List of Germans

Here is a list of famous Germans:

Contents

1 Actors 2 Artists 3 Composers 4 Filmmakers 5 Royalty 6 Musicians and singers 7 Philosophers 8 Politicians 8.1 Chancelors of Germany (before 2nd World War) 8.2 Chancellors of Germany (after 2nd World War) 8.3 Presidents of Germany 8.4 Politicians in East Germany 8.5 Personalities of the Nazi Party and Regime 9 Scientists and engineers 10 Sportspersons 11 Theologians 12 Writers 13 Others

Actors

• Mario Adorf, (born 1930), actor
• Hans Albers, actor
• Moritz Bleibtreu, (born 1971), actor
• Eric Braeden, (born Hans Gudegast, 1941), actor
• Horst Buchholz, (1933-2003), actor
• Marlene Dietrich, (1901-1992), actress
• Heinz Erhardt, (1909-1979), actor and comedian
• Gert Fröbe, (1913-1988), actor
• Götz George, (born 1938), actor
• Heinrich George, actor
• Brigitte Helm, (1908-1996), actress
• Klaus Kinski, (1926-1991), actor
• Hildegard Knef, (1925-2002), actress, singer, writer
• Diane Kruger, (born 1976), actress
• Heike Makatsch, actress
• Willy Millowitsch, (1909-1999), actor
• Armin Mueller-Stahl, (born 1930), actor
• Franka Potente (born 1974), actress
• Jürgen Prochnow, (born 1941), actor
• Heinz Rühmann, (1902-1994), actor
• Uwe Ochsenknecht, (born 1956), actor
• Kristina Söderbaum, (1912-2001), actress and photographer
• Otto Waalkes, (born 1948), actor and comedian
• Stefan Raab, (born 1966), comedian, singer

Artists

• Hans von Aachen, (1552-1615), mannerist painter
• Albrecht Altdorfer, (1480-1538), painter
• Ernst Barlach, (1870-1938), sculptor (and writer)
• Joseph Beuys, (1921-1986), artist
• Arnold Böcklin, (1827-1901), painter
• Lovis Corinth, painter
• Lucas Cranach the Elder, (1472-1553), painter
• Lucas Cranach the Younger, (1515-1586), painter
• Albrecht Dürer, (1471-1528), painter
• Max Ernst, (1891-1976), surrealist painter
• Caspar David Friedrich, (1774-1840), painter
• Walter Gropius, (1883-1969), architect
• George Grosz, (1893-1959), artist
• Hannah Höch - artist
• Hans Holbein the Elder, (c.1465-1524), painter
• Hans Holbein the Younger, (c.1497-1543), illustrator, painter
• Jörg Immendorff, painter
• Janosch, (born 1931), artist known for his books for children
• Käthe Kollwitz, (1867-1945), painter
• Max Liebermann, painter
• Franz Marc, (1880-1916), painter
• Oskar Schlemmer, (1888-1943), choreographer, painter, sculptor, stage & costume designer
• Eberhard Schlotter (born 1921), painter
• Kurt Schwitters, painter, poet
• Max Slevogt, painter
• Carl Spitzweg, (1808-1885), painter
• Franz Stuck, painter

Composers

• Karl Friedrich Abel, (1725-1787), composer
• Martin Agricola, (1466-1506), composer
• Siegfried Alkan, (1858 - 1941), composer
• Johann Sebastian Bach, (1685-1750), composer
• Ludwig van Beethoven, (1770-1827), composer
• Martin Boettcher, (1927), film-composer (Karl May movies)
• Johannes Brahms, (1833-1897), composer
• Georg Friedrich Händel, (1685-1759), composer, opera composer
• Paul Hindemith, (1895-1963), composer
• Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy
• Carl Orff, (1895-1982), composer
• Johann Pachelbel, (1653-1706), composer
• Clara Schumann, (1819-1896), composer
• Robert Schumann, (1810-1856), composer, songwriter
• Karlheinz Stockhausen, (1928-), modern electronic composer
• Richard Strauss, (1864-1949), composer, opera composer
• Georg Philipp Telemann, (1681-1767), composer
• Richard Wagner, (1813-1883), composer
• Carl Maria von Weber, (1786-1826), composer
• Kurt Weill, (1900-1950), composer: Threepenny Opera, "September Song"

