50.9422° N, 6.9578° E

COLOGNE

Most Famous People Born in Cologne, Germany

Notable people
3,487
Peak decade
1960s
Median birth year
1934
Most distinctive
Art Historian 6.5×

A Rhenish capital whose roots go back to Agrippina's Roman colony in 15 AD. Cologne's distinctive professions are art historians and authors at the top — the legacy of one of Europe's oldest cathedral chapters and the Wallraf-Richartz museum — alongside architects, sculptors, and the actors of a postwar German television capital. Adenauer was born here, Offenbach composed here, and Heinrich Böll anchored the postwar literary bench; the city also has one of the deepest pre-1500 tails of any in Germany.

Through the Centuries

One face per century — the most globally famous figure born in Cologne during each.

What Cologne Is Known For

Click any row to filter the list of people below.

Actor is Cologne's biggest profession — 10% of all notables (346).

Cologne over-indexes on art historian6.5× the global rate.

Cologne under-produces football — only 0.5× the global rate.

  1. Actor346
  2. Politician277
  3. Football171
  4. Painter157
  5. Writer144
  6. Academic143
  7. Author123
  8. Architect92
  1. Art Historian436.5×
  2. Author1234.1×
  3. Academic1434.0×
  4. Entrepreneur423.5×
  5. Architect923.0×
  6. Sculptor642.8×
  7. Actor3461.9×
  8. Painter1571.7×
  1. Football1710.5×
  2. Politician2770.7×

Profession Mix Over Time

Each band shows a profession family's share of Cologne's notable births by decade. Hover the chart for the breakdown at any decade.

15001550160016501700175018001850190019502000
  • Writing
  • Film & TV
  • Art & Design
  • Sports
  • Science
  • Politics & Law
  • Other
All3,487
Sort By

3,487 notable people

3001 AUTHOR

Miriam Broicher

Born 1990

Preview
3002 POLITICIAN

Josef Bernards

1831 - 1890

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3003 SCULPTOR

Johann Joseph Imhoff (der Jüngere)

1796 - 1860

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3004 POLITICIAN

Karl Weiler

1878 - 1973

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3005 ARCHITECT

Hermann J. Gaul

1869 - 1949

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3006 ARTIST

Sascha Pohflepp

1978 - 2019

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3007 POLITICIAN

Bertram Weiler

1898 - 1972

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3008 PAINTER

Henrique Fleiuss

1824 - 1882

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3009 ACTOR

Grete Fluss

1892 - 1964

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3010 PRIEST

Peter Cornelius Beyweg

1670 - 1744

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3011 POLITICIAN

Sabine Becker (Politikerin)

Born 1965

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3012 MISSING

Maria Bierganz

1927 - 2013

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3013 MISSING

Kai Vorberg

Born 1981

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3014 POLITICIAN

Julius Bachem (Politiker, 1887)

1887 - 1959

Preview
3015 ART HISTORIAN

Stefan Soltek

Born 1956

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3016 FILM

Thomas Hengesbach

Born 1967

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3017 SKI

Andrea Temme

Born 1981

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3018 PRESENTER

Benjamin Matthews (Moderator)

Born 1985

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3019 FOOTBALL

Hans Pfeiffer (Fußballspieler)

Born 1937

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3020 MOTO

Marcus Schiffer

Born 1987

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3021 ACTOR

Klaus Höring

Born 1934

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3022 SPORT

Thomas Schneider (Radsportler)

Born 1993

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3023 ACTOR

Ulla Willick

1940 - 2019

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3024 CIVIL SERVICE

Karl Dohmen

Born 1874

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3025 LAWYER

Felix Vierhaus

1850 - 1917

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3026 PRIEST

Maximilian Steins

1889 - 1972

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3027 POLITICIAN

Isabel Ernst

1924 - 2000

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3028 ACADEMIC

Klaus Lennartz (Philologe)

