46.2001° N, 6.1500° E

GENEVE

Most Famous People Born in Geneve, Switzerland

Notable people
1,536
Peak decade
1960s
Median birth year
1917
Most distinctive
Bank 6.0×

A Protestant republic that became, in the 19th century, the world's capital of banking and international diplomacy. Geneva's distinctive professions are bankers, theologians, botanists, pianists, photographers, and physicists — a combination that exists almost nowhere else. Rousseau was born here, Calvin made it the Protestant Rome, Henri Dunant founded the Red Cross here, and Saussure essentially invented modern linguistics at the university.

Through the Centuries

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

What Geneve Is Known For

Click any row to filter the list of people below.

Politician is Geneve's biggest profession — 9% of all notables (138).

Geneve over-indexes on bank6.0× the global rate.

Geneve under-produces football — only 0.4× the global rate.

  1. Politician138
  2. Writer106
  3. Painter105
  4. Actor67
  5. Football64
  6. Artist43
  7. Lawyer35
  8. Architect34
  1. Bank156.0×
  2. Theologian244.3×
  3. Botanist243.9×
  4. Pianist153.6×
  5. Driver163.4×
  6. Photographer243.2×
  7. Physicist203.1×
  8. Artist432.7×
  1. Football640.4×
  2. Singer200.6×

Profession Mix Over Time

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

1550160016501700175018001850190019502000
  • Art & Design
  • Writing
  • Science
  • Politics & Law
  • Sports
  • Film & TV
  • Other
All1,536
Sort By

1,536 notable people

0901 POLITICIAN

Anne Mahrer

Born 1948

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0902 LAWYER

Ali Ehsassi

Born 1970

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0903 TEACHER

Édouard Sayous

1842 - 1898

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0904 PAINTER

Ellis Zbinden

1921 - 2019

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0905 PAINTER

Jean-Antoine Linck

1766 - 1843

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0906 PUBLISHER

Margitt Lehbert

Born 1957

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0907 INTELLECTUEL

Philippe Mottu

1913 - 2010

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0908 PASTOR

Henry Babel

1923 - 2019

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0909 ARTIST

Marie Velardi

Born 1977

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0910 LAWYER

François Paychère

Born 1958

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0911 MUSIC

François Guye

Born 1953

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0912 ARCHITECT

Jacques Dunant

1858 - 1939

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0913 PUBLISHER

Edmond Buchet

1907 - 1997

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0914 WRITER

Jean-Claude Fontanet

1925 - 2009

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0915 ARTIST

Gérald Ducimetière

Born 1940

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0916 WRITER

Germano Zullo

Born 1968

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0917 BOTANIST

Rodolphe Spichiger

Born 1946

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0918 WRITER

Jacques Probst

Born 1951

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0919 PORTRAITIST

Nancy Mérienne

1793 - 1860

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0920 PHOTOGRAPHER

Alfred Bertrand (géographe)

1856 - 1924

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0921 GEOLOGIST

Isabel P. Montañez

-

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0922 FILM

François Albera

Born 1948

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0923 FILM

Fabrice Giger

Born 1965

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0924 BOTANIST

Alain Chautems

Born 1953

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0925 SCIENCE

Pierre Krähenbühl

Born 1966

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0926 PAINTER

Pierre Matthey

1927 - 2014

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0927 HISTORIAN

Jura Brüschweiler

1927 - 2013

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0928 DESIGNER

Frank Tjepkema

Born 1970

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0929 SCULPTOR

Henri Presset

1928 - 2013

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0930 WRITER

Matthieu Mégevand

Born 1983

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0931 MISSING

Ronan Hubert

Born 1971

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0932 PAINTER

John Torcapel

1881 - 1965

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0933 JOURNALIST

Georges-Henri Martin

1916 - 1992

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0934 PHOTOGRAPHER

Nicolas Faure

Born 1949

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0935 FILM

Adrien Porchet

1907 - 2008

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0936 WRITER

Olivier May

Born 1957

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0937 PHOTOGRAPHER

Juan Pi

1875 - 1942

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0938 BANK

Guillaume Fatio

1865 - 1958

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0939 JOURNALIST

Paul Alexandre (écrivain suisse)

1917 - 2005

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0940 WRITER

Christophe Deshoulières

Born 1961

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0941 EGYPTOLOGIST

Michel Valloggia

Born 1942

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0942 BOTANIST

Auguste Isaac Samuel Schmidely

1838 - 1918

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0943 BANK

Henri Hentsch

1761 - 1835

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0944 PRELATE

Pierre de Savoie (archevêque de Tarentaise)