Filmmakers

• Doris Dörrie, female film director
• Roland Emmerich, film director
• Gregor von Bismarck, film director
• Rainer Werner Fassbinder, (1945-1982), film director
• Werner Herzog, (born 1942), film director
• Ernst Lubitsch, (1892-1947), film director
• F.W. Murnau, (1888-1931), film director
• Wolfgang Petersen, (born 1941), film director
• Leni Riefenstahl, (1902-2003), female film director
• Volker Schlöndorff, (born 1939), film director
• Tom Tykwer, (born 1965), film director
• Wim Wenders, (born 1945), film director

Royalty

• Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, (1819-1861), Queen Victoria's husband & consort
• Albert (1828-1902), King of Saxony (1873-1902)
• Anton (1755-1836), King of Saxony (1827-1836)
• Carol I of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen (1839-1914), Prince (1867-1881) and King (1881-1914) of Romania
• Charles (1823-1891), King of Württemberg (1823-1891)
• Ferdinand of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen (1865-1927), King of Romania (1924-1927)
• Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (1861-1948), Prince of Bulgaria (1887-1908), King (or Tsar) of the Bulgarians (1908-1918)
• Frederick I Barbarossa (1122–1190), King of Germany 1152, Holy Roman Emperor 1155-1190
• Frederick I of Prussia (1657-1713), Elector of Brandenburg (1688-1713), King in Prussia (1701-1713)
• Frederick I of Württemberg (1754-1816), Duke (1797-1803), Elector (1803-1806), and King (1806-1816) of Württemberg
• Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor (1194-1250), Holy Roman Emperor and King of Jerusalem
• Frederick II of Prussia (1712-1786), King of Prussia (1740-1786)
• Friedrich III (1831-1888), German Emperor and King of Prussia (1888)
• Frederick Augustus I (1750-1827), Elector (1763-1806) and King (1806-1827) of Saxony
• Frederick Augustus II (1797-1854), King of Saxony (1836-1854)
• Frederick Augustus III (1865-1932), King of Saxony (1904-1918)
• Frederick William I (1688-1740), King of Prussia (1713-1740)
• Frederick William II (1744-1797), King of Prussia (1786-1797)
• Frederick William III (1770-1840), King of Prussia (1797-1840)
• Frederick William IV (1795-1861), King of Prussia (1840-1861)
• George (1832-1904), King of Saxony (1902-1904)
• George V (1819-1878), King of Hanover (1851-1866)
• Henry II (972-1024), King of Germany 1002, Holy Roman Emperor 1014-1024
• Henry III (1017-1056), King of Germany 1039, Holy Roman Emperor 1046-1056
• Henry IV (1050-1106), King of Germany 1056, Holy Roman Emperor 1084-1106
• Henry V (1081-1125), King of Germany 1106, Holy Roman Emperor 1111-1125
• Henry VI (1165-1197), King of Germany 1190, Holy Roman Emperor 1191-1197
• John (1801-1873), King of Saxony (1854-1873)
• Ludwig I (1786-1868), King of Bavaria (1825-1848)
• Ludwig II (1845-1886), King of Bavaria (1864-1886)
• Ludwig III (1845-1921), King of Bavaria (1913-1918)
• Maximilian I (1756-1825), Elector (1799-1805) and King (1805-1825) of Bavaria
• Maximilian II (1811-1864), King of Bavaria (1848-1864)
• Otto I the Great (912-973), King of Germany 936, Holy Roman Emperor 962-973
• Otto II (955-983), Holy Roman Emperor 973-983
• Otto III (980-1002), King of Germany 983, Holy Roman Emperor 996-1002
• Otto of Greece King of Bavaria (1815-1867), King of the Hellenes (1833-1862)
• Otto of Bavaria (1848-1916), King of Bavaria (1886-1913)
• Wilhelm I (1797-1888), German Emperor (1871-1888) and King of Prussia (1861-1888)
• Wilhelm II (1859-1941), German Emperor and King of Prussia (1888-1918)
• William I (1781-1864), King of Württemberg (1816-1864)
• William II (1848-1921), King of Württemberg (1891-1918)