Born 1963

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3029 ACTOR

Giovanni Luzi

Born 1960

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3030 MILITAR

Leonard Webb

1921 - 2011

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3031 POLITICIAN

Nicolaus Kern

Born 1972

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3032 KATHOLISCHER

Erich Endlein

1925 - 2017

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3033 POLITICIAN

Bernd Petelkau

Born 1965

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3034 EDUCATION

Peter Paul Faust

1833 - 1912

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3035 JOURNALIST

Moritz Küpper

Born 1980

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3036 LAWYER

Max Heimann

1872 - 1939

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3037 ARCHITECT

Karl Bing

1858 - 1930

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3038 BANK

Karin von Ullmann

1922 - 2009

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3039 ACADEMIC

Horst Küppers

Born 1933

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3040 POLITICIAN

Andreas Muhr

1904 - 1968

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3041 FILM

Iring Freytag

Born 1981

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3042 LAWYER

Franz Schemmer

Born 1960

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3043 FOOTBALL

Wolfgang Mattern

Born 1956

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3044 MISSING

Markus N. Beeko

Born 1967

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3045 SCULPTOR

Carl Vilz

1914 - 1945

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3046 PERFUMER

Emanuel Ciolina Zanoli

1796 - 1837

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3047 PRESENTER

Tarik Schwenke

Born 1977

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3048 POLITICIAN

Wilhelm Banse

1911 - 1965

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3049 GEOLOGIST

Johannes Stets

1932 - 2015

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3050 PAINTER

Ruth Underberg

1924 - 2002

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3051 POLITICIAN

Robert Jansen (Politiker)

1881 - 1924

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3052 PRODUCER

Bazzazian

-

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3053 BUSINESS

Oliver Samwer

Born 1972

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3054 ACTOR

August Becker (Schauspieler)

1834 - 1877

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3055 ACADEMIC

Hans A. Seck

1935 - 2016

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3056 VORSITZENDER

Mehmet Sabri Erbakan

Born 1967

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3057 POLITICIAN

Marie Becker (Politikerin)

1875 - 1930

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3058 ARISTOCRAT

François-Hugo de Nassau-Siegen

1678 - 1735

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3059 ACTOR

Helene Bensberg-Mauthner

1853 - 1940

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3060 ACTOR

Alexander Mokos

Born 1977

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3061 ARCHITECT

Wilhelm Walther (Architekt)

1857 - 1917

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3062 PAINTER

Margarete Hoenerbach

1848 - 1924

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3063 WRITER

Gustav Delpy

1854 - 1921

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3064 PHILOSOPHER

Andreas Eckl (Philosoph)

Born 1959

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3065 POLITICIAN

Gabi Molitor

Born 1962

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3066 PRESENTER

Sven Pistor

Born 1972

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3067 JOURNALIST

Linda Joe Fuhrich

Born 1987

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3068 POLITICIAN

Lorenz Deutsch

Born 1969

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3069 POLITICIAN

Michael Kreuzberg

Born 1957

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3070 POLITICIAN

Guido Déus

Born 1968

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3071 PAINTER

Franz Wilhelm Schön

1784 - 1871

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3072 POLITICIAN

Erich Wilhelm Sartor

1909 - 1986

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3073 HOCKEY

Benjamin Finkenrath

Born 1986

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3074 SAXOPHONIST

Willi Sanner

Born 1925

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3075 PRESENTER

Elif Senel

Born 1978

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3076 KATHOLISCHER

Andreas Weckwerth

Born 1974

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3077 CHEMIST

Otto Schmidt (Chemiker)

1874 - 1943

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3078 JUDGE

Richard Metz

1865 - 1945

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3079 AUTHOR

Lily Schwenger-Cords

1890 - 1980

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3080 TRUMPET

Pablo Giw

Born 1988

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3081 ACTOR

Julius Christian Koch

1792 - 1860

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3082 ROWER

Peter Betz

1929 - 1991

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3083 PRESENTER

Anja Bergerhoff

Born 1968

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3084 SPORT

Doris Pecher

Born 1966

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3085 ROWER

Stefan Reinartz (rower)

