Here is a list of famous Germans:

Actors

• Mario Adorf, (born 1930), actor
• Hans Albers, actor
• Moritz Bleibtreu, (born 1971), actor
• Eric Braeden, (born Hans Gudegast, 1941), actor
• Horst Buchholz, (1933-2003), actor
• Marlene Dietrich, (1901-1992), actress
• Heinz Erhardt, (1909-1979), actor and comedian
• Gert Fröbe, (1913-1988), actor
• Götz George, (born 1938), actor
• Heinrich George, actor
• Brigitte Helm, (1908-1996), actress
• Klaus Kinski, (1926-1991), actor
• Hildegard Knef, (1925-2002), actress, singer, writer
• Diane Kruger, (born 1976), actress
• Heike Makatsch, actress
• Willy Millowitsch, (1909-1999), actor
• Armin Mueller-Stahl, (born 1930), actor
• Franka Potente (born 1974), actress
• Jürgen Prochnow, (born 1941), actor
• Heinz Rühmann, (1902-1994), actor
• Uwe Ochsenknecht, (born 1956), actor
• Kristina Söderbaum, (1912-2001), actress and photographer
• Otto Waalkes, (born 1948), actor and comedian

Artists

• Hans von Aachen, (1552-1615), mannerist painter
• Albrecht Altdorfer, (1480-1538), painter
• Ernst Barlach, (1870-1938), sculptor (and writer)
• Joseph Beuys, (1921-1986), artist
• Arnold Böcklin, (1827-1901), painter
• Lovis Corinth, painter
• Lucas Cranach the Elder, (1472-1553), painter
• Lucas Cranach the Younger, (1515-1586), painter
• Albrecht Dürer, (1471-1528), painter
• Max Ernst, (1891-1976), surrealist painter
• Caspar David Friedrich, (1774-1840), painter
• Walter Gropius, (1883-1969), architect
• George Grosz, (1893-1959), artist
• Hannah Höch - artist
• Hans Holbein the Elder, (c.1465-1524), painter
• Hans Holbein the Younger, (c.1497-1543), illustrator, painter
• Jörg Immendorff, painter
• Janosch, (born 1931), artist known for his books for children
• Käthe Kollwitz, (1867-1945), painter
• Max Liebermann, painter
• Franz Marc, (1880-1916), painter
• Oskar Schlemmer, (1888-1943), choreographer, painter, sculptor, stage & costume designer
• Eberhard Schlotter (born 1921), painter
• Kurt Schwitters, painter, poet
• Max Slevogt, painter
• Carl Spitzweg, (1808-1885), painter
• Franz Stuck, painter

Composers

• Karl Friedrich Abel, (1725-1787), composer
• Martin Agricola, (1466-1506), composer
• Siegfried Alkan, (1858 - 1941), composer
• Johann Sebastian Bach, (1685-1750), composer
• Ludwig van Beethoven, (1770-1827), composer
• Martin Boettcher, (1927), film-composer
• Johannes Brahms, (1833-1897), composer
• Georg Friedrich Händel, (1685-1759), composer, opera composer
• Paul Hindemith, (1895-1963), composer
• Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, (1756-1791), composer
• Carl Orff, (1895-1982), composer
• Johann Pachelbel, (1653-1706), composer
• Franz Schubert, (1797-1828), composeer, songwriter
• Clara Schumann, (1819-1896), composer
• Robert Schumann, (1810-1856), composer, songwriter
• Karlheinz Stockhausen, (1928-), modern electronic composer
• Richard Strauss, (1864-1949), composer, opera composer
• Georg Philipp Telemann, (1681-1767), composer
• Richard Wagner, (1813-1883), composer
• Carl Maria von Weber, (1786-1826), composer
• Kurt Weill, (1900-1950), composer: Threepenny Opera, "September Song"

Filmmakers

• Doris Dörrie, female film director
• Roland Emmerich, film director
• Gregor von Bismarck, film director
• Rainer Werner Fassbinder, (1945-1982), film director
• Werner Herzog, (born 1942), film director
• Fritz Lang, (1890-1976), film director
• Ernst Lubitsch, (1892-1947), film director
• F.W. Murnau, (1888-1931), film director
• Wolfgang Petersen, (born 1941), film director
• Leni Riefenstahl, (1902-2003), female film director
• Volker Schlöndorff, (born 1939), film director
• Wim Wenders, (born 1945), film director

