Unsere Besten
Encyclopedia
Unsere Besten was a television series shown in German
public television (ZDF
) in November 2003, similar to the BBC series 100 Greatest Britons
.
In subsequent years, a dozen similar rankings were compiled, mostly titled the "favourite (topic) of the Germans", with topics including books, places, songs, actors, comedians, sports persons (extra list for soccer players), inventions, and TV broadcasts (extra list for Olympic games).
This pre-determined list of candidates was created for two reasons:
However, the inclusion of Nikolaus Kopernikus, who spoke and wrote German, in the list of scientists caused controversy in Poland
where he is revered as a national hero — the Polish Senate declared him an "exceptional Pole" on 12 June 2003. Similarly the inclusion of Mozart and Freud was criticized in Austria.
For the final Top Ten, an additional round was held, in which each candidate was promoted by an "ambassador" (most of them journalists) that would explain the work and importance of his/her favourite.
There was controversy over the televoting because of the high call charges associated with the programme.
The final list appeared as shown below (in descending order). Several rather unknown figures ranked relatively high, no doubt because of temporary popularity and organized votes from fan groups (15.), or in case of 125., just an entry by organized Internet forum members to honour one of their members.
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Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
public television (ZDF
ZDF
Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen , ZDF, is a public-service German television broadcaster based in Mainz . It is run as an independent non-profit institution, which was founded by the German federal states . The ZDF is financed by television licence fees called GEZ and advertising revenues...
) in November 2003, similar to the BBC series 100 Greatest Britons
100 Greatest Britons
100 Greatest Britons was broadcast in 2002 by the BBC. The programme was the result of a vote conducted to determine whom the United Kingdom public considers the greatest British people in history. The series, Great Britons, included individual programmes on the top ten, with viewers having further...
.
In subsequent years, a dozen similar rankings were compiled, mostly titled the "favourite (topic) of the Germans", with topics including books, places, songs, actors, comedians, sports persons (extra list for soccer players), inventions, and TV broadcasts (extra list for Olympic games).
The Greatest Germans
The intention initially was to find out "Who are the greatest Germans?" (Wer sind die größten Deutschen?), with more rankings to follow later. The German public was allowed to vote (via postcard, SMS or Internet) for the most important Germans—historical or contemporary—from a list of more than 300 people, plus additional suggestions.This pre-determined list of candidates was created for two reasons:
- to exclude controversial figures from certain eras of German history, like Adolf HitlerAdolf HitlerAdolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
and Erich HoneckerErich HoneckerErich Honecker was a German communist politician who led the German Democratic Republic as General Secretary of the Socialist Unity Party from 1971 until 1989, serving as Head of State as well from Willi Stoph's relinquishment of that post in 1976....
. - to decide beforehand who was to be considered as "German" in the first place, due to the complications of German historyHistory of GermanyThe concept of Germany as a distinct region in central Europe can be traced to Roman commander Julius Caesar, who referred to the unconquered area east of the Rhine as Germania, thus distinguishing it from Gaul , which he had conquered. The victory of the Germanic tribes in the Battle of the...
and its changing frontiers, which could have excluded such people as Mozart and Romy SchneiderRomy SchneiderRomy Schneider was an Austrian-born German film actress who also held French citizenship.-Early life:Schneider was born Rosemarie Magdalena Albach in Nazi-era Vienna, six months after the Anschluss, into a family of actors that included her paternal grandmother Rosa Albach-Retty, her Austrian...
(Austria) or Albert SchweitzerAlbert SchweitzerAlbert Schweitzer OM was a German theologian, organist, philosopher, physician, and medical missionary. He was born in Kaysersberg in the province of Alsace-Lorraine, at that time part of the German Empire...
(France).
However, the inclusion of Nikolaus Kopernikus, who spoke and wrote German, in the list of scientists caused controversy in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
where he is revered as a national hero — the Polish Senate declared him an "exceptional Pole" on 12 June 2003. Similarly the inclusion of Mozart and Freud was criticized in Austria.
For the final Top Ten, an additional round was held, in which each candidate was promoted by an "ambassador" (most of them journalists) that would explain the work and importance of his/her favourite.
- Guido KnoppGuido KnoppGuido Knopp is a German journalist and author. He is well known in Germany, mainly because he has produced a great number of TV documentaries, predominantly about the "Third Reich" and National Socialism, but also about other topics, such as Stalinism.- Life and work :After gaining his doctorate...
for Konrad AdenauerKonrad AdenauerKonrad Hermann Joseph Adenauer was a German statesman. He was the chancellor of the West Germany from 1949 to 1963. He is widely recognised as a person who led his country from the ruins of World War II to a powerful and prosperous nation that had forged close relations with old enemies France,... - Margot KäßmannMargot KäßmannMargot Käßmann is a Lutheran theologian and was Landesbischöfin of the Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Hanover in Germany. On 28 October 2009, she was elected to lead the Evangelical Church in Germany, a federation of Protestant church bodies in Germany...
for Martin LutherMartin LutherMartin Luther was a German priest, professor of theology and iconic figure of the Protestant Reformation. He strongly disputed the claim that freedom from God's punishment for sin could be purchased with money. He confronted indulgence salesman Johann Tetzel with his Ninety-Five Theses in 1517... - Gregor GysiGregor GysiDr. Gregor Gysi is a German attorney and key politician of the socialist left-wing political party The Left . He played an important role in the end of communist rule in East Germany in 1989, and was a main figure in the post-reunification Party of Democratic Socialism...
for Karl MarxKarl MarxKarl Heinrich Marx was a German philosopher, economist, sociologist, historian, journalist, and revolutionary socialist. His ideas played a significant role in the development of social science and the socialist political movement... - Alice SchwarzerAlice SchwarzerAlice Schwarzer is the most prominent contemporary German feminist. She is founder and publisher of the German feminist journal EMMA.-Biography and positions:...
for die Geschwister Scholl, SophieSophie SchollSophia Magdalena Scholl was a German student, active within the White Rose non-violent resistance group in Nazi Germany. She was convicted of high treason after having been found distributing anti-war leaflets at the University of Munich with her brother Hans...
and Hans SchollHans SchollHans Fritz Scholl was a founding member of the White Rose resistance movement in Nazi Germany.-Biography:... - Friedrich Nowottny for Willy BrandtWilly BrandtWilly Brandt, born Herbert Ernst Karl Frahm , was a German politician, Mayor of West Berlin 1957–1966, Chancellor of West Germany 1969–1974, and leader of the Social Democratic Party of Germany 1964–1987....
- Götz AlsmannGötz AlsmannGötz Alsmann is a German television presenter, musician and singer.- Life :Alsmann studied from 1977 to 1985 in Münster German studies, music and communication studies at University of Münster. From 1980 to 1988 he played in band Sentimental Pounders. Since 1988 he plays in band Götz Alsmann Band...
for Johann Sebastian BachJohann Sebastian BachJohann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity... - Peter SodannPeter SodannPeter Sodann is a German actor, director and politician. He was the Left Party's nominee for the 2009 presidential election, but was not considered a serious candidate by the German media.-Early life:...
for Johann Wolfgang von GoetheJohann Wolfgang von GoetheJohann Wolfgang von Goethe was a German writer, pictorial artist, biologist, theoretical physicist, and polymath. He is considered the supreme genius of modern German literature. His works span the fields of poetry, drama, prose, philosophy, and science. His Faust has been called the greatest long... - Wolf von LojewskiWolf von LojewskiWolf von Lojewski is a German journalist.- Life :Lojewski studied German law. Later he worked as a journalist for several German broadcasters Lojewski wrote several books about his life as a journalist.- Works :...
for Johannes Gutenberg - Helmut MarkwortHelmut MarkwortHelmut Markwort is a German journalist and since 1993 Editor-in-Chief of the weekly newsmagazine Focus. He is a member of the liberal Free Democratic Party of Germany....
for Otto von BismarckOtto von BismarckOtto Eduard Leopold, Prince of Bismarck, Duke of Lauenburg , simply known as Otto von Bismarck, was a Prussian-German statesman whose actions unified Germany, made it a major player in world affairs, and created a balance of power that kept Europe at peace after 1871.As Minister President of... - Nina RugeNina RugeNina Ruge is a German journalist, TV presenter and author.- Life and work :Ruge is the daughter of an engineering professor and visited the Ina-Seidel-Schule in Braunschweig. Her sister Annette is an aeromedical doctor at the European Aviation Safety Agency in Cologne...
for Albert EinsteinAlbert EinsteinAlbert Einstein was a German-born theoretical physicist who developed the theory of general relativity, effecting a revolution in physics. For this achievement, Einstein is often regarded as the father of modern physics and one of the most prolific intellects in human history...