1925 - 2007

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3086 ROWER

Michael Reinartz

1928 - 2001

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3087 POLITICIAN

Karl Stupp

1841 - 1925

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3088 WRITER

Hans Janson

1880 - 1949

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3089 POLITICIAN

Otto Friedrich Kredel

1891 - 1974

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3090 ROWER

Helmut Wolber

Born 1947

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3091 FILMMAKER

Christoph Felder

Born 1958

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3092 ROWER

Heinz Zünkler

1929 - 2018

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3093 DRUMMER

Torsten Bugiel

Born 1975

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3094 ROWER

Norbert Kothe

Born 1952

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3095 ROWER

Klaus Meyer (rower)

Born 1954

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3096 HOCKEY

Otto Brandenburg (Eishockeyspieler)

1923 - 2010

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3097 ACTOR

Fulgencio Morente Gómez

-

Preview
3098 POLITICIAN

Kurt Schmelter

1925 - 2013

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3099 ROWER

Helmut Latz

Born 1955

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3100 POLITICIAN

Theodor Geyr von Schweppenburg

1806 - 1882

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3101 ACADEMIC

Rudolf Weber (Architekt, 1933)

1933 - 2017

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3102 PLAYER

Eberhard Nourney

1904 - 1936

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3103 PAINTER

Bernd Schulte (Maler)

1908 - 1972

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3104 ENGINEER

Jörg Schneider (Bauingenieur)

Born 1934

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3105 PAEDIATRICIAN

Edith Leffmann

1894 - 1984

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3106 LAWYER

Karl Maria Heimann

Born 1879

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3107 POLITICIAN

Imma Hillerich

Born 1954

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3108 JOURNALIST

Carlson Reinhard

1953 - 2020

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3109 POLITICAL

Valentina Kerst

Born 1979

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3110 POLITICIAN

Engelbert Brinker

1883 - 1944

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3111 VORSITZENDER

Ernst Busemann

1876 - 1939

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3112 POLITICIAN

Gerd Wohlleben

1902 - 1972

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3113 HANDBALL

Yannick Fraatz

Born 1999

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3114 BUSINESS

Julius Vorster junior

1845 - 1932

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3115 SINGER

Joe Knipp

Born 1954

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3116 SURGEON

Andreas Gassen

Born 1962

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3117 ENGINEER

Ludwig Mann (Ingenieur)

1871 - 1959

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3118 CIVIL SERVICE

Rudolf Maus (Beamter)

1900 - 1985

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3119 ARCHITECT

Paul Georg Hopmann

1930 - 2006

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3120 ACADEMIC

Alfred Bonnemann

1904 - 1979

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3121 ARMY

Herbert E. Wolff

1925 - 2009

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3122 ACTOR

Aischa-Lina Löbbert

Born 1984

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3123 MUSIC

Stephan Breith

Born 1950

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3124 POLITICIAN

Karl Hermann Ritter

1931 - 2006

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3125 DRAMA

Iris Laufenberg

Born 1966

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3126 POLITICIAN

Franz-Josef Hamacher

1935 - 1996

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3127 ACTOR

Emmy Jülich

1901 - 1971

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3128 ACTOR

Tino Lindenberg

Born 1975

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3129 EDUCATOR

Eduard Moll (Philologe)

