List of Germans

This is a list of famous Germans.

Actors/Actresses

*Mario Adorf (born 1930), actor , writer
*Hans Albers (1891–1960), actor
*Mark Bellinghaus (born 1963), activist, actor, poet, writer
*Moritz Bleibtreu (born 1971), actor
*Eric Braeden (born Hans Gudegast, 1941), actor
*Daniel Brühl (born 1978), actor
*Horst Buchholz (1933–2003), actor
*Vicco von Bülow, aka Loriot, actor, comedia
*Hans Clarin (1930–2005), actor
*George Dzundza (born 1945), actor
*Marlene Dietrich (1901–1992), actress
*Heinz Erhardt (1909–1979), actor and comedian
*Gert Fröbe (1913–1988), actor
*Martina Gedeck (born 1961), actress
*Götz George (born 1938), actor
*Heinrich George (1893–1946), actor
*Gustaf Gründgens (1899–1963), actor
*Eva Habermann (born 1976), actress and model
*Brigitte Helm (1908–1996), actress
*Emil Jannings, actor
*Klaus Kinski (1926–1991), actor, Polish-German father, German mother
*Nastassja Kinski (born 1959), actress, daughter of Klaus Kinski
*Heidi Klum (born 1973), model and actress
*Hildegard Knef (1925–2002), actress, singer, writer
*Diane Kruger (born 1976), model and actress
*Alexandra Maria Lara (born 1978), actress
*Heike Makatsch (born 1971), actress
*Willy Millowitsch (1909–1999), actor
*Armin Mueller-Stahl (born 1930), actor
*Luise Neumann (1818–1905)
*Uwe Ochsenknecht (born 1956), actor
*Christian Oliver, actor
*Franka Potente (born 1974), actress
*Jürgen Prochnow (born 1941), actor
*Heinz Rühmann (1902–1994), actor
*Otto Sander (born 1941), actor
*Romy Schneider, actress
*Kristina Söderbaum (1912–2001), actress and photographer
*Claudia Schiffer (born 1970), actress and supermodel
*Til Schweiger (born 1963), actor
*Xenia Seeberg (born 1972), actress and model

Artists

*Hans von Aachen (1552–1615), mannerist painter
*Albrecht Altdorfer (1480–1538), painter
*Ernst Barlach (1870–1938), sculptor (and writer)
*Günther Behnisch (born 1922) architect
*Peter Behrens (1868–1940) architect
*Joseph Beuys (1921–1986), artist
*Arnold Böcklin (1827–1901), painter
*Gottfried Böhm (born 1920) architect
*Arno Breker (1900–1991), sculptor
*Lovis Corinth (1858–1925), painter
*Lucas Cranach the Elder (1472–1553), painter
*Lucas Cranach the Younger (1515–1586), painter
*Albrecht Dürer (1471–1528), painter
*Egon Eiermann (1904–1970), architect and designer
*Max Ernst (1891–1976), surrealist painter
*Caspar David Friedrich (1774–1840), painter
*Walter Gropius (1883–1969), architect
*George Grosz (1893–1959), artist
*Hannah Höch - artist
*Hans Holbein the Elder (c. 1465 – 1524), painter
*Hans Holbein the Younger (c. 1497 – 1543), illustrator, painter
*Jörg Immendorff, painter
*Helmut Jahn (born 1940) architect and designer
*Anselm Kiefer (born 1945), painter
*Martin Kippenberger (1953–1997), painter
*Leo von Klenze (1784–1864) architect
*Hans Kollhoff (born 1946) architect
*Käthe Kollwitz (1867–1945), painter
*Max Liebermann, painter
*Markus Lüpertz (born 1941), painter and sculptor
*Franz Marc (1880–1916), painter
*Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (1886–1969) architect, designer
*Frei Otto (born 1925) architect and research scientist
*Sigmar Polke (born 1941), painter
*Gerhard Richter (born 1932), painter
*Karl Friedrich Schinkel, architect, painter
*Oskar Schlemmer (1888–1943), choreographer, painter, sculptor, stage & costume designer
*Eberhard Schlotter (born 1921), painter
*Kurt Schwitters, painter, poet
*Fritz Schumacher (1869–1947) architect and urban designer
*Max Slevogt, painter
*Carl Spitzweg (1808–1885), painter
*Franz Stuck, painter

Composers

*John Louis Dinia (1369-1410), Composer, Writer
*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 J. S. Bach
*Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750), composer
*Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827), composer
*Martin Boettcher (born 1927), film-composer (Karl May movies)
*Johannes Brahms (1833–1897), composer
*Max Bruch (1838–1920), composer
*Hanns Eisler (1898–1962), composer
*Friedrich von Flotow (1812–1883), composer
*Georg Friedrich Händel (1685–1759), composer, opera composer
*Fanny Hensel, composer
*Paul Hindemith (1895–1963), composer
*Engelbert Humperdinck (1854–1921), composer
*Albert Lortzing (1801–1851), composer
*Giacomo Meyerbeer (1791–1864), composer
*Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (1809–1847), composer
*Jacques Offenbach (1819–1880), composer
*Carl Orff (1895–1982), composer
*Johann Pachelbel (1653–1706), composer
*Hans Pfitzner (1869–1949), composer
*Max Reger (1873–1916), composer
*Wolfgang Rihm (born 1952), composer
*Leopold Schefer (1784–1862), writer and composer
*Heinrich Schütz (1585–1672), composer
*Clara Schumann (1819–1896), composer
*Robert Schumann (1810–1856), composer, songwriter
*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 ("Threepenny Opera", "September Song")
*Hans Zimmer (born 1957), film-composer

