Famous German Educators

Vote for Your Favourite German Educators

Right IconThis ranking is based on an algorithm that combines various factors, including the votes of our users and search trends on the internet.

 1 
Ruth Westheimer
(German-American Sex Therapist, Media Personality and Holocaust Survivor)
Ruth Westheimer
9
Birthdate: June 4, 1928
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Frankfurt am Main, Germany
German-American sex therapist Ruth Westheimer, also known as Dr. Ruth, soared to fame with the radio show Sexually Speaking and later hosted many sexuality-related shows and wrote many books, too. She is also an ethnographer and a Holocaust survivor. Her life inspired the documentary Ask Dr. Ruth.
 2 
Johann Pachelbel
(One of the Most Influential Composers and Organists of the Middle Baroque Era)
Johann Pachelbel
5
Birthdate: 1653 AD
Birthplace: Nuremberg, Germany
Died: March 7, 1706

Johann Pachelbel was a German composer, teacher, and organist who is credited with helping the south German organ schools achieve their peak. His contributions to the progression of the fugue and chorale prelude have established him as one of the most prominent composers of the middle Baroque era. During his lifetime, his music became a model for several German composers.

 3 
Carl Orff
(German Composer Known for His Cantata 'Carmina Burana')
Carl Orff
4
Birthdate: July 10, 1895
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Munich, Germany
Died: March 29, 1982

German composer Carl Orff is remembered for his work in operas and his innovative music education system, which relied on group exercises and playing percussion instruments. A man who had started training in music at 5, Orff later co-founded the Günther School to impart lessons in dance, music, and gymnastics.

Recommended Lists:
 4 
Adam Weishaupt
(German Philosopher and Founder of Enlightenment-Era Secret Society 'Illuminati')
Adam Weishaupt
7
Birthdate: February 6, 1748
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Ingolstadt, Germany
Died: November 18, 1830
On a night in 1776, deep within a forest near Ingolstadt, German law professor Adam Weishaupt and four others formed a secret society known as the Illuminati, which was supposed to be a parallel to religion. Since then, many conspiracy theories have held the society responsible for unexplained global events. 
 5 
Uta Hagen
(German-American Theatre Practitioner and Actress)
Uta Hagen
4
Birthdate: June 12, 1919
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Göttingen, Germany
Died: January 14, 2004
Height: 5'7" (170 cm)
 6 
Friedrich Froebel
(Pedagogue)
Friedrich Froebel
7
Birthdate: April 21, 1782
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Oberweißbach, Germany
Died: June 21, 1852
 7 
Leopold Mozart
(German Composer, Violinist and Theorist Best Known as the Father and Teacher of 'Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart')
Leopold Mozart
4
Birthdate: November 14, 1719
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Augsburg, Germany
Died: May 28, 1787

German violinist and composer Leopold Mozart is best remembered as the father and music teacher of legendary composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. However, Leopold was often blamed for exploiting his son’s musical talent by pushing him to perform as a child. He also had a troubled relationship with his adult son.

 8 
Paul Hindemith
(German Composer and Music Theorist)
Paul Hindemith
4
Birthdate: November 16, 1895
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Hanau, Germany
Died: December 28, 1963

Although German composer and violinist Paul Hindemith had collaborated with leftist and Jewish musicians, his apolitical stance made him a favorite of the Nazis initially. However, he was later forced to comply with Nazi dictatorship. He moved to the U.S. after his performances were banned in Germany.

 9 
Carl Gustav Jacob Jacobi
(German Mathematician Who Founded the Theory of Elliptic Functions)
Carl Gustav Jacob Jacobi
4
Birthdate: December 10, 1804
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Potsdam, Germany
Died: February 18, 1851

Carl Gustav Jacob Jacobi was a German mathematician best remembered for his contributions to differential equations, dynamics, number theory, determinants, and elliptic functions. He is the first Jewish mathematician to work as a professor at a German university. Jacobi has a crater on the Moon named after him in recognition of his contribution to science.

 10 
Max Bruch
(German Romantic Composer, Conductor & Educator)
Max Bruch
3
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.

 11 
Peter Scholze
(German Mathematician)
Peter Scholze
5
Birthdate: December 11, 1987
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Dresden, Germany
 12 
Athanasius Kircher
(German Jesuit Scholar and Polymath Known for His Work in the Fields of Comparative Religion, Geology, and Medicine)
Athanasius Kircher
4
Birthdate: May 2, 1602
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Geisa, Germany
Died: November 28, 1680

Known as the last Renaissance man, Athanasius Kircher was a German Jesuit priest who taught at the Roman College for 4 decades. He was also obsessed with Sinology and Egyptology, and studied everything from fossils to microbes. He was also interested in medicine and invented machines such as the magnetic clock.

 13 
Andreas Gursky
(German Photographer and Professor)
Andreas Gursky
4
Birthdate: January 15, 1955
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Leipzig, Germany

Known for his blatant use of digital manipulation and unique compositional strategies, Andreas Gursky is one of the most pricey, yet bestselling photographers of our time, with his best known work, Rhein II, fetching $4.3 million in 2011.  The first to produce large prints, measuring 6 × 8 feet or more, he also taught fine arts at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf.