1440 - 1458

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0945 DESIGNER

Jorge Cañete

Born 1950

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0946 PAINTER

Louis Dunki

1856 - 1915

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0947 MERCHANT

Pierre Peschier

1739 - 1812

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0948 BIOLOGIST

François Morel (biologiste)

1923 - 2007

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0949 POLITICIAN

Jean-Joseph Johannot

1748 - 1829

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0950 WRITER

Charles Gos

1885 - 1949

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0951 SAILOR

Pierre Girard (sailor)

Born 1926

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0952 WRITER

Serge Bimpage

Born 1951

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0953 PAINTER

François Ferrière

1752 - 1839

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0954 PRODUCER

Alain Milhaud

1930 - 2018

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0955 ARTIST

Christian Floquet

Born 1961

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0956 PLAYWRIGHT

Georges Hoffmann

1894 - 1962

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0957 POLITICIAN

Mario Soldini

1913 - 1993

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0958 PAINTER

Jean-François Liegme

1922 - 1977

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0959 PAINTER

Stéphane Fretz

Born 1966

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0960 PRODUCTION DESIGNER

Ivan Niclass

Born 1962

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0961 HARPSICHORDIST

Isabelle Nef

1898 - 1976

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0962 PHOTOGRAPHER

Elga Heinzen

Born 1933

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0963 SCREENWRITER

Rodolphe-Maurice Arlaud

1911 - 2002

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0964 SCULPTOR

Daniel Polliand

Born 1938

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0965 TELEVISION

Jean-Jacques Lagrange

Born 1929

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0966 PAINTER

Alexander Leo Soldenhoff

1882 - 1951

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0967 PAINTER

Jean-Philippe Kalonji

Born 1973

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0968 COMMUNIST

Ecaterina Arbore

1875 - 1937

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0969 BANK

Jacques-Louis de Pourtalès

1722 - 1814

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0970 PAINTER

Adolphe Péterelle

1874 - 1947

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0971 LAWYER

Léopold Boissier

1893 - 1968

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0972 COMPOSER

Xavier Dayer

Born 1972

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0973 ENGINEER

François-Xavier Bagnoud

1961 - 1986

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0974 ACTOR

Nadège Lacroix

Born 1986

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0975 PAINTER

Marguerite Vallet

1888 - 1918

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0976 BIOLOGIST

Claude Kordon

1934 - 2008

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0977 CURATOR

Tatyana Franck

Born 1984

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0978 POLITICIAN

Isaac Salomon Anspach

1746 - 1825

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0979 BUSINESS

Nicholas de Wolff

Born 1970

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0980 SCULPTOR

Albert Rouiller

1938 - 2000

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0981 PHYSICIAN

Aimé Schwob

1864 - 1926

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0982 VACCINE

Françoise Berthoud

Born 1939

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0983 PAINTER

Tito Honegger

Born 1963

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0984 POLITICAL SCIENTIST

André Donneur

Born 1938

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0985 PAINTER

Paul Perrelet

1872 - 1965

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0986 PASTOR

Théophile Bost

1828 - 1910

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0987 SOLDIER

Jean Pierre Girard-dit-Vieux

1750 - 1811

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0988 COMPOSER

Fernande Peyrot

1888 - 1978

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0989 ATHLETIC

Léon Bouffard

1893 - 1981

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0990 POLITICIAN

Serge Beck

Born 1955

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0991 WRITER

Michel Septfontaine

Born 1944

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0992 SPORT

Nicolas Schnyder

Born 1987

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0993 MODEL

Alizée Gaillard

Born 1985

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0994 ARTIST

Muriel Olesen

Born 1948

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0995 HELLENIST

Jules Nicole

1842 - 1921

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0996 ACTOR

Marie-Claire Olivia

Born 1931

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0997 HOCKEY

Damien Riat

Born 1997

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0998 FILM

Éric Schlumberger

1932 - 2018

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0999 PAINTER

Philippe Fretz

Born 1969

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1000 ACTOR

Natasha Tsakos

-

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1001 DESIGNER

Sabine Getty

-

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1002 ACTOR

Camille Fournier

1905 - 1989

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1003 JOURNALIST

Marc Bielefeld

Born 1966

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1004 POET

Mathias Morhardt

1863 - 1939

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1005 WRITER

Michaël Perruchoud

Born 1974

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1006 SPELEOLOGIST

Georges Amoudruz

1900 - 1975

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1007 ARCHITECT

Edmond Fatio

1871 - 1959