Royalty

• Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, (1819-1861), Queen Victoria's husband & consort
• Albert (1828-1902), King of Saxony (1873-1902)
• Anton (1755-1836), King of Saxony (1827-1836)
• Carol I of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen (1839-1914), Prince (1867-1881) and King (1881-1914) of Romania
• Charles (1823-1891), King of Württemberg (1823-1891)
• Ferdinand of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen (1865-1927), King of Romania (1924-1927)
• Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (1861-1948), Prince of Bulgaria (1887-1908), King (or Tsar) of the Bulgarians (1908-1918)
• Frederick I Barbarossa (1122–1190), King of Germany 1152, Holy Roman Emperor 1155-1190
• Frederick I of Prussia (1657-1713), Elector of Brandenburg (1688-1713), King in Prussia (1701-1713)
• Frederick I of Württemberg (1754-1816), Duke (1797-1803), Elector (1803-1806), and King (1806-1816) of Württemberg
• Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor (1194-1250), Holy Roman Emperor and King of Jerusalem
• Frederick II of Prussia (1712-1786), King of Prussia (1740-1786)
• Friedrich III (1831-1888), German Emperor and King of Prussia (1888)
• Frederick Augustus I (1750-1827), Elector (1763-1806) and King (1806-1827) of Saxony
• Frederick Augustus II (1797-1854), King of Saxony (1836-1854)
• Frederick Augustus III (1865-1932), King of Saxony (1904-1918)
• Frederick William I (1688-1740), King of Prussia (1713-1740)
• Frederick William II (1744-1797), King of Prussia (1786-1797)
• Frederick William III (1770-1840), King of Prussia (1797-1840)
• Frederick William IV (1795-1861), King of Prussia (1840-1861)
• George (1832-1904), King of Saxony (1902-1904)
• George V (1819-1878), King of Hanover (1851-1866)
• Henry II (972-1024), King of Germany 1002, Holy Roman Emperor 1014-1024
• Henry III (1017-1056), King of Germany 1039, Holy Roman Emperor 1046-1056
• Henry IV (1050-1106), King of Germany 1056, Holy Roman Emperor 1084-1106
• Henry V (1081-1125), King of Germany 1106, Holy Roman Emperor 1111-1125
• Henry VI (1165-1197), King of Germany 1190, Holy Roman Emperor 1191-1197
• John (1801-1873), King of Saxony (1854-1873)
• Ludwig I (1786-1868), King of Bavaria (1825-1848)
• Ludwig II (1845-1886), King of Bavaria (1864-1886)
• Ludwig III (1845-1921), King of Bavaria (1913-1918)
• Maximilian I (1756-1825), Elector (1799-1805) and King (1805-1825) of Bavaria
• Maximilian II (1811-1864), King of Bavaria (1848-1864)
• Otto I the Great (912-973), King of Germany 936, Holy Roman Emperor 962-973
• Otto II (955-983), Holy Roman Emperor 973-983
• Otto III (980-1002), King of Germany 983, Holy Roman Emperor 996-1002
• Otto of Greece King of Bavaria (1815-1867), King of the Hellenes (1833-1862)
• Otto of Bavaria (1848-1916), King of Bavaria (1886-1913)
• Wilhelm I (1797-1888), German Emperor (1871-1888) and King of Prussia (1861-1888)
• Wilhelm II (1859-1941), German Emperor and King of Prussia (1888-1918)
• William I (1781-1864), King of Württemberg (1816-1864)
• William II (1848-1921), King of Württemberg (1891-1918)

