German Celebrities Born In January

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 1 
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
(One of the Greatest Composers in the History of Western Music)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
89
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: January 27, 1756
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Salzburg, Austria
Died: December 5, 1791

A child prodigy, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is regarded as one of the greatest classical composers ever. A prolific composer, he had a profound influence on Western music. Many of his works are considered pinnacles of choral, symphonic, operatic, chamber, and concertante music. Before his death, at the age of 35, he had composed over 600 works.

 2 
Michael Schumacher
(German Formula One Racing Driver and 7-Time World Drivers' Championship Winner)
Michael Schumacher
118
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: January 3, 1969
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Hürth, Germany

With seven Formula One championship under his belt, Michael Schumacher is the most successful racer of Formula 1 and one of the greatest motor sports driver in the world. The retired German racer was the face of Ferrari for a decade and with his tremendous on track success also became one of best paid athletes in the sport’s history.

 3 
Toni Kroos
(German Professional Football Player Who Played as a Midfielder)
Toni Kroos
42
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: January 4, 1990
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Greifswald, Germany

German midfielder Toni Kroos has won two La Ligas and three UEFA Champions Leagues with his current team Real Madrid. He has previously helped Bayern Munich win three Bundesliga titles and one FIFA Cup World Cup. He also led Germany to a FIFA World Cup win in 2014.

 4 
Wilhelm II
(German Emperor and King of Prussia (1888 - 1918))
Wilhelm II
29
Birthdate: January 27, 1859
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Berlin, Germany
Died: June 4, 1941

Wilhelm II reigned as the King of Prussia and German emperor from 1888 to 1918. He is credited with promoting scientific innovation and building a blue-water navy, which strengthened Germany’s position as a great power. However, he was also responsible for getting his country involved in World War I, which eventually brought an end to the Hohenzollern dynasty’s rule.

 5 
Frederick The Great
(Former King of Prussia (1740 - 1786))
Frederick The Great
19
Birthdate: January 24, 1712
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Berlin, Germany
Died: August 17, 1786
Prussian king Frederick II, also known as Frederick the Great and The Old Fritz, was the longest-reigning Hohenzollern king. He is known for his involvement in the Silesian Wars and the Partitions of Poland. He also supported art and culture, and reformed the judicial system of Prussia.
 6 
Angelique Kerber
(German Professional Tennis Player and Olympic Silver Medalist)
Angelique Kerber
21
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: January 18, 1988
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Bremen, Germany

Winning her first Grand Slam at 28, Angelique Kerber is an example of a talented later bloomer in tennis. The former World No. 1 German player is known for her defensive tactics, speed, and footwork. She blamed a 2-week COVID-related quarantine for her loss at the 2021 Australian Open.

 7 
Albert Schweitzer
(Physician and Founder of the “Albert Schweitzer Hospital” in Lambaréné,)
Albert Schweitzer
18
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: January 14, 1875
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Kaysersberg-Vignoble, France
Died: September 4, 1965

Albert Schweitzer was an Alsatian polymath who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1952 for his philosophical work, Reverence for Life. He is credited with founding the Albert Schweitzer Hospital, which was a direct result of his philosophical expression. Schweitzer is also credited with influencing the Organ reform movement, which began in the mid-20th-century.

 8 
Leroy Sané
(German Professional Football Player Who Plays as a Winger)
Leroy Sané
39
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: January 11, 1996
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Essen, Germany

Leroy Sané is a German professional football player who played a prominent role in helping Manchester City win the EFL Cup and the Premier League for which he was named PFA Young Player of the Year for the 2017–18 season. Also an important member of the German national team, Sané can also represent France as he also holds French citizenship.

 9 
David Hilbert
(Mathematician)
David Hilbert
6
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: January 23, 1862
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Königsberg or Wehlau, Province of Prussia (today Znamensk, Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia)
Died: February 14, 1943

German mathematician David Hilbert was first drawn to math inspired by his mother, who was a budding math enthusiast. He contributed to a host of concepts, theories, and postulates, such as Hilbert space, Hilbert's program, and Hilbert's problems. He died in oblivion, with a handful of people at his funeral.

 10 
Nastassja Kinski
(German Actress and Former Model Known for Her Films: 'Stay as You Are' and 'Tess')
Nastassja Kinski
17
Birthdate: January 24, 1961
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Berlin, Germany

Nastassja Kinski is a German actress who played a major role in the success of several European and American films throughout the 1980s and 1990s. One of the most popular German sex symbols of her generation, Kinski appeared in erotic films like Cat People. She is also renowned for her much-publicized personal life, which includes her relationship with Roman Polanski.

