Numerous figures in German culture and history (some still living) were either born, resident, or spent a substantial part of their lives in the
former eastern territories of Germany. A non-exhaustive list follows:[1]
Ferdinand Lassalle (1825 in Breslau – 1864 in
Carouge) a German-Jewish jurist, philosopher, socialist and political activist, initiated international-style
socialism in Germany
Arthur Zimmermann (1864 in
Marggrabowa – 1940 in Berlin) was State Secretary for Foreign Affairs of the German Empire from 22 November 1916/17, author of the intercepted and decoded
Zimmermann Telegram
Walter Schilling (1895 in Chełmo – 1943 in Izium) a German general during WWII
Heinrich Freiherr von Lüttwitz (1896 Krumpach – 1969 in Neuburg) a Prussian Junker, Olympic equestrian and German officer who served in both World Wars
Paul Ehrlich (1854 in
Strehlen – 1915 in Bad Homburg) a German Jewish physician and scientist who worked on
hematology,
immunology, and antimicrobial chemotherapy
Wernher von Braun (1912 in
Wirsitz – 1977 USA) a German, later American, aerospace engineer and space architect, invented the V-2 rocket for Nazi Germany and the Saturn V for the United States
Moritz Moszkowski (1854 in Breslau – 1925 in Paris) a German-Jewish composer, pianist and teacher
Richard Wetz (1875 in
Gleiwitz – 1935 in Erfurt) a German late Romantic composer best known for his three symphonies
Otto Klemperer (1885 in Breslau – 1973 in Zurich) a German-born conductor and composer, widely regarded as one of the leading conductors of the 20th century
Dame
Elisabeth Schwarzkopf DBE (1915 in
Jarotschin – 2006 in
Schruns) a German soprano, amongst the foremost singers of lieder and was renowned for her performances of Viennese operetta; one of the greatest sopranos of the 20th Century
E. T. A. Hoffmann (1776 in
Königsberg – 1822 in Berlin) a Prussian Romantic author of fantasy and Gothic horror, a jurist, composer, music critic, draftsman and caricaturist
Alfred Döblin (1878 in
Stettin – 1957 in Emmendingen) a German novelist, essayist, and doctor
Arnold Zweig (1887 in
Glogau – 1968 in East Berlin) a German writer and anti-war and antifascist activist
Marion Dönhoff (1909 in
Schloss Friedrichstein – 2002) a German journalist who worked for over 55 years for the Hamburg-based, weekly newspaper Die Zeit, as an editor and later publisher.
Siegfried Lenz (1926 in
Lyck – 2014 in Hamburg) a German writer of novels, short stories and essays
Numerous figures in German culture and history (some still living) were either born, resident, or spent a substantial part of their lives in the
former eastern territories of Germany. A non-exhaustive list follows:[1]
Ferdinand Lassalle (1825 in Breslau – 1864 in
Carouge) a German-Jewish jurist, philosopher, socialist and political activist, initiated international-style
socialism in Germany
Arthur Zimmermann (1864 in
Marggrabowa – 1940 in Berlin) was State Secretary for Foreign Affairs of the German Empire from 22 November 1916/17, author of the intercepted and decoded
Zimmermann Telegram
Walter Schilling (1895 in Chełmo – 1943 in Izium) a German general during WWII
Heinrich Freiherr von Lüttwitz (1896 Krumpach – 1969 in Neuburg) a Prussian Junker, Olympic equestrian and German officer who served in both World Wars
Paul Ehrlich (1854 in
Strehlen – 1915 in Bad Homburg) a German Jewish physician and scientist who worked on
hematology,
immunology, and antimicrobial chemotherapy
Wernher von Braun (1912 in
Wirsitz – 1977 USA) a German, later American, aerospace engineer and space architect, invented the V-2 rocket for Nazi Germany and the Saturn V for the United States
Moritz Moszkowski (1854 in Breslau – 1925 in Paris) a German-Jewish composer, pianist and teacher
Richard Wetz (1875 in
Gleiwitz – 1935 in Erfurt) a German late Romantic composer best known for his three symphonies
Otto Klemperer (1885 in Breslau – 1973 in Zurich) a German-born conductor and composer, widely regarded as one of the leading conductors of the 20th century
Dame
Elisabeth Schwarzkopf DBE (1915 in
Jarotschin – 2006 in
Schruns) a German soprano, amongst the foremost singers of lieder and was renowned for her performances of Viennese operetta; one of the greatest sopranos of the 20th Century
E. T. A. Hoffmann (1776 in
Königsberg – 1822 in Berlin) a Prussian Romantic author of fantasy and Gothic horror, a jurist, composer, music critic, draftsman and caricaturist
Alfred Döblin (1878 in
Stettin – 1957 in Emmendingen) a German novelist, essayist, and doctor
Arnold Zweig (1887 in
Glogau – 1968 in East Berlin) a German writer and anti-war and antifascist activist
Marion Dönhoff (1909 in
Schloss Friedrichstein – 2002) a German journalist who worked for over 55 years for the Hamburg-based, weekly newspaper Die Zeit, as an editor and later publisher.
Siegfried Lenz (1926 in
Lyck – 2014 in Hamburg) a German writer of novels, short stories and essays