Musicians and singers

• Blind Guardian
• Can
• Die Ärzte
• Die Toten Hosen
• Faust
• Heino, popular singer
• Herbert Grönemeyer, (born 1956)
• Kraftwerk
• Gundula Krause, (born 1966)
• Reinhard Mey, (born 1942)
• Marius Müller-Westernhagen
• Karl Münchinger, conductor
• Nena, (born 1960)
• Klaus Nomi, (1944-1983)
• Lisa Otto, opera singer
• Rammstein
• Michael Schenker, (born 1955), guitar player of UFO and solo career
• Scooter
• The Scorpions
• Ton Steine Scherben
• Hannes Wader
• Konstantin Wecker
• Wir sind Helden
• Funny van Dannen
• Paul Van Dyk
• Willy Hess (violinist)

See also: List of German bands

Philosophers

• Theodor Adorno, (1903-1969), philosopher, sociologist and composer
• Albertus Magnus, medieval philosopher and theologian
• Hannah Arendt, (1906-1975), political theorist
• Bruno Bauer, (1809 - 1882), political theorist and philosopher
• Walter Benjamin
• Ernst Bloch
• Ernst Cassirer, (1874 - 1945)
• Nikolaus Cusanus, (1401 - 1462), philosopher, theologian, mathematician
• Friedrich Engels, (1820 - 1895), philosopher, political economist, and collaborator with Karl Marx
• Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, (1770-1831), philosopher
• Ludwig Feuerbach, (1804 - 1872), philosopher
• Johann Gottlieb Fichte, (1762-1814), philosopher
• Gottlob Frege, (1848-1925), mathematician, logician and philosopher
• Erich Fromm
• Hans-Georg Gadamer, (1900-2002), philosopher
• Jürgen Habermas, (1929-), philosopher, social theorist
• Eduard von Hartmann, philosopher
• Martin Heidegger, (1889-1976), philosopher
• Max Horkheimer
• Karl Jaspers, (1883-1969), philosopher
• Immanuel Kant, (1724-1804), philosopher
• Ludwig Klages, philosopher
• Gottfried Leibniz, (1646-1716), physicist, philosopher
• Leo Löwenthal
• Karl Löwith
• Herbert Marcuse
• Karl Marx, (1818-1883), philosopher and sociologist. Founder of Marxist political and economic philosophy
• Friedrich Nietzsche, (1844-1900), early existentialist philosopher
• Johann Karl Friedrich Rosenkranz
• Franz Rosenzweig
• Max Scheler, philosopher
• Friedrich Schelling, (1775-1854), philosopher
• Carl Schmitt, (1888 - 1985), political theorist
• Arthur Schopenhauer, (1788-1860), philosopher
• Georg Simmel
• Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker, (1912 - ), philosopher and physicist
• Peter Wust, philosopher

