51.3402° N, 12.3749° E

LEIPZIG

Most Famous People Born in Leipzig, Germany

Notable people
3,200
Peak decade
1930s
Median birth year
1908
Most distinctive
Publisher 8.9×

For two centuries the publishing capital of the German-speaking world, and the numbers still show it. Leipzig's most distinctive profession is publisher at nearly nine times the global rate, alongside an unusually heavy bench of theologians, art historians, and academic authors — the shape of a city whose book fair, Reclam editions, and university library set what German readers read for two centuries. Bach worked at the Thomaskirche, Leibniz was born here, and Clara Schumann grew up in its salons.

Through the Centuries

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

What Leipzig Is Known For

Click any row to filter the list of people below.

Politician is Leipzig's biggest profession — 10% of all notables (334).

Leipzig over-indexes on publisher8.9× the global rate.

Leipzig under-produces football — only 0.2× the global rate.

  1. Politician334
  2. Actor195
  3. Painter171
  4. Author130
  5. Academic125
  6. Writer113
  7. Historian86
  8. Football80
  1. Publisher368.9×
  2. Art Historian365.9×
  3. Theologian615.3×
  4. Author1304.7×
  5. Chemist454.0×
  6. Academic1253.9×
  7. Physicist392.9×
  8. Historian862.5×
  1. Football800.2×
  2. Singer420.6×

Profession Mix Over Time

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

1500155016001650170017501800185019001950
  • Writing
  • Science
  • Politics & Law
  • Art & Design
  • Sports
  • Film & TV
  • Other
All3,200
Sort By

Showing 165 of 3,200 notable people

0020 PHYSICIAN

Bernard Katz

1911 - 2003

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0033 ATHLETIC

Luz Long

1914 - 1943

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0039 ACTOR

Gisela Uhlen

1919 - 2007

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0069 POLITICIAN

Annemarie Renger

1919 - 2008

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0093 POLITICIAN

Hermann Axen

1916 - 1992

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0107 PAINTER

Olga Costa

1913 - 1993

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0150 FILM

Wolfgang Schleif

1912 - 1984

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0181 ORNITHOLOGIST

Helmut Sick

1910 - 1991

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0298 COMPOSER

Herman Berlinski

1910 - 2001

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0316 SOLDIER

Bernhard Jope

1914 - 1995

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0334 PHOTOGRAPHER

Konrad Helbig

1917 - 1986

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0366 ACTOR

Albert Matterstock

1911 - 1960

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0387 FILM

Ernst Haeussermann

1916 - 1984

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0416 COMPOSER

Heinz Wunderlich

1919 - 2012

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0465 POLITICIAN

Wolfgang Natonek

1919 - 1994

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0467 SPORT

Rudolf Karsch

1913 - 1950

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0472 JOURNALIST

Friedel Stern

1917 - 2006

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0474 ACTOR

Erica Balqué

1912 - 2003

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0492 HANDBALL

Kurt Dossin

1913 - 2004

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0496 JOURNALIST

Heinz Zöger

1915 - 2000

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0503 JOURNALIST

Rudolf Oebsger-Röder

1912 - 1992

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0505 HANDBALL

Helmut Berthold

1911 - 2000

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0516 HANDBALL

Alfred Klingler

Born 1912

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0534 SINGER

Horst Günter

1913 - 2013

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0540 PASTOR

Siegfried Schmutzler

1915 - 2003

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0545 PHILOSOPHER

Hermann Ley

1911 - 1990

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0547 ACTOR

Horst Birr

1912 - 1943

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0609 COMPOSER

Carlernst Ortwein

1916 - 1986

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0682 FOOTBALL

Walter Rose

1912 - 1989

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0697 PIANIST

Rudolf Fischer (musician)

1913 - 2003

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0702 THEOLOGIAN

John Hennig

1911 - 1986

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0705 HISTORIAN

Renate Drucker

1917 - 2009

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0805 AUTHOR

Rolf Italiaander

1913 - 1991

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0813 WRITER

Heinz Schöbel

1913 - 1980

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0862 SOLDIER

Heinz Gronau

1912 - 1977

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0870 ACTOR

Horst Beck

1913 - 1974

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0904 ACTOR

Johannes Wieke

1913 - 1982

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0910 MEDIEVALIST

Karl Hauck (Historiker, 1916)

1916 - 2007

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0929 AUTHOR

Leonore Mau

1916 - 2013

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0944 COMPOSER

Hans Sandig

1914 - 1989

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0970 PHARMACOLOGIST

Franz Gross (Pharmakologe)

