German Celebrities Born In October

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 1 
Friedrich Nietzsche
(German Philosopher, Cultural Critic and Philologist)
Friedrich Nietzsche
51
Birthdate: October 15, 1844
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Röcken, Lützen, Germany
Died: August 25, 1900

German philosopher, cultural critic, composer, and poet Friedrich Nietzsche has had a profound influence on modern intellectual history. He held the Chair of Classical Philology at the University of Basel. His work spanned philosophical polemics, poetry, cultural criticism, and fiction. He suffered from numerous health problems from a young age and died at the age of 55.

 2 
Mesut Ozil
(German Professional Football Player Who Plays as Midfielder)
Mesut Ozil
52
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: October 15, 1988
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Gelsenkirchen, Germany
German footballer Mesut Özil, who now plays for the Premier League club Arsenal, has won Germany the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He also earned a record five German Player of the Year awards. However, he later retired from the German team, citing discrimination due to his Turkish descent.
 3 
Juliane Koepcke
(Lone Survivor of 1971 LANSA Plane Crash)
Juliane Koepcke
27
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: October 10, 1954
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Lima, Peru
Juliane Koepcke is a German Peruvian mammalogist. She is well-known for being the only survivor of the Líneas Aéreas Nacionales S.A. Flight 508 plane crash; she survived ten days in the Amazon rainforest after surviving a fall of 9843 feet while strapped to her airplane seat. Her story inspired films like Miracles Still Happen (1974) and Wings of Hope (1998).
 4 
Ursula von der Leyen
(President of the European Commission )
Ursula von der Leyen
17
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: October 8, 1958
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Ixelles, Belgium
Ursula Gertrud von der Leyen is currently serving as the first president of the European Commission. Named to Time 100 in 2020, she has previously been the first female defense minister of Germany, and has held positions such as the deputy leader of the CDU and the minister of labor.
 5 
İlkay Gündoğan
(German Football Midfielder)
İlkay Gündoğan
16
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: October 24, 1990
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Gelsenkirchen, Germany

Known as an energetic midfielder, German footballer İlkay Gündoğan began his youth career with teams such as Schalke 04. He has had a successful stint with Borussia Dortmund, winning a Bundesliga with them, and now plays for Manchester City, with which he has won 4 Premier Leagues and 4 EFL Cups.

 6 
Hannah Arendt
(One of the Most Influential Political Theorists of the 20th Century)
Hannah Arendt
8
Birthdate: October 14, 1906
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Linden - Mitte, Hanover, Germany
Died: December 4, 1975

Hannah Arendt was a political theorist. Widely regarded as one of the 20th century's most prominent political thinkers, Hannah Arendt's articles and books have had a significant influence on philosophy and political theory. Her life and work inspired the 2012 biographical drama film, Hannah Arendt. Her work has also inspired several biographies written by popular authors.

 7 
Nico
(Singer Know for Her Song 'The Velvet Underground's' debut album 'The Velvet Underground & Nico')
Nico
23
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: October 16, 1938
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Cologne, Germany
Died: July 18, 1988

Nico was a German musician, singer, and songwriter. Her work continues to serve as an inspiration to several musicians like Björk, Morrissey, and the English rock band The Cure. In 2017, Susanna Nicchiarelli directed Nico's biographical film titled Nico, 1988. Also an actress, Nico appeared in many films, including Andy Warhol's experimental underground film Chelsea Girls.

 8 
Paul von Hindenburg
(President of Germany (1925-1934))
Paul von Hindenburg
15
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: October 2, 1847
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Poznań, Poland
Died: August 2, 1934
Paul von Hindenburg served as the second president of the German Weimar Republic, from 1925 to 1934. In 1933, he appointed Adolf Hitler as the Chancellor of Germany, and also signed the Enabling Act, which gave Hitler total administrative powers. Following his death, Hitler declared himself the Führer.
 9 
Frederick III, German Emperor
(Former German Emperor and King of Prussia (1888))
Frederick III, German Emperor
4
Birthdate: October 18, 1831
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Potsdam, Germany
Died: June 15, 1888

Frederick III, German Emperor reigned as the king of Prussia and emperor of the German Empire from 9 March 1888 until his death on 15 June 1888. Although he played key roles during the Austro-Prussian, Second Schleswig, and Franco-Prussian wars, Frederick professed hatred for warfare and was willing to make the German Empire more liberal before his untimely death.

