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

3,200 notable people

3001 ATHLETIC

Erika Raue

Born 1938

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3002 POLITICIAN

Tilman Tögel

1960 - 2019

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3003 THEOLOGIAN

Christhard Wagner

Born 1955

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3004 ARTIST

Martin Poser

1909 - 1999

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3005 ACADEMIC

Stephan von Molnár

-

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3006 EDUCATOR

Aharon Mordechai Zilberstrom

1923 - 2012

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3007 POLITICIAN

Rainer Maedge

Born 1944

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3008 MISSING

Wolfgang Zill

1941 - 1969

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3009 EDUCATION

Hellmuth Heinze

1892 - 1979

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3010 POLITICIAN

Roland Becker

Born 1940

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3011 TRADE UNION

Albin Mohs

1867 - 1925

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3012 POLITICIAN

Karl Hagemann

1891 - 1972

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3013 POLITICIAN

Joachim Dirschka

Born 1941

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3014 CHESS

Ernst Baumgarten

1886 - 1976

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3015 POLITICIAN

Karl Enders

1892 - 1938

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3016 DIPLOMAT

Herbert Barth (Diplomat)

Born 1929

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3017 BALLET

Otto Zöbisch

1869 - 1935

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3018 ZIRKUS

Paul Herold (Artist)

1874 - 1939

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3019 POLITICIAN

Herbert Holtzhauer

1906 - 1987

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3020 OFFICER

Martin Helas

1912 - 1994

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3021 POLITICIAN

Margarete Späte

Born 1958

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3022 POLITICIAN

Horst Engel (Politiker, 1947)

Born 1947

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3023 POLITICIAN

Richard Herber

1911 - 1968

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3024 VATER

Jürgen Thomas (Flugzeugkonstrukteur)

Born 1937

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3025 KOMMUNIST

Rudolf Pfützner

1910 - 1999

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3026 POLITICIAN

Fritz Brock

1931 - 2014

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3027 KUNST

Ernst Blümner

1779 - 1815

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3028 SOLDIER

Lothar Hofmann

1903 - 1989

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3029 CHEMIST

Harry Schmidt (Chemiker)

1897 - 1980

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3030 ACTOR

Ali Wunsch-König

1927 - 2008

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3031 ACADEMIC

Günter Stein (Ingenieur)

Born 1938

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3032 DIPLOMAT

Johannes Schöche

Born 1937

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3033 BADMINTON

Frank Geißler

Born 1940

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3034 WIDERSTAND

Herbert Bergner

1907 - 1987

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3035 HANDBALL

Jacob Fritsch

Born 1988

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3036 DIPLOMAT

Volker Fink

Born 1943

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3037 BASKET

Max von der Wippel

Born 1994

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3038 PIANIST

Leo Schönbach

1892 - 1945

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3039 POLITICIAN

Michael Elsner

Born 1964

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3040 AUGENARZT

Heinrich von Wolffersdorff

1905 - 1966

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3041 POLITICIAN

Gerhard Lindner (Politiker)

Born 1929

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3042 POLITICIAN

Franz Jahn (Politiker)

1909 - 1989

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3043 LEITER

Waldemar Eißfeld

1908 - 1982

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3044 COMPOSER

Jan Masanetz

Born 1979

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3045 ARBEITER

Dieter Teich

1934 - 1953

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3046 DESIGNER

Fritz Kleinhempel

1860 - 1912

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3047 ATHLETIC

Dirk Nürnberger

Born 1970

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3048 RINGER

Stefan Ulrich (Wasserspringer)

Born 1976

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3049 SCULPTOR

Rudolf Gangloff

1878 - 1967

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3050 CHEMIST

Oskar Poppe

1866 - 1918

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3051 JOURNALIST

Kade Schacht

1951 - 2011

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3052 OFFICER

Walter Brandes

1916 - 1945

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3053 PIANIST

Manfred Reinelt

1932 - 1964

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3054 JOURNALIST

August Thieme (Politiker)

1821 - 1879

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3055 POLITICIAN

Paul Sonntag

1890 - 1945

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3056 POLITICIAN

Wilhelm Tell (Politiker)

1871 - 1950

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3057 CHEMIST

Emil Zacharias

1867 - 1944

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3058 DIPLOMAT

Hermann von Brandenstein (General, 1821)

1821 - 1891

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3059 POLITICIAN

Andreas Sonntag

1953 - 2008

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3060 MISSING

André Bauer (Flüchtling)

1963 - 1981

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3061 POLITICIAN

Thomas Mädler

Born 1955

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3062 NATIONALSOZIALISMUS

Theodor Görner

1884 - 1971

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3063 TURNER

Erich Riedeberger

1903 - 1969

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3064 POLITICIAN

Elfriede Jaeger

1899 - 1964

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3065 POLITICIAN

Karsten Schütze

Born 1966

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3066 SCULPTOR

Johannes Göldel

1891 - 1946

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3067 ACADEMIC

Herbert Schmidt (HNO-Arzt)

1892 - 1975

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3068 POLITICIAN

Karl Stenzel

1915 - 2012

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3069 GEOGRAPHER

Alfred Franke (Geograph)