Filmmakers

*Andreas Deja, Animator
*Uwe Boll, film director
*Doris Dörrie, female film director
*Roland Emmerich, film director
*Rainer Werner Fassbinder (1945–1982), film director
*Werner Herzog (born 1942), film director
*Oliver Hirschbiegel, film director
*Fritz Lang (1890–1976), 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
*Andreas Schnaas (born 1968), film director
*Tom Tykwer (born 1965), film director
*Robert Wiene, film director
*Wim Wenders (born 1945), film director

Royalty

*Alix of Hesse and Rhine (1872–1918), was a German princess by birth before marrying Tsar Nicholas II to become a Russian tsarina.
*Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (1819–1861), Queen Victoria's husband & consort
*Albert (1828–1902), King of Saxony (1873–1902)
*Anton (1755–1836), King of Saxony (1827–1836)
*Carol I of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen (1839–1914), Prince (1867–1881) and King (1881–1914) of Romania
*Charles IV (1316–1378), King of Germany 1346, Holy Roman Emperor 1355–1378
*Charles V (1500–1558), King of Spain 1516, King of Germany 1519, Holy Roman Emperor 1530–1556
*Charles (1823–1891), King of Württemberg (1823–1891)
*Claus von Amsberg (1926–2002), diplomat and husband of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands
*Ferdinand of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen (1865–1927), King of Romania (1924–1927)
*Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (1861–1948), Prince of Bulgaria (1887–1908), King (or Tsar) of the Bulgarians (1908–1918)
*Frederick I Barbarossa (1122–1190), King of Germany 1152, Holy Roman Emperor 1155–1190
*Frederick I of Prussia (1657–1713), Elector of Brandenburg (1688–1713), King in Prussia (1701–1713)
*Frederick I of Württemberg (1754–1816), Duke (1797–1803), Elector (1803–1806), and King (1806–1816) of Württemberg
*Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor (1194–1250), Holy Roman Emperor and King of Jerusalem
*Frederick II of Prussia (1712–1786), King of Prussia (1740–1786)
*Friedrich III (1831–1888), German Emperor and King of Prussia (1888)
*Frederick Augustus I (1750–1827), Elector (1763–1806) and King (1806–1827) of Saxony
*Frederick Augustus II (1797–1854), King of Saxony (1836–1854)
*Frederick Augustus III (1865–1932), King of Saxony (1904–1918)
*Frederick William I (1688–1740), King of Prussia (1713–1740)
*Frederick William II (1744–1797), King of Prussia (1786–1797)
*Frederick William III (1770–1840), King of Prussia (1797–1840)
*Frederick William IV (1795–1861), King of Prussia (1840–1861)
*George (1832–1904), King of Saxony (1902–1904)
*George V (1819–1878), King of Hanover (1851–1866)
*Henry I the Fowler (876–936), King of Germany 919
*Henry II (972–1024), King of Germany 1002, Holy Roman Emperor 1014–1024
*Henry III (1017–1056), King of Germany 1039, Holy Roman Emperor 1046–1056
*Henry IV (1050–1106), King of Germany 1056, Holy Roman Emperor 1084–1106
*Henry V (1081–1125), King of Germany 1106, Holy Roman Emperor 1111–1125
*Henry VI (1165–1197), King of Germany 1190, Holy Roman Emperor 1191–1197
*John (1801–1873), King of Saxony (1854–1873)
*Louis IV (1281–1347), King of Germany 1314, Holy Roman Emperor 1328–1347
*Ludwig I (1786–1868), King of Bavaria (1825–1848)
*Ludwig II (1845–1886), King of Bavaria (1864–1886)
*Ludwig III (1845–1921), King of Bavaria (1913–1918)
*Maximilian I (1459–1519), King of Germany 1486, Holy Roman Emperor 1508–1519
*Maximilian I (1756–1825), Elector (1799–1805) and King (1805–1825) of Bavaria
*Maximilian II (1811–1864), King of Bavaria (1848–1864)
*Otto I the Great (912–973), King of Germany 936, Holy Roman Emperor 962–973
*Otto II (955–983), Holy Roman Emperor 973–983
*Otto III (980–1002), King of Germany 983, Holy Roman Emperor 996–1002
*Otto of Greece King of Bavaria (1815–1867), King of the Hellenes (1833–1862)
*Otto of Bavaria (1848–1916), King of Bavaria (1886–1913)
*Wilhelm I (1797–1888), German Emperor (1871–1888) and King of Prussia (1861–1888)
*Wilhelm II (1859–1941), German Emperor and King of Prussia (1888–1918)
*William I (1781–1864), King of Württemberg (1816–1864)
*William II (1848–1921), King of Württemberg (1891–1918)