Musicians and singers

• Blind Guardian
• Dieter Bohlen, (born 1954), music-producer
• Can
• Die Ärzte
• Die Toten Hosen
• Die Prinzen
• Faust
• Heino, popular singer
• Herbert Grönemeyer, (born 1956)
• Kraftwerk
• Gundula Krause, (born 1966)
• Reinhard Mey, (born 1942)
• Marius Müller-Westernhagen
• Karl Münchinger, conductor
• Nena, (born 1960)
• Klaus Nomi, (1944-1983)
• Lisa Otto, opera singer
• Rammstein
• Michael Schenker, (born 1955), guitar player of UFO and solo career
• Scooter
• The Scorpions
• Ton Steine Scherben
• Hannes Wader
• Konstantin Wecker
• Wir sind Helden
• Funny van Dannen
• Paul Van Dyk
• Willy Hess (violinist)

See also: List of German bands

Philosophers

• Theodor Adorno, (1903-1969), philosopher, sociologist and composer
• Albertus Magnus, medieval philosopher and theologian
• Hannah Arendt, (1906-1975), political theorist
• Bruno Bauer, (1809 - 1882), political theorist and philosopher
• Walter Benjamin
• Ernst Bloch
• Ernst Cassirer, (1874 - 1945)
• Nikolaus Cusanus, (1401 - 1462), philosopher, theologian, mathematician
• Friedrich Engels, (1820 - 1895), philosopher, political economist, and collaborator with Karl Marx
• Ludwig Feuerbach, (1804 - 1872), philosopher
• Johann Gottlieb Fichte, (1762-1814), philosopher
• Gottlob Frege, (1848-1925), mathematician, logician and philosopher
• Erich Fromm
• Hans-Georg Gadamer, (1900-2002), philosopher
• Jürgen Habermas, (1929-), philosopher, social theorist
• Eduard von Hartmann, philosopher
• Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, (1770-1831), philosopher
• Martin Heidegger, (1889-1976), philosopher
• Max Horkheimer
• Karl Jaspers, (1883-1969), philosopher
• Immanuel Kant, (1724-1804), philosopher
• Ludwig Klages, philosopher
• Gottfried Leibniz, (1646-1716), physicist, philosopher
• Leo Löwenthal
• Karl Löwith
• Herbert Marcuse
• Karl Marx, (1818-1883), philosopher and sociologist. Founder of Marxist political and economic philosophy
• Friedrich Nietzsche, (1844-1900), early existentialist philosopher
• Johann Karl Friedrich Rosenkranz
• Franz Rosenzweig
• Max Scheler, philosopher
• Friedrich Schelling, (1775-1854), philosopher
• Carl Schmitt, (1888 - 1985), political theorist
• Arthur Schopenhauer, (1788-1860), philosopher
• Georg Simmel
• Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker, (1912 - ), philosopher and physicist
• Peter Wust, philosopher

Politicians

• Joschka Fischer, (born 1948), Foreign Minister and vice chancellor since 1998 (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen)
• Hans-Dietrich Genscher, (born 1927), former minister for foreign affairs (FDP)
• Jakob Grimm, (1785-1863), parlamentarian
• Wilhelm Grimm, (1786-1859), parlamentarian
• Gregor Gysi, (1948-), former leader of the PDS
• Petra Kelly, (1947-1992), cofounder of the German Green Party
• Jakob Maria Mierscheid, (1933-), virtual parlamentarian (SPD)
• Angela Merkel, (1954-), Leader of the CDU
• Hermann Müller, (1876-1931), Chancellor of the Weimar Republic (SPD)
• Hans Modrow (1928-), former leader of GDR, honorary chairman of PDS
• Walther Rathenau (1867-1922), foreign minister (DDP)
• Gerhard Schröder (1910-1989), foreign minister (CDU)
• Kurt Schumacher, (1895-1952), leader of the Social Democratic Party of Germany in the early years of the FRG
• Franz Josef Strauß, (1915-1988), Bavarian Politician (CSU)
• Ernst Thälmann, (1886-1944), leader of the Communist Party of Germany during the Weimar period
• Guido Westerwelle - party leader of the liberal party (FDP)
• Clara Zetkin, (1857-1933), socialist and fighter for women's rights
• Edmund Stoiber - party leader of the CSU and minister president of Bavaria

