 1963), actor *

Matthias Schweighöfer Matthias Schweighöfer (; born 11 March 1981) is a German actor, voice actor, film director, and producer. Early life Born in Anklam, Western Pomerania, Schweighöfer attended Berlin's renowned acting school Ernst Busch Academy of Dramatic Art ...

(born 1981), actor *

Hanna Schygulla Hanna Schygulla (; born 25 December 1943) is a German actress and chanson singer associated with the theater and film director Rainer Werner Fassbinder. She first worked for Fassbinder in 1965 and became an active participant in the New German ...

(born 1943), actress *

Xenia Seeberg Xenia Seeberg (born Anke Wesenberg; 4 April 1967) is a German film and television actress. She is perhaps best known for her role as Xev Bellringer in the science fiction television series ''Lexx''. She also debuted as a singer in 1996 on the E ...

(born 1972), actress and model *

Tomer Sisley Tomer Sisley (born Tomer Gazit; he, תומר סיסלי; born 14 August 1974) is an Israeli and French actor and comedian. Early and personal life Born in West Berlin, West Germany, to Israeli-born parents who had relocated for his father's job ...

(born 1974), Israeli humorist, actor, screenwriter, comedian, and film director *

Kristina Söderbaum Beata Margareta Kristina Söderbaum (5 September 1912 – 12 February 2001) was a Swedish-born German film actress, producer, and photographer. She performed in Nazi-era films made by a German state-controlled production company. Early life S� ...

(1912–2001), actress and photographer *

Günter Strack Günter Strack (4 June 1929 – 18 January 1999) was a German film and television actor. Career In English language films, he played Professor Karl Manfred in the Hitchcock thriller ''Torn Curtain'' (1966) and appeared as Kunik in ''The Odes ...

(1929–1999), actor *

Barbara Sukowa Barbara Sukowa (; born 2 February 1950) is a German actress of screen and stage and singer. She has received three German Film Awards for Best Actress, three Bavarian Film Awards, Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress, Venice Film Festival ...

(born 1950), actress *

Horst Tappert Horst Tappert (26 May 1923 – 13 December 2008) was a German film and television actor best known for the role of Inspector Stephan Derrick in the television drama ''Derrick''. Biography Horst Tappert was born on 26 May 1923 in Elberfeld ...

(1923–2008), actor *

Katharina Thalbach Katharina Thalbach (; actually ''Katharina Joachim genannt Thalbach''; born 19 January 1954) is a German actress and stage director. She played theatre at the Berliner Ensemble and at the Volksbühne Berlin, and was actress in the film ''The T ...

(born 1954), actress *

Nora Tschirner Nora Marie Tschirner (born 12 June 1981) is a German film actress, musician and former television and radio presenter. Early life Nora Tschirner was born in East Berlin (then East Germany) to the documentary film director and the radio journa ...

(born 1981), actress *

Ulrich Tukur Ulrich Tukur (born Ulrich Gerhard Scheurlen; 29 July 1957) is a German actor and musician. Early life and education Tukur spent his youth near Hannover where he finished his final secondary school examinations in 1977. He also earned a high sch ...

(born 1957), actor *

Nadja Uhl Nadja Uhl (; born 23 May 1972, in Stralsund) is a German actress. Uhl grew up near Stralsund, in the town of Franzburg. She lived with her mother in a three-generation house, shared with aunts and her grandparents, who had moved in shortly ...

(born 1972), actress *

Wolfgang Völz Wolfgang Otto Völz (16 August 1930 – 2 May 2018) was a German actor. He is known for his roles in theatre plays, TV shows, feature films (especially German films based on Edgar Wallace works) and taped radio shows. He was also a very prolif ...

(1930-2018), actor *

Fritz Wepper Fritz Wepper (born 17 August 1941, Munich, Germany) is a German film and television actor. He is best known for his role as Inspector Harry Klein in the long-running crime series ''Derrick'' (1974–1998). Wepper is also remembered for his roles ...

(born 1941), actor * Luise del Zopp (1871–1946), actress, opera singer, screenwriter Werner Herzog Venice Film Festival 2009

Filmmakers

Uwe Boll Uwe Boll (; born June 22, 1965) is a German filmmaker. He came to prominence during the 2000s for his adaptations of video game franchises which often starred international stars like Jason Statham, Burt Reynolds, Ray Liotta, Christian Slater, E ...

, film director *

Andreas Deja Andreas Deja is a Polish-born German-American character animator, most noted for his work at Walt Disney Animation Studios. Deja's work includes serving as supervising animator on characters in several Disney animated films, including the Disney ...

, animator *

Doris Dörrie Doris Dörrie (; born 26 May 1955) is a German film director, producer and author. Biography Born in Hanover, Dörrie completed her secondary education there in 1973. The same year, she began a two-year attendance in film studies in the drama de ...

, female film director *

Bernd Eichinger Bernd Eichinger (; 11 April 194924 January 2011) was a German film producer, director, and screenwriter. Life and career Eichinger was born in Neuburg an der Donau. He attended the University of Television and Film Munich in the 1970s and bou ...

(1949–2011), film producer *

Roland Emmerich Roland Emmerich (; born 10 November 1955) is a German film director, screenwriter, and producer. He is widely known for his science fiction and disaster films and has been called a "master of disaster" within the industry. His films, most of wh ...

(born 1955), film director (''

Stargate ''Stargate'' (often stylized in all caps) is a military science fiction media franchise based on the Stargate (film), film directed by Roland Emmerich, which he co-wrote with producer Dean Devlin. The franchise is based on the idea of an alien E ...

'', ''

Independence Day An independence day is an annual event commemorating the anniversary of a nation's independence or statehood, usually after ceasing to be a group or part of another nation or state, or more rarely after the end of a military occupation. Man ...

'', ''

Godzilla is a fictional monster, or '' kaiju'', originating from a series of Japanese films. The character first appeared in the 1954 film ''Godzilla'' and became a worldwide pop culture icon, appearing in various media, including 32 films produc ...

'', ''

The Day After Tomorrow ''The Day After Tomorrow'' is a 2004 American science fiction disaster film directed, co-produced, and co-written by Roland Emmerich. Based on the 1999 book ''The Coming Global Superstorm'' by Art Bell and Whitley Strieber, the film stars Denn ...

'') *

Harun Farocki Harun Farocki (9 January 1944 – 30 July 2014) was a German filmmaker, author, and lecturer in film. Early life and education Farocki was born as Harun El Usman FaroqhiMargalit Fox (3 August 2014)''New York Times''. in Neutitschein, which is n ...

(1944–2014), film director *

Rainer Werner Fassbinder Rainer Werner Fassbinder (; 31 May 1945 – 10 June 1982), sometimes credited as R. W. Fassbinder, was a German filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the major figures and catalysts of the New German Cinema movement. Fassbinder's main ...

(1945–1982), film director *

Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck Florian Maria Georg Christian Graf Henckel von Donnersmarck (; born 2 May 1973) is an Academy Award-winning German and Austrian film director. He is best known for writing and directing the 2006 dramatic thriller ''Das Leben der Anderen (The L ...

, film director;

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

winner *

Werner Herzog Werner Herzog (; born 5 September 1942) is a German film director, screenwriter, author, actor, and opera director, regarded as a pioneer of New German Cinema. His films often feature ambitious protagonists with impossible dreams, people with un ...

(born 1942), film director *

Oliver Hirschbiegel Oliver Hirschbiegel (born 29 December 1957) is a German film director. His works include ''Das Experiment'' and the Oscar-nominated '' Downfall''. Life and career Hirschbiegel was born in Hamburg, Germany. A Waldorf graduate, Hirschbiegel stud ...

, film director *

Alexander Kluge Alexander Kluge (born 14 February 1932) is a German author, philosopher, academic and film director. Early life, education and early career Kluge was born in Halberstadt, Province of Saxony (now Saxony-Anhalt), Germany. After growing up durin ...

(born 1932), film director * Carl Koch (1892–1963), film director and writer *

Fritz Lang Friedrich Christian Anton Lang (; December 5, 1890 – August 2, 1976), known as Fritz Lang, was an Austrian film director, screenwriter, and producer who worked in Germany and later the United States.Obituary ''Variety'', August 4, 1976, p. 6 ...

(1890–1976), film director *

Ernst Lubitsch Ernst Lubitsch (; January 29, 1892November 30, 1947) was a German-born American film director, producer, writer, and actor. His urbane comedies of manners gave him the reputation of being Hollywood's most elegant and sophisticated director; as ...

(1892–1947), film director *

F.W. Murnau Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau (born Friedrich Wilhelm Plumpe; December 28, 1888March 11, 1931) was a German film director, producer and screenwriter. He was greatly influenced by Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, Shakespeare and Ibsen plays he had seen at t ...

(1888–1931), film director *

Wolfgang Petersen Wolfgang Petersen (14 March 1941 – 12 August 2022) was a German film director, screenwriter, and producer. He was nominated for two Academy Awards for the World War II submarine warfare film ''Das Boot'' (1981). His other films include ''The Ne ...

(1941–2022), film director * Ashwin Raman (born 1946), documentary filmmaker *

Leni Riefenstahl Helene Bertha Amalie "Leni" Riefenstahl (; 22 August 1902 – 8 September 2003) was a German film director, photographer and actress known for her role in producing Nazi propaganda. A talented swimmer and an artist, Riefenstahl also became in ...

(1902–2003), female film director *

Helma Sanders-Brahms Helma Sanders-Brahms (20 November 1940 – 27 May 2014) was a German film director, screenwriter and producer. Biography Helma Sanders was born on 20 November 1940 in Emden, Germany. She attended a school for acting in Hannover from 1960 to 1 ...

(1940–2014), film director *

Peter Schamoni Peter Schamoni (27 March 1934 – 14 June 2011) was a German film director, producer and screenwriter. He directed 35 films between 1957 and 2011. His 1966 film '' No Shooting Time for Foxes'' was entered into the 16th Berlin Internation ...

(1934–2011), film director *

Volker Schlöndorff Volker Schlöndorff (; born 31 March 1939 Friday) is a German film director, screenwriter and producer who has worked in Germany, France and the United States. He was a prominent member of the New German Cinema of the late 1960s and early 1970s, ...

(born 1939), film director *

Andreas Schnaas Andreas Schnaas (born 1 April 1968) is a German director and actor working exclusively in the horror film, horror genre. Since he first appeared on the film scene in 1989, he has become a leader in Germany's ultra-violent German underground horr ...

(born 1968), film director *

Hans-Jürgen Syberberg Hans-Jürgen Syberberg (born 8 December 1935) is a German film director, whose best known film is his lengthy feature ''Hitler: A Film from Germany''. Early life Born in Nossendorf, Province of Pomerania (1815–1945), Pomerania, the son of a ...

(born 1935), film director *

Tom Tykwer Tom Tykwer (; born 23 May 1965) is a German film director, producer, screenwriter, and composer. He is best known internationally for directing the thriller films ''Run Lola Run'' (1998), ''Heaven (2002 film), Heaven'' (2002), ''Perfume: The St ...