1870 - 1937

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3070 BADMINTON

Gerd Hachmeister

Born 1942

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3071 GENERALMAJOR

Heinrich Winkler (General)

1929 - 2019

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3072 LAWYER

Paul Bassenge (Politiker)

1828 - 1898

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3073 MARINE

Wolfgang Laue

1929 - 1996

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3074 KIRCHE

Christian Andreas Naumann

1759 - 1828

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3075 ACADEMIC

Rudolf Schumacher

1908 - 2011

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3076 POLITICIAN

Bernd Scheffler

Born 1947

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3077 POLITICIAN

Karl-Heinz Wolf (Politiker)

Born 1930

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3078 POLITICIAN

Theodoricus Lyndemann

Died 1552

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3079 OFFICER

Otto Barth (Major)

Died 1945

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3080 MISSING

Werner von der Schulenburg-Burgscheidungen

1836 - 1893

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3081 POLITICIAN

Brigitte Oltmanns

1934 - 2013

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3082 RATSHERR

Johann Gottfried Erckel

1767 - 1850

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3083 POLITICIAN

Franz Carl Sickmann

1790 - 1860

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3084 HERAUSGEBER

Arthur Holke

1883 - 1940

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3085 NATIONALSOZIALISMUS

Walter Heinze (Widerstandskämpfer)

1900 - 1933

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3086 FOOTBALL

Lisa Pfretzschner

Born 1994

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3087 POLITICIAN

Walter Jurich

1902 - 1960

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3088 KARDINAL

Christoph "Türk" von Kruschwitz

1497 - 1547

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3089 BADMINTON

Bernd Hachmeister

Born 1941

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3090 PLAYER

Halka Plaul

Born 1963

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3091 THEATRE

Steffen Kaiser

Born 1966

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3092 THEATRE

Hermann Schein

Born 1946

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3093 SOLDIER

Joachim Franze

1918 - 1984

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3094 SOLDIER

Dietrich Epp

1917 - 1943

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3095 POLITICIAN

Ursula Trabalski

1921 - 1992

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3096 POLITICIAN

Klaus Häßler

1935 - 2008

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3097 POLITICIAN

Martina Schönebeck

Born 1948

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3098 HISTORIAN

Conrad Schirokauer

-

Preview
3099 PALAEONTOLOGIST

Detlef Walde

Born 1945

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3100 POLITICIAN

Arthur Schille

1883 - 1936

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3101 DIPLOMAT

Michael Elizur

1921 - 2003

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3102 PLAYER

Enrico Ehrhardt

Born 1983

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3103 PHOTOGRAPHER

Úrsula Bernath

1915 - 2011

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3104 PLAYER

Yvonne Zymara

Born 1977

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3105 POLITICIAN

Elke Plöger

Born 1944

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3106 POLITISCH

Helmut Oldenbourg

1892 - 1957

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3107 POLITICIAN

Ingrid Petzold

Born 1951

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3108 MECHANIC

Oswald Bärwinkel

1920 - 2006

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3109 POLITICIAN

Wilhelm Feuerherdt

1895 - 1932

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3110 ENTREPRENEUR

Robert Blüthner

1867 - 1932

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3111 POLITICIAN

Karla Staszak

Born 1941

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3112 MISSING

Wolfram Gottfried

Born 1931

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3113 FOOTBALL

Christine Weigelt

Born 1984

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3114 ENTERTAINER

Ralf Donis

Born 1968

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3115 SOLDIER

Eberhard Findeisen

Born 1916

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3116 POLITICIAN

Horst Schlimper

1915 - 1990

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3117 ATHLETIC

Günter Lein

Born 1932

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3118 TEACHER

Johann Wilhelm Bartsch

1750 - 1828

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3119 RETIRAD

Herbert Weil

Born 1922

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3120 SWORDSMAN

Gustav Berndt

1799 - 1864

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3121 ACTOR

Hedwig Meyer

1841 - 1916

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3122 BUSINESS

Georg Bernecker

Died 1544

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3123 MECHANIC

Otto Tegetmeyer

1875 - 1960

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3124 POLITICIAN

Arno Roßberg

1880 - 1950

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3125 SINGER

Hendrik Bertram

Born 1968

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3126 BANK

Franz Theodor Knauth

1803 - 1874

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3127 MERCHANT

Horst Springer

1926 - 2002

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3128 POLITICIAN

Ernst Eckardt (Politiker)

1922 - 2002

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3129 VORSITZENDER

Reginald Grimmer

1926 - 1994

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3130 FORSCHER

Heinz Voigt (Heimatforscher)

1917 - 1998

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3131 POLITICIAN

Mathias Weiland

Born 1956

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3132 POLITICIAN

Ludwig Sinsel

1884 - 1968

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3133 POLITICIAN

Klaus Pille

1936 - 2017

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3134 DESIGNER

Nils Krüger (Designer)

Born 1970

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3135 MINISTERIUM

Lothar Wellschmied

Born 1936

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3136 POLITICIAN

Oskar Walz

1904 - 1993

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3137 JUDGE

Lothar Schilling (Jurist)