There was controversy over the televoting because of the high call charges associated with the programme.
The final list appeared as shown below (in descending order). Several rather unknown figures ranked relatively high, no doubt because of temporary popularity and organized votes from fan groups (15.), or in case of 125., just an entry by organized Internet forum members to honour one of their members.
Final list
- Konrad AdenauerKonrad AdenauerKonrad Hermann Joseph Adenauer was a German statesman. He was the chancellor of the West Germany from 1949 to 1963. He is widely recognised as a person who led his country from the ruins of World War II to a powerful and prosperous nation that had forged close relations with old enemies France,...
, Chancellor of West Germany 1949–1963 (1876–1967) - Martin LutherMartin LutherMartin Luther was a German priest, professor of theology and iconic figure of the Protestant Reformation. He strongly disputed the claim that freedom from God's punishment for sin could be purchased with money. He confronted indulgence salesman Johann Tetzel with his Ninety-Five Theses in 1517...
, leader of the reformation, father of Protestantism (1483–1546) - Karl MarxKarl MarxKarl Heinrich Marx was a German philosopher, economist, sociologist, historian, journalist, and revolutionary socialist. His ideas played a significant role in the development of social science and the socialist political movement...
, political economist, philosopher (1818–1883) - SophieSophie SchollSophia Magdalena Scholl was a German student, active within the White Rose non-violent resistance group in Nazi Germany. She was convicted of high treason after having been found distributing anti-war leaflets at the University of Munich with her brother Hans...
and Hans SchollHans SchollHans Fritz Scholl was a founding member of the White Rose resistance movement in Nazi Germany.-Biography:...
, White RoseWhite RoseThe White Rose was a non-violent/intellectual resistance group in Nazi Germany, consisting of students from the University of Munich and their philosophy professor...
young anti-Nazi students (1921/1918-1943) - Willy BrandtWilly BrandtWilly Brandt, born Herbert Ernst Karl Frahm , was a German politician, Mayor of West Berlin 1957–1966, Chancellor of West Germany 1969–1974, and leader of the Social Democratic Party of Germany 1964–1987....
, West German chancellor from 1969–1974, implemented the OstpolitikOstpolitikNeue Ostpolitik , or Ostpolitik for short, refers to the normalization of relations between the Federal Republic of Germany and Eastern Europe, particularly the German Democratic Republic beginning in 1969...
(1913–1992) - Johann Sebastian BachJohann Sebastian BachJohann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
, composer (1685–1750) - Johann Wolfgang von GoetheJohann Wolfgang von GoetheJohann Wolfgang von Goethe was a German writer, pictorial artist, biologist, theoretical physicist, and polymath. He is considered the supreme genius of modern German literature. His works span the fields of poetry, drama, prose, philosophy, and science. His Faust has been called the greatest long...
, writer (1749–1832) - Johannes Gutenberg, inventor of movable type printing in Europe (1400–1468)
- Otto von BismarckOtto von BismarckOtto Eduard Leopold, Prince of Bismarck, Duke of Lauenburg , simply known as Otto von Bismarck, was a Prussian-German statesman whose actions unified Germany, made it a major player in world affairs, and created a balance of power that kept Europe at peace after 1871.As Minister President of...
, politician responsible for creation of German EmpireGerman EmpireThe German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
in 1871, and hence its first chancellor (1815–1898) - Albert EinsteinAlbert EinsteinAlbert Einstein was a German-born theoretical physicist who developed the theory of general relativity, effecting a revolution in physics. For this achievement, Einstein is often regarded as the father of modern physics and one of the most prolific intellects in human history...
, theoretical physicistTheoretical physicsTheoretical physics is a branch of physics which employs mathematical models and abstractions of physics to rationalize, explain and predict natural phenomena...
who discovered the general theory of relativity (1879–1955) - Adolph KolpingAdolph KolpingAdolph Kolping was a German Catholic priest.-Life:Kolping grew up as the son of a shepherd. At the age of 18 he went to Cologne as a shoemaker’s assistant. He was shocked by the living conditions of most people living there, which influenced his decision to become a priest...
, priest (1813–1865) - Ludwig van BeethovenLudwig van BeethovenLudwig van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist. A crucial figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western art music, he remains one of the most famous and influential composers of all time.Born in Bonn, then the capital of the Electorate of Cologne and part of...
, composer (1770–1827) - Helmut KohlHelmut KohlHelmut Josef Michael Kohl is a German conservative politician and statesman. He was Chancellor of Germany from 1982 to 1998 and the chairman of the Christian Democratic Union from 1973 to 1998...
, West German chancellor from 1982–1998, important figure for Germany's ReunificationGerman reunificationGerman reunification was the process in 1990 in which the German Democratic Republic joined the Federal Republic of Germany , and when Berlin reunited into a single city, as provided by its then Grundgesetz constitution Article 23. The start of this process is commonly referred by Germans as die...
(born 1930) - Robert BoschRobert BoschRobert Bosch was a German industrialist, engineer and inventor, founder of Robert Bosch GmbH.-Biography:...
, inventor and industrialist (1861–1942) - Daniel KüblböckDaniel KüblböckDaniel Küblböck is a German pop-singer and actor who achieved short-lived celebrity in 2003, in the media-circus that surrounded the first season of Deutschland sucht den Superstar , the German version of Pop Idol, in which he came third...
, singer (born 1985) - Konrad ZuseKonrad ZuseKonrad Zuse was a German civil engineer and computer pioneer. His greatest achievement was the world's first functional program-controlled Turing-complete computer, the Z3, which became operational in May 1941....
, computer inventor (1910–1995) - Josef Kentenich, priest (1885–1968)
- Albert SchweitzerAlbert SchweitzerAlbert Schweitzer OM was a German theologian, organist, philosopher, physician, and medical missionary. He was born in Kaysersberg in the province of Alsace-Lorraine, at that time part of the German Empire...
, physician and philanthropist (1875–1965) - Karlheinz BöhmKarlheinz BöhmKarlheinz Böhm is an Austrian actor. The son of conductor Karl Böhm, he is best known internationally for his role as Mark, the psychopathic protagonist of Peeping Tom, directed by Michael Powell...
, actor and charity activist (born 1928) - Wolfgang Amadeus MozartWolfgang Amadeus MozartWolfgang Amadeus Mozart , baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music...
, composer (1756–1791) - Helmut SchmidtHelmut SchmidtHelmut Heinrich Waldemar Schmidt is a German Social Democratic politician who served as Chancellor of West Germany from 1974 to 1982. Prior to becoming chancellor, he had served as Minister of Defence and Minister of Finance. He had also served briefly as Minister of Economics and as acting...