 11 
Henning von Tresckow
(Military Officer)
Henning von Tresckow
11
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: January 10, 1901
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Magdeburg, Germany
Died: July 21, 1944

Henning von Tresckow was a German Army officer who played a key role in organizing German  resistance against Adolf Hitler. He drafted the Valkyrie plan for a coup against the German government and even attempted to assassinate Hitler in 1943. The next year, he once again plotted to kill Hitler and failed again, upon which he committed suicide. 

 12 
Elsa Einstein
(Albert Einstein's Wife)
Elsa Einstein
7
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: January 18, 1876
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Hechingen, Germany
Died: December 20, 1936

Elsa Einstein was the second wife of Albert Einstein. She is best remembered for her relationship with Albert Einstein as the latter started a relationship with Elsa, who also happens to be his cousin, while he was still married to Mileva Marić. Elsa Einstein was instrumental in the Einsteins building their summer house in 1929.

 13 
Detlef Schrempf
(German-American Former Professional Basketball Player Who Played As a Small Forward / Power Forward)
Detlef Schrempf
5
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: January 21, 1963
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Leverkusen, Germany

Detlef Schrempf is a German-American former basketball player who played for popular NBA teams like the Dallas Mavericks, Seattle SuperSonics, and Portland Trail Blazers. A three-time NBA All-Star, Schrempf helped the SuperSonics reach the NBA Finals in 1996. Also known for his charitable work, Schrempf formed the Detlef Schrempf Foundation to help local charities.

 14 
Konrad Adenauer
(Former Chancellor of Germany)
Konrad Adenauer
10
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: January 5, 1876
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Cologne
Died: April 19, 1967

German politician, Konrad Adenauer, served as the first Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany from 1949 to 1963. He was also the co-founder and the first leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU). He played a key role in leading his country from the ruins of World War II to becoming a  prosperous nation.

 15 
Jordan Carver
(German Glamour Model and Actress)
Jordan Carver
23
Birthdate: January 30, 1986
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Trier, Germany

Ina-Maria Schnitzer, better known to her fans as Jordan Carver, had initially been a hotel manager and then a beautician before plunging into modeling. The buxom beauty is now a renowned swimsuit and lingerie model and is the first German to appear on the cover of the British magazine Zoo.

 16 
Luise Rainer
(The First Actress to Win Consecutive Academy Awards for Best Actress)
Luise Rainer
2
Birthdate: January 12, 1910
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Düsseldorf, Germany
Died: December 30, 2014

Luise Rainer, the first actor to win consecutive Academy Awards, had decided to make a career as an actor after watching a circus performance at age 6. A prominent stage actor in Germany, she secured an MGM movie deal and move to the U.S. during the Nazi regime.

 17 
E. T. A. Hoffmann
1
Birthdate: January 24, 1776
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Königsberg, Germany
Died: June 25, 1822

E. T. A. Hoffmann was a German author, jurist, artist, composer, and music critic. His stories served as an inspiration and laid the foundation for The Tales of Hoffmann by Jacques Offenbach. The Nutcracker by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky is also based on Hoffmann's The Nutcracker and the Mouse King. Hoffmann is among the most influential authors of the Romantic Movement.

 18 
Till Lindemann
(Lead Vocalist and Lyricist of 'Neue Deutsche Härte' Band 'Rammstein')
Till Lindemann
20
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: January 4, 1963
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Leipzig, Germany

German singer-songwriter and poet Till Lindemann is best-recognised as the lead vocalist and lyricist of the German heavy-metal band Rammstein and for the musical project Lindemann that he fronted. Roadrunner Records listed him among "50 Greatest Metal Frontmen of All Time". He has also published two books of poetry, In stillen Nächten and Messer, and featured in minor roles in movies.

 19 
Wilhelm Canaris
(5th Chief of the Abwehr (1935 - 1944))
Wilhelm Canaris
7
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: January 1, 1877
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Germany
Died: April 9, 1945

While Wilhelm Canaris became one of Hitler’s most trusted secret agents, he was actually supplying information to Britain all along. He went down in history as a man who was hanged twice for treason, first as part of torture for a few moments, and then for good.

 20 
Klaus Nomi
(German Countertenor Known for His Wide Vocal Range and an Unusual, Otherworldly Stage Persona)
Klaus Nomi
6
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: January 24, 1944
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Immenstadt, Germany
Died: August 6, 1983

Klaus Nomi was a German countertenor with a wide vocal range. He wore heavy makeup, unusual costumes, and a highly stylized signature hairdo. He had an otherworldly stage persona that was unique to him. His music was also considered unusual. He suffered from AIDS and was one of the earliest musicians known to die of the illness.  