(born 1965), film director *

Margarethe von Trotta Margarethe von Trotta (; born 21 February 1942) is a German film director, screenwriter, and actress. She has been referred to as a "leading force" of the New German Cinema movement.

(born 1942), film director *

Robert Wiene Robert Wiene (; 27 April 1873 – 17 July 1938) was a film director of the silent era of German cinema. He is particularly known for directing the German silent film ''The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari'' and a succession of other German Expressionism, ...

, film director *

Wim Wenders Ernst Wilhelm "Wim" Wenders (; born 14 August 1945) is a German filmmaker, playwright, author, and photographer. He is a major figure in New German Cinema. Among many honors, he has received three nominations for the Academy Award for Best Docum ...

(born 1945), film director

Literature

Friedrich Schiller by Ludovike Simanowiz

Classic

Adam of Bremen Adam of Bremen ( la, Adamus Bremensis; german: Adam von Bremen) (before 1050 – 12 October 1081/1085) was a German medieval chronicler. He lived and worked in the second half of the eleventh century. Adam is most famous for his chronicle ''Gesta ...

(c. 1050 – c. 1085), medieval

chronicle A chronicle ( la, chronica, from Greek ''chroniká'', from , ''chrónos'' – "time") is a historical account of events arranged in chronological order, as in a timeline. Typically, equal weight is given for historically important events and lo ...

r * Joseph von Auffenberg (1798–1857), dramatist *

Heinrich Böll Heinrich Theodor Böll (; 21 December 1917 – 16 July 1985) was a German writer. Considered one of Germany's foremost post-World War II writers, Böll is a recipient of the Georg Büchner Prize (1967) and the Nobel Prize for Literature (1972). ...

(1917–1985), author *

Bertolt Brecht Eugen Berthold Friedrich Brecht (10 February 1898 – 14 August 1956), known professionally as Bertolt Brecht, was a German theatre practitioner, playwright, and poet. Coming of age during the Weimar Republic, he had his first successes as a pl ...

(1898–1956), playwright and poet *

Clemens Brentano Clemens Wenzeslaus Brentano (also Klemens; pseudonym: Clemens Maria Brentano ; ; 9 September 1778 – 28 July 1842) was a German poet and novelist, and a major figure of German Romanticism. He was the uncle, via his brother Christian, of Franz a ...

(1778–1842), poet and novelist *

Georg Büchner Karl Georg Büchner (17 October 1813 – 19 February 1837) was a German dramatist and writer of poetry and prose, considered part of the Young Germany movement. He was also a revolutionary and the brother of physician and philosopher Ludwig Büchn ...

, dramatist and author *

Charles Bukowski Henry Charles Bukowski ( ; born Heinrich Karl Bukowski, ; August 16, 1920 – March 9, 1994) was a German-American poet, novelist, and short story writer. His writing was influenced by the social, cultural, and economic ambience of his adopted ...

(1920–1994), German-born American poet, novelist, and short story writer *

Wilhelm Busch Heinrich Christian Wilhelm Busch (14 April 1832 – 9 January 1908) was a German humorist, poet, illustrator, and painter. He published wildly innovative illustrated tales that remain influential to this day. Busch drew on the tropes of f ...

(1832–1908), poet and satirist *

Annette von Droste-Hülshoff Baroness Anna Elisabeth Franziska Adolphine Wilhelmine Louise Maria von Droste zu Hülshoff, known as Annette von Droste-Hülshoff (; 10 January 179724 May 1848), was a 19th-century German poet, novelist, and composer of Classical music. She was ...

(1797–1848), poet *

Joseph von Eichendorff Joseph Freiherr von Eichendorff (10 March 178826 November 1857) was a German poet, novelist, playwright, literary critic, translator, and anthologist. Eichendorff was one of the major writers and critics of Romanticism.Cf. J. A. Cuddon: '' ...

(1788–1857), poet *

Theodor Fontane Theodor Fontane (; 30 December 1819 – 20 September 1898) was a German novelist and poet, regarded by many as the most important 19th-century German-language realist author. He published the first of his novels, for which he is best known toda ...

(1819–1898), novelist and poet *

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (28 August 1749 – 22 March 1832) was a German poet, playwright, novelist, scientist, statesman, theatre director, and critic. His works include plays, poetry, literature, and aesthetic criticism, as well as trea ...

(1749–1832), author and poet *

Brothers Grimm The Brothers Grimm ( or ), Jacob (1785–1863) and Wilhelm (1786–1859), were a brother duo of German academics, philologists, cultural researchers, lexicographers, and authors who together collected and published folklore. They are among the ...

, collectors of fairy tales *

Heinrich Heine Christian Johann Heinrich Heine (; born Harry Heine; 13 December 1797 – 17 February 1856) was a German poet, writer and literary critic. He is best known outside Germany for his early lyric poetry, which was set to music in the form of '' Lied ...

(1797–1856), poet *

Johann Gottfried Herder Johann Gottfried von Herder ( , ; 25 August 174418 December 1803) was a German philosopher, theologian, poet, and literary critic. He is associated with the Enlightenment, ''Sturm und Drang'', and Weimar Classicism. Biography Born in Mohrun ...

(1744–1803), essayist and poet *

Hermann Hesse Hermann Karl Hesse (; 2 July 1877 – 9 August 1962) was a German-Swiss poet, novelist, and painter. His best-known works include ''Demian'', ''Steppenwolf (novel), Steppenwolf'', ''Siddhartha (novel), Siddhartha'', and ''The Glass Bead Game'', ...

(1877–1962), author *

E.T.A. Hoffmann Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann (born Ernst Theodor Wilhelm Hoffmann; 24 January 1776 – 25 June 1822) was a German Romantic author of fantasy and Gothic horror, a jurist, composer, music critic and artist. Penrith Goff, "E.T.A. Hoffmann" in E ...

(1776–1822), author *

Friedrich Hölderlin Johann Christian Friedrich Hölderlin (, ; ; 20 March 1770 – 7 June 1843) was a German poet and philosopher. Described by Norbert von Hellingrath as "the most German of Germans", Hölderlin was a key figure of German Romanticism. Part ...

(1770–1843), poet *

Ernst Jünger Ernst Jünger (; 29 March 1895 – 17 February 1998) was a German author, highly decorated soldier, philosopher, and entomologist who became publicly known for his World War I memoir '' Storm of Steel''. The son of a successful businessman and ...

(1895–1998), writer and novelist *

Erich Kästner Emil Erich Kästner (; 23 February 1899 – 29 July 1974) was a German writer, poet, screenwriter and satirist, known primarily for his humorous, socially astute poems and for children's books including '' Emil and the Detectives''. He received ...

(1899–1974), novelist *

Heinrich von Kleist Bernd Heinrich Wilhelm von Kleist (18 October 177721 November 1811) was a German poet, dramatist, novelist, short story writer and journalist. His best known works are the theatre plays ''Das Käthchen von Heilbronn'', ''The Broken Jug'', ''Amphit ...

(1777–1811), poet, dramatist and novelist *

Gotthold Lessing Gotthold Ephraim Lessing (, ; 22 January 1729 – 15 February 1781) was a philosopher, dramatist, publicist and art critic, and a representative of the Enlightenment era. His plays and theoretical writings substantially influenced the developmen ...

(1729–1781), writer *

Heinrich Mann Luiz Heinrich Mann (; 27 March 1871 – 11 March 1950), best known as simply Heinrich Mann, was a German author known for his Social criticism, socio-political novels. From 1930 until 1933, he was president of the fine poetry division of the ...

(1871–1950), author (brother of

Thomas Mann Paul Thomas Mann ( , ; ; 6 June 1875 – 12 August 1955) was a German novelist, short story writer, social critic, philanthropist, essayist, and the 1929 Nobel Prize in Literature laureate. His highly symbolic and ironic epic novels and novella ...

) *

(1875–1955), author (brother of

) *

Karl May Karl Friedrich May ( , ; 25 February 1842 – 30 March 1912) was a German author. He is best known for his 19th century novels of fictitious travels and adventures, set in the American Old West with Winnetou and Old Shatterhand as main pro ...

(1842–1912), author *

Theodor Mommsen Christian Matthias Theodor Mommsen (; 30 November 1817 – 1 November 1903) was a German classical scholar, historian, jurist, journalist, politician and archaeologist. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest classicists of the 19th cent ...

(1817–1903), '' A history of Rome'' *

Christian Morgenstern Christian Otto Josef Wolfgang Morgenstern (6 May 1871 – 31 March 1914) was a German author and poet from Munich. Morgenstern married Margareta Gosebruch von Liechtenstern on 7 March 1910. He worked for a while as a journalist in Berlin ...

(1871–1914), poet *

Novalis Georg Philipp Friedrich Freiherr von Hardenberg (2 May 1772 – 25 March 1801), pen name Novalis (), was a German polymath who was a writer, philosopher, poet, aristocrat and mystic. He is regarded as an idiosyncratic and influential figure of ...

(1772–1801), poet and novelist *

Erich Maria Remarque Erich Maria Remarque (, ; born Erich Paul Remark; 22 June 1898 – 25 September 1970) was a German-born novelist. His landmark novel '' All Quiet on the Western Front'' (1928), based on his experience in the Imperial German Army during Worl ...

(1898–1970), novelist *

Friedrich Schiller Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller (, short: ; 10 November 17599 May 1805) was a German playwright, poet, and philosopher. During the last seventeen years of his life (1788–1805), Schiller developed a productive, if complicated, friends ...

(1759–1805), poet and playwright *

Arno Schmidt Arno Schmidt (; 18 January 1914 – 3 June 1979) was a German author and translator. He is little known outside of German-speaking areas, in part because his works present a formidable challenge to translators. Although he is not one of the p ...

(1914–1979), writer *

Theodor Storm Hans Theodor Woldsen Storm (; 14 September 18174 July 1888), commonly known as Theodor Storm, was a German writer. He is considered to be one of the most important figures of German realism. Life Storm was born in the small town of Husum, on th ...

(1817–1888), author *

Kurt Tucholsky Kurt Tucholsky (; 9 January 1890 – 21 December 1935) was a German journalist, satirist, and writer. He also wrote under the pseudonyms Kaspar Hauser (after the historical figure), Peter Panter, Theobald Tiger and Ignaz Wrobel. Tucholsky was on ...

(1890–1935), writer and satirist *

Walter von der Vogelweide Walther von der Vogelweide (c. 1170c. 1230) was a Minnesinger, Minnesänger who composed and performed love-songs and political songs ("Spruchdichtung, Sprüche") in Middle High German. Walther has been described as the greatest German lyrical p ...

(c. 1170 – c. 1230), poet *

Christa Wolf Christa Wolf (; née Ihlenfeld; 18 March 1929 – 1 December 2011) was a German novelist and essayist.
Barbara Gard ...

(1929–2011), novelist and essayist *

Wolfram von Eschenbach Wolfram von Eschenbach (; – ) was a German knight, poet and composer, regarded as one of the greatest epic poets of medieval German literature. As a Minnesinger, he also wrote lyric poetry. Life Little is known of Wolfram's life. There are ...