Chancelors of Germany (before 2nd World War)

• Gustav Stresemann, (1878-1929), chancellor and statesman of the Weimar Republic (DVP)
• Joseph Wirth, (1879-1956), Chancellor of the Weimar Period (Centre)
• Franz von Papen (1879-1969), chancellor and politician of the Weimar Republic
• Philipp Scheidemann, (1865-1939), chancellor in the Weimar period (SPD)
• Kurt von Schleicher - general and chancellor in the Weimar period
• Georg Michaelis, (1857-1936), Imperial Chancellor
• Hans Luther, (1885-1962), chancellor of the Weimar period
• Wilhelm Marx, (1863-1946), chancellor of the Weimar Period (Centre)
• Prince Maximilian of Baden, (1867-1929), Imperial Chancellor
• Gustav Bauer, (1870-1944), chancellor of the Weimar Republic (SPD)
• Theobald von Bethmann-Hollweg, (1856-1921), Imperial Chancellor
• Otto von Bismarck, (1815-1898), Imperial Chancellor
• Heinrich Brüning (1885-1970), Chancellor of the Weimar Republic (Centre Party)
• Bernhard von Bülow (1849-1929), Imperial Chancellor
• Leo von Caprivi (1831-1899), Imperial Chancellor
• Wilhelm Cuno (1876-1933), chancellor of the Weimar period
• Konstantin Fehrenbach (1852-1926), chancellor of the Weimar Republic (Centre)
• Georg von Hertling, (1843-1919), Imperial Chancellor
• Prince Chlodwig zu Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst, (1819-1901), Imperial Chancellor

Chancellors of Germany (after 2nd World War)

• Konrad Adenauer, (1876-1967), first federal chancellor in the new Germany (after the second world war) from 1949 to 1963 (CDU)
• Ludwig Erhard, (1897-1977), federal chancellor from 1963 to 1966 (CDU)
• Kurt Georg Kiesinger, (1904-1988), federal chancellor from 1966 to 1969 (CDU)
• Willy Brandt, (1913-1992), West German first Chancellor from the Socialist Party (SPD)
• Helmut Schmidt, (1969-1972 ; 1972-1974 ; 1974-1982), federal chancellor (SPD)
• Helmut Kohl, (1930-), federal chancellor 1982-1998 (CDU)
• Gerhard Schröder, (born 1944), federal chancellor since 1998 (SPD)

Presidents of Germany

• Friedrich Ebert, (1871-1925), First President of the Weimar Republic (SPD)
• Paul von Hindenburg, (1847-1934), general, president
• Johannes Rau, (born 1931), former federal president 1999-2004 (SPD)
• Horst Köhler, (1943-), federal president since 2004 (CDU)

Politicians in East Germany

• Egon Krenz, (born 1937) - leader of the GDR after Honecker
• Erich Honecker, (1912-1994) - leader of the GDR until 1989
• Erich Mielke, (1907-2000) - head of the Stasi
• Wilhelm Pieck, (1876-1960) - first president of the GDR
• Günter Schabowski, (born 1929) - member of politburo
• Willy Stoph, (1914-1999) - Premier of the GDR
• Walter Ulbricht, (1893-1973) - leader of the GDR
• Otto Grotewohl, (1894-1964) - minister president of the GDR