1849 - 1933

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3130 AUTHOR

Hugo Strauch

Born 1886

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3131 POLITICIAN

Peter Hettlich

Born 1959

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3132 POLITICIAN

Lutz Urbach

Born 1966

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3133 BOXER

Jonas Kessler

1908 - 1944

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3134 POLITICIAN

Rüdiger Hansen

1907 - 1984

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3135 SINGER

Emily Intsiful

Born 1991

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3136 ACADEMIC

Klaus Dreyer

1909 - 1999

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3137 PAINTER

Heinz Müller-Pilgram

1913 - 1984

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3138 JOURNALIST

Matthias Christian Brügelmann

Born 1972

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3139 POLITICIAN

Ole Steffes

Born 1959

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3140 COOK

Herbert Schönberner

Born 1949

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3141 WITWE

Sela Jude

1180 - 1230

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3142 FOOTBALL

Willi Cryns

Born 1952

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3143 ACTOR

Heino Thiele

1891 - 1964

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3144 ARCHITECT

Hubert Göbbels

1835 - 1874

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3145 POLITICIAN

Susanne Stupp

Born 1969

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3146 PRELATE

Joseph Maria Boos

1909 - 1978

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3147 ARCHITECT

Gisbert Brovot

1923 - 2016

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3148 ACTOR

Edda Fischer

Born 1969

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3149 LAWYER

Tijen Kortak

Born 1975

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3150 EDUCATION

Ernst Simons

1919 - 2006

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3151 POLITICIAN

Dagmar Andres

Born 1969

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3152 BASKET

Malik El-Tamer

Born 1977

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3153 POLITICIAN

Charles Louis de Perrien

1792 - 1852

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3154 BUSINESS

Albert Mertés

1853 - 1924

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3155 JUDGE

Günter Heidecke

1922 - 2011

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3156 OFFICER

Willi Biesenbach

1915 - 1944

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3157 PRESENTER

Franz Burbach

-

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3158 DIVER

Heinz Freyschmidt

Born 1883

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3159 OFFICER

Erich Abberger

1895 - 1988

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3160 POLITICIAN

Heinz Soénius

1929 - 2020

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3161 ARTIST

Gregor Mönter

Born 1967

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3162 ART DEALER

Walter Bornheim

1888 - 1971

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3163 POLITICIAN

Kathrin Henneberger

Born 1987

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3164 BUSINESS

Oliver Bell

Born 1958

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3165 ACTOR

Marie Simone Steinbauer

Born 1969

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3166 ACADEMIC

Ludwig Steffens

Born 1930

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3167 MISSING

Adele Rautenstrauch

1850 - 1903

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3168 RADIO

Wolfgang Roth (Moderator)

Born 1954

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3169 PAINTER

Wilhelm Pütz (Künstler)

1875 - 1957

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3170 MANAGER

Heinz Massingh

1897 - 1966

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3171 OFFICER

Hugo von Cotzhausen

1863 - 1947

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3172 POLITICIAN

Christian Möbius

Born 1966

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3173 MILITAR

Rolf Schmitz (Admiral)

Born 1949

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3174 ARTIST

Patrick Lehnen

Born 1983

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3175 WEIGHTLIFTER

Karl Mörke

1893 - 1947

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3176 ROWER

Anton Reinartz

1926 - 2002

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3177 ROWER

Bernhard Fölkel

Born 1953

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3178 POLITICAL

Franz Vehlow

1895 - 1936

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3179 SPORT

Paul Oszmella

1903 - 1967

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3180 FOOTBALL

Claudio Marasa

Born 1978

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3181 POLITICIAN

Hermann Josef Schmitz

1936 - 2016

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3182 MISSING

Sabiha El-Zayat

Born 1970

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3183 WRITER

Paul Schmidt-Tüngler

Born 1910

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3184 BUSINESS

Michael Miebach

1828 - 1916

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3185 COMPOSER

Helene von Breuning

1750 - 1838

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3186 WRITER

Rolf D. Busch

Born 1956

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3187 JOURNALIST

Rolf Ohler

Born 1956

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3188 POLITICIAN

Ingrid Hack

Born 1964

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3189 PHOTOGRAPHER

Bernd Possardt

Born 1973

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3190 ACTOR

Serdar Keskin

Born 1984

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3191 ORGANIST

Joachim Riepen

Born 1941

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3192 SCULPTOR

Franz Günter Lossow

1925 - 1975

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3193 POLITICIAN

Frank Keppeler

Born 1973

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3194 BANK

Carl Hagen (Bankier)