(died 1220), poet

Major

Yehuda Amichai Yehuda Amichai ( he, יהודה עמיחי; born Ludwig Pfeuffer 3 May 1924 – 22 September 2000) was an Israeli poet and author, one of the first to write in colloquial Hebrew in modern times. Amichai was awarded the 1957 Shlonsky Prize, the ...

(born Ludwig Pfeuffer; 1924–2000), German-born Israeli poet *

Ernst Moritz Arndt Ernst Moritz Arndt (26 December 1769 – 29 January 1860) was a German nationalist historian, writer and poet. Early in his life, he fought for the abolition of serfdom, later against Napoleonic dominance over Germany. Arndt had to flee to Swe ...

, poet, songwriter and patriot *

Achim von Arnim Carl Joachim Friedrich Ludwig von Arnim (26 January 1781 – 21 January 1831), better known as Achim von Arnim, was a German poet, novelist, and together with Clemens Brentano and Joseph von Eichendorff, a leading figure of German Romanticism. ...

(1781–1831), poet *

Bettina von Arnim Bettina von Arnim (the Countess of Arnim) (4 April 178520 January 1859), born Elisabeth Catharina Ludovica Magdalena Brentano, was a German writer and novelist. Bettina (or Bettine) Brentano was a writer, publisher, composer, singer, visual art ...

(1785–1859), writer and novelist *

Ezriel Carlebach Ezriel Carlebach (also ''Azriel''; born Esriel Gotthelf Carlebach, he, עזריאל קרליבך, yi, עזריאל קארלעבאך; November 7, 1908 – February 12, 1956) was a leading journalist and editorial writer during the period of Jewi ...

(1909–1956), Israeli journalist and editorial writer *

Matthias Claudius Matthias Claudius (15 August 1740 – 21 January 1815) was a German poet and journalist, otherwise known by the pen name of “Asmus”. Life Claudius was born at Reinfeld, Holstein, Reinfeld, near Lübeck, and studied at Jena. He spent the gre ...

(1740–1815), poet and writer *

Michael Ende Michael Andreas Helmuth Ende (12 November 1929 – 28 August 1995) was a German writer of fantasy and children's fiction. He is known for his epic fantasy ''The Neverending Story'' (with its 1980s film adaptation and a 1995 animated television ...

(1929–1995), author of fantasy novels and children's books *

Erik Erikson Erik Homburger Erikson (born Erik Salomonsen; 15 June 1902 – 12 May 1994) was a German-American developmental psychologist and psychoanalyst known for his theory on psychological development of human beings. He coined the phrase identity cr ...

(1902–1994),

German-American German Americans (german: Deutschamerikaner, ) are Americans who have full or partial German ancestry. With an estimated size of approximately 43 million in 2019, German Americans are the largest of the self-reported ancestry groups by the Unite ...

writer,

developmental psychologist Developmental psychology is the scientific study of how and why humans grow, change, and adapt across the course of their lives. Originally concerned with infants and children, the field has expanded to include adolescence, adult development, ...

and

psychoanalyst PsychoanalysisFrom Greek language, Greek: + . is a set of Theory, theories and Therapy, therapeutic techniques"What is psychoanalysis? Of course, one is supposed to answer that it is many things — a theory, a research method, a therapy, a bo ...

Anne Frank Annelies Marie "Anne" Frank (, ; 12 June 1929 – )Research by The Anne Frank House in 2015 revealed that Frank may have died in February 1945 rather than in March, as Dutch authorities had long assumed"New research sheds new light on Anne Fra ...

(1929–1945), diarist and victim of

the Holocaust The Holocaust, also known as the Shoah, was the genocide of European Jews during World War II. Between 1941 and 1945, Nazi Germany and its collaborators systematically murdered some six million Jews across German-occupied Europe; a ...

Paul Gerhardt Paul Gerhardt (12 March 1607 – 27 May 1676) was a German theologian, Lutheran minister and hymnodist. Biography Gerhardt was born into a middle-class family at Gräfenhainichen, a small town between Halle and Wittenberg. His father died in ...

(c. 1606 – 1676), hymn writer *

Leah Goldberg Leah Goldberg or Lea Goldberg ( he, לאה גולדברג; May 29, 1911, Königsberg – January 15, 1970, Jerusalem) was a prolific Hebrew-language poet, author, playwright, literary translator, and comparative literary researcher. Her writ ...

(1911–1970), Israeli poet *

Joseph Görres Johann Joseph Görres, since 1839 von Görres (25 January 1776 – 29 January 1848), was a German writer, philosopher, theologian, historian and journalist. Early life Görres was born in Koblenz. His father was moderately well off, and sent hi ...

(1776–1848), essayist *

Wilhelm Hauff Wilhelm Hauff (29 November 180218 November 1827) was a Württembergian poet and novelist. Early life Hauff was born in Stuttgart, the son of August Friedrich Hauff, a secretary in the Württemberg ministry of foreign affairs, and Hedwig Wilhelmi ...

(1802–1827), writer *

Paul Heyse Paul Johann Ludwig von Heyse (; 15 March 1830 – 2 April 1914) was a distinguished German writer and translator. A member of two important literary societies, the ''Tunnel über der Spree'' in Berlin and ''Die Krokodile'' in Munich, he wrote no ...

(1830–1914), writer and translator *

Janosch Janosch (, born as Horst Eckert on 11 March 1931) is a German children's author and illustrator. Biography Janosch was born as Horst Eckert in what was then Hindenburg (now Zabrze, Poland) in Upper Silesia to a family of mixed German and Poli ...

(born 1931), author of artist and children's books * Friedrich Kellner (1885–1970), diarist of ''My Opposition'' * Golo Mann (1909–1994), author and historian (second-oldest son of

) * Klaus Mann (1906–1949), author (oldest son of

) * Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué (1777–1843), writer * Prince Hermann von Pückler-Muskau (1785–1871), writer and landscape gardener * Otfried Preussler (1923–2013), author of children's books * Wilhelm Raabe (1831–1910), novelist * Peter Rühmkorf (1929–2008), poet * Nelly Sachs (1891–1970), poet * Leopold Schefer (1784–1861), writer, poet and composer * August Wilhelm Schlegel (1767–1845), poet and translator * Ludwig Tieck (1773–1853), poet, editor and novelist * Ludwig Uhland (1787–1862), poet, writer and playwright * Gero von Wilpert (1933–2009), essayist

Contemporary

* Hans Magnus Enzensberger (born 1929), essayist and poet * Günter Grass (1927–2015), author; recipient, 1999 Nobel Prize in Literature * Peter Härtling (1933–2017), author * Rolf Hochhuth (1931–2020), playwright * Wladimir Kaminer (born 1967), short story writer * Daniel Kehlmann (born 1975), novelist * Siegfried Lenz (1926–2014), author * Ferdinand von Schirach (born 1964), author, screenwriter and lawyer * Bernhard Schlink (born 1944), author and professor of law * Patrick Süskind (born 1949), author and screenwriter * Rudolf von Waldenfels (born 1965), author * Martin Walser (born 1927), playwright and novelist

Humorists, cabaret performers and comedians

* Dieter Hildebrandt (1927–2013), cabaret performer * Bruno Jonas (born 1952), cabaret performer * Michael Mittermeier (born 1966), comedian * Georg Schramm (born 1949), cabaret performer * Mathias Richling (born 1953), cabaret performer * Richard Rogler (born 1949), cabaret performer * Daniel Tosh (born 1975), comedian

Journalists

* Rudolf Augstein (1923–2002), journalist * Peter Limbourg (born 1960), journalist * Marion Dönhoff (1909–2002), journalist * Günther Jauch (born 1956), journalist * Axel Springer (1912–1985), journalist * Sabine Christiansen (born 1957), journalist * Maybrit Illner (born 1965), journalist * Anne Will (born 1966), journalist * Sandra Maischberger (born 1966), journalist

Mathematicians

* Wilhelm Ackermann (1896–1962), mathematician * Georg Cantor (1845–1918), mathematician * Richard Dedekind (1831–1916), mathematician * Walther von Dyck (1856–1934), mathematician * Albert Einstein (1879–1955), mathematician, physicist * Gottlob Frege (1848–1925), mathematician * Philipp Furtwängler (1869–1940), mathematician * Carl Friedrich Gauss (1777–1855), mathematician * Ernst Hellinger (1883–1950), mathematician * David Hilbert (1862–1943), mathematician * Carl Gustav Jacob Jacobi (1804–1851), mathematician * Erich Kähler (1906–2000), mathematician * Johannes Kepler (1571–1630), mathematician and astronomer * Felix Christian Klein (1849–1925), mathematician * Hermann Klaus Hugo Weyl (1885–1955), mathematician * Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646–1716), mathematician * Kurt Mendelssohn (1906–1980), mathematician * Hermann Minkowski (1864–1909), mathematician * August Ferdinand Möbius (1790–1868), mathematician, theoretical astronomer * Carl Neumann (1832–1925), mathematician * Emmy Noether (1882–1935), mathematician * Georg Ohm (1789–1854), mathematician * Carl Adam Petri (1926–2010), mathematician, computer scientist * Julius Plücker (1801–1868), mathematician * Bernhard Riemann (1826–1866), mathematician * Adam Ries (1492–1559), mathematician, physicist, archeologist * Gustav Roch (1839–1866) mathematician * Eric Reissner (1913–1996), mathematician, engineer * Carl David Tolmé Runge (1856–1927), mathematician, physicist, spectroscopist * Heinrich Scherk (1798–1885), mathematician * Herman Schwarz (1843–1921), mathematician * Carl Ludwig Siegel (1896–1981), mathematician * Roland Sprague (1894–1967), mathematician * Heinrich Martin Weber (1842–1913), mathematician * Karl Weierstrass (1815–1897), mathematician * Max Zorn (1906–1993), mathematician General Erich Ludendorff

Military

* Heinrich Bürkle de la Camp (1895–1974), general who specialized as a medic and army doctor * Carl von Clausewitz (1780–1831), Prussian professional soldier, military historian, and influential military theorist * Erich von Falkenhayn (1861–1922), general, Prussian Minister of War (1913–1915) and German General Staff#Chiefs of the German General Staff, Chief of General Staff (1914–1916) * August von Gneisenau (1760–1831), Prussian field marshal and chief of the Prussian General Staff (1813–1814) * Heinz Guderian (1888–1954), military theorist and innovative general (1907–1945) * Erich Hartmann (1922–1993), fighter pilot and air ace (1941–1970) * Alfred Jodl (1890–1946), general, operations chief of the OKW * Günther von Kluge (1882–1944), field marshal and commander of the 4th Army (Wehrmacht), Fourth Army (1939–1941) and Army Group Center (1941–43) * Erich Ludendorff (1865–1937), general and Quartermaster General (1916–1918) * Erich von Manstein (1887–1973), field marshal and professional soldier (1906–1944) * Helmuth von Moltke the Elder (1800–1891), field marshal, chief of staff of the Prussian Army for thirty years * Friedrich Paulus (1890–1957), general and commander of the 6th Army (Wehrmacht), German Sixth Army, later promoted to Field Marshal (1910–1943) * Günther Rall (1918–2009), third highest scoring fighter ace in history with 275 confirmed kills while serving as a pilot in the Luftwaffe in World War II * 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 (1942–1943) and Army Group B (1944) * Albrecht von Roon (1803–1879), field marshal, Minister of War from (1859–1873) * Hans-Ulrich Rudel (1916–1982), Stuka dive-bomber pilot and air ace (1936–1945) * Gerd von Rundstedt (1875–1953), field marshal and commander (1892–1945) * Alfred von Schlieffen (1833–1913), field marshal, Strategist and German General Staff#Chiefs of the German General Staff, Chief of General Staff (1891–1905) * Gerhard von Scharnhorst (1755–1813), general and Prussian Minister of War (1808–1810) * Michael Wittmann (1914–1944), SS captain and tank ace (1934–1944)