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1008 ARMY

Cornelis DeWitt Willcox

1861 - 1938

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1009 THEOLOGIAN

Marcelle Bard

1903 - 1988

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1010 POLITICIAN

Charles Beer

Born 1961

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1011 PASTOR

Charles-Pierre Chais

1700 - 1785

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1012 AUTHOR

Pierre Boissier

1920 - 1974

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1013 POLITICIAN

Robert Ducret

1927 - 2017

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1014 SPORT

Vasilios Konstantinou

Born 1992

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1015 POLITICIAN

Christoph Vavrik

Born 1961

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1016 DANCER

Diane Gerencser

Born 1972

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1017 ACTOR

Georges Dimeray

1895 - 1964

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1018 TEACHER

Jacques de Beaumont (zoologiste)

1901 - 1985

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1019 ARTIST

Serge Candolfi

Born 1936

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1020 POLITICIAN

Georges Cartier (1877-1960)

1877 - 1960

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1021 FEMINIST

Coline de Senarclens

Born 1985

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1022 ACTOR

Sandra Korol

Born 1975

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1023 ECONOMIST

Romain Wacziarg

Born 1970

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1024 BASKET

Arsène Ade-Mensah

Born 1971

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1025 POLITICIAN

Ami Lullin

1748 - 1816

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1026 SCREENWRITER

Sacha Goerg

Born 1975

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1027 BUSINESS

Simone Tata

Born 1930

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1028 CHILD

Hussain Aga Khan

Born 1974

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1029 MUSIC

Sylviane Deferne

Born 1965

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1030 PHYSICIST

Jérôme Faist

Born 1962

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1031 ACTOR

Fernand Bercher

1904 - 1980

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1032 PAINTER

David Estoppey

1862 - 1952

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1033 ASTRONOMER

Raoul Gautier

1854 - 1931

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1034 WRITER

Louis Duchosal

1862 - 1901

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1035 ARTIST

Donatella Bernardi

Born 1976

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1036 JOURNALIST

David Rihs

Born 1970

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1037 ARTIST

Hervé Graumann

Born 1963

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1038 BANK

Édouard Hentsch

1829 - 1892

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1039 JOURNALIST

William Martin (journaliste)

1888 - 1934

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1040 ACADEMIC

Robert Godel

1902 - 1984

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1041 LAWYER

Jean Vincent (homme politique)

1906 - 1989

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1042 SPORT

Siegfried Hekimi

Born 1956

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1043 WRITER

John Dubouchet

Born 1937

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1044 COMPOSER

Michel Wiblé

1923 - 2020

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1045 PAINTER

Jacques Thouron

1749 - 1789

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1046 ART CRITIC

Pierre Courthion

1902 - 1988

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1047 ACTOR

Souheila Yacoub

Born 1992

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1048 HISTORIAN

Denis van Berchem

1908 - 1994

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1049 ENTREPRENEUR

Philippe Stern (Unternehmer)

Born 1938

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1050 DOCENT

Aleksandr Lebedinski

1913 - 1967

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1051 THEOLOGIAN

Jean Monod (Pastor)

1765 - 1836

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1052 SOCIOLOGIST

Pierre Gilliand

1936 - 2009

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1053 PAINTER

Pierre-Louis Bouvier

1765 - 1836

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1054 THEATRE

Daniel Fillion

1912 - 1999

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1055 THÉÂTRE

Marcelle Moynier

1888 - 1980

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1056 WRITER

Kyra Dupont Troubetzkoy

Born 1971

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1057 FILM

Claude Jaeger

1917 - 2004

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1058 PLAYWRIGHT

Olivier Chiacchiari

Born 1969

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1059 CANOE

Elise Chabbey

Born 1993

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1060 FENCER

Eugène Empeyta

1892 - 1951

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1061 SCIENTIST

François-Marc-Louis Naville

1784 - 1846

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1062 MATHEMATICIAN

Bernhard Wieland

Born 1952

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1063 WRITER

Patrice Duret

Born 1965

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1064 COMPOSER

Liberato Firmino Sifonia

1917 - 1996

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1065 ARTIST

Sarah Hildebrand

Born 1978

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1066 OPERA

Audrey Michael

Born 1949

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1067 COACH

Paolo Imperatori

Born 1975

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1068 WRITER

Florian Eglin

Born 1974

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1069 AGRONOMIST

Charles-Jean-Marc Lullin

1752 - 1833

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1070 PIANIST

Daniel Fuchs (musicien)