Politicians

• Konrad Adenauer, (1876-1967), federal chancellor (CDU)
• Prince Maximilian of Baden, (1867-1929), Imperial Chancellor
• Gustav Bauer, (1870-1944), chancellor of the Weimar Republic (SPD)
• Theobald von Bethmann-Hollweg, (1856-1921), Imperial Chancellor
• Otto von Bismarck, (1815-1898), Imperial Chancellor
• Willy Brandt, (1913-1992), West German Chancellor (SPD)
• Heinrich Brüning (1885-1970), Chancellor of the Weimar Republic (Centre Party)
• Bernhard von Bülow (1849-1929), Imperial Chancellor
• Leo von Caprivi (1831-1899), Imperial Chancellor
• Wilhelm Cuno (1876-1933), chancellor of the Weimar period
• Friedrich Ebert, (1871-1925), First President of the Weimar Republic (SPD)
• Ludwig Erhard, (1897-1977), federal chancellor (CDU)
• Konstantin Fehrenbach (1852-1926), chancellor of the Weimar Republic (Centre)
• Joschka Fischer, (born 1948), Foreign Minister and vice chancellor since 1998 (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen)
• Hans-Dietrich Genscher, (born 1927), former minister for foreign affairs (FDP)
• Jakob Grimm, (1785-1863), parlamentarian
• Wilhelm Grimm, (1786-1859), parlamentarian
• Gregor Gysi, (1948-), former leader of the PDS
• Georg von Hertling, (1843-1919), Imperial Chancellor
• Paul von Hindenburg, (1847-1934), general, president
• Prince Chlodwig zu Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst, (1819-1901), Imperial Chancellor
• Petra Kelly, (1947-1992), founder of the German Green Party
• Kurt Georg Kiesinger, (1904-1988), federal chancellor (CDU)
• Helmut Kohl, (1930-), federal chancellor -1998 (CDU)
• Horst Köhler, (1943-), federal president since 2004 (CDU)
• Hans Luther, (1885-1962), chancellor of the Weimar period
• Wilhelm Marx, (1863-1946), chancellor of the Weimar Period (Centre)
• Jakob Maria Mierscheid, (1933-), virtual parlamentarian (SPD)
• Angela Merkel, (1954-), Leader of the CDU
• Georg Michaelis, (1857-1936), Imperial Chancellor
• Hermann Müller, (1876-1931), Chancellor of the Weimar Republic (SPD)
• Hans Modrow (1928-), former leader of GDR, honorary chairman of PDS
• Franz von Papen (1879-1969), chancellor and politician of the Weimar Republic
• Walther Rathenau (1867-1922), foreign minister (DDP)
• Johannes Rau, (born 1931), former federal president 1999-2004 (SPD)
• Philipp Scheidemann, (1865-1939), chancellor in the Weimar period (SPD)
• Kurt von Schleicher - general and chancellor in the Weimar period
• Helmut Schmidt, (1969-1972 ; 1972-1974 ; 1974-1982), federal chancellor (SPD)
• Gerhard Schröder, (born 1944), federal chancellor since 1998 (SPD)
• Gerhard Schröder (1910-1989), foreign minister (CDU)
• Kurt Schumacher, (1895-1952), leader of the Social Democratic Party of Germany in the early years of the FRG
• Franz Josef Strauß, (1915-1988), Bavarian Politician (CSU)
• Gustav Stresemann, (1878-1929), chancellor and statesman of the Weimar Republic (DVP)
• Ernst Thälmann, (1886-1944), leader of the Communist Party of Germany during the Weimar period
• Guido Westerwelle - party leader of the liberal party (FDP)
• Joseph Wirth, (1879-1956), Chancellor of the Weimar Period (Centre)

Politicians in East Germany

• Egon Krenz, (born 1937) - leader of the GDR after Honecker
• Erich Honecker, (1912-1994) - leader of the GDR until 1989
• Erich Mielke, (1907-2000) - head of the Stasi
• Wilhelm Pieck, (1876-1960) - first president of the GDR
• Günter Schabowski, (born 1929) - member of politburo
• Willy Stoph, (1914-1999) - Premier of the GDR
• Walter Ulbricht, (1893-1973) - leader of the GDR
• Otto Grotewohl, (1894-1964) - minister president of the GDR

Personalities of the Nazi Party and Regime

• Klaus Barbie, (1913-1991), the "Butcher of Lyon"
• Martin Bormann, (1900-probably 1945), nazi leader
• Eva Braun, (1912-1945), Hitler's mistress
• Karl Brandt, (1904-1948)
• Karl Dönitz, (1891-1980), chief of the German marine, briefly Hitler's successor
• Anton Drexler, (1884-1942), founder of German Workers Party, which became the NSDAP
• Adolf Eichmann, (1906-1962), German SS officer
• Hans Frank, (1900-1946), Governor-General of Poland
• Roland Freisler, (1893-1945), politician
• Wilhelm Frick, (1877-1946), Minister of the Interior
• Walter Funk, (1890-1960), Minister of Economics
• Joseph Goebbels, (1897-1945), Chancellor of Germany, propaganda chief for the Nazis
• Hermann Göring, (1893-1946), Nazi and chief of Luftwaffe
• Rudolf Hess, (1894-1987), Hitler's private secretary
• Reinhard Heydrich, (1904-1942), Nazi officer, head of the SD and Gestapo
• Heinrich Himmler, (1900-1945), Nazi head of the SS
• Adolf Hitler, (1889 in Braunau, Austria-1945), dictator
• Alfred Jodl, (1890-1946), general, operations chief of the OKW
• Ernst Kaltenbrunner, (1903-1946), Heydrich's successor at the SD
• Wilhelm Keitel, (1882-1946), field marshal, head of the OKW
• Robert Ley, (1890-1945), head of the German Labour Front
• Erhard Milch, (1892-1972), Göring's second-in-command, Air Inspector General
• Konstantin von Neurath, (1873-1956), Foreign Minister in the early years of the regime
• Franz von Papen (1879-1969), Deputy Chancellor in Hitler's first cabinet.
• Erich Raeder, (1876-1960), Head of the German Navy
• Joachim von Ribbentrop, (1893-1946), Nazi foreign minister
• Ernst Röhm, (1887-1934), head of the SA
• Erwin Rommel, (1891-1944), Feldmarschall
• Alfred Rosenberg, (1893-1946), nazi ideologist
• Hjalmar Schacht, Minister of economics
• Baldur von Schirach, (1907-1974), Hitler Youth leader
• Arthur Seyss-Inquart (1892-1946), Austrian Nazi leader
• Albert Speer, (1905-1981), "Hitler's architect", Minister of Armaments
• Gregor Strasser, Left-wing Nazi leader
• Julius Streicher, (1885-1946), Nazi Party leader in Nuremberg

