47.3744° N, 8.5411° E

ZURICH

Most Famous People Born in Zurich, Switzerland

Notable people
2,462
Peak decade
1940s
Median birth year
1941
Most distinctive
Author 3.5×

A Reformed Swiss city with a disproportionately large academic-and-letters bench. Zurich's distinctive professions are authors, academics, architects, artists, and physicists — the trades of a German-language university town that runs from Gottfried Keller through Max Frisch on the literary side and Einstein and Pauli on the scientific. Pestalozzi, Rorschach, and Elisabeth Kübler-Ross all belong to this bench, and nearly eighty per cent of the names were born after 1900.

Through the Centuries

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

What Zurich Is Known For

Click any row to filter the list of people below.

Politician is Zurich's biggest profession — 7% of all notables (164).

Zurich over-indexes on author3.5× the global rate.

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

  1. Politician164
  2. Actor141
  3. Writer128
  4. Football114
  5. Painter102
  6. Academic80
  7. Sport77
  8. Author74
  1. Author743.5×
  2. Academic803.2×
  3. Architect572.6×
  4. Artist632.5×
  5. Physicist252.4×
  6. Film682.3×
  7. Sculptor322.0×
  8. Historian512.0×
  1. Football1140.4×
  2. Politician1640.6×

Profession Mix Over Time

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

1550160016501700175018001850190019502000
  • Writing
  • Sports
  • Art & Design
  • Science
  • Film & TV
  • Music
  • Other
All2,462
Sort By

2,462 notable people

1201 WRITER

Hans Peter Treichler

1941 - 2019

Preview
1202 DIPLOMAT

Livia Leu Agosti

Born 1961

Preview
1203 MUSIC

Hardy Hepp

Born 1944

Preview
1204 SPORT

Pascal Hungerbühler

Born 1977

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1205 COMPOSER

Fritz Voegelin

Born 1943

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1206 AUTHOR

Roman Boos

1889 - 1952

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1207 AUTHOR

Franz Rueb

Born 1933

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1208 ACADEMIC

Arthur Meier-Hayoz

1922 - 2003

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1209 ATHLETIC

Simon Walter

Born 1985

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1210 PAINTER

Wilhelm Ludwig Lehmann

1861 - 1932

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1211 LINGUIST

Walter Bisang

Born 1959

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1212 CHEMIST

Renato Zenobi

Born 1961

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1213 PAINTER

Hermann Huber (Maler)

1888 - 1967

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1214 PHILOLOGIST

Hermann Hitzig

1843 - 1918

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1215 PRODUCER

Lexx (Musiker)

Born 1972

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1216 SONGWRITER

Faber (Sänger)

Born 1993

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1217 PÄDAGOGE

Hans Furrer

Born 1946

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1218 ECONOMIST

Ernst Baltensperger

Born 1942

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1219 PHYSICIST

Leonard Benedict Loeb

1891 - 1978

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1220 POLITICAL SCIENTIST

Gerald Schneider (Politikwissenschaftler)

Born 1962

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1221 JOURNALIST

Serge Enderlin

Born 1969

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1222 WRITER

Andrea Simmen

1960 - 2005

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1223 FOOTBALL

Urs Suter

Born 1959

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1224 ARTIST

Isa Hesse-Rabinovitch

1917 - 2003

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1225 KONDITOR

Rudolf Sprüngli

1816 - 1897

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1226 MUSIC

Michael Sauser

Born 1973

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1227 RATS

Peter Füssli (Glockengiesser, 1482)

1482 - 1548

Preview
1228 FILM

Mike Eschmann

Born 1967

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1229 HOCKEY

Manuel Gossweiler

Born 1983

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1230 HISTORIAN

Roland Beck

Born 1949

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1231 BASSIST

Daniel Studer

Born 1961

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1232 MISSING

David Morf

1700 - 1773

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1233 FILM

Peter-Christian Fueter

Born 1941

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1234 ARTIST

Ursula Biemann

Born 1955

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1235 ACTOR

Gian Rupf

Born 1967

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1236 ART HISTORIAN

Franzsepp Würtenberger

1909 - 1998

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1237 EDUCATION

Christoph Heinrich Myller

1740 - 1807

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1238 SPORT

René Stadler

Born 1940

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1239 HISTORIAN

Rudolf Hiestand

Born 1933

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1240 BIOCHEMIST

Markus Rüegg

Born 1959

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1241 HISTORIAN

David Gugerli

Born 1961

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1242 WRESTLER

Kurt Rusterholz

Born 1927

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1243 POLITICIAN

Barbara Gysi

Born 1964

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1244 ACTOR

Thom Luz

Born 1982

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1245 MODERATOR

Marco Ventre

Born 1975

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1246 POLITICIAN

Moritz Thape

1920 - 2019

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1247 GRAFIKER

Hans-Rudolf Lutz

1939 - 1998

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1248 POLITICIAN

Lieni Füglistaller

Born 1951

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1249 POLITICIAN

Christian Huber (Politiker, 1944)

