People you should have heard of

Germany is famous as a land of “poets and philosophers”. But men and women from Germany have also left their mark in many other fields, becoming well known all over the world. Read here to find out more about their lives and work.

Ihre Gedanken sind bis heute aktuell: Hannah Arendt (1906–1975)

A life in exile: Hannah Arendt and her escape from evil

Hannah Arendt was one of the most influential political theorists. Her works reveal how important it is to stand up for democracy and human rights.

Albert Schweitzer 1965 vor dem von ihm gegründeten Krankenhaus in Lambaréné

Albert Schweitzer: out of reverence for life

What drove the doctor, humanist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate – and how he built an entire hospital village in what is today Gabon.

Wim Wenders bei der Verleihung des Europäischen Filmpreises 2024

Wim Wenders - travelling the world through film

Wim Wenders has made a name for himself not just as one of Germany’s leading directors but also as a photographer.

Theologe Dietrich Bonhoeffer

National Socialism

Dietrich Bonhoeffer: faith in contradiction

It is not possible to be a National Socialist and a Christian at the same time: this is the attitude that defined the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. The theologian was murdered by the Nazis on 9 April 1945.

Thomas Mann 1916

Thomas Mann – a literary giant of the century

2025 marks the 150th anniversary of Thomas Mann’s birth and the 70th anniversary of his death – a good moment to revisit the work of the Nobel laureate.

Ihr Tagebuch wurde nach Anne Franks Tod weltberühmt.

Holocaust Remembrance Day

Anne Frank and her diary: writing for eternity

Anne Frank died in a concentration camp aged 15. Her diary is one of the most important documents which bear witness to Nazi atrocities.

Marlene Dietrich, Hollywood-Star aus Deutschland

Marlene Dietrich - world star, style icon, myth

The actress and singer was a phenomenon of her era and continues to inspire many people around the world today, partly because of her political stance.

Erich Kästner 1969 in München

Erich Kästner: a great children’s book author – and much more besides

His children’s books have been translated into more than 70 languages and continue to sell millions of copies to this day. Erich Kästner didn’t just write for young readers, however.

Clara Schumann

Legendary female composer

Clara Schumann – art is the air I breathe

She was a pianist, composer, piano teacher, superstar – and she is the most famous woman in music history. A portrait to mark the 205th anniversary of her birth

Blick in die Schau in der Hamburger Kunsthalle

Caspar David Friedrich: the master of silence

Forgotten, misunderstood and celebrated: Caspar David Friedrich’s works are ready to be rediscovered again in his 250th anniversary year.

Goethe ist einer der bekanntesten Dichter und Denker Deutschlands.

275th anniversary of his birth

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe: a genius, even beyond literature

Goethe shaped German culture like no other. His persistent thirst for knowledge was his greatest motivation.

Franz Kafka

World-famous writer

Franz Kafka – the eternal enigma of world literature

The world's most widely read German-language author died on 3 June 1924 – and left instructions for all his writings to be destroyed.

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