A Toast To 10 Iconic Germans. List Of Famous Germans

Germany has produced several noteworthy stalwarts' over the years encompassing almost all possible fields. From science, politics, sports to religious personalities, designers, and models, Germans have contributed to almost all fields be it technology, literature, politics and sports. There have been so many enigmatic personalities over the last few centuries and their contributions have been immense. To narrow it down to just 10 is a task but here’s a list we have come up with.

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

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Born in Bonn, Beethoven was a musical genius and is famed for his 9 symphonies, 5 piano concertos, piano sonatas, numerous chamber music and string quartets. The most remarkable fact about Beethoven is that he said to have composed some of his finest works once he went deaf.

Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900)

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Born in Saxony in eastern Germany, Nietzsche is German philosopher became famous for his quote, “In heaven, all the interesting people are missing." A source of inspiration for angsty teenagers and individuals who have embarked on a soul-searching mission, Nietzsche is popular for his works such as Übermensch, Die Geburt der Tragödie, Sprach Zarathustra and Der Wille zur Macht amongst several others.

Steffi Graf (1969 - Current)

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One of the greatest female tennis players to have ever graced the tennis courts, Stefanie Maria Graf was born on the 14th of June 1969 in Mannheim. Popularly known the world over as Steffi, Graf turned professional at 13 years and still holds the record for the most Major wins by a tennis player, male or female, since the introduction of the Open Era.

Martin Luther (1483-1546)

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A Protestant reformer, Luther is widely regarded as the father of Protestantism for his reforming zeal. Luther was known to reject several teachings and practices of the Roman Catholic Church and sought actively to reform it as he felt the church had been corrupted and lost its original focus.

Karl Marx (1818 – 1883)

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Karl Marx was a German philosopher, writer, economist, and journalist was born at Brückengasse 664 in Trier. Known for his radical views for which he spent most of his adult life in exile in London, Karl Marx is widely regarded as the father of communism and was hugely influential in shaping left-wing thought.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832)

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Arguably Germany’s most famous poet and writer, Goethe was also a noted polymath and was born in Frankfurt. Known for his outstanding works including Faust, Marienbad Elegy, Wilhelm Meister’s Apprenticeship and Elective Affinities, Goethe was also keenly involved in studies of natural science.

Angela Merkel (1954 – Current)

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Famously referred to as the most powerful German alive today, Merkel has been chancellor of Germany since 2005. The leader of Christian Democrat Union (CDU), Merkel was born in Hamburg and is currently the senior G7 leader.

Albert Einstein (1879-1955)

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Few people need an introduction an Einstein firmly falls under that category. Born in Ulm, Einstein is a famous German theoretical physicist and received the 1921 Nobel Prize in physics. Einstein is famously known for the general theory of relativity which published in 1905.

Claudia Schiffer (1970 - Current)

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Ranked as one of the most successful supermodels of the 1980s, Claudia Schiffer has appeared on thousands of magazine covers while gracing innumerable runways and was born on 25 August 1970 in Rheinberg. Currently, she runs her own clothing label and has also been cast in several films and fitness videos.

Otto von Bismarck (1815 - 1898)

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Bismarck was a widely acclaimed politician who was behind unifying Germany in 1871 and was known as the first Imperial Chancellor of Germany. Bismarck led Prussia to victory in three wars and stayed at the helm of the Prussian Second Reich until 1890.