Born 1956

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1071 BIOLOGIST

Pierre Strinati

Born 1928

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1072 PHOTOGRAPHER

Émile Gos

1888 - 1969

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1073 HISTORIAN

Alexis François

1877 - 1958

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1074 ARTIST

Joëlle Flumet

Born 1971

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1075 CERAMIST

Paul Bonifas (céramiste)

1893 - 1967

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1076 HORNIST

Christophe Sturzenegger

Born 1976

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1077 FILM

Jacques Siron

Born 1949

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1078 WRITER

Paul André (écrivain suisse)

1905 - 1993

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1079 PSYCHOANALYST

Thierry de Saussure

1934 - 2019

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1080 WRITER

Thomas Bouvier

Born 1962

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1081 ARCHITECT

Samuel Darier

1808 - 1884

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1082 DRIVER

Roger de Lageneste

1929 - 2011

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1083 MILITAR

Jacques Dutruy

1762 - 1836

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1084 RACER

Marco Gentile (motociclista)

1959 - 1989

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1085 SKI

Aléxia Zuberer

Born 1972

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1086 ECONOMIST

Pascal Diethelm

Born 1944

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1087 ACTOR

Réjane Desvignes

Born 1969

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1088 SPORT

Gustave Amoudruz

1885 - 1964

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1089 LAWYER

Anne Petitpierre

Born 1943

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1090 ZOOLOGIST

Maurice Bedot

1859 - 1927

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1091 PAINTER

Pierre Huaud

1647 - 1700

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1092 ILLUSTRATOR

Döes

1859 - 1944

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1093 WRITER

Jacques Urbain

Born 1923

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1094 RACER

Marc Ristori

Born 1981

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1095 PAINTER

Jacques Jacobi

1877 - 1957

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1096 PSYCHIATRIST

André Matthey

1779 - 1842

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1097 POLITICIAN

Henri Rabinel

1731 - 1808

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1098 CONDUCTOR

Charles Faller

1891 - 1956

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1099 MUSIC

Raymond Thevenot

1942 - 2005

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1100 NATURALIST

Camille Pictet

1864 - 1893

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1101 SPORT

Georges de Saint-Clair

1845 - 1910

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1102 PRINTER

Antoine Estienne

1592 - 1674

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1103 SCREENWRITER

Ted Jessup

Born 1960

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1104 DRIVER

Christophe Pillon

Born 1967

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1105 MUSIQUE

Jacques Tchamkerten

Born 1960

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1106 ILLUSTRATOR

Louis Pierre Guillaume Régamey

1814 - 1878

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1107 THEOLOGIAN

Ésaïe Gasc

1748 - 1813

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1108 ARTIST

Pascale Favre

Born 1970

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1109 JOURNALIST

Matthieu Noël

Born 1982

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1110 SINGER

Paul Camerlo

1899 - 1980

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1111 COMPOSER

Henri Scolari

1923 - 2011

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1112 WRITER

Pierre-Laurent Ellenberger

1943 - 2002

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1113 SAILOR

Romuald Hausser

Born 1988

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1114 FINANCIER

Martin Zaimov

Born 1962

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1115 COMPOSER

Robert Bernard (compositeur)

1900 - 1971

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1116 MEDIA

Lalya Gaye

Born 1978

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1117 DRIVER

Gary Hirsch

Born 1987

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1118 DIPLOMAT

Raymond Probst

1919 - 2001

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1119 PERCUSSIONIST

Alexandre Babel

Born 1980

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1120 ENTOMOLOGIST

Philippe Cuénoud

Born 1968

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1121 ARTIST

Yannis La Macchia

Born 1985

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1122 RACING

Bernard Santal

Born 1957

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1123 THEOLOGIAN

Philippe Mestrezat

1618 - 1690

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1124 FOOTBALL

John Dinkota

Born 1994

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1125 BANK

Jacques Mirabaud

1784 - 1864

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1126 COMPOSER

Esther Elizabeth Velkiers

Born 1640

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1127 LAWYER

Albert Dupont-Willemin

1903 - 1977

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1128 POLITICIAN

Alexandre Gavard

1845 - 1898

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1129 PHOTOGRAPHER

Nicolas Righetti

Born 1967

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1130 POLITICIAN

Thierry Apothéloz

Born 1971

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1131 ACTOR

Jean-Alexandre Blanchet

Born 1964

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1132 NOVELIST

Anne Matalon

1959 - 2012

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1133 PAINTER

Eugène Martin (Kunstmaler)