Born 1944

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1250 WRITER

Florian Beckerhoff

Born 1976

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1251 ACTOR

Daniel Wahl

Born 1966

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1252 ARCHIVIST

Nold Halder

1899 - 1967

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1253 PHYSICIST

Eduardo Suger

Born 1938

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1254 ARTIST

Kurt Oscar Weber

1938 - 2011

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1255 ACTOR

Edi Huber

1927 - 2016

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1256 ARTIST

Felix Stephan Huber

Born 1957

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1257 ECONOMIST

Erwin Nievergelt

1929 - 2018

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1258 PAINTER

Dieter Hall

Born 1955

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1259 WRITER

Willy Verkauf

1917 - 1994

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1260 HISTORIAN

Heidi Witzig

Born 1944

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1261 CHOREOGRAPHER

Anna Huber

Born 1965

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1262 LAWYER

Nedim Peter Vogt

Born 1952

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1263 PAINTER

Johann Heinrich Wüest

1741 - 1821

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1264 LAWYER

Walter Baechi

1909 - 1989

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1265 SCULPTOR

Robert Müller (Bildhauer)

1920 - 2003

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1266 RACE CAR

Jon Beekhuis

Born 1960

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1267 PUBLISHER

Emil Oprecht

1895 - 1952

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1268 PAINTER

Heinrich Pfenninger

1749 - 1815

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1269 ACTOR

Christian Martin Schäfer

Born 1980

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1270 ARTIST

Hans Jörg Glattfelder

Born 1939

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1271 FOOTBALL

Noah Loosli

Born 1997

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1272 ARCHAEOLOGIST

Gerold Walser

1917 - 2000

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1273 BUSINESS

Hugo Bänziger

Born 1956

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1274 FILM

Marcel Schüpbach

Born 1950

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1275 PAINTER

Oskar Dalvit

1911 - 1975

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1276 SINGER

Anna Känzig

Born 1984

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1277 ACADEMIC

Hans Lamprecht

1919 - 2012

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1278 ACADEMIC

Christine Kaufmann (Rechtswissenschafterin) – Wi

Born 1962

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1279 ARCHITECT

Max Vogt (Architekt)

1925 - 2019

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1280 FILM

Marcel Hoehn

Born 1947

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1281 DANCER

Jean Deroc

1925 - 2015

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1282 JOURNALIST

Barbara Lüthi

Born 1973

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1283 ACADEMIC

Jürg Steiner

Born 1950

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1284 BANK

Ferdinand Lips

1931 - 2005

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1285 ART HISTORIAN

Martin Steinmann (Architekt)

Born 1942

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1286 ART HISTORIAN

Marcel Roethlisberger

1929 - 2020

Preview
1287 MEDIA

Heinz Bonfadelli

Born 1949

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1288 SONGWRITER

Lea Lu

Born 1984

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1289 COMPOSER

Paul Schoop (Komponist)

1909 - 1976

Preview
1290 PUBLISHER

Johannes Gachnang

1939 - 2005

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1291 MUSIC

Gunhard Mattes

Born 1957

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1292 NEUROLOGIST

Rudolf Hess (Neurologe)

1913 - 2007

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1293 MUSIC

Nadja Sieger

Born 1968

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1294 PAINTER

Heinrich Keller (Kartograf)

1778 - 1862

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1295 CHEMIST

Andreas Manz

Born 1956

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1296 PUBLISHER

Eugen Claassen

1895 - 1955

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1297 PAINTER

Herman Volz

1904 - 1990

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1298 WRITER

Stephan Pörtner

Born 1965

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1299 ATHLETIC

Corinne Schneider

Born 1962

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1300 ECONOMIST

Walter Adolf Jöhr

1910 - 1987

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1301 POET

Paul Eduard Meyer

1894 - 1966

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1302 PAINTER

Wilhelm Gimmi

1886 - 1965

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1303 PÄDAGOGE

Fritz Güttinger

1907 - 1992

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1304 WRITER

Susanna Schwager

Born 1959

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1305 PATRON

Helena Cambó

Born 1929

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1306 ACTOR

Valerie Steinmann

1921 - 2011

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1307 ACTOR

Albert Freuler

Born 1942

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1308 AUTHOR

Peter Jezler

Born 1954

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1309 ARTIST

Matthias Gnehm

Born 1970

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1310 ACTOR

Peter Bollag

1945 - 1996

Preview
1311 POLITICIAN

Ernst Biedermann (Politiker)