, West German chancellor from 1974–1982 (born 1918) - Regine HildebrandtRegine HildebrandtRegine Hildebrandt , born as Regine Radischewski in Berlin, Germany, was a German biologist and politician . From 1959 to 1964, she studied biology at the Humboldt-Universität in Berlin.In 1978 she was awarded a doctorate for research on medicines...
, politician (1941–2001) - Alice SchwarzerAlice SchwarzerAlice Schwarzer is the most prominent contemporary German feminist. She is founder and publisher of the German feminist journal EMMA.-Biography and positions:...
, feminist journalist (born 1942) - Thomas GottschalkThomas GottschalkThomas Johannes Gottschalk is a German TV host. He is best-known for hosting the popular show Wetten, dass..?, which he has led to a huge success in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and South Tyrol.-Early life:...
, TV host (born 1950) - Herbert GrönemeyerHerbert GrönemeyerHerbert Grönemeyer is a German musician and actor, popular in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. He starred as war correspondent Lieutenant Werner in Wolfgang Petersen's movie Das Boot, but later concentrated on his musical career...
, musician (born 1956) - Michael SchumacherMichael SchumacherMichael Schumacher is a German Formula One racing driver for the Mercedes GP team. Famous for his eleven-year spell with Ferrari, Schumacher is a seven-time World Champion and is widely regarded as the greatest F1 driver of all time...
, racing driver (born 1969) - Ludwig ErhardLudwig ErhardLudwig Wilhelm Erhard was a German politician affiliated with the CDU and Chancellor of West Germany from 1963 until 1966. He is notable for his leading role in German postwar economic reform and economic recovery , particularly in his role as Minister of Economics under Chancellor Konrad Adenauer...
, west German chancellor, creator of the WirtschaftswunderWirtschaftswunderThe term describes the rapid reconstruction and development of the economies of West Germany and Austria after World War II . The expression was used by The Times in 1950...
in the 1950s (1897–1977) - Wilhelm Conrad RöntgenWilhelm Conrad RöntgenWilhelm Conrad Röntgen was a German physicist, who, on 8 November 1895, produced and detected electromagnetic radiation in a wavelength range today known as X-rays or Röntgen rays, an achievement that earned him the first Nobel Prize in Physics in 1901....
, physicist (1845–1923) - Günther JauchGünther JauchGünther Johannes Jauch is a German television host. He is a member of the Hamburg Jauch family, but currently lives in Potsdam, Brandenburg with his wife Thea Jauch and his four children.- Biography :...
, television celebrity and journalist (born 1956) - Dieter BohlenDieter BohlenDieter Günter Bohlen is a German songwriter, singer, musician, producer, entertainer, TV personality, and writer. Bohlen is best known for being part of popular pop-duo Modern Talking during 1984–1987 and 1998–2003.-Biography:Bohlen took his Abitur in Oldenburg...
, television celebrity and music producer (born 1954) - Jan UllrichJan UllrichJan Ullrich is a German former professional road bicycle racer. In 1997, he was the first German to win the Tour de France. He went on to take five second places and a fourth in 2004 and third in 2005. He is considered one of the best time-trialists in the history of the sport...
, athlete (cycling) (born 1973) - Steffi GrafSteffi GrafSteffi Graf is a former World No. 1 German tennis player.In total, Graf won 22 Grand Slam singles titles, second among male and female players only to Margaret Court's 24...
, athlete (tennis) (born 1969) - Samuel HahnemannSamuel HahnemannChristian Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann was a German physician, known for creating an alternative form of medicine called homeopathy.- Early life :Christian Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann was born in Meissen, Saxony near Dresden...
, physician (1755–1843) - Dietrich BonhoefferDietrich BonhoefferDietrich Bonhoeffer was a German Lutheran pastor, theologian and martyr. He was a participant in the German resistance movement against Nazism and a founding member of the Confessing Church. He was involved in plans by members of the Abwehr to assassinate Adolf Hitler...
, theologian and Nazi victim (1906–1945) - Boris BeckerBoris BeckerBoris Franz Becker is a former World No. 1 professional tennis player from Germany. He is a six-time Grand Slam singles champion, an Olympic gold medalist, and the youngest-ever winner of the men's singles title at Wimbledon at the age of 17...
, athlete (tennis) (born 1967) - Franz BeckenbauerFranz BeckenbauerFranz Anton Beckenbauer is a German football coach, manager, and former player, nicknamed Der Kaiser because of his elegant style, his leadership, his first name "Franz" , and his dominance on the football pitch...
, athlete (football), coach and organiser (born 1945) - Oskar SchindlerOskar SchindlerOskar Schindler was an ethnic German industrialist born in Moravia. He is credited with saving over 1,100 Jews during the Holocaust by employing them in his enamelware and ammunitions factories, which were located in what is now Poland and the Czech Republic respectively.He is the subject of the...
, industrialist, Jews' saviour (1908–1974) - NenaNenaGabriele Susanne Kerner , better known by her stage name Nena, is a German singer and actress. She rose to international fame in 1983 with the New German Wave song "99 Luftballons". In 1984, she re-recorded this song in English as "99 Red Balloons". Nena was also the name of the band with whom she...
, singer (born 1960) - Hans-Dietrich GenscherHans-Dietrich GenscherHans-Dietrich Genscher is a German politician of the liberal Free Democratic Party . He served as Foreign Minister and Vice Chancellor of Germany from 1974 to 1982 and, after a two-week pause, from 1982 to 1992, making him Germany's longest serving Foreign Minister and Vice Chancellor...
, politician (born 1927) - Heinz RühmannHeinz RühmannHeinrich Wilhelm "Heinz" Rühmann was a popular German film actor.-Life and work:Rühmann was born in Essen, Westphalia. His role in the 1930 movie Die Drei von der Tankstelle led him to film stardom. He remained highly popular as a comedic actor throughout the 1930s and early 1940s...
, actor (1902–1994) - Harald SchmidtHarald SchmidtHarald Franz Schmidt is a German actor, writer, comedian and television entertainer best known as host of two popular German late-night shows.- Early life :...
, comedian (born 1957) - Frederick II of PrussiaFrederick II of PrussiaFrederick II was a King in Prussia and a King of Prussia from the Hohenzollern dynasty. In his role as a prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire, he was also Elector of Brandenburg. He was in personal union the sovereign prince of the Principality of Neuchâtel...
("Frederick the Great") king (1712–1786) - Immanuel KantImmanuel KantImmanuel Kant was a German philosopher from Königsberg , researching, lecturing and writing on philosophy and anthropology at the end of the 18th Century Enlightenment....
, philosopher, leading figure of the EnlightenmentAge of EnlightenmentThe Age of Enlightenment was an elite cultural movement of intellectuals in 18th century Europe that sought to mobilize the power of reason in order to reform society and advance knowledge. It promoted intellectual interchange and opposed intolerance and abuses in church and state...
(1724–1804) - Patrick LindnerPatrick LindnerPatrick Lindner is a German Volksmusik singer.-Life:Born as Friedrich Günther Raab, Lindner worked as a chef before his breakthrough in 1989 when he was second in the Grand Prix der Volksmusik...
, singer (born 1960) - Hartmut Engler, singer (PurPur (band)-History:The group was initially founded in 1975 under the name Crusade by Roland Bless and Ingo Reidl. Their first releases came out under the name Opus, but after an Austrian band with the same name had a huge hit single in Germany in 1985, they switched to the name Pur. Pur's first hit single in...
) (born 1961) - Hildegard von Bingen, nun, writer and musician (1098–1179)
- HeinoHeinoHeino is a German singer of popular music and traditional Volksmusik....