1913 - 1984

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0973 ART DEALER

Georges Mora

1913 - 1992

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0980 LAWYER

Günther Nollau

1911 - 1991

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0995 HISTORIAN

Werner Koeppen

1910 - 1994

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1010 ATHLETIC

Heinz Wöllner

Born 1913

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1013 ARCHAEOLOGIST

Siegfried Morenz

1914 - 1970

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1029 POLITICIAN

Wolfgang Döring

1919 - 1963

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1031 WRITER

Johanna Moosdorf

1911 - 2000

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1057 PRESENTER

Heinz Maegerlein

1911 - 1998

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1058 ACTOR

Dietrich Frauboes

1918 - 1979

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1062 COMPOSER

Joachim Werzlau

1913 - 2001

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1071 ANTIFASCHIST

Hasso Grabner

1911 - 1976

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1077 POLITICIAN

Helmut Holtzhauer

1912 - 1973

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1082 PAINTER

Gerhart Bettermann

1910 - 1992

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1097 SINGER

Philine Fischer

1919 - 2001

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1105 PAINTER

Karl Baumann

1911 - 1984

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1110 COMPOSER

Herbert Collum

1914 - 1982

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1120 DRAUGHTSWOMAN

Gerhard Stengel

1915 - 2001

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1127 ACADEMIC

Paul Senf

1915 - 1998

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1145 HISTORIAN

Hans Bleckwenn

1912 - 1990

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1166 PFARRER

Wolfgang Caffier

1919 - 2004

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1249 HISTORIAN

Heinz Quirin

1913 - 2000

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1253 PAINTER

Heinz Rammelt

1912 - 2004

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1306 POLICE

Rolf Holle (Kriminalbeamter)

1914 - 2004

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1339 WRITER

Maj Samzelius

1917 - 2015

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1347 ART HISTORIAN

Peter Strieder (Kunsthistoriker)

1913 - 2013

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1348 INTENDANT

Peter Wackernagel (Regisseur)

1913 - 1958

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1366 SOCIOLOGIST

Walter Hildebrandt (Soziologe)

1912 - 2007

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1424 ACTOR

Karl Kayser (Schauspieler)

1914 - 1995

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1425 ACTOR

Werner Wieland

1910 - 1984

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1433 AEROSPACE

Hans Fichtner

1917 - 2012

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1434 PHYSICIST

Werner Holzmüller

1912 - 2011

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1493 WRITER

Käthe Theuermeister

1912 - 2011

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1512 ACADEMIC

Heinz Püschel

1919 - 2010

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1513 MATHEMATICIAN

Hans Richter (Mathematiker)

1912 - 1978

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1555 PRIGIONIERO

Paul Gerhard Vogel

1915 - 2014

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1568 BASKET

Hans Niclaus

1914 - 1997

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1645 ACADEMIC

Ilse Decho

1915 - 1978

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1655 MEDIEVALIST

Herbert Helbig

1910 - 1987

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1679 DRIVER

Karl Rudolf Heydel

1911 - 1936

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1700 ACADEMIC

Martin Scheffler

1919 - 2013

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1720 ENTOMOLOGIST

Hans Joachim Müller (Zoologe)

1911 - 2007

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1736 ACTOR

Eleonore Zetzsche

1919 - 2006

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1750 POLITICIAN

Willi Ehrlich

1916 - 1977

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1757 ACADEMIC

Gerhard Friedrich (Biologe)

1910 - 2003

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1785 MEDIEVALIST

Wolfgang Hagemann

1911 - 1978

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1839 MARINE

Ulrich Abel

1912 - 1944

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1842 PHYSICIST

Heimo Dolch

1912 - 1984

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1852 CHEMIST

Alfred Klemm (Chemiker)

1913 - 2013

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1863 PSYCHOLOGIST

Gertraud Kietz

1913 - 2001

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1865 GEOLOGIST

Walter Rühl

1912 - 2008

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1894 THEOLOGIAN

Hans Lubsczyk

1911 - 2008

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1915 ACTOR

Robert Rathke

1910 - 1986

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1927 ECONOMIST

Kurt Braunreuther

1913 - 1975

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1937 POLITICIAN

Walter Kresse

1910 - 2001

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1956 THEOLOGIAN

Siegfried Theodor Arndt

1915 - 1997

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1967 WRITER

Erhard Kaps

1915 - 2007

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1980 POLITICIAN

Hartwig Golf

1913 - 1998

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1981 ACTOR

Erich Brauer (Schauspieler)

1914 - 1989

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1984 ENTREPRENEUR

Doris Günther (Unternehmerin)

1919 - 2009

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1990 SOCIOLOGIST

Joseph Maier (Soziologe)