Personalities of the Nazi Party and Regime

• Klaus Barbie, (1913-1991), the "Butcher of Lyon"
• Martin Bormann, (1900-probably 1945), nazi leader
• Eva Braun, (1912-1945), Hitler's mistress and finally his wife
• Karl Brandt, (1904-1948)
• Karl Dönitz, (1891-1980), chief of the German marine, briefly Hitler's successor
• Anton Drexler, (1884-1942), founder of German Workers Party, which became the NSDAP
• Adolf Eichmann, (1906-1962), German SS officer
• Hans Frank, (1900-1946), Governor-General of Poland
• Roland Freisler, (1893-1945), infamous Nazi-judge
• Wilhelm Frick, (1877-1946), Minister of the Interior
• Walter Funk, (1890-1960), Minister of Economics
• Joseph Goebbels, (1897-1945), Chancellor of Germany, propaganda chief for the Nazis
• Hermann Göring, (1893-1946), Nazi and chief of Luftwaffe
• Rudolf Hess, (1894-1987), Hitler's private secretary
• Reinhard Heydrich, (1904-1942), Nazi officer, head of the SD and Gestapo
• Heinrich Himmler, (1900-1945), Nazi head of the SS
• Adolf Hitler, (1889 in Braunau, Austria-1945 in Berlin, Germany), dictator
• Alfred Jodl, (1890-1946), general, operations chief of the OKW
• Ernst Kaltenbrunner, (1903-1946), Heydrich's successor at the SD
• Wilhelm Keitel, (1882-1946), field marshal, head of the OKW (1939-45)
• Günther von Kluge, (1882-1944), field marshal and commander of the Fourth Army (1939-41), Army Group Center (1941-43), and Commander-in-Chief West (1944)
• Robert Ley, (1890-1945), head of the German Labour Front
• Erich von Manstein, (1885-1973), field marshal and commander of the Eleventh Army (1941-42), Army Group Don (1942-43), and Army Group South (1943-44)
• Erhard Milch, (1892-1972), Göring's second-in-command, Air Inspector General
• Konstantin von Neurath, (1873-1956), Foreign Minister in the early years of the regime
• Franz von Papen (1879-1969), Deputy Chancellor in Hitler's first cabinet.
• Erich Raeder, (1876-1960), Head of the German Navy
• Joachim von Ribbentrop, (1893-1946), Nazi foreign minister
• Ernst Röhm, (1887-1934), head of the SA
• Erwin Rommel, (1891-1944), field marshal and commander of Army Group Africa (1942-43) and Army Group B (1944)
• Alfred Rosenberg, (1893-1946), Nazi ideologist
• Gerd von Rundstedt, (1875-1953), field marshal, Commander-in-Chief East (1939-40), commander of Army Group South (1939-41), Commander-in-Chief West (1942-44 and then 1944-45)
• Hjalmar Schacht, Minister of economics
• Baldur von Schirach, (1907-1974), Hitler Youth leader
• Sophie Scholl, (1921-1943), Bavarian Nazi resister
• Arthur Seyss-Inquart (1892-1946), Austrian Nazi leader
• Albert Speer, (1905-1981), "Hitler's architect", Minister of Armaments
• Gregor Strasser, Left-wing Nazi leader
• Julius Streicher, (1885-1946), Nazi Party leader in Nuremberg