Musicians and singers

*Accept
*ATB
*Hans Albers
*Alphaville
*Agonoize
*Amon Düül
*Blind Guardian
*Wolf Biermann (born 1936), singer-songwriter and East German dissident
*Böhse Onkelz
*Bushido
*Dieter Bohlen (born 1954), music-producer
*Fritz Busch (1890–1951), conductor
*Caliban
*Can
*Sarah Connor, pop/soul singer
*Michael and Sandra Cretu, founder-performers of Enigma (musical project) and Sandra (group)
*Die Ärzte
*Die Prinzen
*Die Toten Hosen
*DJ Tomekk
*Einstürzende Neubauten
*Eisbrecher
*Frank Farian
*Faust
*Fler
*Freundeskreis
*Funker Vogt
*Wilhelm Furtwängler (1886–1954), conductor and composer
*Herbert Grönemeyer (born 1956)
*Guano Apes
*Heino, popular singer
*Helloween, power metal band
*Chris Hülsbeck
*In Extremo
*Juli
*Michael Kiske
*KMFDM
*Marlon Knauer (born 1987), singer
*Kraftwerk
*Gundula Krause (born 1966)
*LaFee
*Reinhard Mey (born 1942)
*Marius Müller-Westernhagen
*Anne-Sophie Mutter (born 1963), violinist
*Modern Talking
*Karl Münchinger, conductor
*Xavier Naidoo
*Necrophagist
*Nena (born 1960)
*Nevada Tan
*Megaherz
*Meshell Ndegeocello (born 1969)
*Klaus Nomi (1944–1983)
*Kool Savas, half German, half Turkish
*Oomph!
*Lisa Otto, opera singer
*Project Pitchfork
*Rammstein
*Michael Schenker (born 1955), guitar player of UFO and solo career
*Sandra
*SASH!
*Scooter
*Scorpions
*Schiller
*Seeed
*Sido (rapper)
*Silbermond
*Söhne Mannheims
*Tokio Hotel
*Ton Steine Scherben
*Melanie Thornton (1967–2001) (born in Charleston) Pop,Dance,R&B Singer
*Hannes Wader
*Bruno Walter (1876–1962), conductor and composer
*Konstantin Wecker
*Wir sind Helden
*Funny van Dannen
*Paul Van Dyk
*U96
*U.D.O.
*Willy Hess, violinist
*Wumpscut
*Yvonne Catterfeld

Philosophers

*Theodor Adorno (1903–1969), philosopher, sociologist and composer
*Albertus Magnus (c. 1193 – 1280), medieval philosopher and theologian
*Hannah Arendt (1906–1975), political theorist
*Bruno Bauer (1809–1882), political theorist and philosopher
*Walter Benjamin (1892–1940)
*Ernst Bloch (1885–1977)
*Jakob Böhme (1575–1624), mystic philosopher
*Rudolf Carnap (1891–1970), philosopher
*Ernst Cassirer (1874–1945)
*Friedrich Engels (1820–1895), philosopher, political economist
*Ludwig Feuerbach (1804–1872), philosopher
*Johann Gottlieb Fichte (1762–1814), philosopher
*Gottlob Frege (1848–1925), mathematician, logician and philosopher
*Erich Fromm (1900–1980)
*Hans-Georg Gadamer (1900–2002), philosopher
*Jürgen Habermas (born 1929), philosopher, social theorist
*Eduard von Hartmann (1842–1906), philosopher
*Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770–1831), philosopher
*Martin Heidegger (1889–1976), philosopher
*Max Horkheimer (1895–1973)
*Karl Jaspers (1883–1969), philosopher
*Immanuel Kant (1724–1804), philosopher
*Ludwig Klages (1872–1956), philosopher
*Gottfried Leibniz (1646–1716), physicist, philosopher
*Leo Löwenthal (1900–1993)
*Karl Löwith (1897–1973)
*Herbert Marcuse (1898–1979)
*Karl Marx (1818–1883), philosopher and sociologist
*Nikolaus Cusanus (1401–1462), philosopher, theologian, mathematician
*Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900), early existentialist philosopher
*Bernhard Philberth (born 1927), physicist, engineer, philosopher, theologian
*Johann Karl Friedrich Rosenkranz (1805–1879)
*Franz Rosenzweig (1886–1929)
*Max Scheler (1874–1928), philosopher
*Friedrich Schelling (1775–1854), philosopher
*Moritz Schlick (1882–1936), philosopher
*Carl Schmitt (1888–1985), political theorist
*Arthur Schopenhauer (1788–1860), philosopher
*Georg Simmel (1859–1918) philosopher and sociologist
*Ferdinand Tönnies (1855–1936), philosopher, founder of German sociology
*Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker (1912–2007), philosopher and physicist

Politicians

Miscellaneous

*August Bebel (1840–1913), co-founder of the SPD
*Rudolf von Bennigsen (1824–1902), founder of the National Liberal Party.
*Eduard Bernstein (1850–1932), Social Democratic leader
*Julius Curtius (1877–1948), Foreign Minister (DVP)
*Matthias Erzberger (1875–1921), Catholic Center party leader
*Joschka Fischer (born 1948), Foreign Minister and vice chancellor 1998–2005 (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen)
*Hans-Dietrich Genscher (born 1927), former minister for foreign affairs (FDP)
*Jakob Grimm (1785–1863), parliamentarian
*Wilhelm Grimm (1786–1859), parliamentarian
*Gregor Gysi (born 1948), former leader of the Party of Democratic Left
*Alfred Hugenberg )1865–1951), leader of the DNVP
*Johann Jacoby (1805–1877), radical democrat in Prussia
*Karl Kautsky (1854–1938), Social Democratic leader and theoretician
*Petra Kelly (1947–1992), cofounder of the German Green Party
*Ferdinand Lassalle (1825–1864), democrat and socialist
*Karl Liebknecht (1871–1919), Socialist
*Wilhelm Liebknecht (1826–1900), co-founder of the SPD
*Rosa Luxemburg (1870–1919), left wing Social Democratic leader
*Jakob Maria Mierscheid (born 1933), "virtual" parliamentarian (SPD)
*Hermann Müller (1876–1931), Chancellor of the Weimar Republic (SPD)
*Hans Modrow (born 1928), former leader of GDR, honorary chairman of PDS
*Walther Rathenau (1867–1922), foreign minister (DDP)
*Eugen Richter (1838–1906), liberal politician
*Gerhard Schröder (1910–1989), foreign minister (CDU)
*Kurt Schumacher (1895–1952), leader of the Social Democratic Party of Germany in the early years of the FRG
*Baron Heinrich vom Stein (1757–1831)
*Edmund Stoiber - party leader of the CSU and 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
*Guido Westerwelle - party leader of the liberal party (FDP)
*Clara Zetkin (1857–1933), socialist and fighter for women's rights