Scientists and engineers

• Manfred von Ardenne, (1907-1997), physicist
• Otto Wilhelm Hermann von Abich, (1806-1886), mineralogist, geologist
• Anton de Bary, (1831-1888), surgeon, botanist, microbiologist
• Johann Bayer, (1572-1625), astronomer
• Carl Benz, (1844-1929), one of the inventors of the gasoline-powered automobile
• Friedrich Bessel, (1784-1846), mathematician
• Ludwig Boltzmann, (1844-1906), physicist
• Max Born, (1882-1970), physicist
• Carl Ferdinand Braun - physicist
• Wernher von Braun, (1912-1977), space engineer
• Robert Wilhelm Bunsen, (1811-1899), chemist
• Georg Cantor, (1845-1918), mathematician
• Hans Gerhard Creutzfeldt - neuropathologist
• Gottlieb Daimler, (1834-1900), one of the inventors of the gasoline-powered automobile
• Rudolf Diesel, (1858-1913), inventor of the Diesel engine
• Albert Einstein, (1879-1955), physicist
• Hans Jürgen Eysenck, psychologist
• Joseph von Fraunhofer, (1787-1826), physicist
• Erich Fromm, (1900-1980), psychologist
• Carl Friedrich Gauss, (1777-1855), mathematician
• Fritz Haber, (1868-1934), chemist
• Ernst Haeckel, (1834-1919), physician
• Otto Hahn, (1879-1968), chemist
• Felix Hausdorff, (1868-1942), mathematician
• Robert Havemann, (1910-1982), chemist (and dissident)
• Ernst Heinkel, (1888-1958), Aircraft engineer
• Werner Karl Heisenberg, (1901-1976), physicist
• Hermann Helmholtz, physicist
• David Hilbert, (1862-1943), mathematician
• Johann Homann, (1664-1724), geographer
• Erich Hueckel, (1896-1980), physicist
• Carl Gustav Jakob Jacobi, (1804-1851), mathematician
• Alfons Maria Jakob, (1884-1931), neurologist
• Hugo Junkers, (1859-1935), Aircraft engineer
• Theodor Kaluza, (1885-1954), mathematician, theoretical physicist
• Friedrich August Kekulé von Stradonitz, (1829-1896), chemist
• Johannes Kepler, (1571-1630), astronomer
• Gustav Robert Kirchhoff, (1824-1887), physicist
• Felix Klein, (1849-1925), mathematician
• Wolfgang Franz von Kobell (1803-1882) - mineralogist
• Robert Koch, (1843-1910), physician
• Walter Karl Koch - surgeon
• Adolph Wilhelm Hermann Kolbe, (1818-1884), chemist
• Leopold Kronecker, (1823-1891), mathematician
• Ernst Eduard Kummer, (1810-1893), mathematician
• Edmund Landau, (1877-1938), mathematician
• Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, (1646-1716), mathematician
• Justus von Liebig, (1803-1873), chemist
• Ferdinand von Lindemann, (1852-1939), mathematician
• Alexander Lippisch, (1894-1976), aerodynamicist
• Konrad Zacharias Lorenz, (1903-1989), behavioural physiologist
• Albertus Magnus, (died 1280), alchemist
• Ludwig Immanuel Magnus, mathematician
• Wilhelm Maybach, (1846-1929), car-engine and automobile constructor
• Lise Meitner, (1878-1968), physicist
• Wilhelm Messerschmitt, (1898-1978), Aircraft engineer
• Lothar Meyer, (1830-1895), chemist
• Franz Mertens, (1840-1927), mathematician
• August Ferdinand Möbius, (1790-1868), mathematician, theoretical astronomer
• Johannes Müller, (1801 - 1858), physiologist
• Walther Nernst, (1864-1941), physicist
• Franz Ernst Neumann, (1798-1895), mathematician
• Carl Gottfried Neumann, (1832-1925), mathematician
• Emmy Noether, (1882-1935), mathematician
• Georg Ohm, (1789-1854), physicist
• Wilhelm Ostwald, Nobel prize winning chemist, philosopher
• Nikolaus Otto, (1832-1891), coinventor of the Otto cycle
• Wolfgang Pauli, (1900-1958), physicist