Scientists and engineers

• Manfred von Ardenne, (1907-1997), physicist
• Otto Wilhelm Hermann von Abich, (1806-1886), mineralogist, geologist
• Anton de Bary, (1831-1888), surgeon, botanist, microbiologist
• Johann Bayer, (1572-1625), astronomer
• Carl Benz, (1844-1929), one of the inventors of the gasoline-powered automobile
• Friedrich Bessel, (1784-1846), mathematician
• Max Born, (1882-1970), physicist
• Carl Ferdinand Braun - physicist
• Wernher von Braun, (1912-1977), space engineer
• Robert Wilhelm Bunsen, (1811-1899), chemist
• Georg Cantor, (1845-1918), mathematician
• Hans Gerhard Creutzfeldt - neuropathologist
• Gottlieb Daimler, (1834-1900), one of the inventors of the gasoline-powered automobile
• Rudolf Diesel, (1858-1913), inventor of the Diesel engine
• Albert Einstein, (1879-1955), physicist
• Hans Jürgen Eysenck, psychologist
• Joseph von Fraunhofer, (1787-1826), physicist
• Erich Fromm, (1900-1980), psychologist
• Carl Friedrich Gauss, (1777-1855), mathematician
• Fritz Haber, (1868-1934), chemist
• Ernst Haeckel, (1834-1919), physician
• Otto Hahn, (1879-1968), chemist
• Felix Hausdorff, (1868-1942), mathematician
• Robert Havemann, (1910-1982), chemist (and dissident)
• Ernst Heinkel, (1888-1958), Aircraft engineer
• Werner Karl Heisenberg, (1901-1976), physicist
• Hermann Helmholtz, physicist
• Heinrich Rudolf Hertz, (1857-1894), physicist
• David Hilbert, (1862-1943), mathematician
• Johann Homann, (1664-1724), geographer
• Erich Hueckel, (1896-1980), physicist
• Carl Gustav Jakob Jacobi, (1804-1851), mathematician
• Alfons Maria Jakob, (1884-1931), neurologist
• Hugo Junkers, (1859-1935), Aircraft engineer
• Theodor Kaluza, (1885-1954), mathematician, theoretical physicist
• Friedrich August Kekulé von Stradonitz, (1829-1896), chemist
• Johannes Kepler, (1571-1630), astronomer
• Gustav Robert Kirchhoff, (1824-1887), physicist
• Felix Klein, (1849-1925), mathematician
• Wolfgang Franz von Kobell (1803-1882) - mineralogist
• Robert Koch, (1843-1910), physician
• Walter Karl Koch - surgeon
• Adolph Wilhelm Hermann Kolbe, (1818-1884), chemist
• Leopold Kronecker, (1823-1891), mathematician
• Ernst Eduard Kummer, (1810-1893), mathematician
• Edmund Landau, (1877-1938), mathematician
• Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, (1646-1716), mathematician
• Justus von Liebig, (1803-1873), chemist
• Ferdinand von Lindemann, (1852-1939), mathematician
• Alexander Lippisch, (1894-1976), aerodynamicist
• Albertus Magnus, (died 1280), alchemist
• Ludwig Immanuel Magnus, mathematician
• Siegfried Marcus, (1831-1898), automobile pioneer
• Wilhelm Maybach, (1846-1929), car-engine and automobile constructor
• Wilhelm Messerschmitt, (1898-1978), Aircraft engineer
• Lothar Meyer, (1830-1895), chemist
• Franz Mertens, (1840-1927), mathematician
• August Ferdinand Möbius, (1790-1868), mathematician, theoretical astronomer
• Johannes Müller, (1801 - 1858), physiologist
• Walther Nernst, (1864-1941), physicist
• Franz Ernst Neumann, (1798-1895), mathematician
• Carl Gottfried Neumann, (1832-1925), mathematician
• Emmy Noether, (1882-1935), mathematician
• Georg Ohm, (1789-1854), physicist
• Wilhelm Ostwald, Nobel prize winning chemist, philosopher
• Nikolaus Otto, (1832-1891), coinventor of the Otto cycle
• Max Planck, (1858-1947), physicist
• Bernhard Riemann, (1826-1866) mathematician
• Adam Riese, (1492-1559), mathematician
• Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen, (1845-1923), physicist
• 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
• Rolf Singer, (1906-1994), mycologist
• Arnold Sommerfeld, (1868-1951), physicist
• Georg Steller, (1709-1746), naturalist
• Alfred Stock, (1876-1946), chemist
• Max Vasmer (1886-1962), linguist
• Rudolf Virchow, (1821 - 1902), pioneer of medicine
• Otto Wallach, physicist
• Hellmuth Walter, (1900-1980), propulsion
• Felix Wankel, (1902-1988), inventor of the Wankel engine
• Alfred Wegener, meteorologist
• August Weismann, (1834-1914), biologist
• Karl Weierstrass, (1815-1897), mathematician
• Viktor von Weizsäcker, physician
• Hermann Weyl, (1885-1955), mathematician
• Maximilian zu Wied-Neuwied, (1782-1867), zoologist
• Wilhelm Wien, (1864-1928), physicist
• Wilhelm Wundt, (1832-1920), physiologist, psychologist
• Ernst Zermelo, (1871-1953), mathematician
• Konrad Zuse, (1910-1995), computers