1856 - 1938

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3195 PLAYER

Helmuth Hoffmann

1919 - 2010

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3196 ARTIST

Jan Ditgen

Born 1967

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3197 GESCHÄFTSFÜHRER

Theodor Babilon

1899 - 1945

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3198 INVESTOR

Stephan Rind

Born 1967

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3199 ACTOR

Ursel Eberz

Born 1942

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3200 WRESTLER

Willi Waltner

1934 - 1966

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3201 JUDGE

Peter Kamp

Born 1951

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3202 POLITICIAN

Lisa Steinmann

Born 1966

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3203 SCULPTOR

Ferdinand Custodis

1842 - 1911

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3204 PRIEST

Heinrich Barlage (Köln)

1932 - 2011

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3205 FOOTBALL

Manfred Röhrig

Born 1938

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3206 LEUTNANT

Friedrich Wilhelm von Niesewand

1833 - 1916

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3207 BOXER

Birkan Akyol

Born 1992

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3208 MANAGER

Michael Loeb

Born 1963

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3209 POLITICIAN

Dirk Schlömer

Born 1965

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3210 POLITICIAN

Hans Neikes

1881 - 1954

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3211 FENCER

Stephan Thönnessen

Born 1962

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3212 DIPLOMAT

Jutta Schmitz

Born 1957

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3213 PAINTER

Heinrich Pilger

1899 - 1993

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3214 RAPPER

Jephza

Born 1990

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3215 SCULPTOR

Stefan Kaiser (Bildhauer)

Born 1956

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3216 ENTREPRENEUR

Johann Baptist Farina

1758 - 1844

Preview
3217 HOCKEY

Detlef Langemann

Born 1947

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3218 SCULPTOR

Franz Andreas Threyne

1888 - 1965

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3219 FABRIKANT

Otto Hartmann (Tierschützer)

1842 - 1927

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3220 PAINTER

Lothar Brandes

1926 - 2011

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3221 CHOREOGRAPHER

Biggi Fahnenschreiber

Born 1931

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3222 HANDBALL

Anja Schunk

Born 1982

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3223 POLITICIAN

Klaus-Werner Jablonski

Born 1959

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3224 ARTIST

Muriel Blondeau

Born 1967

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3225 FOOTBALL

Marius Klostermann

Born 1983

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3226 PRESENTER

Claudia Krüger

Born 1972

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3227 MUSIC

Kurt Hopstein

1934 - 2013

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3228 DIPLOMAT

Claus Wunderlich

1951 - 2012

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3229 REGISSEUR

Udo Mierke

-

Preview
3230 FOOTBALL

Josef Fuhrmann

Born 1940

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3231 POLITICIAN

Ursula Winkelsett

Born 1962

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3232 POLIZEI

Erich Graes

1890 - 1980

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3233 POLITICIAN

Wilhelm Vollmann (Politiker)

Born 1939

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3234 LANDRAT

Bruno Eichhorn

1864 - 1926

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3235 BASKET

Malte Herwig (Basketballspieler)

Born 1992

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3236 ARCHITECT

Fritz Haferkamp

1925 - 1994

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3237 MISSING

Ernst Vierkötter

1901 - 1967

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3238 INFANTERIE

Adolf von Fetter

1846 - 1919

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3239 FOOTBALL

Helmut Fendel

1936 - 2019

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3240 SPORT

Stephan Prantl

Born 1969

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3241 CHOREOGRAPHER

Rolf Hepp

Born 1932

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3242 POLITICIAN

Franz Josef Kayser

1928 - 2015

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3243 HOCKEY

Naoki Tomita

Born 1970

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3244 OPERA

Hugo Piccaneser

1833 - 1863

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3245 POLITICIAN

Jutta Hartwieg

Born 1961

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3246 SINGER

Hans Michael Sablotny

Born 1965

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3247 ARCHITECT

Wilhelm Hoffmann (Architekt)