1902 - 1997

Preview
1312 ARTIST

James Licini

Born 1937

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1313 ARTIST

Simon Beer

Born 1964

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1314 EDITOR

Charlotte Peter

1924 - 2020

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1315 HISTORIAN

Werner Ganz

1902 - 1995

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1316 ARTIST

Max Rüedi

1925 - 2019

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1317 HISTORIAN

Esther Fischer-Homberger

1940 - 2019

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1318 WRITER

Darja Stocker

Born 1983

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1319 ACADEMIC

Heinrich Wagner (Linguist)

1923 - 1988

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1320 MATHEMATICIAN

Alfred Aeppli

Born 1894

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1321 SKATER

Myriam Leuenberger

Born 1987

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1322 ARCHITECT

Trix Haussmann-Högl

Born 1933

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1323 ACADEMIC

Andres Kristol

Born 1948

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1324 AUTHOR

Andreas Sauter

Born 1974

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1325 SINGER

Christoph Homberger

Born 1962

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1326 CINEMA

Eeva Fleig

Born 1964

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1327 HISTORIAN

Mario König

1947 - 2019

Preview
1328 ART HISTORIAN

Adolf Max Vogt

1920 - 2013

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1329 PAINTER

Robert E. Konrad

1926 - 1951

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1330 PRESENTER

Robin Rehmann

Born 1981

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1331 PAINTER

Willi Oertig

Born 1947

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1332 ART HISTORIAN

Reinhold Hohl

1929 - 2014

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1333 PIANIST

Christoph Stiefel

Born 1961

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1334 LAWYER

Dietrich Schindler junior

1924 - 2018

Preview
1335 WRITER

Ulrich Schmid (Journalist)

Born 1954

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1336 COMPOSER

Hermann von Glenck

1883 - 1952

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1337 POLITICIAN

Ulrich Bremi

Born 1929

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1338 WRITER

Niklaus Helbling

Born 1959

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1339 WRITER

Werner Bucher

1938 - 2019

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1340 ARCHITECT

Alexander Koch (Architekt)

1848 - 1911

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1341 SWIMMER

Danielle Villars

Born 1993

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1342 COMPOSER

Werner Kruse (Komponist)

1910 - 2005

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1343 ARCHITECT

Hans Conrad Stadler

1788 - 1846

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1344 FILM

Fosco Dubini

Born 1954

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1345 ACTOR

Isabel Florido

Born 1971

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1346 MANAGER

Susanne Ruoff

Born 1958

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1347 WRITER

Daniel Goetsch

Born 1968

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1348 JOURNALIST

Peter Niggli

Born 1950

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1349 DOCENT

Matthias Arter

Born 1964

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1350 AUTHOR

Andrea Raschèr

Born 1961

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1351 AUTHOR

René Lüchinger

Born 1958

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1352 SPORT

Jakob Schenk

1921 - 1951

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1353 POLITICIAN

Peter Briner

Born 1943

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1354 THEOLOGIAN

Johann Heinrich Ulrich

1665 - 1730

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1355 MUSIC

Anna Brunner

Born 1972

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1356 SCULPTOR

Ödon Koch

1906 - 1977

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1357 ART HISTORIAN

Paul Ganz

1872 - 1954

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1358 TRANSLATOR

Peter Schwaar

Born 1947

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1359 ARCHITECT

Rudolf Steiger (Architekt)

1900 - 1982

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1360 WRITER

Brigitte Theler

1959 - 2007

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1361 MUSIC

Johannes Hegar

1874 - 1929

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1362 SCREENWRITER

Anna Luif

Born 1972

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1363 ACADEMIC

Werner Kramer

Born 1930

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1364 VERTRETER

Hermann Venedey

1904 - 1980

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1365 GUITAR

Harald Haerter

Born 1958

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1366 JOURNALIST

Christoph Keller (Journalist)

Born 1959

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1367 PAINTER

Rudolf Stussi

Born 1947

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1368 SOCIOLOGIST

Bettina Heintz

Born 1949

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1369 DESIGNER

Christof Gassner

Born 1941

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1370 FILM

Felix von Muralt

Born 1963

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1371 LINGUIST

Fritz Gysling

1895 - 1984

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1372 MATHEMATICIAN

Rudolf Heinrich Weber

1874 - 1920

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1373 POLITICIAN

Regina Kägi-Fuchsmann

1889 - 1972

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1374 AUTHOR

Rudolf Steiger (Militärpädagoge)