Sportspersons

• Max Baer (died 1959), World Heavyweight Boxing Champion
• Michael Ballack (born 1976), soccer player
• Karin Balzer (born 1938), hurdler
• Franz Beckenbauer (born 1945), soccer player
• Boris Becker (born 1967), tennis player
• Kai Budde (born 1979), professional Magic: The Gathering player
• Bettina Bunge (born 1963), tennis player
• Rudolf Caracciola (1901-1959), race car driver
• Steffi Graf (born 1969), tennis player
• Georg Hackl (born 1966), luger
• Armin Hary (born 1937), athlete
• Oliver Kahn (born 1969), soccer player
• Andy Kapp (born 1967), curler
• Jürgen Klinsmann (born 1964), soccer player
• Olaf Kölzig (born 1970), hockey
• Hermann Lang (1909-1987), Champion race car driver
• Bernhard Langer (born 1957), golfer
• Sepp Maier (born 1944), soccer player
• Lothar Matthäus (born 1961), soccer player
• Ulrike Meyfarth (born 1956), high jumper
• Rosi Mittermaier (born 1950), alpine ski champion
• Gerd Müller (born 1945), soccer player
• Dirk Nowitzki (born 1978), NBA star
• Birgit Prinz (born 1977), soccer player
• Lina Radke (1903-1983), athlete
• Annegret Richter (born 1950), athlete
• Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, soccer player
• Max Schmeling (born 1905), boxer
• Detlef Schrempf (born 1963), former NBA star
• Rainer Schuettler, tennis player
• Michael Schumacher (born 1969), racing driver
• Ralf Schumacher (born 1975), racing driver, brother of Michael
• Toni Schumacher (born 1954), soccer player
• Ralf Schumann (born 1962), pistol shooter
• Uwe Seeler, soccer player
• Werner Seelenbinder, (1904-1944), wrestler
• Katja Seizinger, alpine ski champion
• Renate Stecher (born 1950), athlete
• Toni Turek (1919-1984), soccer player
• Jan Ullrich (born 1973), cyclist
• Berti Vogts, soccer player
• Rudi Völler (born 1960), soccer player
• Fritz Walter (1920-2002), soccer player
• Manfred Winkelhock (1951-1985), racing driver
• Katarina Witt (born 1965), figure skater
• Sigrun Wodars (born 1965), athlete

Theologians

• Heinrich Abeken, (1809-1872), theologian
• Johannes Agricola, (1494-1566), Protestant reformer
• Eusebius Amort, (1692-1775)
• Karl Barth, (1886-1968)
• Pope Benedict XVI, (born 1927)
• Dietrich Bonhoeffer, (1906-1945), Theologian
• Johannes Bugenhagen, (1485-1558) Protestand Reformer of Pomerania and Denmark, Theologian
• Rudolf Bultmann
• Alfred Delp
• Hans Küng
• Karl Lehmann
• Martin Luther, (1483-1546), of the Protestant Reformation
• Philipp Melanchthon, (1497-1560), Protestant Reformation
• Elisabeth Moltmann-Wendel
• Jürgen Moltmann, (born 1926), theologian
• Karl Rahner
• Friedrich Schleiermacher, (1768-1834), theologian
• Dorothee Sölle, (1929-2003)
• Helmut Thielicke
• Paul Tillich, philosopher
• Adolf Harnack, (1851-1930)