1834 - 1879

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3138 POLITICIAN

Werner Wünschmann

Born 1930

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3139 ACTOR

Adolf Meyer (Schauspieler, 1840)

1840 - 1889

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3140 SPORT

Stefan Rudolph (Wasserspringer)

Born 1990

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3141 ACTOR

Max Engelhardt (Schauspieler)

1870 - 1941

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3142 PAINTER

Willy Zirges

1867 - 1930

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3143 POLITICIAN

Maika Voigt

Born 1963

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3144 BUSINESS

Franz Ludwig Clauss

1862 - 1954

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3145 POLITICIAN

Eva Maria Wünsche

Born 1952

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3146 POLITICIAN

Ekkehardt Dietze

Born 1950

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3147 PUBLISHER

Gerhard Bombös

1922 - 1991

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3148 POLITICIAN

Gerhard Lange (Politiker)

1911 - 1983

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3149 POLITICIAN

Christian Steinbach (Politiker, 1973)

Born 1973

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3150 ACTOR

Margarete Körnig

1853 - 1913

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3151 POLITICIAN

Richard Horn (Gewerkschafter)

1890 - 1947

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3152 JUDGE

Heinrich Scheele (Jurist)

1825 - 1882

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3153 PAINTER

Jürgen Parche

1946 - 2010

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3154 LAWYER

Ludwig Emil Puttrich

1824 - 1908

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3155 LANDRAT

Karl von Helldorff

1828 - 1895

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3156 JOURNALIST

Diethard Wend

1932 - 2020

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3157 COACH

Fritz Brenne

1901 - 2003

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3158 OBERST

Wolfgang Meurer (Oberstleutnant)

1554 - 1663

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3159 POLITICIAN

Werner Albrecht (Politiker)

1921 - 1993

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3160 POLITICIAN

Julius Scharre

1810 - 1868

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3161 MAURER

Sittich Pfretzschner

-

Preview
3162 HERZOGTUM

Wolf Albrecht Anckelmann

1613 - 1684

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3163 POLITICIAN

Otto Theuerkorn

1843 - 1899

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3164 POLITICIAN

Karl Bäßler (Politiker)

1915 - 1997

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3165 POLITICIAN

Otto Quade

1907 - 1985

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3166 POLITICIAN

Johannes Krätzig

Born 1915

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3167 POLITICIAN

Herbert Thiele (Widerstandskämpfer, 1907)

1907 - 1940

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3168 POLITICIAN

Dietmar Werner (Politiker)

Born 1941

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3169 PAINTER

Heinz Erret

1920 - 2003

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3170 POLITICIAN

Albert Hüper

1870 - 1956

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3171 POLITICIAN

Katharina Hertwig

1878 - 1953

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3172 BASKET

Kai-Uwe Kranz

Born 1979

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3173 BEAMTE

Hans Christoph von Uechtritz

Died 1671

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3174 PAINTER

Marianne Herberg

1901 - 1991

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3175 LAWYER

Wilhelm Zacharias Cramer

1696 - 1772

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3176 POLITICIAN

Lutz Thormann (Politiker)

1940 - 1992

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3177 POLITICIAN

Elisabeth Jensen (Politikerin, 1908)

1908 - 1978

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3178 MISSING

Anna Regina Welsch

1655 - 1674

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3179 BELLFOUNDER

Gottlieb Korn

1692 - 1763

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3180 BOOKSELLER

Johann Friedrich Junius

1725 - 1794

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3181 AUTHOR

Annett Ledong

Born 1959

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3182 SCULPTOR

Johann Friedrich Schroth

1736 - 1803

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3183 ARCHITECT

Peter Roesch (Architekt)

1929 - 2018

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3184 ACTOR

Elly Gohl-Cleff

1866 - 1926

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3185 JUDGE

Walter Willhöfft

1873 - 1936

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3186 KÖNIGLICH

Hans Heinrich von Bräuneck

1684 - 1742

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3187 POLITICIAN

Peter Enders (Politiker, 1942)

Born 1942

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3188 DRAUGHTSWOMAN

Fred Proessdorf

1882 - 1925

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3189 POLITICIAN

Alfred Metzschke

1857 - 1941

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3190 MISSING

Johann Friedrich Pöckel

1614 - 1649

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3191 PHYSICIAN

Rudolf Burkhardt (Mediziner)

1930 - 2001

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3192 ACADEMIC

Wilhelm Riede (Botaniker)

Born 1891

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3193 ACTOR

Elisabeth Tondeur

1840 - 1911

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3194 POLITICIAN

Herbert Böhme (Politiker)

1907 - 1990

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3195 PAINTER

Hildegard Falck (konstnär)

1922 - 1998

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3196 LAWYER

Alfred von Boxberg

1841 - 1896

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3197 ENTREPRENEUR

Christian Gottfried Winckler

1734 - 1784

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3198 POLITICIAN

Friedrich Zirpel

Born 1921

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3199 POLITICIAN

Georg Richter (Politiker, 1891)

1891 - 1967

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3200 HOCKEY

Isolde Wilke

Born 1951

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