 14 
Werner Haase
(German Physician and Medicine Professor)
Werner Haase
3
Birthdate: August 2, 1900
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Köthen, Germany
Died: November 30, 1950

Originally professor of medicine, Werner Haase served as the deputy personal physician of German Chancellor Adolf Hitler from 1933 until the latter’s death in 1945, remaining with him in the Führerbunker to the very end. After Hitler committed suicide, he continued serving wounded soldiers and civilians until he was made a prisoner of war and died while serving his term.

 15 
Ivan Ilyin
(Russian Political Philosopher, Jurist, Orator, Publicist, and Conservative Monarchist)
Ivan Ilyin
3
Birthdate: April 9, 1883
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Moscow, Russian Empire
Died: December 21, 1954
 16 
Rudolf Otto
(German Theologian and One of the Most Influential Scholars of Religion in the Early Twentieth Century)
Rudolf Otto
3
Birthdate: September 25, 1869
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Peine, Germany
Died: March 6, 1937

Initially a professor of theology, philosopher Rudolf Otto later contributed to some of the most significant works of theology, such as The Idea of the Holy. He was also a member of the Prussian Parliament and is remembered for his services to Christianity and his idea of numinous.

 17 
Sebastian Thrun
(Computer scientist)
Sebastian Thrun
6
Birthdate: May 14, 1967
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Solingen, West Germany
 18 
Joseph Weizenbaum
(Computer Scientist)
Joseph Weizenbaum
3
Birthdate: January 8, 1923
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Berlin, Germany
Died: March 5, 2008
 19 
Georg von Hertling
(Politician)
Georg von Hertling
3
Birthdate: August 31, 1843
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Darmstadt, Germany
Died: January 4, 1919
 20 
Victor Klemperer
(German Scholar and Diarist)
Victor Klemperer
3
Birthdate: October 9, 1881
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Gorzów Wielkopolski, Poland
Died: February 11, 1960
 21 
Beate Uhse-Rotermund
(German Pilot, Sex Pioneer, and Entrepreneur)
Beate Uhse-Rotermund
3
Birthdate: October 25, 1919
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Wargenau, East Prussia
Died: July 16, 2001
 22 
Shere Hite
(German Feminist and Sex Educator)
Shere Hite
3
Birthdate: November 2, 1942
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Saint Joseph, Missouri, United States
Died: September 9, 2020

Shere Hite was an American-born German feminist and sex educator. Her research helped understand various subjects such as sexual behavior and debunk traditional stereotypes associated with female sexuality. Shere Hite also taught at Chongqing University, Nihon University, and Maimonides University.

 23 
Arnold Ehret
(Educator)
Arnold Ehret
3
Birthdate: July 29, 1866
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
Died: October 10, 1922
 24 
Kurt Koffka
(German Psychologist and Professor)
Kurt Koffka
3
Birthdate: March 18, 1886
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Berlin, Germany
Died: November 22, 1941
 25 
Bernhard Schlink
(German Lawyer, Novelist, and Academic)
Bernhard Schlink
3
Birthdate: July 6, 1944
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Großdornberg, Germany
 26 
Julius Wellhausen
(German Biblical Scholar and Orientalist Best Known for His Analysis of the Structure and Dating of the 'Pentateuc/Torah')
Julius Wellhausen
3
Birthdate: May 17, 1844
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Hamelin, Germany
Died: January 7, 1918

German biblical scholar Julius Wellhausen is best remembered for best known for his work on the Pentateuch. Born to a pastor, he followed in his father’s footsteps and studied theology. He also taught oriental languages. His New Testament studies were criticized, though his analysis of the Old Testament was well-received.

 27 
Constantin von Tischendorf
(German Biblical Scholar Known for Discovering World's Oldest and Most Complete Bible)
Constantin von Tischendorf
3
Birthdate: January 18, 1815
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Saxony, Germany
Died: December 7, 1874

Although best remembered for his discovery of the world's oldest handwritten Bible, known as Codex Sinaiticus or Sinai Bible, Konstantin Von Tischendorf, a renowned Biblical scholar, worked chiefly on recension of the New Testament text. A prolific writer making extensive contributions to biblical textual criticism, he is today best known for his magnum opus, Critical Edition of the New Testament.

 28 
Eugen Fischer
(German Professor of Medicine, Anthropology and Eugenics)
Eugen Fischer
3
Birthdate: July 5, 1874
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Karlsruhe, Germany
Died: July 9, 1967

Nazi leader Eugen Fischer co-wrote Human Hereditary Teaching and Racial Hygiene, which became one of the definitive texts of the Nazi policies. Hitler also made him the rector of the University of Berlin. His memoir diluted his role in the mass extermination of the Jews in the Holocaust.