, singer (born 1938) - Richard von WeizsäckerRichard von WeizsäckerRichard Karl Freiherr von Weizsäcker , known as Richard von Weizsäcker, is a German politician . He served as Governing Mayor of West Berlin from 1981 to 1984, and as President of the Federal Republic of Germany from 1984 to 1994...
, Federal President from 1984–1994 (born 1920) - Claus Graf Schenk von Stauffenberg, military officer and Anti-Hitler activist (1907–1944)
- Marlene DietrichMarlene DietrichMarlene Dietrich was a German-American actress and singer.Dietrich remained popular throughout her long career by continually re-inventing herself, professionally and characteristically. In the Berlin of the 1920s, she acted on the stage and in silent films...
, actress and singer (1901–1992) - Robert KochRobert KochHeinrich Hermann Robert Koch was a German physician. He became famous for isolating Bacillus anthracis , the Tuberculosis bacillus and the Vibrio cholerae and for his development of Koch's postulates....
, physician (1843–1910) - Joschka FischerJoschka FischerJoseph Martin "Joschka" Fischer is a German politician of the Alliance '90/The Greens. He served as Foreign Minister and Vice Chancellor of Germany in the cabinet of Gerhard Schröder from 1998 to 2005...
, Foreign Minister and Vice Chancellor from 1998–2005 (born 1948) - Karl MayKarl MayKarl Friedrich May was a popular German writer, noted mainly for adventure novels set in the American Old West, and similar books set in the Orient and Middle East . In addition, he wrote stories set in his native Germany, in China and in South America...
, writer (1842–1912) - LoriotLoriotLoriot may refer to:* the French for the Orioles*Vicco von Bülow, German humorist, graphic artist, director, actor and writer* Loriot, an animated television series by von Bülow*Loriot , a mid 19th Century American ship...
(Vicco von Bülow), satirist (1923–2011) - Albertus MagnusAlbertus MagnusAlbertus Magnus, O.P. , also known as Albert the Great and Albert of Cologne, is a Catholic saint. He was a German Dominican friar and a bishop, who achieved fame for his comprehensive knowledge of and advocacy for the peaceful coexistence of science and religion. Those such as James A. Weisheipl...
, scholar (1200–1280) - Rudi VöllerRudi VöllerRudolf 'Rudi' Völler is a German former international football striker, and a former manager of the German national team...
, athlete (football) (born 1960) - Heinz ErhardtHeinz ErhardtHeinz Erhardt was a German comedian, musician, entertainer, actor, and poet.Heinz Erhardt was the son of Baltic German Kapellmeister Gustl Erhardt. He lived most of his childhood at his grandparents in Riga, where his grandfather, Paul Nelder, owned a music house...
, comedian (1909–1979) - Roy BlackRoy Black (singer)Roy Black was a German schlager singer and actor, who appeared in several musical comedies and starred in the 1989 TV series, Ein Schloß am Wörthersee....
, singer and actor (1943–1991) - Heinz-Harald FrentzenHeinz-Harald FrentzenHeinz-Harald Frentzen is a German racing driver most famous for his career in Formula One. At various times driving for Williams, Jordan, Sauber, Prost, and Arrows, he achieved three race wins before his retirement from F1 in 2003.-Early career:He was born in the West German city of...
, racing driver (born 1967) - Wolfgang Apel, animal rights activist (born 1951)
- Alexander von HumboldtAlexander von HumboldtFriedrich Wilhelm Heinrich Alexander Freiherr von Humboldt was a German naturalist and explorer, and the younger brother of the Prussian minister, philosopher and linguist Wilhelm von Humboldt...
, scientist (1769–1859) - Peter KrausPeter KrausPeter Kraus is a German singer and actor.Born Peter Siegfried Krausenecker in Munich, Kraus was popular especially in the 1950s, notably in those musical comedy films where he played opposite Cornelia Froboess.- Youth :...
, singer (born 1939) - Wernher von BraunWernher von BraunWernher Magnus Maximilian, Freiherr von Braun was a German rocket scientist, aerospace engineer, space architect, and one of the leading figures in the development of rocket technology in Nazi Germany during World War II and in the United States after that.A former member of the Nazi party,...
, rocket scientist (1912–1977) - Dirk NowitzkiDirk NowitzkiDirk Werner Nowitzki is a German professional basketball player who plays for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association...
, athlete (basketball) (born 1978) - Campino, singer (Die Toten HosenDie Toten HosenDie Toten Hosen is a German punk band from Düsseldorf. They have enjoyed decades-long mass appeal in Germany.The band's name literally means "The Dead Pants" in English, although the phrase "tote Hose" is a German expression meaning "nothing going on" or "boring"...
) (born 1962) - Franz Josef StraußFranz Josef StraußFranz Josef Strauss was a German politician. He was the leader of the Christian Social Union, member of the federal cabinet in different positions and long-time minister-president of the state of Bavaria....
, politician (1915–1988) - Sebastian KneippSebastian KneippSebastian Kneipp was a Bavarian priest and one of the founders of the Naturopathic medicine movement...
, physician (1821–1897) - Friedrich SchillerFriedrich SchillerJohann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller was a German poet, philosopher, historian, and playwright. During the last seventeen years of his life , Schiller struck up a productive, if complicated, friendship with already famous and influential Johann Wolfgang von Goethe...
, writer (1759–1805) - Richard WagnerRichard WagnerWilhelm Richard Wagner was a German composer, conductor, theatre director, philosopher, music theorist, poet, essayist and writer primarily known for his operas...
, composer (1813–1883) - Katarina WittKatarina WittKatarina Witt is a German figure skater and model. In Germany she was commonly called "Kati" in the past, but today her full name is used more often....
, athlete (figure skating) (born 1965) - Fritz Walter, athlete (football), captain of 1954 world championship winners (1920–2002)
- Nicole, singer (born 1964)
- Friedrich von BodelschwinghFriedrich von BodelschwinghFriedrich von Bodelschwingh, Junior was a German theologian and public health advocate. His father was Friedrich von Bodelschwingh, Senior , founder of the Bodelschwinghsche Anstalten Bethel charitable foundations.-Public health activities:Friedrich was the son of Reverend Friedrich von...
, priest (1831–1910) - Otto LilienthalOtto LilienthalOtto Lilienthal was a German pioneer of human aviation who became known as the Glider King. He was the first person to make well-documented, repeated, successful gliding flights. He followed an experimental approach established earlier by Sir George Cayley...
, aviation pioneer (1848–1896) - Marion Gräfin Dönhoff, editor (1909–2002)
- Thomas MannThomas MannThomas Mann was a German novelist, short story writer, social critic, philanthropist, essayist, and 1929 Nobel Prize laureate, known for his series of highly symbolic and ironic epic novels and novellas, noted for their insight into the psychology of the artist and the intellectual...
, writer (1875–1955) - Hermann HesseHermann HesseHermann Hesse was a German-Swiss poet, novelist, and painter. In 1946, he received the Nobel Prize in Literature...
, writer (1877–1962) - Romy SchneiderRomy SchneiderRomy Schneider was an Austrian-born German film actress who also held French citizenship.-Early life:Schneider was born Rosemarie Magdalena Albach in Nazi-era Vienna, six months after the Anschluss, into a family of actors that included her paternal grandmother Rosa Albach-Retty, her Austrian...
, actress (1938–1982) - Sven HannawaldSven HannawaldSven Hannawald is a former German ski jumper who competed from the mid 1990s to the mid 2000s. Hannawald won the Four Hills Tournament once. He also won four medals at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, as well as three medals each in the Olympic Winter Games and the FIS Ski-Flying World...