 10 
Rudolf Virchow
(The Father of Modern Pathology' & the Founder of 'Social Medicine')
Rudolf Virchow
4
Listed In: Physicians
Birthdate: October 13, 1821
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Swidwin, Poland
Died: September 5, 1902

Rudolf Virchow was a German physician, pathologist, anthropologist, biologist, prehistorian, editor, writer, and politician. Nicknamed the Pope of medicine by his colleagues, Virchow is credited with founding the field of social medicine. He is also widely regarded as the father of modern pathology.  Rudolf Virchow was the first person to name diseases, such as thrombosis, leukemia, ochronosis, embolism, and chordoma.

 11 
Emilie Schindler
(Oskar Schindler's Wife)
Emilie Schindler
3
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: October 22, 1907
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Moravia, Czechia
Died: October 5, 2001

Emilie Schindler is best remembered as the wife of Oskar Schindler, the German industrialist who saved over a thousand Jews from the Nazis by employing them at his factory and later inspired the iconic Steven Spielberg movie Schindler's List. She later fled to Argentina with Oskar but was abandoned by him.

 12 
Sophia of Hanover
(Former Electress Consort of Hanover (1692 - 1698))
Sophia of Hanover
1
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: October 14, 1630
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: The Hague, Netherlands
Died: June 8, 1714
Sophia of Hanover was the Electress of Hanover, through her marriage to Ernest Augustus. After a long conflict regarding the succession of the throne of England, she died just 2 months before she could become the queen. An art connoisseur, she played a crucial role in creating the Herrenhausen Gardens
 13 
Klaus Kinski
(German Actor Known for His Intense On-Screen Presence and Controversial Personality)
Klaus Kinski
8
Birthdate: October 18, 1926
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Sopot, Poland
Died: November 23, 1991

Though German actor Klaus Kinski had gained fame with his stellar performances in the films of Werner Herzog, he had also been in the news for his eccentricity and volatile nature. He was once admitted to psychiatric facility for attempting to kill his sponsor, and his own daughter accused him of abuse.

 14 
Edith Stein
(Philosopher, Christian Nun and One of the Six 'Patron Saints of Europe')
Edith Stein
3
Birthdate: October 12, 1891
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Wrocław, Poland
Died: August 9, 1942

Edith Stein was a German Jewish philosopher who studied at the University of Freiburg and completed her dissertation on empathy. Always interested in Catholicism, she read the autobiography of the mystic Teresa of Ávila and converted to Christianity, and became a Discalced Carmelite nun. She was killed in the Auschwitz concentration camp and is canonized as a martyr.

 15 
Leon Draisaitl
(German Professional Ice Hockey Centre)
Leon Draisaitl
3
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: October 27, 1995
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Cologne, Germany
 16 
Udo Kier
(German Actor)
Udo Kier
2
Birthdate: October 14, 1944
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Lindenthal, Germany
 17 
Helmut Newton
(Photographer)
Helmut Newton
6
Listed In: Photographers
Birthdate: October 31, 1920
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Berlin, Germany
Died: January 23, 2004

Helmut Newton was a German-American photographer whose works earned him accolades all over the world. His photographs were featured on popular fashion magazines like Harper's Bazaar and Vogue. He also worked closely with Playboy, shooting several pictorials of models like Kristine DeBell and Nastassja Kinski.

 18 
Max Stirner
(German Philosopher Best Known for His Work ‘The Ego and Its Own’)
Max Stirner
2
Birthdate: October 25, 1806
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Bayreuth, Germany
Died: June 26, 1856
German philosopher Max Stirner had humble beginnings as a girls’ preparatory school teacher and translator. Remembered for his most ground-breaking work, The Ego and His Own, he explored the ego and Hegel’s concepts of social alienation. Unfortunately, he died of a poisonous insect bite at 49.
 19 
Otto Heinrich Warburg
(German Physiologist, Medical Doctor and Winner of the 1931 Nobel Prize in Medicine)
Otto Heinrich Warburg
1
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: October 8, 1883
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
Died: August 1, 1970

Otto Heinrich Warburg was a German medical doctor and physiologist. In 1931, his discovery of the nature of the respiratory enzyme earned him the prestigious Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. He also played an important role during World War I where he served as an officer in the cavalry regiment; he was honored with the Iron Cross for bravery.

 20 
Sophia Thomalla
(German Model, Actress, and Television Presenter)
Sophia Thomalla
7
Listed In: Fashion
Birthdate: October 6, 1989
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Berlin, Germany
 21 
Richard Dedekind
(German Mathematician Known for His Important Contributions to Number Theory, Abstract Algebra and Modern Set Theory)
Richard Dedekind
28
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: October 6, 1831
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Brunswick, Germany
Died: February 12, 1916

German mathematician Richard Dedekind is best remembered for his ideas on the real number and infinity. Initially interested in subjects such as physics and chemistry, he later deviated to math. He taught at various institutes and was awarded honorary doctorates from universities of Zurich, Oslo, and Braunschweig.