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 (Centre Party)
*Bernhard von Bülow (1849–1929), Imperial Chancellor
*Leo von Caprivi (1831–1899), Imperial Chancellor
*Wilhelm Cuno (1876–1933), Chancellor of the Weimar Republic
*Konstantin Fehrenbach (1852–1926), Chancellor of the Weimar Republic (Centre)
*Georg von Hertling (1843–1919), Imperial Chancellor
*Adolf Hitler (1889–1945), combining legally both offices, President and Chancellor ("Führer und Reichskanzler") 1934–1945
*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)
*Prince Maximilian of Baden (1867–1929), Last Imperial Chancellor
*Georg Michaelis (1857–1936), Imperial Chancellor
*Franz von Papen (1879–1969), Chancellor of the Weimar Republic
*Philipp Scheidemann (1865–1939), Chancellor of Weimar Republic (SPD)
*Kurt von Schleicher (1882–1934), last Chancellor of the Weimar Republic
*Gustav Stresemann (1878–1929), Chancellor of the Weimar Republic (DVP)
*Joseph Wirth (1879–1956), Chancellor of the Weimar Republic (Centre)

Chancellors of Germany (after 2nd World War)

*Konrad Adenauer (1876–1967), first democratically elected Federal Chancellor in Western Germany (after the second world war) from 1949 to 1963 (Christian-Democratic Union, CDU)
*Ludwig Erhard (1897–1977), Federal Chancellor from 1963 to 1966 (CDU)
*Kurt Georg Kiesinger (1904–1988), Federal Chancellor from 1966 to 1969 (CDU)
*Willy Brandt (1913–1992), Federal Chancellor from 1969 to 1974 (Social Democratic Party, SPD)
*Helmut Schmidt (born 1918), Federal Chancellor from 1974 to 1984 (SPD)
*Helmut Kohl (born 1930), Federal Chancellor from 1982 to 1998 (CDU)
*Gerhard Schröder (born 1944), Federal Chancellor from 1998 to 2005 (SPD)
*Angela Merkel (born 1954), Federal Chancellor since 2005 (CDU)

Presidents of Germany

*Friedrich Ebert (1871–1925), First President of the Weimar Republic (SPD) 1919–1925
*Paul von Hindenburg (1847–1934), Field Marshal, President 1925–1934
*Adolf Hitler (1889–1945), combining legally both offices, President and Chancellor ("Führer und Reichskanzler") 1934–1945
*Karl Dönitz (1891–1980), Admiral of the Fleet, after Hitler's death, President for 27 days, 1945

Presidents of the Federal Republic of Germany since 1949:
*Theodor Heuss (1884–1963), Federal President 1949–1959 (Liberal-Democratic Party, FDP)
*Heinrich Lübke (1894–1972), Federal President 1959–1969 (CDU)
*Gustav Heinemann (1899–1976), Federal President 1969–1974 (SPD)
*Walter Scheel (born 1919), Federal President 1974–1979 (FDP)
*Karl Carstens (1914–1992), Federal President 1979–1984 (CDU)
*Richard von Weizsäcker (born 1920), Federal President 1984–1994 (CDU)
*Roman Herzog (born 1934), Federal President 1994–1999 (CDU)
*Johannes Rau (1931–2006), Federal President 1999–2004 (SPD)
*Horst Köhler (born 1943), Federal President since 2004 (CDU)

Politicians in East Germany

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

= Personalities of the Nazi Party and regime =

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

Scientists and engineers

A–G

*Otto Wilhelm Hermann von Abich (1806–1886), mineralogist, geologist
*Peter Apian (1495–1552), mathematician, astronomer and cartographer
*Manfred von Ardenne (1907–1997), physicist
*Anton de Bary (1831–1888), surgeon, botanist, microbiologist
*Johann Bayer (1572–1625), astronomer
*Karl Benz (1844–1929), inventor and engineer
*Friedrich Bessel (1784–1846), mathematician
*Hans Bethe (1906–2005), physicist
*Max Born (1882–1970), physicist
*Robert Bosch (1861–1942), industrialist
*Carl Ferdinand Braun, physicist
*Wernher von Braun (1912–1977), space engineer, rocket scientist
*Robert Wilhelm Bunsen (1811–1899), chemist
*Georg Cantor (1845–1918), mathematician
*Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543), astronomer
*Hans Gerhard Creutzfeldt, neuropathologist
*Gottlieb Daimler (1834–1900), inventor and engineer
*Carl Duisberg (1861–1935), chemist and industrialist
*Rudolf Diesel (1858–1913), inventor of the Diesel engine
*Albert Einstein (1879–1955), physicist
*Hans Jürgen Eysenck, psychologist
*Joseph von Fraunhofer (1787–1826), physicist
*Gottlob Frege (1848–1925), mathematician and logicist
*Wilhelm Siegmund Frei (1885–1943), dermatologist
*Erich Fromm (1900–1980), psychologist
*Klaus Fuchs (1911–1988), physicist and spy
*Carl Friedrich Gauss (1777–1855), mathematician