, athlete (ski jumping) (born 1974) - Elisabeth of BavariaElisabeth of BavariaElisabeth of Austria was the spouse of Franz Joseph I, and therefore both Empress of Austria and Queen of Hungary. She also held the titles of Queen of Bohemia and Croatia, among others...
("Sissi"), royal consort (1837–1898) - Willy MillowitschWilly MillowitschWilly Millowitsch was a German stage and TV actor and the director of the Volkstheater Millowitsch in Cologne.-Early life:...
, actor and comedian (1909–1999) - Gerhard SchröderGerhard SchröderGerhard Fritz Kurt Schröder is a German politician, and was Chancellor of Germany from 1998 to 2005. A member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany , he led a coalition government of the SPD and the Greens. Before becoming a full-time politician, he was a lawyer, and before becoming Chancellor...
, Chancellor from 1998–2005 (born 1944) - Joseph BeuysJoseph BeuysJoseph Beuys was a German performance artist, sculptor, installation artist, graphic artist, art theorist and pedagogue of art.His extensive work is grounded in concepts of humanism, social philosophy and anthroposophy; it culminates in his "extended definition of art" and the idea of social...
, artist (1921–1986) - Friedrich NietzscheFriedrich NietzscheFriedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche was a 19th-century German philosopher, poet, composer and classical philologist...
, philosopher (1844–1900) - Rudi DutschkeRudi DutschkeAlfred Willi Rudi Dutschke was the most prominent spokesperson of the German student movement of the 1960s. He advocated 'a long march through the institutions' of power to create radical change from within government and society by becoming an integral part of the machinery...
, student leader in the 1960s (1940–1979) - Karl Lehmann, priest (born 1936)
- Beate UhseBeate Uhse-RotermundBeate Uhse-Rotermund was a German pilot and entrepreneur. The only female stunt pilot in Germany in the 1930s, after World War II she started the first sex shop in the world. The company she started, Beate Uhse AG, is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, and is the world leader in sales of...
, erotica entrepreneur (1919–2001) - TrümmerfrauTrümmerfrauTrümmerfrau is the German-language name for women who, in the aftermath of World War II, helped clear and reconstruct the bombed cities of Germany and Austria...
en ("rubble women"), rebuilding Germany after the war - Carl Friedrich GaussCarl Friedrich GaussJohann Carl Friedrich Gauss was a German mathematician and scientist who contributed significantly to many fields, including number theory, statistics, analysis, differential geometry, geodesy, geophysics, electrostatics, astronomy and optics.Sometimes referred to as the Princeps mathematicorum...
, mathematician and physicist (1777–1855) - Helmut RahnHelmut RahnHelmut Rahn, known as Der Boss , was a German football player. He became a legend for having scored the winning goal in the final game of the 1954 FIFA World Cup .- Career :...
, athlete (football), scorer of winning goal in 1954 (1929–2003) - Albrecht DürerAlbrecht DürerAlbrecht Dürer was a German painter, printmaker, engraver, mathematician, and theorist from Nuremberg. His prints established his reputation across Europe when he was still in his twenties, and he has been conventionally regarded as the greatest artist of the Northern Renaissance ever since...
, artist (1471–1528) - Max SchmelingMax SchmelingMaximillian Adolph Otto Siegfried Schmeling was a German boxer who was heavyweight champion of the world between 1930 and 1932. His two fights with Joe Louis in the late 1930s transcended boxing, and became worldwide social events because of their national associations...
, athlete (boxing) (1905–2005) - Karl BenzKarl BenzKarl Friedrich Benz, was a German engine designer and car engineer, generally regarded as the inventor of the gasoline-powered car, and together with Bertha Benz pioneering founder of the automobile manufacturer Mercedes-Benz...
, automobile pioneer (1844–1929) - Frederick IIFrederick II, Holy Roman EmperorFrederick II , was one of the most powerful Holy Roman Emperors of the Middle Ages and head of the House of Hohenstaufen. His political and cultural ambitions, based in Sicily and stretching through Italy to Germany, and even to Jerusalem, were enormous...
, emperor (1194–1250) - Reinhard MeyReinhard MeyReinhard Friedrich Michael Mey is a German singer-songwriter, known to fans as "Liedermacher". In France he is known as Frédérik Mey....
, singer-songwriter (born 1942) - Heinrich HeineHeinrich HeineChristian Johann Heinrich Heine was one of the most significant German poets of the 19th century. He was also a journalist, essayist, and literary critic. He is best known outside Germany for his early lyric poetry, which was set to music in the form of Lieder by composers such as Robert Schumann...
, writer (1797–1856) - Georg ElserGeorg ElserJohann Georg Elser was a German opponent of Nazism. He is most remembered for his unsuccessful attempt to assassinate Adolf Hitler, but he also wanted to assassinate Hermann Göring and Joseph Goebbels in 1939....
, Hitler assassin (1903–1945) - Konrad DudenKonrad DudenKonrad Alexander Friedrich Duden was a Gymnasium teacher who became a philologist. He founded the well-known German language dictionary bearing his name Duden.- Life :...
, linguist (1829–1911) - James LastJames LastJames Last is a German composer and big band leader. His "happy music" made his numerous albums best-sellers in Germany and the United Kingdom. His composition, "Happy Heart", became an international success in interpretations by Andy Williams and Petula Clark...
, composer (born 1929) - Uwe Seeler, athlete (football) (born 1936)
- Jenny de la Torre Castro, "Angel of the Homeless" (born 1954)
- Erich GutenbergErich GutenbergErich Gutenberg was an influential German economist.He is considered the founder of modern German business studies after World War II. Gutenberg used microeconomy to explain the functioning of the enterprise. Therefore he also developed a new production function...
, economist (1897–1984) - Emanuel LaskerEmanuel LaskerEmanuel Lasker was a German chess player, mathematician, and philosopher who was World Chess Champion for 27 years...
, chess champion (1868–1941) - Rudolf SteinerRudolf SteinerRudolf Joseph Lorenz Steiner was an Austrian philosopher, social reformer, architect, and esotericist. He gained initial recognition as a literary critic and cultural philosopher...
, philosopher (1861–1925) - Edith SteinEdith SteinSaint Teresia Benedicta of the Cross, sometimes also known as Saint Edith Stein , was a German Roman Catholic philosopher and nun, regarded as a martyr and saint of the Roman Catholic Church...
, theologian (1891–1942) - Farin UrlaubFarin UrlaubJan Ulrich Max Vetter, better known as Farin Urlaub was born on 27 October 1963 in West Berlin, Germany. He is best known as the guitarist/vocalist for the German punk rock band Die Ärzte...
, musician (Die ÄrzteDie ÄrzteDie Ärzte is a punk band from Berlin. Die Ärzte are one of the best-known German punk rock bands and have released over 20 albums. The band consists of guitarist Farin Urlaub, drummer Bela B. and bass player Rodrigo González...
) (born 1963) - Xavier NaidooXavier NaidooXavier Kurt Naidoo is a German singer-songwriter, record producer and occasional actor. Born and raised in Mannheim, Naidoo worked in several jobs in the gastronomy and the musical industry before relocating to the United States in the early 1990s, where he released his first full-length English...
, singer (born 1971) - Nicolaus CopernicusNicolaus CopernicusNicolaus Copernicus was a Renaissance astronomer and the first person to formulate a comprehensive heliocentric cosmology which displaced the Earth from the center of the universe....
, astronomer (1473–1543) - Adam Riese, mathematician (1492–1559)
- Gottlieb DaimlerGottlieb DaimlerGottlieb Daimler was an engineer, industrial designer and industrialist born in Schorndorf , in what is now Germany. He was a pioneer of internal-combustion engines and automobile development...