• Max Planck, (1858-1947), physicist
• Bernhard Riemann, (1826-1866) mathematician
• Adam Riese, (1492-1559), mathematician
• Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen, (1845-1923), physicist
• Carl Wilhelm Scheele, (1742-1786), chemist
• Matthias Jakob Schleiden, (1804-1881), botanist
• Heinrich Schliemann, (1822-1890), archaeologist
• Christian Friedrich Schonbein, (1799–1868), chemist
• Friedrich Hermann Schottky, (1851-1935), mathematician
• Theodor Schwann, (1810-1882), physiologist
• Hermann Amandus Schwarz, (1843-1921), mathematician
• Karl Schwarzschild, (1873-1916), physicist
• Rolf Singer, (1906-1994), mycologist
• Arnold Sommerfeld, (1868-1951), physicist
• Georg Steller, (1709-1746), naturalist
• Alfred Stock, (1876-1946), chemist
• Max Vasmer (1886-1962), linguist
• Rudolf Virchow, (1821 - 1902), pioneer of medicine
• Otto Wallach, physicist
• Hellmuth Walter, (1900-1980), propulsion
• Felix Wankel, (1902-1988), inventor of the Wankel engine
• Alfred Wegener, meteorologist
• August Weismann, (1834-1914), biologist
• Karl Weierstrass, (1815-1897), mathematician
• Viktor von Weizsäcker, physician
• Hermann Weyl, (1885-1955), mathematician
• Maximilian zu Wied-Neuwied, (1782-1867), zoologist
• Wilhelm Wien, (1864-1928), physicist
• Wilhelm Wundt, (1832-1920), physiologist, psychologist
• Ernst Zermelo, (1871-1953), mathematician
• Konrad Zuse, (1910-1995), computers

Sportspersons

• Max Baer (died 1959), World Heavyweight Boxing Champion
• Michael Ballack (born 1976), soccer player
• Karin Balzer (born 1938), hurdler
• Franz Beckenbauer (born 1945), soccer player
• Boris Becker (born 1967), tennis player
• Kai Budde (born 1979), professional Magic: The Gathering player
• Bettina Bunge (born 1963), tennis player
• Rudolf Caracciola (1901-1959), race car driver
• Steffi Graf (born 1969), tennis player
• Georg Hackl (born 1966), luger
• Armin Hary (born 1937), athlete
• Oliver Kahn (born 1969), soccer player
• Jürgen Klinsmann (born 1964), soccer player
• Olaf Kölzig (born 1970), hockey
• Hermann Lang (1909-1987), Champion race car driver
• Bernhard Langer (born 1957), golfer
• Sepp Maier (born 1944), soccer player
• Lothar Matthäus (born 1961), soccer player
• Ulrike Meyfarth (born 1956), high jumper
• Rosi Mittermaier (born 1950), alpine ski champion
• Gerd Müller (born 1945), soccer player
• Dirk Nowitzki (born 1978), NBA star
• Birgit Prinz (born 1977), soccer player
• Lina Radke (1903-1983), athlete
• Annegret Richter (born 1950), athlete
• Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, soccer player
• Max Schmeling (born 1905), boxer
• Detlef Schrempf (born 1963), former NBA star
• Michael Schumacher (born 1969), racing driver
• Ralf Schumacher (born 1975), racing driver, brother of Michael
• Toni Schumacher (born 1954), soccer player
• Ralf Schumann (born 1962), pistol shooter
• Uwe Seeler, soccer player
• Werner Seelenbinder, (1904-1944), wrestler
• Katja Seizinger, alpine ski champion
• Renate Stecher (born 1950), athlete
• Toni Turek (1919-1984), soccer player
• Jan Ullrich (born 1973), cyclist
• Berti Vogts, soccer player
• Rudi Völler (born 1960), soccer player
• Fritz Walter (1920-2002), soccer player
• Manfred Winkelhock (1951-1985), racing driver
• Katarina Witt (born 1965), figure skater
• Sigrun Wodars (born 1965), athlete