Music

Composers

* Carl Friedrich Abel (1725–1787), composer * Martin Agricola (1466–1506), composer * Siegfried Alkan (1858–1941), composer * Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (1714–1788), composer; son of Johann Sebastian Bach * Johann Christian Bach (1735–1782), composer; son of Johann Sebastian Bach * Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750), composer * Klaus Badelt (born 1967), film composer (''Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl'', ''Miami Vice (film), Miami Vice'', ''Ultraviolet (film), Ultraviolet'', 2008 Summer Olympics closing ceremony in Beijing) * Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827), composer * Martin Böttcher (1927–2019), film composer (Karl May film adaptations) * Johannes Brahms (1833–1897), composer * Max Bruch (1838–1920), composer * Dieterich Buxtehude (c. 1637/39–1707), Danish-German organist and composer of the Baroque music, Baroque period * Hanns Eisler (1898–1962), composer * Friedrich von Flotow (1812–1883), composer * Christoph Willibald Gluck (1714–1787), composer * George Frideric Handel, Georg Friedrich Händel (1685–1759), composer, opera composer * Fanny Hensel (1805-1847), composer * Paul Hindemith (1895–1963), composer * Engelbert Humperdinck (composer), Engelbert Humperdinck (1854–1921), composer * Albert Lortzing (1801–1851), composer * Giacomo Meyerbeer (1791–1864), composer * Felix Mendelssohn (1809–1847), composer * Leopold Mozart (1719–1787), composer, conductor, teacher, and violinist; father of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart * 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 (born 1952), composer * Leopold Schefer (1784–1862), writer and composer * Clara Schumann (1819–1896), composer * Robert Schumann (1810–1856), composer and songwriter * Heinrich Schütz (1585–1672), composer * Charlotte Seither (born 1965), classical composer, pianist and music educator * Karlheinz Stockhausen (1928–2007), 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 (''The Threepenny Opera'', "September Song") * Hans Zimmer (born 1957), film composer (''The Lion King'', ''Crimson Tide (film), Crimson Tide'', ''Gladiator (2000 film), Gladiator'', ''The Dark Knight (film), The Dark Knight'', ''Inception'', ''Dune (2021 film), Dune'')

Conductors, instrumentalists and singers

Udo-Lindenberg-13-01-11-hinterm-horizont-muiscal

A–M

(1891–1960), singer and actor * Thomas Anders (born 1963), singer * Lale Andersen (1905–1972), singer * Lou Bega (born 1975), singer * Andrea Berg (born 1966), singer-songwriter * Wolf Biermann (born 1936), singer-songwriter and East German dissident * Dieter Bohlen (born 1954), music producer * Andreas Bourani (born 1983), singer-songwriter * Hans-Jürgen Buchner (born 1944), founder, composer, songwriter of the band Haindling * Fritz Busch (1890–1951), conductor * Bushido (rapper), Bushido (born 1978), rapper * Campino (singer), Campino (born 1962), lead singer of the band Die Toten Hosen * Yvonne Catterfeld (born 1979), singer * Sarah Connor (singer), Sarah Connor (born 1980), pop and soul singer * Michael Cretu, Michael and Sandra Cretu, founders and performers of the musical project Enigma (German band), Enigma and the group Sandra (group), Sandra * Diana Damrau, coloratura soprano opera singer *

(1901–1992), singer * Herbert Dreilich (1942–2004), singer of the Band Karat (band), Karat * Jürgen Drews (born 1945), singer * Katja Ebstein (born 1945), singer * Fancy (singer), Fancy (born 1946), singer * Frank Farian (born 1941), German record producer and songwriter * Helene Fischer (born 1984), singer * Gertrude Förstel (1880–1950), operatic soprano, voice teacher * Peter Fox (musician), Peter Fox (born 1971), singer * Wilhelm Furtwängler (1886–1954), conductor and composer * Rex Gildo (1936–1999), singer * Bernd Heinrich Graf, lead singer of the Band Unheilig * Antye Greie (born 1969), vocalist, musician and composer * Herbert Grönemeyer (born 1956), singer * Gudrun Gut (born 1957), electronic musician * Nina Hagen (born 1955), singer * Heino (born 1938), pop singer * Willy Hess (violinist), Willy Hess (1859–1939), violinist * Natalie Horler (born 1981), member of the band Cascada * Annette Humpe (born 1950), singer of the bands Ideal (German band), Ideal and Ich + Ich * Matthias Jabs (born 1955), guitarist of the band Scorpions (band), Scorpions * Roland Kaiser (born 1952), singer * Bill Kaulitz (born 1989), lead singer of the band Tokio Hotel * John Kay (musician) (born 1944), German–Canadian musician * Gershon Kingsley (1922–2019), composer * Alexander Klaws (born 1983), singer *

(1925–2002), singer * Peter Kraus (born 1939), singer * Mike Kogel, lead singer of the band Los Bravos * Rolf Köhler (1951–2007), singer, musician and record producer * Paul Kuhn (band leader), Paul Kuhn (1928–2013), band leader and singer * LaFee (born 1990), singer * Ute Lemper (born 1963), singer * Udo Lindenberg (born 1946), singer * Michail Lifits (born 1982), concert pianist * Till Lindemann (born 1963), lead singer of the band Rammstein * Georg Listing, bassist of the band Tokio Hotel * Frida Lyngstad, lead singer of the pop group ABBA * Peter Maffay (born 1949), singer * Klaus Meine, vocalist of the band Scorpions (band), Scorpions * Reinhard Mey (born 1942) * Lena Meyer-Landrut (born 1991), singer * Marius Müller-Westernhagen (born 1948), singer * Karl Münchinger (1915–1990), conductor * Anne-Sophie Mutter (born 1963), violinist Sido - Global Citizen Festival Hamburg 04

Sido - Global Citizen Festival Hamburg 04

N–Z

* Xavier Naidoo (born 1971) * Meshell Ndegeocello (born 1969), born of American parents in Germany * Nena (born 1960) * Nicole (German singer), Nicole (born 1964), singer * Klaus Nomi (1944–1983) * Lisa Otto (1919–2013), opera singer * Hedwig Reicher-Kindermann (1853–1883), opera singer * Martin Rich (1905–2000), conductor and pianist * Marianne Rosenberg (born 1955), singer and songwriter * Anneliese Rothenberger (1924–2010), singer * Sandra (singer), Sandra (born 1962), singer * Kool Savas (born 1975), half German, half Turkish singer * Gustav Schäfer (drummer), Gustav Schäfer, drummer of the band Tokio Hotel * Michael Schenker (born 1955), guitar player of band UFO (band), UFO and solo career * Rudolf Schenker (born 1948), guitarist of the band Scorpions (band), Scorpions; brother of Michael Schenker * Peter Schilling (born 1956), singer * Sido (rapper), Sido (born 1980), rapper * Cassandra Steen (born 1980), German-American singer, songwriter, and voice actress, * Farin Urlaub (born 1963), lead singer of the band Die Ärzte * Lena Valaitis (born 1943), singer * Paul van Dyk (born 1971), DJ, musician and record producer. * Hannes Wader (born 1943), singer-songwriter * Claire Waldoff (1884–1957), singer * Bruno Walter (1876–1962), conductor and composer * Konstantin Wecker (born 1947), singer-songwriter

Philosophy

Classic

* Theodor Adorno (1903–1969), philosopher, sociologist and composer * Albertus Magnus (c. 1193 – 1280), medieval philosopher and theologian * Hannah Arendt (1906–1975), political theorist * Walter Benjamin (1892–1943) * Ernst Bloch (1885–1977) * Jakob Böhme (1575–1624), mystic philosopher * Franz Brentano (1838–1917), philosopher and psychologist * Rudolf Carnap (1891–1970), philosopher * Ernst Cassirer (1874–1945) * Wilhelm Dilthey (1833–1911), philosopher, historian, psychologist * Ludwig Feuerbach (1804–1872), philosopher * Gottlieb Fichte, Johann Gottlieb Fichte (1762–1814), philosopher * Gottlob Frege (1848–1925), mathematician, logician and philosopher * Eduard von Hartmann (1842–1906), philosopher * Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770–1831), philosopher * Martin Heidegger (1889–1976), philosopher * Max Horkheimer (1895–1973) * Edmund Husserl (1859–1938), philosopher * Karl Jaspers (1883–1969), philosopher * Immanuel Kant (1724–1804), philosopher * Gottfried Leibniz (1646–1716), physicist, philosopher * Karl Marx (1818–1883), philosopher and sociologist * Moses Mendelssohn (1729–1786), philosopher * Lorenz Christoph Mizler (1711–78), philosopher active in Poland * Nikolaus Cusanus (1401–1462), philosopher, theologian, mathematician * Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900), early existentialism, existentialist philosopher * Friedrich Schelling (1775–1854), philosopher * Moritz Schlick (1882–1936), philosopher * Arthur Schopenhauer (1788–1860), philosopher * Christian Wolff (philosopher), Christian Wolff (1679-1754), philosopher Erich Fromm 1974

Major

* Bruno Bauer (1809–1882), political theorist and philosopher * Friedrich Engels (1820–1895), philosopher, political economist * Rudolf Christoph Eucken (1846–1926), philosopher * Erich Fromm (1900–1980) * Hans-Georg Gadamer (1900–2002), philosopher * Wilhelm von Humboldt (1767–1835), philosopher, linguist, government functionary, diplomat; brother of Alexander von Humboldt * Ludwig Klages (1872–1956), philosopher * Leo Löwenthal (1900–1993) * Karl Löwith (1897–1973) * Herbert Marcuse (1898–1979) * Samuel von Pufendorf (1632–1694), moral and political philosopher * Johann Karl Friedrich Rosenkranz (1805–1879) * Franz Rosenzweig (1886–1929) * Max Scheler (1874–1928), philosopher * Carl Schmitt (1888–1985), political theorist * Georg Simmel (1859–1918), philosopher and sociologist * Max Stirner (1806–1856), philosopher * Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker (1912–2007), philosopher and physicist