 22 
Günter Grass
(German Novelist & Nobel Prize Laureate, Best Known for His 1959 Novel, 'The Tin Drum')
Günter Grass
4
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: October 16, 1927
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Free City of Danzig, Poland
Died: April 13, 2015

Günter Grass was a German novelist, illustrator, graphic artist, poet, playwright, and sculptor. A much revered and decorated writer, Grass was honored with the prestigious Nobel Prize in Literature in 1999. Over the course of his illustrious career, Günter Grass won many other awards, including the Georg Büchner Prize and the Hermann Kesten Prize.

 23 
George Nader
(Actor)
George Nader
4
Birthdate: October 19, 1921
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Pasadena, California, United States
Died: February 4, 2002

American actor/writer George Nader is best known for his iconic films such as Sins of Jezebel and Congo Crossing. With his 6’1” frame, the actor mostly earned "beefcake" roles. Though not openly gay, he lived with his partner Mark Miller. An eye injury later forced him to retire from acting.

 24 
Karl Weierstrass
(Mathematician)
Karl Weierstrass
1
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: October 31, 1815
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Ennigerloh
Died: February 19, 1897

Karl Weierstrass was a German mathematician best remembered for his significant contributions to mathematics. Often referred to as the father of modern analysis, Weierstrass proved the Bolzano-Weierstrass theorem and the intermediate value theorem. He also authorized the definition of continuous function. The asteroid 14100 Weierstrass and the lunar crater Weierstrass are named after him.

 25 
Matthias Jabs
(German Songwriter and Guitarist)
Matthias Jabs
1
Birthdate: October 25, 1955
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Hanover, Germany
 26 
Caroline Vreeland
(German-American Actress, Singer-Songwriter, Model, and Columnist)
Caroline Vreeland
3
Birthdate: October 26, 1987
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Washington, D.C, United States
 27 
Charles, Prince Napoleon
(Politician)
Charles, Prince Napoleon
0
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: October 19, 1950
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Boulogne-Billancourt, France
 28 
Helmuth von Moltke the Elder
(Former Chief of the German General Staff (1871 - 1888))
Helmuth von Moltke the Elder
2
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: October 26, 1800
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Parchim, Germany
Died: April 24, 1891

Helmuth von Moltke the Elder was a Prussian field marshal who served as the chief of staff in the Royal Prussian Army for 30 years. Moltke, who commanded troops during Austro-Prussian War, Second Schleswig War, and the Franco-Prussian War, is credited with creating a new method of directing armies. He is also credited with pioneering the military usage of railways. 

 29 
Karl Schwarzschild
(German Physicist and Astronomer)
Karl Schwarzschild
1
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: October 9, 1873
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Frankfurt, Germany
Died: May 11, 1916

Karl Schwarzschild was a German astronomer and physicist. He is remembered for his contributions to the general theory of relativity; Schwarzschild came up with the first exact solution to the Albert Einstein field equations. He also contributed immensely to the theory of black holes.

 30 
Heinrich Schütz
(German Early Baroque Composer and Organist)
Heinrich Schütz
0
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: October 18, 1585
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Bad Köstritz, Germany
Died: November 6, 1672
German composer and organist Heinrich Schütz was one of the first to bring the Italian style of music to Germany. While he had initially studied law, he later began his musical career in Venice. He is remembered for his works such as Symphoniae sacrae and the first German opera, Dafne.
 31 
David Schumacher
(German Racing Driver)
David Schumacher
8
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: October 23, 2001
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Bergheim, Germany
 32 
Bert Trautmann
(German Football Player Who Played as a Goalkeeper)
Bert Trautmann
9
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: October 22, 1923
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Bremen, Germany
Died: July 19, 2013

Bert Trautmann was a German football player who played as a goalkeeper for popular teams like Manchester City and St Helens Town. He made 508 appearances for the Manchester City from 1949 to 1964. Regarded as one of the best goalkeepers of his generation, Bert Trautmann was made an inductee of the National Football Museum's Hall of Fame in 2005.

 33 
Irma Grese
(Nazi Concentration Camp Guard at Ravensbrück & Auschwitz Who Served as Warden of Bergen-Belsen)
Irma Grese
33
Listed In: Criminals
Birthdate: October 7, 1923
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Feldberger Seenlandschaft, Germany
Died: December 13, 1945

Irma Grese, or the Hyena of Auschwitz, served as an SS guard at the Nazi concentration camps of Auschwitz and Ravensbrück. She was also the warden of the ladies’ section of the Bergen-Belsen camp and ended up being convicted of torture and murder of prisoners. She was executed at 22.