Theologians

• Heinrich Abeken, (1809-1872), theologian
• Johannes Agricola, (1494-1566), Protestant reformer
• Eusebius Amort, (1692-1775)
• Karl Barth, (1886-1968)
• Dietrich Bonhoeffer, (1906-1945), Theologian
• Johannes Bugenhagen, (1485-1558) Protestand Reformer of Pomerania and Denmark, Theologian
• Rudolf Bultmann
• Alfred Delp
• Martin Luther, (1483-1546), of the Protestant Reformation
• Philipp Melanchthon, (1497-1560), Protestant Reformation
• Elisabeth Moltmann-Wendel
• Jürgen Moltmann, (born 1926), theologian
• Joseph Ratzinger, (born 1927), Cardinal
• Friedrich Schleiermacher, (1768-1834), theologian
• Dorothee Sölle, (1929-2003)
• Helmut Thielicke
• Paul Tillich, philosopher
• Adolf Harnack, (1851-1930)

Writers

• Ernst Moritz Arndt - poet, songwriter, and patriot
• Achim von Arnim, (1781-1831), poet
• Bettina von Arnim, (1785-1859), poet
• Ingeborg Bachmann, (1926-1973), poet
• Heinrich Böll, (1917-1985), author
• Bertolt Brecht, (1898-1956), playwright, poet
• Clemens Brentano, (1778-1842), poet
• Georg Büchner, poet
• Wilhelm Busch, (1832-1908), poet
• Matthias Claudius - poet
• Annette von Droste-Hülshoff, (1797-1848), poet
• Michael Ende, (1929-1995), poet
• Joseph von Eichendorff, (1788-1857), poet
• Hans Magnus Enzensberger, (born 1929), poet
• Wolfram von Eschenbach, (died 1220), poet
• Theodor Fontane, (1819-1898), poet
• Paul Gerhardt, (c. 1606-1676), poet
• Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, (1749-1832), author, poet
• Günter Grass, (born 1927), author
• Heinrich Heine, (1797-1856), poet
• Johann Gottfried von Herder, (1744-1803), poet
• Hermann Hesse, (1877-1962), author
• Rolf Hochhuth, (born 1931), playwright
• Ernst Jünger, (1895-1998), poet
• Erich Kästner, (1899-1974), poet, novelist
• Siegfried Lenz, (born 1926), novelist
• Gotthold Lessing - playwright, poet
• Thomas Mann, (1875-1955), author
• Karl May, (1842-1912), poet
• Christian Morgenstern, (1871-1914), poet
• Novalis, (1772-1801), poet
• Erich Maria Remarque, (1898-1970), novelist
• Rainer Maria Rilke, (1875-1926), poet
• Friedrich Schiller, (1759-1805), poet, playwright
• Theodor Storm, (1817-1888), poet
• Patrick Süskind, (born 1949), author of Perfume
• Kurt Tucholsky, (1890-1935), poet
• Walter von der Vogelweide - poet
• Gero von Wilpert - essayist
• Christa Wolf, poet