Contemporary

* Hans Albert (born 1921), philosopher * Kurt Flasch (born 1930), philosopher * Jürgen Habermas (born 1929), philosopher, social theorist * Dieter Henrich (1927–2022), philosopher * Odo Marquard (1928–2015), philosopher * Julian Nida-Rümelin (born 1954), philosopher and political theorist * Konrad Ott (born 1959), moral philosopher and environmentalist * Peter Sloterdijk (born 1947), philosopher and television host * Robert Spaemann (1927–2018), philosopher * Oswald Spengler (1880–1936), philosopher of history; best known for his book "The Decline of the West" ''(Der Untergang des Abendlandes)'' * Ernst Tugendhat (born 1930), philosopher

Politicians

12-03-06-cebit-eroeffnung-angela-merkel-21

Bundesarchiv Bild 102-12940, Ernst Thälmann

Miscellaneous

* Arminius (18/17 BC – AD 21) * Rainer Barzel (1924–2006), leader of the party Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU) * August Bebel (1840–1913), co-founder of the Social Democratic Party of Germany * Rudolf von Bennigsen (1824–1902), founder of the National Liberal Party (Germany), National Liberal Party * Eduard Bernstein (1850–1932), Social Democratic leader * Heinrich von Brentano (1904–1964), Foreign Minister Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU) * Julius Curtius (1877–1948), Foreign Minister (German People's Party) * Matthias Erzberger (1875–1921), Catholic Center party leader * Joschka Fischer (born 1948), Foreign Minister and vice chancellor 1998–2005 (German Green Party, Bündnis 90/Die Grünen) * Hans-Dietrich Genscher (1927–2016), former minister for foreign affairs (FDP) * Jakob Grimm (1785–1863), parliamentarian * Wilhelm Grimm (1786–1859), parliamentarian * Gregor Gysi (born 1948), former leader of the Party of Democratic Socialism (Germany), Party of Democratic Socialism * Georg Hornstein (1900–1942), resistance fighter during the period of National Socialism (Nazism) * Alfred Hugenberg (1865–1951), leader of the German National People's Party * Johann Jacoby (1805–1877), radical democrat in Prussia * Luise Kähler (1869–1955), trade union leader, founding member of Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) * Karl Kautsky (1854–1938), Social Democratic leader and theoretician * Petra Kelly (1947–1992), co-founder of the German Green Party * Roland Koch (born 1958), Minister-President of Hesse * Oskar Lafontaine (born 1943), socialist, former minister for finance * Ferdinand Lassalle (1825–1864), democrat and socialist * Karl Liebknecht (1871–1919), socialist * Wilhelm Liebknecht (1826–1900), co-founder of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) * Rosa Luxemburg (1870–1919), left-wing Social Democratic leader * Jakob Maria Mierscheid (born 1933), ''virtual'' parliamentarian (SPD) * Hans Modrow (born 1928), former leader of GDR, honorary chairman of PDS * Hermann Müller (politician), Hermann Müller (1876–1931), Chancellor of the Weimar Republic (SPD) * Erich Ollenhauer (1901–1963), leader of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) * Antonie Pfülf, Antonie "Toni" Pfülf (1877–1933), female socialist (SPD) * Walther Rathenau (1867–1922), foreign minister (DDP) * Eugen Richter (1838–1906), liberal politician * Wolfgang Schäuble (born 1942), Christian politician, financial minister (CDU) * Carlo Schmid (German politician), Carlo Schmid (1896–1979), politician who had vast influence on the content of the Grundgesetz, German Basic Law after World War II * Gerhard Schröder (CDU), Gerhard Schröder (1910–1989), foreign minister, minister of the Interior (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 (born 1941), party leader of the CSU and former 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 * Hans-Jochen Vogel (1926–2020), leader of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), federal minister of justice * Otto Wels (1873–1939), leader of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) * Guido Westerwelle (1961–2016), party leader of the liberal party (FDP) * Klaus Wowereit (born 1953), social democrat politician (SPD) * Clara Zetkin (1857–1933), socialist and fighter for women's rights Gustav Stresemann 2

Chancellors of Germany 1871–1945

* 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 (Catholic Centre Party, 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 Party (Germany), Centre) * Georg von Hertling (1843–1919), Imperial Chancellor * Adolf Hitler (1889–1945), Leader of Nazi Germany, combining legally the offices of President and Chancellor ("Führer und Reichskanzler") (1933–1945) * 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 Party (Germany), 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 Party (Germany), Centre) Konrad Adenauer - 7

Chancellors of Germany (after World War II)

''(in chronological order)'' * Konrad Adenauer (1876–1967), first democratically elected Federal Chancellor in West Germany, Western Germany (after World War II) from 1949 to 1963 (Christian-Democratic Union, CDU) * Ludwig Erhard (1897–1977), Chancellor of Germany (Federal Republic), Federal Chancellor from 1963 to 1966 (CDU) * Kurt Georg Kiesinger (1904–1988), Chancellor of Germany (Federal Republic), Federal Chancellor from 1966 to 1969 (CDU) * Willy Brandt (1913–1992), Chancellor of Germany (Federal Republic), Federal Chancellor from 1969 to 1974 (Social Democratic Party, SPD) * Helmut Schmidt (1918–2015), Chancellor of Germany (Federal Republic), Federal Chancellor from 1974 to 1982 (SPD) * Helmut Kohl (1930–2017), Chancellor of Germany (Federal Republic), Federal Chancellor from 1982 to 1998 (CDU) * Gerhard Schröder (born 1944), Chancellor of Germany (Federal Republic), Federal Chancellor from 1998 to 2005 (SPD) * Angela Merkel (born 1954), Chancellor of Germany (Federal Republic), Federal Chancellor from 2005 to 2021 (CDU) * Olaf Scholz (born 1958), Chancellor of Germany (Federal Republic), Federal Chancellor since 2021 (SPD) Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1983-098-20a, Heuss

Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1983-098-20a, Heuss

Presidents of Germany

''(in chronological order)'' * Friedrich Ebert (1871–1925), first president of the Weimar Republic (SPD) 1919–25 * Paul von Hindenburg (1847–1934), field marshal, president 1925–34 * Adolf Hitler (1889–1945), combining legally both offices, president and chancellor ("''Führer und Reichskanzler''") 1933–45 * Karl Dönitz (1891–1980), Admiral of the Fleet, after Hitler's death, president for 22 days, 1945 Presidents of the Federal Republic of Germany since 1949:
''(in chronological order)'' * Theodor Heuss (1884–1963), Federal President 1949–59 (Liberal-Democratic Party, FDP) * Heinrich Lübke (1894–1972), Federal President 1959–69 (CDU) * Gustav Heinemann (1899–1976), Federal President 1969–74 (SPD) * Walter Scheel (1919–2016), Federal President 1974–79 (FDP) * Karl Carstens (1914–1992), Federal President 1979–84 (CDU) * Richard von Weizsäcker (1920–2015), Federal President 1984–94 (CDU) * Roman Herzog (1934–2017), Federal President 1994–99 (CDU) * Johannes Rau (1931–2006), Federal President 1999–2004 (SPD) * Horst Köhler (born 1943), Federal President 2004–10 (CDU) * Jens Böhrnsen (born 1949), acting president since resignation of Köhler in 2010 (SPD) * Christian Wulff (born 1959), Federal President 2010–12 (CDU) * Horst Seehofer (born 1949), acting president since resignation of Wulff in 2012 (CDU) * Joachim Gauck (born 1940), Federal President 2012–2017 (Independent) * Frank-Walter Steinmeier (born 1956) Federal President since 19 March 2017 (SPD) Bundesarchiv Bild 183-R1220-401, Erich Honecker

Bundesarchiv Bild 183-R1220-401, Erich Honecker

Politicians of the East German Communist Party and regime

* 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 * Heinrich Rau (1899–1961), chairman of the German Economic Commission (predecessor of the East German government) * Günter Schabowski (1929–2015), member of politburo * Willy Stoph (1914–1999), premier of the GDR * Walter Ulbricht (1893–1973), leader of the GDR Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1968-101-20A, Joseph Goebbels

Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1968-101-20A, Joseph Goebbels

Personalities of the Nazism, Nazi Party and regime

* Artur Axmann (1913–1996), Hitler Youth leader (1940–1945) * Klaus Barbie (1913–1991), the "Butcher of Lyon" * Fedor von Bock (1880–1945), Generalfeldmarschall, field marshal * Martin Bormann (1900–1945), Nazi leader * Eva Braun (1912–1945), Hitler's mistress and finally his wife * Wilhelm Canaris (1887–1945), admiral and chief of ''Abwehr, the Abwehr'' * 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 * Adolf Eichmann (1906–1962), Nazi Germany, Nazi Schutzstaffel, SS-''Obersturmbannführer'' (lieutenant colonel) * Hans Frank (1900–1946), Governor-General of Poland * Roland Freisler (1893–1945), Nazi judge * Wilhelm Frick (1877–1946), Minister of the Interior * Walther Funk (1890–1960), Minister of Economics * Joseph Goebbels (1897–1945), Chancellor, 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 RSHA * Heinrich Himmler (1900–1945), Nazism, Nazi head of the SS * Rudolf Höss (1900–1947), commandant of Auschwitz concentration camp, Auschwitz * Ernst Kaltenbrunner (1903–1946), Heydrich's successor at the RSHA * Hans Kammler (1901 – c. 1945), author and organiser of first Death Camps * Wilhelm Keitel (1882–1946), field marshal, head of the OKW (1939–1945) * Karl Otto Koch (1897–1945), German first commandant of the Buchenwald concentration camp * Robert Ley (1890–1945), head of the German Labour Front * Erich von Manstein (1885–1973), field marshal and commander of the 11th Army (Wehrmacht), Eleventh Army (1941–1942), Army Group Don (1942–43), and Army Group South (1943–1944) * Josef Mengele (1911–1979), German SS officer and a physician in the Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz * Erhard Milch (1892–1972), Göring's second-in-command, Air Inspector General * Walter Model (1891–1945), Generalfeldmarschall, field marshal * Heinrich Müller (Gestapo), Heinrich Müller (1900–1945?), head of the Gestapo (1939–1945) * 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), first Stabschef of the Sturmabteilung, SA * Erwin Rommel (1891–1944), Commander of the 7th Panzer Division (Wehrmacht), 7th Panzer Division and the Afrika Korps * Alfred Rosenberg (1893–1946), Nazi ideologist * Gerd von Rundstedt (1875–1953), field marshal, Commander-in-Chief East (1939–40), commander of Army Group South (1939–1941), Commander-in-Chief West (1942–1945) * Hjalmar Schacht, Minister of Finance * Baldur von Schirach (1907–1974), first Hitler Youth leader *

(1905–1981), "Hitler's architect", Minister of Armaments * Gregor Strasser (1892–1934), left-wing Nazi leader * Julius Streicher (1885–1946), Nazi Party leader in Franconia Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany

Frederick II of Prussia Coloured drawing

Royalty

* Alix of Hesse and Rhine (1872–1918), German princess by birth before marrying Tsar Nicholas II to become a Russian tsarina * Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (1819–1861), Victoria of the United Kingdom, Queen Victoria's husband and consort * Albert, King of Saxony, Albert (1828–1902), King of Saxony (1873–1902) * Anne of Cleves (1515–1557), List of English consorts, Queen of England from 6 January to 9 July 1540 as the fourth Wives of Henry VIII, wife of Henry VIII of England, King Henry VIII * Anthony Clement of Saxony, Anton (1755–1836), King of Saxony (1827–1836) * Carol I of Romania, Carol I of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen (1839–1914), Prince (1867–1881) and King (1881–1914) of Romania * Catherine the Great (1729–1796), Empress of Russia * Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor, Charles IV (1316–1378), King of Germany 1346, Holy Roman Emperor 1355–78 * Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V (1500–1558), King of Spain 1516, King of Germany 1519, Holy Roman Emperor 1530–56 * Charles, King of Württemberg, Charles (1823–1891), King of Württemberg (1823–1891) * Claus von Amsberg (1926–2002), diplomat and husband of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands * Ferdinand of Romania, Ferdinand of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen (1865–1927), King of Romania (1924–1927) * Ferdinand of Bulgaria, Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (1861–1948), Prince of Bulgaria (1887–1908), King (or Tsar) of the Bulgarians (1908–1918) * Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor, Frederick I Barbarossa (1122–1190), King of Germany 1152, Holy Roman Emperor 1155–90 * 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 of Germany (Hohenzollern), Friedrich III (1831–1888), German Emperor and King of Prussia (1888) * Frederick Augustus I of Saxony, Frederick Augustus I (1750–1827), Elector (1763–1806) and King (1806–1827) of Saxony * Frederick Augustus II of Saxony, Frederick Augustus II (1797–1854), King of Saxony (1836–1854) * Frederick Augustus III of Saxony, Frederick Augustus III (1865–1932), King of Saxony (1904–1918) * Frederick William I of Prussia, Frederick William I (1688–1740), King of Prussia (1713–1740) * Frederick William II of Prussia, Frederick William II (1744–1797), King of Prussia (1786–1797) * Frederick William III of Prussia, Frederick William III (1770–1840), King of Prussia (1797–1840) * Frederick William IV of Prussia, Frederick William IV (1795–1861), King of Prussia (1840–1861) * George of Saxony, George (1832–1904), King of Saxony (1902–1904) * George V of Hanover, George V (1819–1878), King of Hanover (1851–1866) * Henry the Fowler, Henry I the Fowler (876–936), King of Germany 919 * Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor, Henry II (972–1024), King of Germany 1002, Holy Roman Emperor 1014–24 * Henry III, Holy Roman Emperor, Henry III (1017–1056), King of Germany 1039, Holy Roman Emperor 1046–56 * Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor, Henry IV (1050–1106), King of Germany 1056, Holy Roman Emperor 1084–1106 * Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor, Henry V (1081–1125), King of Germany 1106, Holy Roman Emperor 1111–25 * Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor, Henry VI (1165–1197), King of Germany 1190, Holy Roman Emperor 1191–97 * John of Saxony, John (1801–1873), King of Saxony (1854–1873) * Louis IV, Holy Roman Emperor, Louis IV (1281–1347), King of Germany 1314, Holy Roman Emperor 1328–47 * Ludwig I of Bavaria, Ludwig I (1786–1868), King of Bavaria (1825–1848) * Ludwig II of Bavaria, Ludwig II (1845–1886), King of Bavaria (1864–1886) * Ludwig III of Bavaria, Ludwig III (1845–1921), King of Bavaria (1913–1918) * Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor, Maximilian I (1459–1519), King of Germany 1486, Holy Roman Emperor 1508–19 * Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria, Maximilian I (1756–1825), Elector (1799–1805) and King (1805–1825) of Bavaria * Maximilian II of Bavaria, Maximilian II (1811–1864), King of Bavaria (1848–1864) * Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor, Otto I the Great (912–973), King of Germany 936, Holy Roman Emperor 962–973 * Otto II, Holy Roman Emperor, Otto II (955–983), Holy Roman Emperor 973–983 * Otto III, Holy Roman Emperor, 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, King of Bavaria, Otto of Bavaria (1848–1916), King of Bavaria (1886–1913) * Wilhelm I of Germany, Wilhelm I (1797–1888), German Emperor (1871–1888) and King of Prussia (1861–1888) * Wilhelm II of Germany, Wilhelm II (1859–1941), German Emperor and King of Prussia (1888–1918) * William I of Württemberg, William I (1781–1864), King of Württemberg (1816–1864) * William II of Württemberg, William II (1848–1921), King of Württemberg (1891–1918)

Scientists and engineers

A–G

* Otto Wilhelm Hermann von Abich (1806–1886), mineralogist, geologist *Michael Albeck (born 1934), Israeli chemist; President of Bar-Ilan University * Alois Alzheimer (1864–1915), psychiatrist and neuropathologist * 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 * Henning Behrens (born 1940), economist and political scientist * Georg Bednorz (born 1950), physicist Nobel Prize for Physics * Emil von Behring (1854–1917), physician *

(1844–1929), inventor of the gasoline-powered automobile * Friedrich Bessel (1784–1846), mathematician * Hans Bethe (1906–2005), physicist * Hennig Brand (c. 1630 c.1692 or c. 1710), alchemist; discoverer of phosphorus * Max Born (1882–1970), physicist *

(1861–1942), industrialist *

(1890–1963), engineer * Karl Ferdinand Braun (1850–1918), physicist * Wernher von Braun (1912–1977), space engineer, rocket scientist * Eduard Buchner (1860–1917), biochemist; recipient 1907 Nobel Prize for Chemistry for the discovery of enzymes * Robert Bunsen, Robert Wilhelm Bunsen (1811–1899), chemist * Alfred Buntru (1887–1974), hydraulic engineer and SS officer * Georg Cantor (1845–1918), mathematician * Conrad of Leonberg (1460–1511), humanist scholar * Nicolaus Copernicus (1473–1543), Prussia (region), Prussian astronomer who wrote and spoke German; he is also often considered as a Pole * Hans Gerhard Creutzfeldt, neuropathologist * Adolf Daimler (1871–1913), mechanical engineer *

(1834–1900), inventor and engineer * Gertrud Dorka (1893–1976), archaeologist, prehistorian and museum director * Carl Duisberg (1861–1935), chemist and industrialist * Rudolf Diesel (1858–1913), inventor of the Diesel engine * Paul Ehrlich (1854–1915), physician * Albert Einstein (1879–1955), physicist * Gerhard Ertl (born 1936), physicist * Hans Jürgen Eysenck (1916–1997), psychologist * Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686–1736), physicist, engineer, and glass blower * Adolf Eugen Fick (1829–1901), inventor of contact lenses * Wolfgang Finkelnburg (1905–1967), physicist * Hermann Emil Fischer (1852–1919), chemist and List of Nobel laureates in Chemistry, 1902 recipient of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry * Friederike Fless (born 1964), president of the German Archaeological Institute * Elvira Fölzer (1868–1928), early female archaeologist * Joseph von Fraunhofer (1787–1826), physicist * Gottlob Frege (1848–1925), mathematician and logicist * Wilhelm Siegmund Frei (1885–1943), dermatologist * Erich Fromm (1900–1980), psychologist * Klaus Fuchs (1911–1988), physicist and spy * Hans Geiger (1882–1945), physicist * Carl Friedrich Gauss (1777–1855), mathematician * Otto von Guericke (1602–1682), scientist * Johannes Gutenberg (1398–1468), inventor of modern bookprinting

H–J

* Fritz Haber (1868–1934), chemist * Ernst Haeckel (1834–1919), physician * Otto Hahn (1879–1968), chemist * Theodor W. Hänsch (born 1941), physicist * Bernhard Hantzsch (1875–1911), ornithologist * Georg Hartmann (geographer), Georg Hartmann (1865–1946), geographer * Felix Hausdorff (1868–1942), mathematician * Robert Havemann (1910–1982), chemist *

(1888–1958), aircraft engineer * Werner Heisenberg, Werner Karl Heisenberg (1901–1976), physicist * Magnus Hirschfeld (1868-1935), physician, sexologist, founder of the first ever committee for LGBTQ+ rights * Hermann Helmholtz, physicist * Heinrich Rudolf Hertz (1857–1894), physicist * Johannes Hevelius (1611–1687), astronomer * David Hilbert (1862–1943), mathematician * Johann Homann (1664–1724), geographer * Erich Hückel, Erich Hueckel (1896–1980), physicist * Alexander von Humboldt (1769–1859), explorer * Carl Gustav Jacob Jacobi (1804–1851), mathematician * Alfons Maria Jakob (1884–1931), neurologist *

(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 * Martin Heinrich Klaproth (1743–1817), chemist * Felix Klein (1849–1925), mathematician * Klaus von Klitzing (born 1943), physicist, Nobel Prize in Physics * 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 * Leopold Kronecker (1823–1891), mathematician * Ernst Eduard Kummer (1810–1893), mathematician * Edmund Landau (1877–1938), mathematician * Hermann Lattemann (1852–1894), balloon pilot and parachutist * Max von Laue (1879–1960), physicist * Gottfried Leibniz, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646–1716), mathematician * Philipp Eduard Anton von Lenard (1862–1947), physicist * Rudolph Lennhoff (1866–1933), public health doctor * August Leskien (1840–1916), linguist * Justus von Liebig (1803–1873), chemist * Otto Lilienthal (1848–1896), aviation pioneer * Ferdinand von Lindemann (1852–1939), mathematician * Alexander Lippisch (1894–1976), aerodynamicist * Friedrich Loeffler (1852–1915), bacteriologist * Johann Josef Loschmidt (1821–1895), physicist, chemist * Cornelia Lüdecke (born 1954), polar researcher, historian * Reimar Lüst (1923–2020), 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 * Willy Messerschmitt, 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 Peter Müller, Johannes Müller (1801–1858), physiologist * Walther Nernst (1864–1941), physicist * Carl Gottfried Neumann (1832–1925), mathematician * Franz Ernst Neumann (1798–1895), mathematician * :de:Claus Noé, Claus Noé (1938–2008), economist * Emmy Noether (1882–1935), mathematician * Georg Ohm (1789–1854), physicist * Wilhelm Ostwald, chemist; recipient 1909 Nobel Prize in Chemistry * Nicolaus Otto (1832–1891), coinventor of the Otto cycle * Bernhard Philberth (1927–2010), physicist, engineer, philosopher, theologian * Max Planck (1858–1947), physicist * Jesco von Puttkamer (1933–2012), space scientist (NASA manager), engineer and author * Bernhard Riemann (1826–1866), mathematician * Adam Ries (1492–1559), mathematician * Wilhelm Röntgen (1845–1923), physicist; inventor of x-rays Werner von Siemens (1816-1892), ca

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 * Cynthia Sharma (born 1979), infectious disease researcher, biologist *