H–J

*Fritz Haber (1868–1934), chemist
*Ernst Haeckel (1834–1919), physician
*Otto Hahn (1879–1968), chemist
*Felix Hausdorff (1868–1942), mathematician
*Robert Havemann (1910–1982), chemist
*Ernst Heinkel (1888–1958), Aircraft engineer
*Werner Karl Heisenberg (1901–1976), physicist
*Hermann Helmholtz, physicist
*Heinrich Rudolf Hertz (1857–1894), physicist
*Johannes Hevelius (1611–1687), astronomer
*David Hilbert (1862–1943), mathematician
*Johann Homann (1664–1724), geographer
*Erich Hueckel (1896–1980), physicist
*Alexander von Humboldt
*Carl Gustav Jakob Jacobi (1804–1851), mathematician
*Alfons Maria Jakob (1884–1931), neurologist
*Hugo Junkers (1859–1935), Aircraft engineer

K–L

*Theodor Kaluza (1885–1954), mathematician, theoretical physicist
*Friedrich August Kekulé von Stradonitz (1829–1896), chemist
*Johannes Kepler (1571–1630), astronomer
*Gustav Robert Kirchhoff (1824–1887), physicist
*Felix Klein (1849–1925), mathematician
*Wolfgang Franz von Kobell (1803–1882), mineralogist
*Robert Koch (1843–1910), physician
*Walter Karl Koch (1880–1962), surgeon
*Adolph Wilhelm Hermann Kolbe (1818–1884), chemist
*Leopold Kronecker (1823–1891), mathematician
*Ernst Eduard Kummer (1810–1893), mathematician
*Edmund Landau (1877–1938), mathematician
*Max von Laue (1879–1960), physicist
*Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646–1716), mathematician
*Philipp Eduard Anton von Lenard (1862–1947), physicist
*August Leskien (1840-1916), linguist
*Justus von Liebig (1803–1873), chemist
*Otto Lilienthal (1848 – 1896), the aviation pioneer
*Ferdinand von Lindemann (1852–1939), mathematician
*Alexander Lippisch (1894–1976), aerodynamicist
*Johann Josef Loschmidt (1821–1895), physicist, chemist
*Reimar Lüst (born 1923), astrophysicist

M–R

*(Albertus Magnus "see" "A")
*Ludwig Immanuel Magnus, mathematician
*Siegfried Marcus (1831–1898), automobile pioneer
*Wilhelm Maybach (1846–1929), car-engine and automobile constructor
*Wilhelm Messerschmitt (1898–1978), Aircraft engineer
*Lothar Meyer (1830–1895), chemist
*Franz Mertens (1840–1927), mathematician
*August Ferdinand Möbius (1790–1868), mathematician, theoretical astronomer
*Johannes Müller (1801–1858), physiologist
*Walther Nernst (1864–1941), physicist
*Franz Ernst Neumann (1798–1895), mathematician
*Carl Gottfried Neumann (1832–1925), mathematician
*Emmy Noether (1882–1935), mathematician
*Georg Ohm (1789–1854), physicist
*Wilhelm Ostwald, Nobel prize winning chemist, philosopher
*Nikolaus Otto (1832–1891), coinventor of the Otto cycle
*Bernhard Philberth (born 1927), physicist, engineer, philosopher, theologian
*Jesco von Puttkamer (born 1933), space-scientist (NASA-Manager), engineer and author
*Max Planck (1858–1947), physicist
*Bernhard Riemann (1826–1866) mathematician
*Adam Riese (1492–1559), mathematician
*Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen (1845–1923), physicist

–V

*Carl Wilhelm Scheele (1742–1786), chemist
*Matthias Jakob Schleiden (1804–1881), botanist
*Heinrich Schliemann (1822–1890), archaeologist
*Christian Friedrich Schonbein (1799–1868), chemist
*Friedrich Hermann Schottky (1851–1935), mathematician
*Theodor Schwann (1810–1882), physiologist
*Hermann Amandus Schwarz (1843–1921), mathematician
*Karl Schwarzschild (1873–1916), physicist
*Carl Semper (1832–1893), ecologist
*Rolf Singer (1906–1994), mycologist
*Arnold Sommerfeld (1868–1951), physicist
*Eduard Adolf Strasburger (1844–1912), German-Polish professor, one of the most famous botanists of the 19th century
*Georg Steller (1709–1746), naturalist
*William Stern (1871–1938), psychologist, philosopher
*Alfred Stock (1876–1946), chemist
*Levi Strauss (1829–1902), jeans
*Werner von Siemens (1816 – 1892), inventor, industrialist
*Max Vasmer (1886–1962), linguist
*Rudolf Virchow (1821–1902), pioneer of medicine

W–Z

*Otto Wallach, physicist
*Hellmuth Walter (1900–1980), propulsion
*Felix Wankel (1902–1988), inventor of the Wankel engine
*Alfred Wegener, meteorologist
*Karl Weierstrass (1815–1897), mathematician
*August Weismann (1834–1914), biologist
*Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker (born 1912), physicist
*Hermann Weyl (1885–1955), mathematician
*Maximilian zu Wied-Neuwied (1782–1867), zoologist
*Wilhelm Wien (1864–1928), physicist
*Mieczysław Wolfke (1883–1947), Polish physicist of German descent
*Wilhelm Wundt (1832–1920), physiologist, psychologist
*Ferdinand von Zeppelin (1838–1917), inventor of the Zeppelin
*Ernst Zermelo (1871–1953), mathematician
*Konrad Zuse (1910–1995), computer pioneer