Born 1946

Preview
1375 TRANSLATOR

Ludwig Moser (Übersetzer)

1442 - 1510

Preview
1376 ZOOLOGIST

Claude Martin

Born 1945

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1377 POLITICIAN

Friedrich Fick

1863 - 1955

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1378 SPORT

Gottlieb Amstein

1906 - 1975

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1379 WRITER

Max Geilinger

1884 - 1948

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1380 WRITER

Gian Trepp

Born 1947

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1381 AUTHOR

Amalie Pinkus

1910 - 1996

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1382 THEATRE

Peter Löffler (Regisseur)

1926 - 2015

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1383 AUTHOR

Jürg von Ins

Born 1953

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1384 DRIVER

Toni Seiler

Born 1958

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1385 ACADEMIC

Hans Wüthrich

1937 - 2019

Preview
1386 WRITER

Marianne Kaltenbach

1921 - 2005

Preview
1387 SINGER

Samurai (Rapper)

-

Preview
1388 WRITER

Sandy Taikyu Kuhn Shimu

Born 1972

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1389 ACADEMIC

Johann Caspar Rüegg

1930 - 2018

Preview
1390 PAINTER

Adrian Schiess

Born 1959

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1391 ARCHITECT

Johann Caspar Wolff

1818 - 1891

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1392 HISTORIAN

Max Silberschmidt (Historiker)

1899 - 1989

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1393 BANK

Robert Holzach

1922 - 2009

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1394 ARTIST

Ursula Hirsch (Künstlerin)

Born 1952

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1395 ACTOR

Carole Piguet

Born 1962

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1396 WRITER

Claudia Storz

Born 1948

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1397 TEACHER

Alexander Rordorf

1820 - 1909

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1398 AUTHOR

Verena Keller

Born 1945

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1399 ARTIST

H.R. Fricker

Born 1947

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1400 SPORT

Peter Hirzel

Born 1939

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1401 FILM

Reni Mertens

1918 - 2000

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1402 FLAUTIST

Claudio Ferrarini

Born 1954

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1403 BASKET

Stefan Petković

Born 1992

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1404 ACTOR

Jeannine Michèle Wacker

Born 1989

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1405 SPORT

Werner Weckert

Born 1938

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1406 FILM

Heinrich Fueter

1911 - 1979

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1407 SKATER

Tina Stuerzinger

Born 1996

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1408 GERMANIST

Martin Bircher

1938 - 2006

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1409 PAINTER

Wilhelm Jaeger (Künstler)

Born 1941

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1410 ENTREPRENEUR

Marc P. Bernegger

Born 1979

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1411 ACADEMIC

Fritz Wehrli

1902 - 1987

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1412 PUBLISHER

Christoph Corvin

1552 - 1620

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1413 PAINTER

Hans Heinrich Wägmann

1557 - 1628

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1414 SKATER

Kimena Brog-Meier

Born 1987

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1415 EDUCATION

Urs Haeberlin

Born 1937

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1416 ASTROLOGER

Konrad Türst

1450 - 1503

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1417 SPORT

Max Wirth (cyclist)

Born 1930

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1418 HISTORIAN

Andreas Ernst (Journalist)

Born 1960

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1419 ARTIST

Esther Eppstein

Born 1967

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1420 FILM

Chris Niemeyer

Born 1973

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1421 ROMANIST

Peter Wunderli

1938 - 2019

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1422 ARTIST

Roland Schär

Born 1959

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1423 AUTHOR

Helena Rüegg

Born 1959

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1424 WRITER

Bruno Steiger

Born 1946

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1425 CONDUCTOR

Robert Stehli

1930 - 2018

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1426 PSYCHOANALYST

Rudolf Brun (Mediziner)

1885 - 1969

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1427 PAINTER

Johann Melchior Füssli

1677 - 1736

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1428 THEOLOGIAN

Kaspar Megander

1495 - 1545

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1429 COMPOSER

Stefan Keller (Komponist)

Born 1974

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1430 JOURNALIST

Michael Lang (Journalist)

Born 1949

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1431 SECRETARY

Stefan Brupbacher

Born 1967

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1432 HANDBALL

Simona Cavallari (handballer)

Born 1992

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1433 WRITER

Barbara Frenz

Born 1961

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1434 AUTHOR

Walter Ackermann (Schriftsteller)