1880 - 1954

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1134 FILM

Seb Coupy

Born 1971

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1135 HUMOURIST

Laurent Nicolet

Born 1970

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1136 MERCHANT

André Falquet

1681 - 1755

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1137 PAINTER

Gilbert Piller

Born 1940

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1138 ROMANIST

François Ruchon

1897 - 1953

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1139 SPORT

David Ribeiro

Born 1995

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1140 SCULPTOR

Albert Pasche

1873 - 1964

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1141 PHILOLOGIST

Henri Boissier

1762 - 1845

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1142 DIPLOMAT

Francesca Pometta

1926 - 2016

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1143 BOTANIST

Pierre-André Loizeau

Born 1959

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1144 ARTIST

Frédéric Post

Born 1975

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1145 DIPLOMAT

Taha Carım

1914 - 1977

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1146 ARTIST

Christian Robert-Tissot

Born 1960

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1147 PAINTER

Charles DuBois-Melly

1821 - 1905

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1148 SPORT

Elie Chevieux

Born 1973

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1149 PASTOR

Jean-René Brutsch

1921 - 1974

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1150 WRITER

Claude Fornerod

1913 - 2008

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1151 ROMANIST

Adolphe Peschier

1805 - 1878

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1152 MATHEMATICIAN

Assyr Abdulle

Born 1971

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1153 NATURALIST

Pierre Revilliod

1883 - 1954

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1154 PAINTER

François Furet (Maler)

1842 - 1919

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1155 ARCHITECT

Émile Reverdin

1845 - 1901

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1156 FILM

Kantarama Gahigiri

Born 1976

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1157 POLITICIAN

Jean Dutoit

1908 - 1985

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1158 THEOLOGIAN

Eugène Ritter

1836 - 1928

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1159 PHOTOGRAPHER

Henri-Antoine Boissonnas

1833 - 1889

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1160 OPERA

Ève-Maud Hubeaux

Born 1988

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1161 NATURALIST

Aloïs Humbert

1829 - 1887

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1162 DIPLOMAT

Rodolphe Imhoof

Born 1947

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1163 POLITICIAN

Louis Casaï

1888 - 1955

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1164 STOCKBROKER

Jan Petter Sissener

Born 1955

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1165 NAVY

Robert Coote (Royal Navy officer)

1820 - 1898

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1166 BOTANIST

Paul Chenevard

1839 - 1919

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1167 ACADEMIC

Arthur Rohn

1878 - 1956

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1168 PAINTER

Marie Bedot-Diodati

1866 - 1958

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1169 POLITICIAN

Abraham Louis Tourte

1818 - 1863

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1170 ACTOR

Tshanda

Born 1996

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1171 FOOTBALL

Bruno Fontes da Mota

Born 1987

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1172 PAINTER

Simon Durand

1838 - 1896

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1173 PIANIST

Lottie Morel

1909 - 1973

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1174 EDUCATOR

Matilde Calandrini

1794 - 1866

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1175 RACER

Marie Lambert

1935 - 1961

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1176 POLITICIAN

Antoine Achard

1814 - 1890

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1177 OFFICER

Guillaume Bonnet (militaire)

1784 - 1861

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1178 WRITER

Laurence Boissier

Born 1965

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1179 PHARMACIST

Jacques Peschier

1769 - 1832

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1180 PASTEUR

Jean-Frédéric Mestrezat

1760 - 1807

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1181 PAINTER

Gustave Maunoir

1872 - 1943

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1182 WRITER

Jean-Marie Brandt

Born 1946

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1183 ACADEMIC

Charles F. Perdrisat

Born 1932

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1184 VACCINE

Christian Tal Schaller

-

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1185 PHOTOGRAPHER

Jean-Jacques Dicker

Born 1944

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1186 PHYSICIST

Gérard Emch

1936 - 2013

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1187 ROMANIST

Pierre Canal

1564 - 1610

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1188 PHYSICIAN

Henri Isliker

1922 - 2007

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1189 ARCHIVIST

Louis Dufour-Vernes

1839 - 1909

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1190 POLITICIAN

André Ehrler

1900 - 1949

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1191 ACTOR

Nathalie Dubey

Born 1974

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1192 WRITER

Louis Garon

1574 - 1631

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1193 POLITICIAN

Anne Emery-Torracinta

Born 1958

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1194 WRITER

Marc Lamunière

Born 1922

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1195 ACTOR

Annick Klug

Born 1967

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1196 WRITER

Gabrielle Chambordon

Born 1944

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1197 CELLIST

Daniel Grosgurin

Born 1949

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1198 WRITER

Julia Chamorel

1916 - 2009

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1199 ARTIST

Chérif Defraoui

1932 - 1994

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1200 MILITAR

Pierre Lefort

1676 - 1754

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