Sportspersons

*Adolf Anderssen (1818–1879), chess grandmaster
*Michael Ballack (born 1976), football player
*Karin Balzer (born 1938), hurdler
*Dieter Baumann (born 1965), athlete
*Franz Beckenbauer (born 1945), football player
*Boris Becker (born 1967), tennis player
*Elly Beinhorn (born 1907), aviatrix
*Stefan Bellof (1957–1985), race car driver
*Frank Biela , race car driver
*Oliver Bierhoff (born 1968),football player
*Heike Drechsler (born 1964), athlete
*Timo Boll, table tennis player
*Paul Breitner (born 1951),football player
*Kai Budde (born 1979), professional player
*Bettina Bunge (born 1963), tennis player
*Rudolf Caracciola (1901–1959), race car driver
*Ursula "Uschi" Disl (born 1970), biathlete
*Christian Ehrhoff, German Olympian and NHL hockey player currently playing for the San Jose Sharks.
*Erich Gottlieb Eliskases (1913–1997) leading chess player of the 1930s–40s, represented Austria, Germany and Argentina in international competition
*Harald Ertl , race car driver
*Jürgen Fanghänel (born 1951), boxer
*Rudi Fink (born 1958), boxer
*Birgit Fischer (born 1962), kayaker
*Sven Fischer (born 1971), biathlete
*Torsten Frings (born 1976),football player
*Marcel Goc, German Olympian and NHL hockey player currently playing for the San Jose Sharks.
*Steffi Graf (born 1969), tennis player
*Michael Greis (born 1976), biathlete
*Michael Groß (born 1964), swimmer
*Ricco Groß (born 1970), biathlete
*Georg Hackl (born 1966), luger
*Sven Hannawald (born 1974), ski jumper
*Armin Hary (born 1937), athlete
*Nick Heidfeld (born 1977), racing driver
*Peter Hussing (born 1948), boxer
*Robert Hübner (born 1948), chess grandmaster
*Reinhold Joest , race car driver and racing team owner
*Klaus Junge (1924–1945), one of the youngest German chess grandmasters
*Oliver Kahn (born 1969), football player
*Andy Kapp (born 1967), curler
*Jutta Kleinschmidt, rally driver
*Jürgen Klinsmann (born 1964), football player and coach
*Miroslav Klose (born 1978), football player
*Andreas Köpke (born 1962),football player (goalkeeper)
*Olaf Kölzig (born 1970), ice hockey player
*Louis Krages (1949–2001), racing driver who raced under the pseudonym of "John Winter"
*Philipp Lahm (born 1983), football player
*Andre Lange, Bobsledding champion
*Hermann Lang (1909–1987), Champion race car driver
*Bernhard Langer (born 1957), golfer
*Emanuel Lasker (1868–1941), the second World Chess Champion (1894–1921)
*Jens Lehmann (born 1969), football player (goalkeeper)
*Ellen Lohr, racing driver
*Klaus Ludwig, racing driver
*Sepp Maier (born 1944), football player
*Henry Maske (born 1964), boxer
*Jochen Mass, racing driver
*Lothar Matthäus (born 1961), football player
*Georg Meier (1910–1999) Motor-Cycle Racer
*Christoph Metzelder (born 1980), football player
*Ulrike Meyfarth (born 1956), high jumper
*Rosi Mittermaier (born 1950), alpine ski champion
*Gerd Müller (born 1945), football player
*Jörg Müller, race car driver
*Petra Müller (born 1965), athlete
*Patricia Neske (born 1966), figure skater
*Gunda Niemann-Stirnemann (born 1966), speed skater
*Dirk Nowitzki (born 1978), NBA star
*Aron Nimzowitsch (1886–1935) Latvian-Danish German chess master and chess writer
*Sylke Otto (born 1969), luger
*Claudia Pechstein (born 1972), speed skater
*Uta Pippig (born 1965), athlete
*Birgit Prinz (born 1977), football player
*Lina Radke (1903–1983), athlete
*Teodor Regedziński (aka Theodor Reger) (1894–1954) Polish chess master of German origin, fathers name was Reger
*Annegret Richter (born 1950), athlete
*Lars Riedel (born 1967), athlete
*Walter Röhrl, rally and racing driver (2-times Rally World Champion)
*Bernd Rosemeyer (1909–1938), racing driver
*Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, football player
*Max Schmeling (1905–2003), World Heavyweight Boxing Champion
*Martin Schmitt (born 1978), ski jumper
*Paul Felix Schmidt (1916–1984), an Estonian–German chess master.
*Bernd Schneider, racing driver
*Bernd Schneider,football player
*Detlef Schrempf (born 1963), former NBA star
*Rainer Schüttler, tennis player
*Michael Schumacher (born 1969), racing driver (7-times Formula One World Champion)
*Ralf Schumacher (born 1975), racing driver, brother of Michael
*Harald Schumacher (born 1954), football player
*Ralf Schumann (born 1962), pistol shooter
*Bastian Schweinsteiger (born 1984),football player
*Uwe Seeler (born 1936),football player
*Werner Seelenbinder (1904–1944), wrestler
*Katja Seizinger, alpine ski champion
*Renate Stecher (born 1950), athlete
*Michael Stich (born 1968), tennis player
*Rolf Stommelen (died 1983), racing driver
*Hans Stuck (died 1978), racing driver
*Hans Joachim Stuck, racing driver and son of Hans
*Siegbert Tarrasch (1862–1934), chess grandmaster
*Axel Teichmann (born 1979),cross-country skier
*Richard Teichmann (1868–1925), leading German chess player, easily of grandmaster strength
*Toni Turek (1919–1984), football player
*Jan Ullrich (born 1973), cyclist
*Wolfgang Unzicker (1925–2006), chess grandmaster
*Franziska van Almsick (born 1978), swimmer
*Berti Vogts, football player and coach
*Rudi Völler (born 1960), football player
*Ralf Waldmann, motorcycle racer
*Fritz Walter (1920–2002), football player
*Fritz Walter (born 1960), football player
*Jens Weissflog (born 1964), ski jumper
*Kati Wilhelm (born 1976), biathlete
*Joachim Winkelhock, racing driver
*Manfred Winkelhock (1951–1985), racing driver, brother of Joachim
*Katarina Witt (born 1965), figure skater
*Sigrun Wodars (born 1965), athlete
*Erik Zabel (born 1970), cyclist
*Johannes Hermann Zukertort (1842–1888), German Polish-Jewish chessmaster