1820 - 1890

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3248 LAWYER

Hans Volk

1902 - 1945

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3249 FOOTBALL

Thomas Huschbeck

Born 1967

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3250 SCULPTOR

Johann Joseph Mannebach

1765 - 1832

Preview
3251 KAYAK

Jonas Vieren

Born 1990

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3252 SWIMMER

Ernst Budig

1908 - 1971

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3253 ENGINEER

Kurt Vossen

1937 - 2007

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3254 ARTIST

Christian Hoischen

Born 1966

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3255 ACTOR

Ruben Bench

Born 1990

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3256 MERCHANT

Jean Balthazar

1857 - 1926

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3257 POLITICIAN

Hans-Werner Tovar

Born 1948

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3258 POLITICIAN

Jochen Esser

Born 1951

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3259 CHESS

Elke Schludecker

Born 1953

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3260 JOURNALIST

Stefan Hoff

Born 1968

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3261 TAXONOMIST

Georg Statz

1894 - 1945

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3262 MARINE

Alexander Michels

1891 - 1968

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3263 BOXER

Fikriye Selen

Born 1975

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3264 SINGER

Michael (Sänger)

Born 1978

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3265 POLITICIAN

Jürgen Hollstein

Born 1962

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3266 POLITICIAN

Wolfgang Bell

1937 - 2012

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3267 POLITICIAN

Reinhard Bachofen

1544 - 1614

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3268 ATHLETIC

Marlies Müller

Born 1927

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3269 BASKET

Tim van der Velde

Born 1996

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3270 COOK

Philipp Vogel

Born 1981

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3271 SPORT

Jupp Merkens

1903 - 1981

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3272 SPORT

Ralf Kleinmann

Born 1971

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3273 COMEDIAN

Stephan Masur

Born 1971

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3274 POLITICIAN

Gunnar Koerdt

Born 1959

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3275 JOURNALIST

Georg Hansen (Politiker)

1903 - 1976

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3276 BASKET

Joel Mondo

Born 1988

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3277 ARCHITECT

Johannes Baptist Kleefisch

1862 - 1932

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3278 HOCKEY

Wim Hospelt

1951 - 2019

Preview
3279 POLITICIAN

Karl von Hartmann-Krey

1875 - 1945

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3280 VERBRECHER

Friedrich von Bülow (Manager)

1889 - 1984

Preview
3281 SINGER

Scope (Rapper)

Born 1969

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3282 LAWYER

Theodor Auer

1899 - 1972

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3283 ACADEMIC

Johann Merzenich

1840 - 1913

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3284 LAWYER

Wolfgang Riotte

Born 1938

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3285 POLITICIAN

Irmgard Gaertner-Fichtner

1930 - 2018

Preview
3286 BASKET

Benedict van Laack

Born 1997

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3287 MUSIC

Christiane Hutcap

-

Preview
3288 TEACHER

Gunhild Klöckner

1934 - 2020

Preview
3289 PUBLISHER

Sigurd Greven

1908 - 1981

Preview
3290 COSTUME DESIGNER

Stefan Morgenstern

Born 1960

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3291 ACTOR

Selda Akhan

Born 1969

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3292 KURFÜRST

Gottfried Joseph von Raesfeld

1706 - 1765

Preview
3293 POLITICIAN

Eberhard von Mylius

1813 - 1861

Preview
3294 BÜRGERMEISTER

Melchior Dittmar von Wittgenstein

1720 - 1784

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3295 SWIMMER

Wilfried Kühlem

Born 1963

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3296 SPORT

Karl Czernik

1923 - 1949

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3297 POLITICIAN

Helmut Dockter

Born 1949

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3298 STEINMETZ

Nikolaus Krakamp

1699 - 1778

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3299 MISSING

Giselle Keppel

Born 1970

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3300 JUDGE

Ulrich Freise

Born 1955

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