, automobile pioneer (1834–1900) - Erich KästnerErich KästnerEmil Erich Kästner was a German author, poet, screenwriter and satirist, known for his humorous, socially astute poetry and children's literature.-Dresden 1899–1919:...
, writer (1899–1974) - Rosa LuxemburgRosa LuxemburgRosa Luxemburg was a Marxist theorist, philosopher, economist and activist of Polish Jewish descent who became a naturalized German citizen...
, politician (1871–1919) - Bertolt BrechtBertolt BrechtBertolt Brecht was a German poet, playwright, and theatre director.An influential theatre practitioner of the 20th century, Brecht made equally significant contributions to dramaturgy and theatrical production, the latter particularly through the seismic impact of the tours undertaken by the...
, writer (1898–1956) - Theodor HeussTheodor HeussTheodor Heuss was a liberal German politician who served as the first President of the Federal Republic of Germany after World War II from 1949 to 1959...
, politician (1884–1963) - Otto I the GreatOtto I, Holy Roman EmperorOtto I the Great , son of Henry I the Fowler and Matilda of Ringelheim, was Duke of Saxony, King of Germany, King of Italy, and "the first of the Germans to be called the emperor of Italy" according to Arnulf of Milan...
, monarch (912–973) - Sigmund FreudSigmund FreudSigmund Freud , born Sigismund Schlomo Freud , was an Austrian neurologist who founded the discipline of psychoanalysis...
, psychoanalyst (1856–1939) - Christine Licci, CitibankCitibankCitibank, a major international bank, is the consumer banking arm of financial services giant Citigroup. Citibank was founded in 1812 as the City Bank of New York, later First National City Bank of New York...
chief (born 1964) - Wilhelm BuschWilhelm BuschWilhelm Busch was an influential German caricaturist, painter, and poet who is famed for his satirical picture stories with rhymed texts....
, writer (1832–1908) - Hildegard Hamm-BrücherHildegard Hamm-BrücherHildegard Hamm-Brücher is a prominent liberal politician in Germany. She held federal state secretary positions from 1969 to 1972 and from 1977 to 1982...
, politician (born 1921) - Udo LindenbergUdo LindenbergUdo Lindenberg is a German rock musician and composer.-Career:Lindenberg started his musical career as a drummer. In 1969 Lindenberg founded his first band Free Orbit and also appeared as a studio and guest musician . In 1970 he collaborated as a drummer with jazz-saxophonist Klaus Doldinger in...
, musician (born 1946) - Eugen DrewermannEugen DrewermannEugen Drewermann is a German church critic, theologian, peace activist and former Roman Catholic priest. His work has been translated into more than a dozen languages.Drewermann was born in Bergkamen near Dortmund...
, theologian (born 1940) - Ferdinand SauerbruchFerdinand SauerbruchErnst Ferdinand Sauerbruch was a German surgeon.Sauerbruch was born in Barmen , Germany. He studied medicine at the Philipps University of Marburg, the University of Greifswald, the Friedrich Schiller University of Jena, and the University of Leipzig, from the last of which he graduated in 1902...
, physician (1875–1951) - Peter MaffayPeter MaffayPeter Alexander Makkay better known as Peter Maffay is a German musician.- Biography :Born in Brasov, Romania, the son of a German , he was 14 when his family relocated to his parents' Germany in 1963. In the same year, he started his first band, The Dukes...
, musician (born 1949) - Josef Frings, cardinal archbishop of Cologne (1887–1978)
- Silke Fritzen, entry pushed by a group of internet users
- Max PlanckMax PlanckMax Karl Ernst Ludwig Planck, ForMemRS, was a German physicist who actualized the quantum physics, initiating a revolution in natural science and philosophy. He is regarded as the founder of the quantum theory, for which he received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1918.-Life and career:Planck came...
, physicist (1858–1947) - Johannes RauJohannes RauJohannes Rau was a German politician of the SPD. He was President of Germany from 1 July 1999 until 30 June 2004, and Minister-President of North Rhine-Westphalia from 1978 to 1998.-Education and work:...
, politician, Federal President 1999–2004 (1931–2006) - JacobJacob GrimmJacob Ludwig Carl Grimm was a German philologist, jurist and mythologist. He is best known as the discoverer of Grimm's Law, the author of the monumental Deutsches Wörterbuch, the author of Deutsche Mythologie and, more popularly, as one of the Brothers Grimm, as the editor of Grimm's Fairy...
and Wilhelm GrimmWilhelm GrimmWilhelm Carl Grimm was a German author, the younger of the Brothers Grimm.-Life and work:...
, Brothers GrimmBrothers GrimmThe Brothers Grimm , Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm , were German academics, linguists, cultural researchers, and authors who collected folklore and published several collections of it as Grimm's Fairy Tales, which became very popular...
, linguists (1785–1863 and 1786–1859) - Baron MünchhausenBaron MunchhausenKarl Friedrich Hieronymus, Freiherr von Münchhausen , usually known as Baron Münchhausen in English, was a German nobleman born in Bodenwerder and a famous recounter of tall tales....
, legendary nobleman and entertainer (1720–1797) - Wilhelm II, last German emperor (1859–1941)
- Rudolf AugsteinRudolf AugsteinRudolf Karl Augstein was one of the most influential German journalists, founder and part-owner of Der Spiegel magazine....
, journalist and publisher (1923–2002) - Heinrich BöllHeinrich BöllHeinrich Theodor Böll was one of Germany's foremost post-World War II writers. Böll was awarded the Georg Büchner Prize in 1967 and the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1972.- Biography :...
, writer (1917–1985) - Ralf SchumacherRalf SchumacherRalf Schumacher is a German racing driver, and the younger brother of seven-time Formula One World Champion Michael Schumacher...
, racing driver (born 1975) - Anne FrankAnne FrankAnnelies Marie "Anne" Frank is one of the most renowned and most discussed Jewish victims of the Holocaust. Acknowledged for the quality of her writing, her diary has become one of the world's most widely read books, and has been the basis for several plays and films.Born in the city of Frankfurt...
, teenage diary writer and Nazi victim (1929–1945) - Frederick I, Holy Roman EmperorFrederick I, Holy Roman EmperorFrederick I Barbarossa was a German Holy Roman Emperor. He was elected King of Germany at Frankfurt on 4 March 1152 and crowned in Aachen on 9 March, crowned King of Italy in Pavia in 1155, and finally crowned Roman Emperor by Pope Adrian IV, on 18 June 1155, and two years later in 1157 the term...
("Barbarossa"), monarch (1122–1190) - Sigmund JähnSigmund JähnSigmund Werner Paul Jähn is a German pilot who became the first German to fly in space as part of the Soviet Union's Interkosmos program.-Biography:Jähn was born in Morgenröthe-Rautenkranz, in the Vogtland district of Saxony, Germany...
, cosmonaut, first German in space (born 1937) - Franziska van AlmsickFranziska van AlmsickFranziska van Almsick is a German swimmer. She won her first Olympic medals in 1992 at the Barcelona Olympic Games aged fourteen....
, athlete (swimming) (born 1979) - Clemens August Graf von GalenClemens August Graf von GalenBlessed Clemens August Graf von Galen was a German count, Bishop of Münster, and Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church....
, theologian and resistance fighter (1878–1946) - Ludwig IILudwig II of BavariaLudwig II was King of Bavaria from 1864 until shortly before his death. He is sometimes called the Swan King and der Märchenkönig, the Fairy tale King...