Theologians, saints, beatified persons

"See also List of German popes"
*Heinrich Abeken (1809–1872), theologian
*Johannes Agricola (1494–1566), Protestant reformer
*Albertus Magnus, medieval philosopher and theologian
*Eusebius Amort (1692–1775)
*Pope Benedict XVI, a.k.a. Joseph Ratzinger (born 1927)
*Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906–1945), Theologian
*Johannes Bugenhagen (1485–1558) Protestand Reformer of Pomerania and Denmark, Theologian
*Rudolf Bultmann
*Alfred Delp
*Johann Eck (1486–1543)
*Matthias Faber (1586–1653)
*Adolf Harnack (1851–1930)
*Johann Gottfried Herder, poet, translator, philosopher and theologian
*Hedwig of Andech (1174–1243)
*Clemens August Graf von Galen, beatified, cardinal
*Adolph Kolping (1813–1865), beatified, priest
*Hans Küng
*Karl Lehmann
*Martin Luther (1483–1546), of the Protestant Reformation
*Philipp Melanchthon (1497–1560), Protestant Reformation
*Moses Mendelssohn
*Jürgen Moltmann (born 1926), theologian
*Bernhard Philberth (born 1927), physicist, engineer, philosopher, theologian
*Karl Rahner, theologian
*Friedrich Schleiermacher (1768–1834), theologian, philosopher
*Albert Schweitzer (1875–1965), musician, physician, pastor, philosopher and theologian
*Dorothee Sölle (1929–2003)
*Edith Stein (1891–1942), saint, nun, victim of Holocaust
*Carsten Peter Thiede (1952–2004), theologian, New Testament historian, chaplain
*Helmut Thielicke, theologian
*Paul Tillich, theologian, philosopher

Writers

*Ernst Moritz Arndt - poet, songwriter, and patriot
*Achim von Arnim (1781–1831), poet
*Bettina von Arnim (1785–1859), writer and novelist
*Heinrich Böll (1917–1985), author
*Bertolt Brecht (1898–1956), playwright, poet
*Clemens Brentano (1778–1842), poet and novelist
*Georg Büchner, dramatist and author
*Wilhelm Busch (1832–1908), poet and satirist
*Matthias Claudius (1740–1815), poet and writer
*Annette von Droste-Hülshoff (1797–1848), poet
*Michael Ende (1929–1995), author of fantasy novels and children's books
*Joseph von Eichendorff (1788–1857), poet
*Hans Magnus Enzensberger (born 1929), essayist and poet
*Theodor Fontane (1819–1898), novelist and poet
*Paul Gerhardt (c. 1606 – 1676), hymn writer
*Johann Wolfgang Goethe (1749–1832), author, poet
*Joseph Görres (1776–1848), essayist
*Günter Grass (born 1927), author, Nobel Prize in Literature 1999
*Brothers Grimm, famous collectors of fairy tales
*Peter Härtling, (born 1933), author
*Wilhelm Hauff (1802–1827), wrighter
*Heinrich Heine (1797–1856), poet
*Johann Gottfried Herder (1744–1803), essayist and poet
*Hermann Hesse (1877–1962), author
*Rolf Hochhuth (born 1931), playwright
*E.T.A. Hoffmann (1776–1822), author
*Friedrich Hölderlin (1770–1843), poet
*Ernst Jünger (1895–1998), writer, novelist
*Wladimir Kaminer (born 1967), short story writer
*Erich Kästner (1899–1974), novelist
*Daniel Kehlmann (born 1975), novelist
*Friedrich Kellner (1885–1970, diarist My Opposition
*Heinrich von Kleist (1777–1811), poet, dramatist, novelist
*Siegfried Lenz (born 1926), author
*Gotthold Lessing (1729–1781), writer
*Golo Mann (1909–1994), author, historian (second-oldest of Thomas Mann)
*Heinrich Mann (1871–1950), author (brother of Thomas Mann)
*Klaus Mann (1906–1949), author (oldest son of Thomas Mnn)
*Thomas Mann (1875–1955), author (brother of Heinrich Mann)
*Karl May (1842–1912), author
*Christian Morgenstern (1871–1914), poet
*Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué (1777–1843), writer
*Novalis (1772–1801), poet and novelist
*Prince Hermann von Pückler-Muskau (1785–1871), writer and landscape gardener
*Wilhelm Raabe (1831–1910), novelist
*Erich Maria Remarque (1898–1970), novelist
*Rainer Maria Rilke (1875–1926), poet
*Peter Rühmkorf (1929-2008), poet
*Leopold Schefer (1784–1861), writer, poet, and composer
*Friedrich Schiller (1759–1805), poet, playwright
*August Wilhelm Schlegel (1767–1845), poet, translator
*Bernhard Schlink (born 1944), author, professor of law
*Arno Schmidt (1914–1979), writer
*Theodor Storm (1817–1888), author
*Patrick Süskind (born 1949), author, screenwriter
*Ludwig Tieck (1773–1853), poet, editor, novelist
*Kurt Tucholsky (1890–1935), writer, satirist
*Ludwig Uhland (1787–1862), poet, writer, playwright
*Martin Walser (born 1927), playwright and novelist
*Walter von der Vogelweide (c. 1170 – c. 1230), poet
*Gero von Wilpert (born 1933), essayist
*Christa Wolf (born 1929), novelist and essayist
*Wolfram von Eschenbach (died 1220), poet