Writers

• Ernst Moritz Arndt - poet, songwriter, and patriot
• Achim von Arnim, (1781-1831), poet
• Bettina von Arnim, (1785-1859), writer and novelist
• Heinrich Böll, (1917-1985), author
• Bertolt Brecht, (1898-1956), playwright, poet
• Clemens Brentano, (1778-1842), poet and novelist
• Georg Büchner, dramatist and author
• Wilhelm Busch, (1832-1908), poet, satirist
• Matthias Claudius - poet
• Annette von Droste-Hülshoff, (1797-1848), poet
• Michael Ende, (1929-1995), author of fantasy novels and childrens' books
• Joseph von Eichendorff, (1788-1857), poet
• Hans Magnus Enzensberger, (born 1929), author, poet
• Wolfram von Eschenbach, (died 1220), poet
• Theodor Fontane, (1819-1898), novelist and poet
• Paul Gerhardt, (c. 1606-1676), hymn writer
• Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, (1749-1832), author, poet
• Günter Grass, (born 1927), author
• Heinrich Heine, (1797-1856), poet
• Johann Gottfried von Herder, (1744-1803), poet
• Hermann Hesse, (1877-1962), author
• Rolf Hochhuth, (born 1931), playwright
• Ernst Jünger, (1895-1998), writer/novelist
• Erich Kästner, (1899-1974), novelist
• Siegfried Lenz, (born 1926), author
• Gotthold Lessing, (1729-1781), writer
• Thomas Mann, (1875-1955), author
• Karl May, (1842-1912), author
• Christian Morgenstern, (1871-1914), poet
• Novalis, (1772-1801), poet and novelist
• Erich Maria Remarque, (1898-1970), novelist
• Rainer Maria Rilke, (1875-1926), poet
• Friedrich Schiller, (1759-1805), poet, playwright
• Theodor Storm, (1817-1888), author
• Patrick Süskind, (born 1949), author of Perfume, screenwriter
• Kurt Tucholsky, (1890-1935), writer, satirist
• Walter von der Vogelweide - poet
• Gero von Wilpert - essayist
• Christa Wolf, pnovelist and essayist

Others

• Rodolphus Agricola, (1443-1485)
• Johann Eck, (1486-1543)
• Gudrun Ensslin - terrorist
• Anne Frank, (1929-1945), diarist and victim of the Holocaust
• Klaus Fuchs, (1911-1988)
• Reinhard Furrer, (1940-1995), astronaut
• Herschel Grynszpan
• Johann Gutenberg, (circa 1390s-1468), printer
• Hildegard von Bingen, (1098-1179), abbess, mystic
• Thomas Hoffmarck, Big Brother Germany winner, extreme sports practitioner
• August Horch, (1868-1951), car designer/manufacturer (AUDI)
• Karen Horney - psychoanalyst
• Heribert Illig, (born 1947), historian
• Sigmund Jähn, (b. 1937), the first German in space
• Siegfried Kracauer
• Ulrike Meinhof, (1934-1976), terrorist
• Ulf Merbold, (b. 1941), astronaut
• Gerardus Mercator, (1512-1594), cartographer
• Carl von Ossietzky, (1889-1938), journalist and pacifist
• Ludwig Quidde, (1858-1941), historian and pacifist
• Mathias Rust, (b. 1968), aviator who landed in Red Square in 1987
• Albert Schweitzer, (1875-1965), physician, humanitarian
• Edith Stein, (1891-1942), nun, victim of Holocaust
• Johann Tetzel, (1465-1519)
• Manfred von Richthofen, (1892-1918), pilot
• Ulrich Walter, (b. 1954), astronaut
• Alfred Weber, sociologist
• Max Weber, sociologist
• Diedrich Hermann Westermann, (1875-1956), linguist

See also: List of German Jews, List of people by nationalityde:Liste bedeutender Deutscher id:Daftar Tokoh Jerman it:Tedeschi celebri ja:ドイツ人の一覧 ka:ცნობილი გერმანელები ko:독일인의 일람 pt:Lista de alemães famosos zh:德国人列表