, "the Fairy tale King", king of Bavaria (1845–1886) - Carl Friedrich ZeissCarl ZeissCarl Zeiss was a German maker of optical instruments commonly known for the company he founded, Carl Zeiss Jena . Zeiss made contributions to lens manufacturing that have aided the modern production of lenses...
, physicist (1816–1888) - Hildegard KnefHildegard KnefHildegard Frieda Albertine Knef was a German actress, singer and writer. She was billed in some English language films as Hildegard Neff or Hildegarde Neff.-Early years:...
, actress and singer (1925–2002) - Levi StraussLevi StraussLevi Strauss was a German-Jewish immigrant to the United States who founded the first company to manufacture blue jeans. His firm, Levi Strauss & Co., began in 1853 in San Francisco, California.-Origins:...
, entrepreneur and inventor (jeans) (1829–1902) - Sepp HerbergerSepp HerbergerJosef "Sepp" Herberger was a German football player and manager...
, football coach of the 1954 world cup winning team(1897–1977) - Klaus KinskiKlaus KinskiKlaus Kinski, born Klaus Günter Karl Nakszynski , was a German actor. He appeared in more than 130 films, and is perhaps best-remembered as a leading role actor in Werner Herzog films: Aguirre, the Wrath of God , Nosferatu the Vampyre , Woyzeck , Fitzcarraldo and Cobra Verde .-Early...
, actor (1926–1991) - Werner von Siemens, physicist and entrepreneur (1816–1892)
- Ferdinand PorscheFerdinand PorscheFerdinand Porsche was an Austrian automotive engineer and honorary Doctor of Engineering. He is best known for creating the first hybrid vehicle , the Volkswagen Beetle, and the Mercedes-Benz SS/SSK, as well as the first of many Porsche automobiles...
, automobile constructor (1875–1951) - Peter Scholl-LatourPeter Scholl-LatourPeter Scholl-Latour is a Franco-German journalist and publicist.In 1945 and 1946 Scholl-Latour was a member the Commando Parachutiste Ponchardier, a unit of French paratroopers, with whom he fought in the First Indochina War.After taking a master's degree at Institut d’études politiques de Paris...
, journalist (born 1924) - August Heinrich Hoffmann von FallerslebenAugust Heinrich Hoffmann von Fallersleben' , who used Hoffmann von Fallersleben as his pen name, was a German poet. He is best known for writing "Das Lied der Deutschen", its third stanza now being the national anthem of Germany, and a number of popular children's songs.- Biography :Hoffmann was born in Fallersleben , Brunswick-Lüneburg,...
, writer of national anthem lyrics (1798–1874) - Siegfried and Roy, illusionists and tiger tamers (born 1939 and 1944)
- Christoph LangenChristoph LangenChristoph Langen is a German bobsledder who competed for the West German and German national team from 1985 to 2005...
, athlete (bobsledding) (born 1962) - MichelleMichelle (German singer)Michelle is the stage name of German singer Tanja Shitawey . She was born in Villingen-Schwenningen on 15 February 1972. She represented Germany in the Eurovision Song Contest 2001 with the song Wer Liebe lebt , which placed 8th from 23 participating countries with 66 points...
, singer (born 1974) - Manfred von ArdenneManfred von ArdenneManfred von Ardenne was a German research and applied physicist and inventor. He took out approximately 600 patents in fields including electron microscopy, medical technology, nuclear technology, plasma physics, and radio and television technology...
, physicist (1907–1997) - Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz, universal scholar (1646–1716)
- Arthur SchopenhauerArthur SchopenhauerArthur Schopenhauer was a German philosopher known for his pessimism and philosophical clarity. At age 25, he published his doctoral dissertation, On the Fourfold Root of the Principle of Sufficient Reason, which examined the four separate manifestations of reason in the phenomenal...
, philosopher (1788–1860) - Kurt TucholskyKurt TucholskyKurt Tucholsky was a German-Jewish journalist, satirist and writer. He also wrote under the pseudonyms Kaspar Hauser, Peter Panter, Theobald Tiger and Ignaz Wrobel. Born in Berlin-Moabit, he moved to Paris in 1924 and then to Sweden in 1930.Tucholsky was one of the most important journalists of...
, writer (1890–1935) - KarlKarl AlbrechtKarl Hans Albrecht is a German entrepreneur who founded the discount supermarket chain Aldi with his brother Theo. He is among the richest men in the world, with an estimated net worth in 2011 of $25.5 billion according to Forbes, which ranks him 12th in its 2011 list of billionaires - making him...
(born 1920) and Theo AlbrechtTheo AlbrechtTheodor Paul Albrecht , generally known as Theo Albrecht, was a German entrepreneur, who in 2010 was ranked by Forbes as the 31st richest person in the world, with a net worth of $16.7 billion. He owned and was the CEO of the Aldi Nord discount supermarket chain. In the US he owned the Trader Joe's...
(born 1922), entrepreneurs (AldiALDIALDI Einkauf GmbH & Co. oHG, doing business as ', short for "Albrecht Discount", is a discount supermarket chain based in Germany...
) - Joseph RatzingerPope Benedict XVIBenedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
, cardinal (born 1927) (became Pope Benedict XVIPope Benedict XVIBenedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
in 2005) - Werner HeisenbergWerner HeisenbergWerner Karl Heisenberg was a German theoretical physicist who made foundational contributions to quantum mechanics and is best known for asserting the uncertainty principle of quantum theory...
, physicist (1901–1976) - Harald JuhnkeHarald JuhnkeHarald Juhnke , actually Harry Heinz Herbert Juhnke, was a well-known German actor, comedian and entertainer.-Life:...
, actor (1929–2005) - Till EulenspiegelTill EulenspiegelTill Eulenspiegel was an impudent trickster figure originating in Middle Low German folklore. His tales were disseminated in popular printed editions narrating a string of lightly connected episodes that outlined his picaresque career, primarily in Germany, the Low Countries and France...
, literary figure as joker and jester, first appeared 1510/1511 (-) - Götz GeorgeGötz GeorgeGötz George is a German actor, son of actor couple Berta Drews and Heinrich George. His arguably best-known role is that of Duisburg commissar Horst Schimanski in the TV crime series Tatort.-Early years:...
, actor (born 1938) - Rudolf DieselRudolf DieselRudolf Christian Karl Diesel was a German inventor and mechanical engineer, famous for the invention of the diesel engine.-Early life:Diesel was born in Paris, France in 1858 the second of three children of Theodor and Elise Diesel. His parents were Bavarian immigrants living in Paris. Theodor...
, inventor (1858–1913) - Stefan RaabStefan RaabStefan Konrad Raab is a German entertainer, television host, comedian and musician. Raab began his television career hosting the comedy show Vivasion in 1993 and has been hosting the late-night comedy show TV total since 1999. He became well-known in 1994 after composing a hit single spoofing...
, TV host and musician (born 1966) - Hans AlbersHans AlbersHans Philipp August Albers was a German actor and singer. He was the single biggest male movie star in Germany between 1930 and 1945 and one of the most popular German actors of the twentieth century.- Life and work :...
, singer and actor (1891–1960) - Nina HagenNina HagenNina Hagen is a German singer and actress.-Early years:Hagen was born as Catharina Hagen in the former East Berlin, East Germany, the daughter of Hans Hagen , a scriptwriter, and Eva-Maria Hagen, an actress and singer...
, singer (born 1954) - Johannes KeplerJohannes KeplerJohannes Kepler was a German mathematician, astronomer and astrologer. A key figure in the 17th century scientific revolution, he is best known for his eponymous laws of planetary motion, codified by later astronomers, based on his works Astronomia nova, Harmonices Mundi, and Epitome of Copernican...