Military

* Carl von Clausewitz (1780–1831), Prussian professional soldier, military historian, and influential military theorist
* Erich von Falkenhayn (1861–1922), General, Prussian Minister of War (1913–15) and Chief of General Staff (1914–16)
* August von Gneisenau (1760–1831), Prussian field marshal and chief of the Prussian General Staff (1813–14)
* 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 Fourth Army (1939–41) and Army Group Center (1941–43)
* Erich Ludendorff (1865–1937), General and Quartermaster General (1916–18)
* Erich von Manstein (1887–1973), Field Marshal and professional soldier (1906–1944)
* Friedrich Paulus (1890–1957), General and commander of the German Sixth Army, later promoted to Field Marshal (1910–1943)
* Manfred von Richthofen, also known as the Red Baron, (1892–1918), fighter pilot and air ace
* Erwin Rommel (1891–1944), field marshal and commander of Afrika Korps (1942–43) and Army Group B (1944)
* Hans-Ulrich Rudel (1916–1982), Stuka dive-bomber pilot and air ace (1936–1945)
* Gerd von Rundstedt (1875–1953), Field Marshal and famed commander (1892–1945)
* Alfred von Schlieffen (1833–1913), Field Marshall, Strategist and Chief of General Staff (1891–1905)
* Gerhard von Scharnhorst (1755–1813), General and Prussian Minister of War (1808–10)
* Michael Wittman (1914–1944), SS-Captain and celebrated tank ace (1934–1944)

Others

*Rodolphus Agricola (1443–1485)
*Franz Borkenau (1900-1957), social scientist
*Hugo Boss, fashion designer
*Dieter Claessens (1921–1997), sociologist
*Gudrun Ensslin (1940–1977), terrorist
*Adolf Eugen Fick, inventor of contact lenses
*Anne Frank (1929–1945), diarist and victim of the Holocaust
*Reinhard Furrer (1940–1995), astronaut
*Herschel Grynszpan
*Johann Gutenberg (c. 1390s – 1468), printer
*Hildegard von Bingen (1098–1179), abbess, mystic
*August Horch (1868–1951), car designer and manufacturer
*Karen Horney, psychoanalyst
*Heribert Illig (born 1947), historian
*Sigmund Jähn (born 1937), the first German in space
*René König (1906-1992), sociologist
*Siegfried Kracauer
*Ulrike Meinhof (1934–1976), journalist and terrorist
*Ulf Merbold (born 1941), astronaut
*Christian Frederick Martin (1796–1867), Inventor of the steel-string guitar
*Heinrich Meyerfreund, founder of Garoto, a chocolate company in Brazil
*Carl von Ossietzky (1889–1938), journalist and pacifist
*Ferry Porsche (1909–1998), designer and founder of Porsche
*Ferdinand Alexander Porsche (born 1935), 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
*Jakob Reinhard (1742–1787), a.k.a Hannikel, infamous robber in Württemberg
*Mathias Rust (born 1968), aviator who landed on Moscow's Red Square in 1987
*Helmut Schelsky (1912-1984), sociologist
*Heffa Schücking, environmentalist
*Hannelore Schmatz, mountaineer
*Albert Schweitzer (1875–1965), physician, humanitarian
*Henry Shultz (1776–1851), emigrant to USA, entrepreneur
*Edith Stein (1891–1942), nun, victim of Holocaust
*Johann Tetzel (1465–1519), monk
*Ulrich Walter (born 1954), astronaut
*Alfred Weber, sociologist
*Max Weber, sociologist
*Diedrich Hermann Westermann (1875–1956), linguist
*Adi Dassler (1900–1978), founder of Adidas

Fictional Germans

*Eva, of "Total Drama Island"
*, of ""
*Dr. Wasabi, of "Chop Socky Chooks"

See also

*Germans of Romania
*Germans of Paraguay
*Germans of Poland
*German Americans
*List of German Jews
*List of Austrians
*List of Swiss people
*List of Alsatians and Lorrainians
*List of Austrian Jews
*List of Ashkenazi Jews
*List of people by nationality
*List of Baltic Germans