 21 
Christine Kaufmann
(First German Actress to Win the Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year)
Christine Kaufmann
3
Birthdate: January 11, 1945
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Lengdorf, Styria, Austria
Died: March 28, 2017

German-Austrian actress, author, and businesswoman Christine Kaufmann gained attention of post-war German movie audiences with her performances in films like Rosen-Resli, Der schweigende Engel and Ein Herz schlägt für Erika. She became the first German to be honoured with Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actress for her performance in the drama film Town Without Pity.

 22 
Martin Niemöller
(German Theologian and Pastor Known for His Most Famous Poem 'First They Came...')
Martin Niemöller
5
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: January 14, 1892
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Lippstadt, Germany
Died: March 6, 1984
Best remembered for the quote “First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out...,” Martin Niemöller was a German pastor who tried to counter discrimination against Christian converts with Jewish heritage. His Confessing Church was perhaps his apology for initially being a Nazi sympathizer.
 23 
Bella Dayne
(Actress)
Bella Dayne
3
Birthdate: January 8, 1988
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Berlin, Germany
 24 
Conrad Veidt
(Best Known for His Roles in the Films: ‘Different from the Others’ and ‘The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari’)
Conrad Veidt
5
Birthdate: January 22, 1893
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Berlin, Germany
Died: April 3, 1943
Ironically, though he and his wife fled from Nazi Germany to Britain, actor Conrad Veidt was cast as a Nazi villain in quite a few films. Best known for his roles in Casablanca and The Thief of Baghdad, he died playing his favorite sport, golf, at an LA golf course. 
 25 
Jacob Grimm
(Discoverer of ‘Grimm’s Law of Linguistics' and Co-author of the Largest German Dictionary 'Deutsches Wörterbuch')
Jacob Grimm
3
Birthdate: January 4, 1785
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Hanau, Germany
Died: September 20, 1863

Part of the legendary folklorist duo known as the Brothers Grimm, Jacob Grimm gave to the world Grimm’s Fairy Tales, along with his younger brother, Wilhelm Grimm. The son of a lawyer, he, too, had initially studied law. He also contributed immensely to Germanic linguistics, with his Grimm's law.

 26 
Max Riemelt
(German Actor Best Known for His Role as 'Wolfgang Bogdanow' in the Netflix Series 'Sense8')
Max Riemelt
4
Birthdate: January 7, 1984
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Berlin, Germany

Max Riemelt is a German actor who achieved international recognition after portraying Wolfgang Bogdanow in the popular American science fiction TV series, Sense8. His performance in the series landed him opportunities to play important roles in German as well as international projects, such as Berlin Syndrome and World on Fire.

 27 
Matthias Ginter
(German Professional Footballer Who Plays as a Centre-Back)
Matthias Ginter
4
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: January 19, 1994
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
 28 
Max Bruch
(German Romantic Composer, Conductor & Educator)
Max Bruch
2
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: January 6, 1838
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Cologne, Germany
Died: October 2, 1920

Max Bruch composed his first song at 9 for his mother’s birthday and then earned a scholarship after creating a symphony at the tender age of 14. He worked extensively with the choral societies of Germany and is remembered for his iconic Violin Concerto No. 1 in G Minor.

 29 
Ernst Lubitsch
(Film director)
Ernst Lubitsch
2
Birthdate: January 29, 1892
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Berlin, Germany
Died: November 30, 1947
 30 
Heinrich Schliemann
(German Archaeologist and Excavator of Troy, Mycenae, and Tiryns)
Heinrich Schliemann
4
Birthdate: January 6, 1822
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Neubukow, Germany
Died: December 26, 1890

German businessman Heinrich Schliemann didn’t let his poverty or lack of education hinder his growth and learned several languages moving from place to place for trade. A pioneer in the field of archaeology, he is now remembered as the man who discovered Troy in his bid to unearth “Priam's Treasure."

 31 
Albert Bierstadt
(Painter)
Albert Bierstadt
0
Birthdate: January 7, 1830
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Solingen, Germany
Died: February 18, 1902

Landscape painter Albert Bierstadt immortalized the natural attractions of the American West, such as the Rocky Mountains, in his works. One of the finest painters of the Hudson River school, he specialized in paintings that showcased bright lighting, or luminism, and created over 500 paintings throughout his career.

 32 
Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
(Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld (1806 - 1826))
Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
2
Birthdate: January 2, 1784
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Coburg, Germany
Died: January 29, 1844

Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha reigned as the Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld from 9 December 1806 to 12 November 1826. He oversaw the construction of many projects, including a court theatre, in Coburg. Ernest is also remembered for the educational, constitutional, and economic development of his territories.