, astronomer (1571–1630) - Hans RosenthalHans RosenthalHans Rosenthal was a radio editor, director, and one of the most popular German radio and television hosts of the 1970s and 80s.- Life :...
, TV host (1925–1987) - Rupert NeudeckRupert NeudeckRupert Neudeck is a German journalist and humanitarian.He lived in Danzig until 1945 when Germans either fled from the advancing Soviets, or were expelled in the Expulsion of Germans from Poland after World War II...
, physician and charity activist (Cap AnamurCap AnamurCap Anamur is an organisation which is helping refugees worldwide.In 1979 Christel and Rupert Neudeck, together with a group of friends, formed the committee "A ship for Vietnam" and chartered for the rescue mission the freighter "Cap Anamur" named after a cape off the Turkish coast...
) (born 1939) - Dieter HildebrandtDieter HildebrandtDieter Hildebrandt is a German Kabarett artist.Born in Bunzlau, Lower Silesia, Hildebrandt attended school until he became an assistant for the German Air Force in World War II...
, comedian (born 1927) - Marie-Theres Kroetz Relin, actress and housewife (born 1966)
- Kilian Saum, priest (born 1958)
- Hans SöllnerHans SöllnerJohann Michael Söllner , better known as Hans Söllner, is a German singer-songwriter. Throughout German-speaking countries, especially in Germany and Austria, he is famous for publicly criticizing the German government and political systems in general to a vast extent...
, singer (born 1955) - Gregor GysiGregor GysiDr. Gregor Gysi is a German attorney and key politician of the socialist left-wing political party The Left . He played an important role in the end of communist rule in East Germany in 1989, and was a main figure in the post-reunification Party of Democratic Socialism...
, (East) German politician (born 1948) - Arminius, der CheruskerArminiusArminius , also known as Armin or Hermann was a chieftain of the Germanic Cherusci who defeated a Roman army in the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest...
, Germanic leader in battle vs. Romans (-) - Günter GrassGünter GrassGünter Wilhelm Grass is a Nobel Prize-winning German author, poet, playwright, sculptor and artist.He was born in the Free City of Danzig...
, writer (born 1927) - Inge MeyselInge MeyselInge Meysel was a German actress. From the early 1960s until her death, Meysel was one of Germany's most popular actresses...
, actress (1910–2004) - Hans Hartz, musician (1943–2002)
- Karl LagerfeldKarl LagerfeldKarl Lagerfeld is a German fashion designer, artist and photographer based in Paris. He has collaborated on a variety of fashion and art related projects, most notably as head designer and creative director for the fashion house Chanel...
, fashion designer (born 1933 or 1938) - Oliver KahnOliver KahnOliver Rolf Kahn is a former German football goalkeeper. He started his career in the Karlsruher SC Junior team. He had his debut game in the professional squad in 1987...
, athlete (football) (born 1969) - Gerd MüllerGerd MüllerGerhard "Gerd" Müller is a former German football player and one of the most prolific goalscorers of all time.With national records of 68 goals in 62 international appearances, 365 goals in 427 Bundesliga games and the international record of 66 goals in 74 European Club games, he was one of the...
, athlete (football) (born 1945) - Ferdinand von ZeppelinFerdinand von ZeppelinFerdinand Adolf Heinrich August Graf von Zeppelin was a German general and later aircraft manufacturer. He founded the Zeppelin Airship company...
, airship pioneer (1838–1917) - Nikolaus August Otto, inventor (1832–1891)
- Grete Schickedanz, Quelle mail-order entrepreneur (1911–1994)
- Clara ZetkinClara ZetkinClara Zetkin was a German Marxist theorist, activist, and fighter for women's rights. In 1910, she organized the first International Women's Day....
, women's rights activist (1857–1933) - Hannah ArendtHannah ArendtHannah Arendt was a German American political theorist. She has often been described as a philosopher, although she refused that label on the grounds that philosophy is concerned with "man in the singular." She described herself instead as a political theorist because her work centers on the fact...
, journalist and philosopher (1906–1975) - Roman HerzogRoman HerzogRoman Herzog is a German politician as a member of the Christian Democratic Union, and served as President of Germany from 1994 to 1999...
, Federal President 1994–1999(born 1934) - Hermann OberthHermann OberthHermann Julius Oberth was an Austro-Hungarian-born German physicist and engineer. He is considered one of the founding fathers of rocketry and astronautics.- Early life :...
, rocket physicist (1894–1984) - Karl ValentinKarl ValentinKarl Valentin was a Bavarian comedian, cabaret performer, clown, author and film producer. He had significant influence on German Weimar culture...
, comedian (1882–1948) - Frank SchöbelFrank SchöbelFrank Schöbel Frank Schöbel Frank Schöbel (b. 11 December 1942, Leipzig, Saxony, Germany is a German musician. He was one of the most successful pop singers in communist East Germany (GDR) and remained so after the German reunification.-Career:...
, East German singer (born 1942) - Jakob Fugger, entrepreneur (1459–1525)
- Henry MaskeHenry MaskeHenry Maske is a German boxer, one of Germany's most popular sports figures.-Amateur career:Maske was an Olympic Gold Medalist 1988 in Seoul for East Germany...
, athlete (boxing) (born 1964) - Helmut ZachariasHelmut ZachariasHelmut Zacharias was a German violinist and composer. At the time of his death, he had created over 400 works and sold 14 million records. He also appeared in number of films, usually playing musicians.-Early life:...
, violinist (1920–2002) - Michael BallackMichael BallackMichael Ballack is a German professional footballer, who is currently playing for Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen. He is among the top goal scorers in the history of his international team. Ballack has worn the number 13 shirt for every team he has played for except for Kaiserslautern...
, athlete (football) (born 1976) - Bernhard GrzimekBernhard GrzimekBernhard Klemens Maria Grzimek was a renowned Silesian-German zoo director, zoologist, book author, editor, and animal conservationist in postwar West-Germany.-Early years:Grzimek was born in Neisse , Upper Silesia...
, animal scientist and filmer (1909–1987) - Richard StraussRichard StraussRichard Georg Strauss was a leading German composer of the late Romantic and early modern eras. He is known for his operas, which include Der Rosenkavalier and Salome; his Lieder, especially his Four Last Songs; and his tone poems and orchestral works, such as Death and Transfiguration, Till...
, composer (1864–1949) - Edmund StoiberEdmund StoiberEdmund Rüdiger Stoiber is a German politician, former minister-president of the state of Bavaria and former chairman of the Christian Social Union...
, politician (born 1941) - Klaus StörtebekerKlaus StörtebekerNikolaus Storzenbecher, or Klaus Störtebeker , was a leader and the best known representative of a companionship of privateers known as the Victual Brothers...
, pirate (ca. 1370–1401) - Peter FrankenfeldPeter FrankenfeldPeter Frankenfeld was a German comedian, radio and television personality....
, Radio and Television personality (1913–1979) - Mildred ScheelMildred ScheelMildred Scheel was a German physician, the second wife of the German President of the Federal Republic Walter Scheel and the founder of the German Cancer Aid. As the First Lady , she immediately established this Non-profit organization to fight all kinds of cancer...
, physician and charity activist (1932–1985) - Claudia SchifferClaudia SchifferClaudia Schiffer is a German model and occasional actress, who reached the peak of her popularity during the 1990s, initially due to her resemblance to Brigitte Bardot. Schiffer is one of the world's most successful models, having appeared on over 500 magazine covers...
, model (born 1970)
Other editions
Other countries have produced similar shows, see also: Greatest Britons spin-offsGreatest Britons spin-offs
The following is a list of spin-offs of the 2002 100 Greatest Britons program produced by the BBC.- External links :* *...
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