1903 - 1939

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1435 ACADEMIC

Alain Griffel

Born 1962

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1436 WRITER

Walter Robert Corti

1910 - 1990

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1437 AUTHOR

Elisabeth Wandeler-Deck

Born 1939

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1438 SINGER

Kurt Huber (tenor)

Born 1937

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1439 ARTIST

Bessie Nager

1962 - 2009

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1440 PUBLISHER

Hermann Guggenheim (Lithograf)

1864 - 1912

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1441 JOURNALIST

Max Frenkel

Born 1938

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1442 ACTOR

Tim Bettermann

Born 1991

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1443 ART HISTORIAN

Christina Végh

Born 1970

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1444 AUTHOR

Armin Bollinger

1913 - 1995

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1445 PAINTER

Elisabeth Thalmann

1918 - 2000

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1446 CARICATURIST

Felix Schaad

Born 1961

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1447 BANJOIST

Vali Mayer

Born 1936

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1448 WRITER

Bernhard von Arx

1924 - 2012

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1449 FILM

Walter Marti (Regisseur)

1923 - 1999

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1450 GOLDSMITH

Josef Caminada

1937 - 2012

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1451 ACADEMIC

Hans Boesch (Geograph)

1911 - 1978

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1452 WRITER

Alfred Berchtold

Born 1925

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1453 WRITER

Vera Dillier

Born 1948

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1454 PRODUCER

DJKAM

-

Preview
1455 HISTORIAN

Anselm Zurfluh

Born 1953

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1456 SPORT

Hans Pfenninger

1929 - 2009

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1457 FILM

Gianni Di Capua

1959 - 2018

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1458 FILM

Pierre Gisling

1937 - 2017

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1459 CARICATURIST

Peter Gut

Born 1959

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1460 SAXOPHONIST

Daniel Guggenheim (Musiker)

Born 1954

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1461 SPORT

Hans Lüthi

Born 1939

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1462 WRITER

Eugen Eduard Hüsler

Born 1944

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1463 SPORT

Hans Flückiger

Born 1926

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1464 ACTOR

Pjotr Kraska

1946 - 2016

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1465 JOURNALIST

Armin Kesser

1906 - 1965

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1466 THEOLOGIAN

Johann Konrad Pfenninger

1747 - 1792

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1467 FENCER

Jules Amez-Droz

1921 - 2012

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1468 ACTOR

Philippe Roussel

Born 1961

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1469 JOURNALIST

Eugen Sorg

Born 1940

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1470 SCULPTOR

Raoul Ratnowsky

1912 - 1999

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1471 ACTOR

Jürg Plüss

Born 1972

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1472 MEDIEVALIST

Felix Heinzer

Born 1950

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1473 SPORT

Tim Watter

Born 1991

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1474 SWIMMER

Dominique Diezi

Born 1977

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1475 ACTOR

Barbara Caveng

Born 1963

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1476 FILM

Richard Cohn-Vossen

Born 1934

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1477 ECONOMIST

Andrea Schenker-Wicki

Born 1959

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1478 FILM

Reto Caffi

Born 1971

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1479 PLAYER

Dimitri Steinmann

Born 1997

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1480 MODEL

Noreen Carmody

Born 1988

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1481 LAWYER

Riccardo Jagmetti

Born 1929

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1482 ENTREPRENEUR

Philippe Gaydoul

Born 1972

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1483 COMPOSER

Hans Ganz

1890 - 1957

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1484 COMPOSER

Hugo Bollschweiler

Born 1970

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1485 BASSIST

Peter Frei (Musiker)

Born 1943

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1486 SPORT

Fritz Siegenthaler

Born 1929

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1487 MATHEMATICIAN

Jürg Kramer

Born 1956

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1488 HISTORIAN

Dietrich Schwarz

1913 - 2000

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1489 POLITICIAN

Tiana Angelina Moser

Born 1979

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1490 ARCHITECT

Carl Fingerhuth

Born 1936

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1491 AUTHOR

Heiner Hug

Born 1946

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1492 PHILOLOGIST

Peter Gallmann

Born 1952

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1493 CONDUCTOR

Marc Andreae

Born 1939

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1494 ARCHITECT

Claude Paillard

1923 - 2004

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1495 ACADEMIC

Christian Doelker

1934 - 2020

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1496 DRAUGHTSWOMAN

Paul Julius Arter

1797 - 1839

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1497 ACTOR

Edward Piccin

Born 1971

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1498 DIPLOMAT

Carlo Jagmetti

Born 1932

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1499 WRITER

Simona Ryser

Born 1969

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1500 SPORT

Heinrich Müller (cyclist)

Born 1926

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