(1816–1892), inventor, industrialist * 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 (psychologist), 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 (1880–1930), geologist, meteorologist * Karl Weierstrass (1815–1897), mathematician * August Weismann (1834–1914), biologist * Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker (1912–2007), physicist * Hermann Weyl (1885–1955), mathematician * Maximilian zu Wied-Neuwied (1782–1867), zoologist * Wilhelm Wien (1864–1928), physicist * Heinrich Wohlwill (1874–1943), electrical engineer * Mieczysław Wolfke (1883–1947), Polish physicist of German descent * Wilhelm Wundt (1832–1920), physiologist, psychologist * Christian Zeller (1822–1899, Rektor), mathematician *

(1838–1917), inventor of the

, founded the Zeppelin Airship company * Ernst Zermelo (1871–1953), mathematician * Konrad Zuse (1910–1995), computer pioneer

Sportspeople

A–G

* Franziska van Almsick (born 1978), swimmer * Adolf Anderssen (1818–1879), chess grandmaster * Tobias Arlt (born 1987), luger * Rudi Ball (1911–1975), Hall of Fame ice hockey player, Olympic bronze 1932, World runner-up 1930, bronze 1934 * Michael Ballack (born 1976), football player * Karin Balzer (1938–2019), hurdler * Marcel Barthel (born 1990), professional wrestler * Dieter Baumann (born 1965), athlete * Franz Beckenbauer (born 1945), football player * Boris Becker (born 1967), tennis player * Ludger Beerbaum (born 1963), equestrian; four-time Olympic Gold medalist * Elly Beinhorn (1907–2007), aviator * Valery Belenky (born 1969), Soviet/Azerbaijan/German Olympic gymnastics champion (team combined exercises), bronze (individual combined exercises) * Isaac Bonga, NBA player * Stefan Bellof (1957–1985), race car driver * Gretel Bergmann (1914–2017), internationally renowned high jumper of the 1930s was excluded from the 1936 Olympic team due to being Jewish. * Frank Biela (born 1964), race car driver * Oliver Bierhoff (born 1968), football player * Jérôme Boateng (born 1988), football player * Timo Boll, table tennis player * Kathrin Boron (born 1969), sculling, scmomuller; four-time Olympic gold medallist * Daryl Boyle (born 1987), ice hockey player for Germany * Andreas Brehme (born 1960), football player and coach * Paul Breitner (born 1951), football player * Kai Budde (born 1979), professional ''Magic: The Gathering'' player * Bettina Bunge (born 1963), tennis player * Rudolf Caracciola (1901–1959), race car driver * Rolf Decker, German-born American, football midfielder (US national team) * Uschi Disl (born 1970), biathlete * Heike Drechsler (born 1964), athlete * Mathew Dumba (born 1994), ice hockey player * Stefan Effenberg (born 1968), football player * Christian Ehrhoff (born 1982), Olympian and National Hockey League hockey player; plays for the Buffalo Sabres *David Elsner (born 1992), ice hockey forward * Erich Gottlieb Eliskases (1913–1997), leading chess player of the 1930s–40s, represented Austria, Germany and Argentina in international competition * Kornelia Ender (born 1958), swimmer; became the first woman swimmer to win four gold medals at a single Olympic Games (1976 Summer Olympics, in 1976), all in world record times * Karin Enke (born 1961), speed skater; one of the most dominant of the 1980s * Jürgen Fanghänel (born 1951), boxer * Rudi Fink (born 1958), boxer * Birgit Fischer (born 1962), kayaker * Sven Fischer (born 1971), biathlete * Theodor Fischer (fencer), Theodor Fischer, Olympic épée and foil fencer * Alfred Flatow (1869–1942), gymnast, three-time Olympic champion (parallel bars, team parallel bars, team horizontal bar), silver (horizontal bar) * Gustav Flatow, Gustav Felix Flatow (1875–1945), two-time Olympic champion (team parallel bars, team horizontal bar) * Heinz-Harald Frentzen (born 1967), racing driver * Torsten Frings (born 1976), football player * Gottfried Fuchs (1889–1972), Olympic football player * Erika Geisen, IFBB professional bodybuilder * Natalie Geisenberger (born 1988), luger * Marcel Goc, German Olympian and NHL hockey player; plays for the Nashville Predators * Harold Goldsmith, born Hans Goldschmidt (1930–2004), American Olympic foil and épée fencer * Mario Gómez (born 1985), football player * Steffi Graf (born 1969), tennis player * Michael Greis (born 1976), biathlete * Michael Gross (swimmer), Michael Gross (born 1964), swimmer * Ricco Groß (born 1970), biathlete * Jan Gustafsson (born 1979), chess grandmaster and Janistan head of state * Ludwig Guttmann (1899–1980), founder of the Paralympics

H–M

* Tommy Haas (born 1978), tennis player * Georg Hackl (born 1966), luger * Hans Halberstadt (1885–1966), German-born American Olympic fencer * Dietmar Hamann (born 1973), football player * Sven Hannawald (born 1974), ski jumper * Armin Hary (born 1937), athlete * Thomas Häßler (born 1966), football player * Nico Hülkenberg (born 1987), racing driver * Nick Heidfeld (born 1977), racing driver * Lilli Henoch (1899–1942), world records in discus, shot put, and 4x100-m relay; shot by the Nazis in Latvia * Jupp Heynckes (born 1945), retired footballer and current manager of FC Bayern Munich * Julius Hirsch (1892–1945), Olympian football player and first Jewish member of the Germany national football team, national team, two-time Germany team champion, awarded the Iron Cross during World War I, murdered in Auschwitz concentration camp. * Ottmar Hitzfeld (born 1949), football player and manager * Leah Horowitz (runner), Leah Horowitz (1933–1956), Israeli Olympic hurdler * Mats Hummels (born 1988), football player * Peter Hussing (1948–2012), boxer * Robert Hübner (born 1948), chess grandmaster * Reinhold Joest (born 1937), race car driver and racing team owner * Klaus Junge (1924–1945), one of the youngest German chess grandmasters * Enriko Kehl (born 1992), muay thai kickboxing * Oliver Kahn (born 1969), football player * Andy Kapp (born 1967), curler * Fritz Keller (born 1957), football administrator * Udo Kiessling (born 1955), first ice hockey player to compete at List of athletes with the most appearances at Olympic Games, five Olympics * Herbert Klein (swimmer), Herbert Klein (1923–2001), Olympic bronze (200-m breaststroke); three world records * Ralph Klein (basketball), Ralph Klein (1931–2008), Berlin-born Israeli basketball player and coach * Jutta Kleinschmidt, rally driver * Reiner Klimke (1936–1999), equestrian; won six gold and two bronze medals in dressage at the Summer Olympics * Jürgen Klinsmann (born 1964), football player and manager * Jürgen Klopp (born 1967), Liverpool football manager * Miroslav Klose (born 1978), football player * Georg Koch (born 1972), football player * Marita Koch (born 1957), Sprint (running), sprint track and field athlete who collected 30 List of world records in athletics, world records * Olaf Kölzig (born 1970), German Olympian and National Hockey League goaltender, goalie; plays for the Tampa Bay Lightning * Andreas Köpke (born 1962), football player (goalkeeper) * Louis Krages (1949–2001), racing driver who raced under the pseudonym of "John Winter" * Ingrid Krämer (born 1943), Diving (sport), diver and Olympic champion * Toni Kroos (born 1990), football player * Uwe Krupp (born 1965), ice hockey player and coach; won the Stanley Cup and played in an NHL All-Star Game * Erich Kühnhackl (born 1950), ice hockey player; named Germany's ice hockey player of the 20th century and member of the IIHF Hall of Fame * Kevin Kuske (born 1979), bobsledder; most successful Olympic athlete in bobsledding, winning four gold medals and two silver medals * Philipp Lahm (born 1983), football player * André Lange, bobsledding champion * Hermann Lang (1909–1987), champion race car driver * Bernhard Langer (born 1957), golfer * Henry Laskau (1916–2000), racewalker; won 42 national titles; Pan American Games champion; four-time Maccabiah champion * Emanuel Lasker (1868–1941), the second World Chess Champion (1894–1921) * Jens Lehmann (born 1969), football player (goalkeeper) * Ellen Lohr, racing driver * Joachim Löw (born 1960), football player and manager of Germany national football team, Germany * Klaus Ludwig, racing driver * Marion Lüttge (born 1941), javelin thrower * Brooks Macek (born 1992), ice hockey player for Germany * Felix Magath (born 1953), football player and manager * Sepp Maier (born 1944), football player * Jan Martín (born 1984), German-Israeli-Spanish basketball player * Henry Maske (born 1964), boxer * Jochen Mass, racing driver * Lothar Matthäus (born 1961), football player * Roland Matthes (1950–2019), swimmer and the most successful backstroke swimmer of all times * Helene Mayer (1910–1953), foil fencer, Olympic champion * Georg Meier (1910–1999), motorcycle racer * Yona Melnik (born 1949), Israeli Olympic judoka * Markus Merk (born 1962), top-level Referee (association football), football referee * Christoph Metzelder (born 1980), football player * Ulrike Meyfarth (born 1956), high jumper * Rosi Mittermaier (born 1950), alpine ski champion * Andreas Möller (born 1967), football player * Gerd Müller (born 1945), football player * Jörg Müller (born 1969), race car driver * Petra Müller (born 1965), athlete * Thomas Müller (born 1989), football player

N–R

* Patricia Neske (born 1966), figure skater * Günter Netzer (born 1944), football player * Manuel Neuer (born 1986), football player (goalkeeper) * Gunda Niemann-Stirnemann (born 1966), speed skater * Aron Nimzowitsch (1886–1935), Latvian-Danish German chess master and chess writer * Dirk Nowitzki (born 1978), National Basketball Association player * Kristin Otto (born 1966), Olympic swimming champion * Sylke Otto (born 1969), luger * Mesut Özil (born 1988), football player * Claudia Pechstein (born 1972), speed skater * Uta Pippig (born 1965), athlete * Lukas Podolski (born 1985), football player * Sarah Poewe (born 1983), swimmer, Olympic bronze (4 × 100 medley relay) * Ellen Preis (Ellen Müller-Preis) (1912–2007), German-born Austrian Olympic champion foil fencer * Daniel Prenn (1904–1991), tennis player, highest world ranking # 6 * Birgit Prinz (born 1977), football player * Lina Radke (1903–1983), athlete * Teodor Regedziński (also known as Theodor Reger) (1894–1954), Polish chess master of German origin; father's name was Reger * Otto Rehhagel (born 1938), football player and manager * Annegret Richter (born 1950), athlete * Lars Riedel (born 1967), athlete * Maria Höfl-Riesch (born 1984), FIS Alpine Ski World Cup, World Cup Alpine skiing, alpine ski racer * Jochen Rindt (1942–1970), German-born racing driver who represented Austria during his career (one-time World Champion) * Walter Röhrl, rally and racing driver (two-time Rally World Champion) * Nico Rosberg (born 1985), former German–Finnish Formula One driver (one-time World Champion) * Bernd Rosemeyer (1909–1938), racing driver * Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (born 1955), football player