 34 
Maya Karin
(Actress)
Maya Karin
0
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: October 29, 1979
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Bayreuth, Germany
 35 
Liv Lisa Fries
(Actress)
Liv Lisa Fries
5
Birthdate: October 31, 1990
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Berlin, Germany
 36 
Méret Oppenheim
(Swiss Surrealist Artist and Photographer)
Méret Oppenheim
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: October 6, 1913
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Berlin, Germany
Died: November 15, 1985
Méret Oppenheim is best remembered for her surrealist art such as Object: Breakfast in Fur. She also modeled for artists. Throughout her career, she had created furniture, jewelry, and even poetry. In her performance piece Spring Feast, she laid out a banquet on top of a nude woman.
 37 
Leyla Lydia Tuğutlu
(Actress)
Leyla Lydia Tuğutlu
5
Birthdate: October 29, 1989
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Berlin, Germany
 38 
Gina Alice Stiebitz
(Actress)
Gina Alice Stiebitz
0
Birthdate: 1997
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Berlin, Germany
 39 
Fritz Feld
(Actor)
Fritz Feld
1
Birthdate: October 15, 1900
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Berlin, Germany
Died: November 18, 1993
 40 
Frederick William IV of Prussia
(Former King of Prussia (1840 - 1861))
Frederick William IV of Prussia
0
Birthdate: October 15, 1795
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Berlin, Germany
Died: January 2, 1861

Frederick William IV of Prussia was the King of Prussia from 1840 until his death in 1861.  He was the eldest son of Frederick William III of Prussia and his wife, Queen Louise. He was a staunch Romanticist and was a patron of several great German artists. He ascended to the throne upon the death of his father in 1840.

 41 
Katharina Schattler
(Actress)
Katharina Schattler
0
Birthdate: October 20, 1979
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Cologne, West Germany
 42 
Bert Kaempfert
(German Orchestra Leader and Multi-Instrumentalist)
Bert Kaempfert
0
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: October 16, 1923
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Barmbek, Hamburg, Germany
Died: June 21, 1980
 43 
Paul Hausser
(Military Leader)
Paul Hausser
10
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: October 7, 1880
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Brandenburg, Germany
Died: December 21, 1972

Paul Hausser was a German general who played an important role in the post-war efforts in order to achieve legal and historical rehabilitation. Hausser was among many former members of the Waffen-SS who strived towards achieving rehabilitation. He also played a prominent role during World War I, serving in the Prussian Army.

 44 
Horst Wessel
(Nazi Party Stormtrooper Who Was Hailed Asa Nazi Hero & Martyr)
Horst Wessel
7
Listed In: Activists
Birthdate: October 9, 1907
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Bielefeld
Died: February 23, 1930

A member of the SA, the paramilitary wing of the German Nazi Party, Horst Wessel was murdered by his enemies, probably Communists. Following his death, he was hailed as a Nazi hero and martyr. The song Horst Wessel Lied later became the Nazi anthem and the co-national anthem of Nazi Germany.

 45 
Ernst-Günther Schenck
(Surgeon, University teacher)
Ernst-Günther Schenck
3
Listed In: Physicians
Birthdate: October 3, 1904
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Marburg
Died: December 21, 1998

While serving at the Nazi concentration camps during World War II, doctor Ernst-Günther Schenck created a protein sausage for Nazi troops, which was tested on the camp inmates, leading to many deaths. His experiences were later penned by him in his memoir, which inspired films such as Downfall.

 46 
Adolf von Baeyer
0
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: October 31, 1835
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Berlin
Died: August 20, 1917

Adolf von Baeyer was a German chemist who is best known for synthesizing indigo. Interested in science from a young age,  he studied chemistry at the University of Heidelberg, where his mentor was the prominent organic chemist August Kekulé. He went on to have a successful career and received the 1905 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

 47 
Ron Gardenhire
(Retired US Baseball Player and Coach Who Has Mostly Been Associated with the Minnesota Twins)
Ron Gardenhire
2
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: October 24, 1957
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Butzbach, Germany

Retired US baseball player and coach Ron Gardenhire was mostly known as a shortstop for the New York Mets during his playing career. He has also been a manager and coach of the Minnesota Twins, among other teams and was inducted into the Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame in 2022.

 48 
Maria Anna of Neuburg
(Queen Consort of Spain)
Maria Anna of Neuburg
0
Birthdate: October 28, 1667
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Benrath Palace, Düsseldorf, Electoral Palatinate
Died: July 16, 1740
 49 
Maurice de Saxe
(Soldier)
Maurice de Saxe
2
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: October 28, 1696
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Goslar, Germany
Died: November 20, 1750
 50 
Hermann Graf
(German Luftwaffe Fighter Ace)
Hermann Graf
0
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: October 24, 1912
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Engen
Died: November 4, 1988