 33 
Louis, Prince Napoleon
(Prince)
Louis, Prince Napoleon
1
Birthdate: January 23, 1914
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Brussels, Kingdom of Belgium
Died: May 3, 1997
 34 
Hjalmar Schacht
(Reichsminister of Economics (1934 - 1937))
Hjalmar Schacht
3
Listed In: Business People
Birthdate: January 22, 1877
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Tinglev, Denmark
Died: June 3, 1970

German banker Hjalmar Schacht was appreciated for his role in saving the Weimar Republic from inflation and later served as the Reichsminister of Economics under Adolf Hitler. Following as assassination attempt on Hitler, her was imprisoned, but was later freed and then set up his own bank in Düsseldorf.

 35 
Haddaway
(Singer, Musician)
Haddaway
7
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: January 9, 1965
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Port of Spain
 36 
Barbara Orbison
(American Entrepreneur and Record producer)
Barbara Orbison
2
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: January 10, 1951
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Bielefeld, Germany
Died: December 6, 2011
 37 
Karl Wallenda
(German-American High Wire Artist)
Karl Wallenda
1
Birthdate: January 21, 1905
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Magdeburg, Germany
Died: March 22, 1978
 38 
Eva Hesse
(American Sculptor)
Eva Hesse
1
Birthdate: January 11, 1936
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Hamburg, GermanyEva Hesse
Died: May 29, 1970

Born in Germany, Eva Hesse moved with her family to England, and then to the U.S., in a bid to escape the Nazi regime. Her death due to brain tumor at age 34 cut short her dynamic career. A sculptor and painter, she experimented with media such latex, metal, and mesh.

 39 
Carl Laemmle
(Filmmaker)
Carl Laemmle
3
Listed In: Business People
Birthdate: January 17, 1867
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Laupheim, Germany
Died: September 24, 1939
 40 
Frank-Walter Steinmeier
(President of Germany (Since 2017))
Frank-Walter Steinmeier
3
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: January 5, 1956
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Detmold, Germany

Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the current president of Germany, has also been his nation’s Vice-Chancellor and Minister of Foreign Affairs. A Social Democratic Party of Germany member, he went from being a factory worker’s son to studying law and politics and then eventually stepping into politics. He has also worked for the German military.

 41 
Mark Forster
(Singer-songwriter)
Mark Forster
3
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: January 11, 1983
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Kaiserslautern, Germany
 42 
Hermann Ebbinghaus
(Psychologist, Educationist, University teacher)
Hermann Ebbinghaus
2
Birthdate: January 24, 1850
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Barmen
Died: February 26, 1909

Especially remembered for his pioneering work on rote learning and memory, German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus became interested in the subject after reading Gustav Fechner's Elements of Psychophysics.  Eventually, he developed the experimental methods for measuring memory, using 2,300 three-letter nonsense syllables that he devised. Later, he also discovered the forgetting curve and the spacing effect and described the learning curve.

 43 
Maria of Yugoslavia
(Consort)
Maria of Yugoslavia
2
Birthdate: January 6, 1900
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Gotha, Germany
Died: June 22, 1961
 44 
Markus Wolf
(German Intelligence Officer Who is Regarded as One of the Best-Known Spymasters During the Cold War)
Markus Wolf
1
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: January 19, 1923
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Hechingen, Germany
Died: November 9, 2006

Markus Wolf was a German intelligence officer best remembered for his service as the chief of the Main Directorate for Reconnaissance. He played an important role during the Cold War and is often counted among the most popular spymasters during the war. Thanks to his elusiveness, Markus Wolf was nicknamed the man without a face in the West.

 45 
Lady May Abel Smith
Lady May Abel Smith
0
Birthdate: January 23, 1906
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Claremont, Esher, Surrey
Died: May 29, 1994
 46 
Gertrude the Great
(Nun)
Gertrude the Great
3
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: January 6, 1256
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Eisleben, Germany
Died: November 17, 1302
 47 
Stefan Kießling
(German Former Footballer Who Played as a Striker)
Stefan Kießling
2
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: January 25, 1984
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Lichtenfels, Germany
 48 
Princess Ileana of Romania
(Nun)
Princess Ileana of Romania
5
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: January 5, 1909
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Bucharest, Romania
Died: January 21, 1991
 49 
Adrian Sutil
(German-Uruguayan Racing Driver)
Adrian Sutil
0
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: January 11, 1983
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Starnberg, Germany

German-Uruguayan racing driver Adrian Sutil is known for his 7-season stint with Formula One. Starting his career with go-karting as a teenager, he grew up to represent Spyker and Sauber F1 teams. He was suspended for a Shanghai nightclub brawl, where he was celebrating Lewis Hamilton's win in the Chinese Grand Prix.

 50 
Eva Habermann
(Actress)
Eva Habermann
1
Birthdate: January 16, 1976
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Hamburg, Germany