S–Z

Bundesarchiv Bild 102-09348, Max Schmeling

* Matthias Sammer (born 1967), football player and manager who won the Ballon d'Or (1956–2009), 1996 Ballon d'Or * Thomas Schaaf (born 1961), football player and manager * Max Schmeling (1905–2005), World Heavyweight Boxing Champion * Paul Felix Schmidt (1916–1984), Estonian–German chess master * Martin Schmitt (born 1978), ski jumper * Bernd Schneider (footballer), Bernd Schneider, football player * Bernd Schneider (racing driver), Bernd Schneider, racing driver * Mehmet Scholl (born 1970), football player * Anja Schreiner, IFBB professional bodybuilder * Detlef Schrempf (born 1963), former NBA player * Carl Schuhmann (1869–1946), won four Olympic titles in gymnastics and wrestling at the 1896 Summer Olympics; becoming the most successful athlete at the inaugural Olympics of the modern era * Harald Schumacher (born 1954), football player * Michael Schumacher (born 1969), racing driver (seven-time Formula One World Champion) * Ralf Schumacher (born 1975), racing driver; brother of Michael Schumacher * Dennis Schröder, NBA player * Ralf Schumann (born 1962), pistol shooter * Bernd Schuster (born 1959), football player and manager * Rainer Schüttler, tennis player * Armin Schwarz (born 1963), racing driver * Bastian Schweinsteiger (born 1984), football player * Werner Seelenbinder (1904–1944), wrestler * Uwe Seeler (born 1936), football player * Dennis Seidenberg (born 1981), ice hockey player * Katja Seizinger, alpine ski champion * Wolfgang Stark (born 1969), football referee * Renate Stecher (born 1950), athlete * Britta Steffen (born 1983), swimmer; three-time Olympic medalist * Michael Stich (born 1968), tennis player * Rolf Stommelen (1943–1983), racing driver * Hans Stuck (1900–1978), racing driver * Hans-Joachim Stuck, racing driver and son of Hans * Marco Sturm (born 1978), ice hockey player and coach; one-time NHL All-Star Game, NHL All-Star (1999 NHL All-Star Game, 1999) * Siegbert Tarrasch (1862–1934), chess grandmaster * Joseph Taussig (1877–1947), German-born American football quarterback * Axel Teichmann (born 1979), cross-country skier * Richard Teichmann (1868–1925), leading German chess player, easily of grandmaster strength * Alexander Wolfe (wrestler), Axel Tischer (born 1986), professional wrestler * Toni Turek (1919–1984), football player * Jan Ullrich (born 1973), cyclist * Wolfgang Unzicker (1925–2006), chess grandmaster * Nicole Uphoff (born 1967), equestrian * Sebastian Vettel, Formula One driver (four-time World Champion) * Berti Vogts, football player and manager * Johannes Voigtmann (born 1992), basketball player * Rudi Völler (born 1960), football player * Sebastian Vollmer (born 1984), American football player, first German NFL draft pick; plays for the New England Patriots * Katrin Wagner-Augustin (born 1977), Canoe sprint, sprint canoer * Ralf Waldmann, motorcycle racer * Fritz Walter (footballer, 1920), Fritz Walter (1920–2002), football player * Fritz Walter (footballer, 1960), Fritz Walter (born 1960), football player * Ulrich Wehling (born 1952), won the nordic combined event in the Winter Olympics three consecutive times, in 1972 Winter Olympics, 1972, 1976 Winter Olympics, 1976, and 1980 Winter Olympics, 1980 * Jens Weißflog (born 1964), ski jumper * Tobias Wendl (born 1987), luger *Moritz Wagner (basketball), Moritz Wagner, NBA player for the Los Angeles Lakers * Isabell Werth (born 1969), equestrian and world champion in dressage; holds the record for the most Olympic medals won by any equestrian athlete * Kati Wilhelm (born 1976), biathlete * Joachim Winkelhock, racing driver * Manfred Winkelhock (1951–1985), racing driver; brother of Joachim Winkelhock * Hans Günter Winkler (1926–2018), show jumping rider * Katarina Witt (born 1965), figure skater * Bärbel Wöckel (born 1955), Sprint (running), sprinter * Sigrun Wodars (born 1965), athlete * Jenny Wolf (born 1979), speed skater * Erik Zabel (born 1970), cyclist * Christian Ziege (born 1972), football player and manager * Johannes Zukertort (1842–1888), German Polish-Jewish chessmaster

Theologians, saints and beatified persons

* Heinrich Abeken (1809–1872), theologian * Johannes Agricola (1494–1566), Protestant reformer * Albertus Magnus, medieval philosopher and theologian * Eusebius Amort (1692–1775) * Pope Benedict XVI (also known as Joseph Ratzinger) (born 1927) * Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906–1945), theologian * Johannes Bugenhagen (1485–1558), Protestant reformer of Pomerania and Denmark; theologian * Rudolf Bultmann (1884–1976) * Pope Clement II (1005–1047) * Pope Damasus II (?–1048) * Alfred Delp (1907–1945) * Eugen Drewermann (born 1940) * Johann Eck (1486–1543) * Anne Catherine Emmerich (1774–1824) * Matthias Faber (1586–1653) * Pope Gregory V (c. 972–999) * Adolf Harnack (1851–1930) * Saint Hedwig of Andechs, Hedwig of Andech (1174–1243) *

, poet, translator, philosopher and theologian * Dietrich von Hildebrand (1889–1977) * Clemens August Graf von Galen, beatified, cardinal * Thomas à Kempis (c. 1380 – 1471), canon regular * Adolph Kolping (1813–1865), beatified, priest * Hans Küng (1928–2021) * Karl Lehmann (1936–2018) * Pope Leo IX (1002–1054) * Martin Luther (1483–1546), Protestant Reformation * Philipp Melanchthon (1497–1560), Protestant Reformation * Moses Mendelssohn (1729–1786) * Jürgen Moltmann (born 1926), theologian * Bernhard Philberth (1927–2010), physicist, engineer, philosopher, theologian * Karl Rahner (1904–1989), theologian * Friedrich Daniel Ernst Schleiermacher, 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 the Holocaust * Johann Tetzel (1465–1519), monk * Carsten Peter Thiede (1952–2004), theologian, New Testament historian, chaplain * Helmut Thielicke (1908–1986), theologian * Paul Tillich (1886–1965), theologian, philosopher * Pope Victor II (c. 1018 – 1057)

Militants

* Sophie Scholl (1921–1943), member of the German resistance in World War II *Linda Wenzel, ISIS bride

Others

Bundesarchiv Bild 183-T0709-148, Sigmund Jähn

* Michael Baumgardt (born 1966), web designer * Thomas Bach (born 1953), lawyer, former fencer * Franz Borkenau (1900–1957), social scientist * Gottfried Gabriel Bredow (1773–1814), historian * Moritz Brosch (1829–1907), historian * Dieter Claessens (1921–1997), sociologist * Thomas Druyen (born 1957), sociologist * Shlomo Eckstein (1929–2020), Israeli economist and president of Bar-Ilan University * Gudrun Ensslin (1940–1977), terrorist * Michael Fassbender (born 1977), actor * Siegfried Fischbacher (1939–2021), magician, conservationist * Reinhard Furrer (1940–1995), astronaut * Andreas Gaill (1526–1587), jurist * Margarete Gütschow (1871–1951), archaeologist * Herschel Grynszpan (1921–1944), Polish-Jewish refugee turned assassin * Kerstin Günther (born 1967), business executive * Johann Gutenberg (c. 1390s – 1468), printer * Hildegard of Bingen, Hildegard von Bingen (1098–1179), abbess, mystic * Roy Horn (1944–2020), magician, conservationist * Karen Horney, psychoanalyst * Heribert Illig (born 1947), historian * Peter Hoffmann (historian), Peter Hoffmann, awarded outstanding historian * Sigmund Jähn (1937–2019), first German in space * Bruno Kahl (born 1962), intelligence administrative lawyer * Erhart Kirfel, businessman, finance controller of the SPD * René König (1906–1992), sociologist * Siegfried Kracauer * Christian Frederick Martin (1796–1867), inventor of the steel-string guitar * Ulrike Meinhof (1934–1976), journalist and terrorist * Ulf Merbold (born 1941), astronaut * Carl von Ossietzky (1889–1938), journalist and pacifism, pacifist *

(1875–1951), designer and founder of

* Ferry Porsche (1909–1998), automobile designer and son of Ferdinand Porsche * Ferdinand Alexander Porsche (1935–2012), designer and member of the Porsche family * Ferdinand Oliver Porsche (born 1961), lawyer, executive and family member of Porsche * Ludwig Quidde (1858–1941), historian and pacifist * Leopold von Ranke (1795–1886), historian *

Paul Reuter Paul Julius Reuter (born Israel Beer Josaphat; 21 July 1816 – 25 February 1899), later ennobled as Freiherr von Reuter (Baron von Reuter), was a German-born British entrepreneur who was a pioneer of telegraphy and news reporting.the Holocaust The Holocaust, also known as the Shoah, was the genocide of European Jews during World War II. Between 1941 and 1945, Nazi Germany and its collaborators systematically murdered some six million Jews across German-occupied Europe; a ...

* Hannelore Schmatz, mountaineer * Heffa Schücking, environmentalist * Albert Schweitzer (1875–1965), physician, humanitarian * Henry Shultz (1776–1851), emigrant to the United States, entrepreneur * Ell Smula (1914–1943), Ravensbrück concentration camp victim * Guy Spier, author and investor * Claus von Stauffenberg (1907–1944), ''Operation Valkyrie'' * Ilse Totzke (1913–1987), Holocaust survivor * Frederick Trump (1869–1918), businessman, patriarch of the Trump family * Hans-Hasso von Veltheim (1885–1956) Indologist, Anthroposophist * Ulrich Walter (born 1954), astronaut * Alfred Weber, sociologist * Max Weber, sociologist * Diedrich Hermann Westermann (1875–1956), linguist * Ruth Westheimer (born 1928), German-American sex therapist, talk show host, author, Doctor of Education, Holocaust survivor, and former Haganah sniper. * William the Silent (1533–1584), German-born main leader of the Dutch revolt against the Spanish Habsburgs * Johann Joachim Winckelmann (1717–1768), art historian and archaeologist * Karl Witte (1800–1883), jurist and scholar of Dante Alighieri * Friedrich Heinrich Zinckgraf (1878–1954), gallery owner

More lists of Germans

* List of German astronauts * List of German inventors and discoverers * List of Alsatians and Lorrainians * List of Baltic Germans * List of German agriculture ministers * List of German Jews * List of German monarchs * List of German popes * List of Nobel laureates by country#Germany

References

{{reflist Lists of German people,

Architects

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Filmmakers

Literature

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Humorists, cabaret performers and comedians

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Chancellors of Germany 1871–1945

Chancellors of Germany (after World War II)

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Politicians of the East German Communist Party and regime

Personalities of the Nazism, Nazi Party and regime

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More lists of Germans

See also

References