Famous People Who Died In 1911

Austro-Bohemian Romantic composer and conductor Gustav Mahler symbolized the transition of 19th-century Austro-German music to early-20th-century modernism. His music was banned during the Nazi era but was rediscovered later. Famous for his Eighth Symphony, he had also been the director of the Hofoper (Vienna Court Opera).

Joseph Pulitzer was a newspaper publisher who became a national figure in the Democratic Party after crusading against corruption and big business. Pulitzer is also credited with founding the Columbia School of Journalism. The world-renowned Pulitzer Prizes, which are awarded annually to reward excellence in various fields, are named in his honor.

Nineteenth-century polymath Francis Galton revolutionized science with his pathbreaking research on human intelligence and psychometrics. His books dealt with diverse topics such as correlational calculus, fingerprint analysis, and meteorology, and he also explored Africa. He left Cambridge without an honors degree, and yet ended up being knighted for his achievements.

Born in Scotland, Williamina Fleming moved to the U.S. with her husband, where she began working as a housekeeper for Harvard Observatory director Edward C. Pickering. Pickering secured her a job at the observatory, and Fleming went on to establish a classification and cataloguing system for stars.

Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis was a Lithuanian composer, painter, and writer. Widely regarded as a pioneer of abstract art in Europe, Čiurlionis contributed immensely to art nouveau and symbolism. Today, many of his paintings are preserved at the M. K. Čiurlionis National Art Museum in Lithuania. Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis also had a major influence on modern Lithuanian culture.

Jacobus Henricus van 't Hoff was a Dutch physical chemist best remembered for winning the first Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Van 't Hoff's work helped found the modern theory of chemical thermodynamics, chemical kinetics, chemical equilibrium, and chemical affinity. A highly popular theoretical chemist, Van 't Hoff is also counted among the founders of physical chemistry.

Valentin Serov was a Russian painter best remembered as a master of portraiture. Apart from painting the portraits of prominent personalities, Serov also painted several self-portraits. From 1897 to 1909, he taught painting at the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture where he taught future painters like Pavel Kuznetsov, Martiros Saryan, N. N. Sapunov, Konstantin Yuon, and Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin.

British botanist Joseph Dalton Hooker is remembered as one of Charles Darwin’s greatest supporters. The man who is known as the pioneer of geographical botany, Hooker followed in the footsteps of his botanist father. The Copley Medal winner is also known for his iconic work Genera Plantarum.

German-born Russian conservative statesman Pyotr Stolypin had been the minister of interior and the third prime minister of Russia. His agrarian reform, also known as the Stolypin land reform, was highly significant. He also initiated multiple court-martials to execute rebels, causing people to call the hangman’s noose Stolypin’s necktie.

Princess Alexandra of Saxe-Altenburg was the daughter of Duchess Amelia of Württemberg and Joseph, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg. A high-spirited and conservative personality, Alexandra had an interest in music. Unlike most royal members, Princess Alexandra had a difficult personal life and is credited with bringing up her children almost single-handedly.

Philippine politician Pedro Paterno was educated in Spain, where he graduated in philosophy and theology. He later became the prime minister of his country. A poet and novelist, too, he eventually became infamous as a traitor after supporting the U.S. and favoring American dominion during the Philippine–American War.

Piet Cronjé was a South African Boer general who participated in both the Anglo-Boer Wars. He besieged the British garrison at Potchefstroom during the First Boer War, making a reputation for himself. He was the general commanding in the western theatre of war during the Second Boer War. He was defeated at the Battle of Paardeberg and surrendered. 

Maria Pia of Savoy was an Italian princess who became the Queen of Portugal after marrying King Luís I of Portugal in 1862. She was the third queen to represent the House of Savoy. Maria Pia is best remembered for her compassion and charitable works. She was often referred to as the mother of the poor and angel of charity.

Part of the renowned Mayo family of doctors of the U.S., William Worrall Mayo played a key role in establishing the Mayo Clinic. He and his two sons built the St. Mary’s Hospital, along with the Sisters of St. Francis, after the deadly tornado of 1883 destroyed Rochester.

Irish physicist George Johnstone Stoney made important contributions in the areas of cosmic physics and the theory of gases. Most significant scientific work of Stoney was the conception and calculation of the magnitude of the atom or particle of electricity. He is noted for introducing the term electron to elucidate the fundamental unit of electrical charge.

Remembered as the most successful British diplomat to have served in Qing dynasty China, Sir Robert Hart, 1st Baronet played a major role in the expansion of the Maritime Customs Bureau and employed both Chinese and Westerners in it. He was eventually knighted and made a baronet for his services.

Japanese socialist leader Kōtoku Shūsui initially worked as a houseboy for Tokyo politician Hayashi Yūzō. He later educated himself and began writing for newspapers, eventually spearheading the Social Democratic Party. Later accused of conspiring against the Emperor, he was executed, spelling the end of the socialist movement in Japan temporarily.

Wilhelm Dilthey was a German psychologist, sociologist, historian, and hermeneutic philosopher. An ardent admirer of Friedrich Schleiermacher, Dilthey helped revive the former's works on hermeneutics. Wilhelm Dilthey is also credited with teaching future philosophers like Hans Lipps, Eduard Spranger, and Theodor Litt.

Paul Lafargue was a Cuban-French political writer, literary critic, journalist, activist, and Marxist socialist. One of the most popular socialists of all time, Paul Lafargue is best remembered for his 1883 book, The Right To Be Lazy, which had a huge impact among the working class. The book explains the importance of leisure and compares labor to slavery.

Austrian-Hungarian banker Albert Salomon Anselm von Rothschild was part of the famous Rothschild banking family. He didn’t just bring in important monetary reforms in Austria but also established himself as a chess player and patron, who even sponsored various chess tournaments. An asteroid was named in his memory.

Edward Harrigan was an Irish-American singer, dancer, actor, lyricist, playwright, and theater producer. He is best remembered for his partnership with Tony Hart as the two formed one of the 19th century's most celebrated theatrical partnerships. Edward Harrigan is often counted among the founding fathers of modern-day American musical theater.

Antonio Borrero was an Ecuadorian political figure, journalist, and writer. He is best remembered for his service as the President of Ecuador from 1875 to 1876. A prominent politician, Borrero also served as Ecuador's Vice President from 1863 to 1864. Antonio Borrero's administration encouraged press freedom, free suffrage, and individual rights.