 29 
Leo Baeck
(German Rabbi, Scholar and Theologian)
Leo Baeck
3
Birthdate: May 23, 1873
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Leszno, Poland
Died: November 2, 1956

German rabbi and spiritual leader Leo Baeck remains a symbol of liberal Jewish thinking of the Nazi era. He is best remembered for The Essence of Judaism and This People Israel, the latter of which was penned by him while in a Nazi concentration camp.

 30 
Wilhelm Schickard
(Professor)
Wilhelm Schickard
3
Birthdate: April 22, 1592
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Herrenberg, Germany
Died: October 24, 1635
 31 
Franz Six
(German Nazi Official)
Franz Six
3
Birthdate: August 12, 1906
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Mannheim, Germany
Died: July 9, 1975
 32 
Johannes Reuchlin
(Scholar)
Johannes Reuchlin
3
Birthdate: January 29, 1455
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Pforzheim, Germany
Died: June 30, 1522
 33 
May Ayim
(Poet)
May Ayim
3
Birthdate: May 3, 1960
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Hamburg, Germany
Died: August 9, 1996
 34 
Julius Lothar Meyer
(Chemist)
Julius Lothar Meyer
4
Birthdate: August 19, 1830
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Varel, Germany
Died: April 11, 1895
 35 
Louis Wirth
(Sociologist)
Louis Wirth
3
Birthdate: August 28, 1897
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Gemünden, Germany
Died: May 3, 1952
 36 
Francis Daniel Pastorius
(Educator)
Francis Daniel Pastorius
3
Birthdate: September 26, 1651
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Sommerhausen, Germany
Died: 1720 AD
 37 
Fritz London
(Physicist)
Fritz London
3
Birthdate: March 7, 1900
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Breslau, Silesia, Germany
Died: March 30, 1954
 38 
Friedrich Rückert
(Poet)
Friedrich Rückert
3
Birthdate: May 16, 1788
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Schweinfurt, Germany
Died: January 31, 1866
 39 
Bel Kaufman
(Teacher)
Bel Kaufman
3
Birthdate: May 10, 1911
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Berlin, Germany
Died: July 25, 2014
 40 
Theodor Nöldeke
(German Scholar and Orientalist)
Theodor Nöldeke
3
Birthdate: March 2, 1836
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Hamburg, Germany
Died: December 25, 1930

Theodor Nöldeke was a German scholar and orientalist. Apart from being an important orientalist, Nöldeke also translated the works of other prominent orientalists. He also wrote numerous studies and contributed immensely to the Encyclopædia Britannica. Theodor Nöldeke is also credited with teaching many future scholars like Louis Ginzberg and Charles Cutler Torrey.

 41 
Hermann of Reichenau
(Monk)
Hermann of Reichenau
3
Birthdate: July 18, 1013
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Altshausen, Germany
Died: September 24, 1054
 42 
August Heinrich Hoffmann von Fallersleben
(Poet)
August Heinrich Hoffmann von Fallersleben
3
Birthdate: April 2, 1798
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Fallersleben, Wolfsburg, Germany
Died: January 19, 1874
 43 
Ursula Franklin
(German-Canadian Research Physicist, Metallurgist, Educator, and Author)
Ursula Franklin
0
Birthdate: September 16, 1921
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Munich, Germany
Died: July 22, 2016

Ursula Franklin was a German-Canadian research physicist, metallurgist, educator, and author. She is best remembered for her association with the University of Toronto, where she taught for more than 40 years. Ursula Franklin was also renowned for her work in promoting human rights, for which she received the prestigious Pearson Medal of Peace.

 44 
Gustav Radbruch
(Politician)
Gustav Radbruch
2
Birthdate: November 21, 1878
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Lübeck, Germany
Died: November 23, 1949
 45 
Philipp Spener
(German Lutheran Theologian and Writer)
Philipp Spener
2
Birthdate: January 13, 1635
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Ribeauvillé, France
Died: February 5, 1705
 46 
Maria Mies
(Author)
Maria Mies
2
Birthdate: 1931 AD
Birthplace: Steffeln, Rhine Province, Germany
 47 
Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst
(German Prelate of the Catholic Church and Theologian)
Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst
3
Birthdate: November 20, 1959
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Twisteden, Kevelaer, Germany

Known to the media as the Bishop of Bling for his extravagant expenses, German bishop Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst made headlines when he spent around $43 million on renovating his home in Limburg, which also had a $300,000 fish tank. He eventually resigned amid a huge controversy.

 48 
Jörg Immendorff
(Painter)
Jörg Immendorff
3
Birthdate: June 14, 1945
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Bleckede, Lower Saxony, Germany
Died: May 28, 2007
 49 
Georg Jellinek
(Lawyer)
Georg Jellinek
2
Birthdate: June 16, 1851
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Leipzig, Germany
Died: January 12, 1911
 50 
Hans Vaihinger
(Philosopher)
Hans Vaihinger
2
Birthdate: September 25, 1852
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Nehren, Germany
Died: December 18, 1933