1911 - 2002

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2035 HISTORIAN

Christoph Heinrich Brecht

1911 - 1965

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2038 PHYSIKER

Erich Etienne

1915 - 1942

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2062 TEACHER

Heinz Nöbert

1917 - 1987

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2222 COMPOSER

Heinz Schreiter

1915 - 2006

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2261 ACTOR

Gudrun Ady

1911 - 1970

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2267 SINGER

Hans-Olaf Hudemann

1915 - 1984

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2269 LAWYER

Herbert Schmidt (Jurist)

1911 - 1985

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2273 JAPANOLOGIST

Gerhard Mehnert

1914 - 1983

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2279 PARSON

Helmut Augustin

1912 - 1952

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2285 LAWYER

Martin Horn (Rechtsanwalt)

1911 - 1960

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2286 POLITICIAN

Werner Schmid (Unternehmer)

1919 - 2002

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2287 POLITICIAN

Rudolf Wunderlich

1912 - 1988

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2298 BIOGRAPHER

Peter Klemm (Autor)

1919 - 1984

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2304 ACADEMIC

Erich Beyer

1911 - 2012

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2345 PAINTER

Heinz Mäde

1916 - 2004

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2384 EDITOR

Franz Greiner

Born 1919

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2414 ILLUSTRATOR

Hans Mau (Künstler)

1915 - 1989

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2418 POLITICIAN

Hannelore Baender

1919 - 1990

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2472 MISSING

Gerhard Kutzsch

1914 - 2000

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2499 POLITICIAN

Heinz Beck (Politiker)

1914 - 1975

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2513 BANK

Heinrich Irmler

1911 - 2002

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2522 ACADEMIC

Günther Weitzel

1915 - 1984

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2524 PHYSICIAN

Wolf-Helmut Wagner

1914 - 1993

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2537 ART HISTORIAN

Marianne Prause

1918 - 1999

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2596 COMPOSER

Kurt Mederacke

1910 - 1983

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2605 PHYSICIST

Robert Lauterbach

1915 - 1995

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2631 FORSCHER

Georg Grebenstein

1910 - 1989

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2632 JOINER

Alfred Böhm (MfS-Mitarbeiter)

1913 - 1982

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2656 SCULPTOR

Werner Scheffel

1912 - 1996

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2657 POLITICIAN

Magdalena Kupfer

1910 - 2011

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2666 POLITICIAN

Hans Schwalbach

1919 - 2012

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2677 WISSENSCHAFT

Hans Kangro

1916 - 1977

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2683 POLITICIAN

Heinz Krüger (Politiker, 1919)

1919 - 2015

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2688 PUBLISHER

Rolf Reclam

1913 - 1977

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2707 PHYSICIST

Peter Sven Brauer

1911 - 1995

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2718 OFFICER

Peter Frantz

1917 - 2001

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2765 WRITER

Roelof de Jong-Posthumus

1914 - 1985

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2768 PUBLISHER

Klaus Herfurth

1917 - 2000

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2769 PHYSICIAN

Gerhard Burkhardt (Mediziner)

1910 - 1978

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2770 POLITICIAN

Heinz Gutsche

1915 - 1973

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2799 PHYSICIAN

Gerhard Schumann (Mediziner)

1919 - 1989

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2839 JAZZ

Kurt Riemer (Musiker)

1913 - 1989

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2857 MUSIC

Erich Hübner

1917 - 1985

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2875 POLITICIAN

Heinz Rauch

1914 - 1962

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2883 VIOLIN

Ruth Kestner-Boche

1916 - 2015

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2884 DESIGNER

Heinz Auspurg

1912 - 2001

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2919 SCULPTOR

Wolfgang Eckardt

1919 - 1999

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2960 POLITICIAN

Hans Kohoutek

1911 - 2013

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2988 OFFICER

Heinz Huth (General)

1917 - 2002

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2990 POLITICIAN

Walter Hedeler

1911 - 1994

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3020 OFFICER

Martin Helas

1912 - 1994

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3023 POLITICIAN

Richard Herber

1911 - 1968

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3025 KOMMUNIST

Rudolf Pfützner

1910 - 1999

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3052 OFFICER

Walter Brandes

1916 - 1945

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3068 POLITICIAN

Karl Stenzel

1915 - 2012

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3093 SOLDIER

Joachim Franze

1918 - 1984

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3094 SOLDIER

Dietrich Epp

1917 - 1943

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3103 PHOTOGRAPHER

Úrsula Bernath

1915 - 2011

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3115 SOLDIER

Eberhard Findeisen

Born 1916

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3116 POLITICIAN

Horst Schlimper

1915 - 1990

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3130 FORSCHER

Heinz Voigt (Heimatforscher)

1917 - 1998

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3148 POLITICIAN

Gerhard Lange (Politiker)

1911 - 1983

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3164 POLITICIAN

Karl Bäßler (Politiker)

1915 - 1997

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3166 POLITICIAN

Johannes Krätzig

Born 1915

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