215,950 profiles ranked

← Fame through time1920-1929

The 1920s

Whose names filled the books of the 1920s - anyone at all, however long dead - counted as mentions per million words printed, so a period that simply published more does not inflate anyone.

Talked about then

Whose names appeared most in German books during the 1920s, whenever they lived.

  1. 1Novalis1772-1801 · 19th century · Germany · Writers4.5
  2. 2Jean Paul1763-1825 · 18th century · Germany · Writers3.4
  3. 3Richard Wagner1813-1883 · 19th century · Germany · Musicians1.9
  4. 4Karl Marx1818-1883 · 19th century · Germany · Academics1.8
  5. 5Paracelsus1493-1541 · 16th century · Switzerland · Doctors1.7
  6. 6Max Weber1864-1920 · 19th century · Germany · Academics1.7
  7. 7Maria Theresa1717-1780 · 18th century · Austria · Historical Figures1.6
  8. 8Friedrich Schlegel1772-1829 · 19th century · Germany · Writers1.6
  9. 9Hans Sachs1494-1576 · 16th century · Germany · Writers1.3
  10. 10Gustav Adolph, Duke of Mecklenburg-Güstrow1633-1695 · 17th century · Germany · Writers1.2
  11. 11Thomas Mann1875-1955 · 20th century · United States · Writers1.2
  12. 12Gottfried Keller1819-1890 · 19th century · Switzerland · Writers1.1
  13. 13William IV, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel1532-1592 · 16th century · Germany · Scientists1.1
  14. 14Charles Augustus, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach1757-1828 · 18th century · Politicians1.1
  15. 15Frederick William IV of Prussia1795-1861 · 19th century · Politicians1.0
  16. 16Robert Koch1843-1910 · 19th century · Germany · Doctors0.92
  17. 17Gerhart Hauptmann1862-1946 · 19th century · Germany · Writers0.92
  18. 18Tannhäuser1300-1300 · 14th century · Germany · Writers0.92
  19. 19Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor1316-1378 · 14th century · Historical Figures0.85
  20. 20Emil Fischer1852-1919 · 19th century · Germany · Scientists0.76
  21. 21Karl Kraus1874-1936 · 20th century · Austria · Writers0.69
  22. 22Heinrich Heine1797-1856 · 19th century · France · Writers0.69
  23. 23Rosa Luxemburg1871-1919 · 20th century · Germany · Activists0.68
  24. 24Martin Luther1483-1546 · 16th century · Germany · Religious Figures0.67
  25. 25Albrecht Dürer1471-1528 · 16th century · Germany · Artists0.66
  26. 26Frederick Charles, Duke of Württemberg-Winnental1652-1698 · 17th century · Politicians0.66
  27. 27Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor1165-1197 · 12th century · Germany · Historical Figures0.62
  28. 28Rudolf Steiner1861-1925 · 19th century · Switzerland · Writers0.61
  29. 29Friedrich Engels1820-1895 · 19th century · United Kingdom · Academics0.61
  30. 30Stefan George1868-1933 · 20th century · Germany · Writers0.56
  31. 31Nicholas II of Werle1283-1316 · 14th century · Germany0.56
  32. 32E. T. A. Hoffmann1776-1822 · 19th century · Germany · Writers0.56
  33. 33Wilhelm von Humboldt1767-1835 · 19th century · Germany · Academics0.55
  34. 34Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor1685-1740 · 18th century · Austria · Historical Figures0.53
  35. 35George Frederick of Waldeck-Eisenberg1620-1692 · 17th century · Models0.53
  36. 36Friedrich List1789-1846 · 19th century · United States · Academics0.50
  37. 37Heinrich von Kleist1777-1811 · 19th century · Germany · Writers0.48
  38. 38Friedrich Nietzsche1844-1900 · 19th century · Germany · Academics0.47
  39. 39Otto Ludwig1813-1865 · 19th century · Writers0.45
  40. 40Rudolf Virchow1821-1902 · 19th century · Doctors0.44
  41. 41Nicholas I of Werle1210-1277 · 13th century · Germany0.44
  42. 42Ernest Augustus, Elector of Brunswick-Lüneburg1629-1698 · 17th century · Germany · Historical Figures0.44
  43. 43Paul Heyse1830-1914 · 19th century · Writers0.44
  44. 44William Ernest, Duke of Saxe-Weimar1662-1728 · 17th century · Germany · Historical Figures0.42
  45. 45Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor1741-1790 · 18th century · Austria · Historical Figures0.42
  46. 46Karl, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst1652-1718 · 17th century · Historical Figures0.42
  47. 47Walther von der Vogelweide1170-1230 · 13th century · Austria · Musicians0.39
  48. 48Kuno Fischer1824-1907 · 19th century · Academics0.39
  49. 49Wilhelm Raabe1831-1910 · 19th century · Germany · Writers0.39
  50. 50Jakob Böhme1575-1624 · 17th century · Germany · Academics0.39
  51. 51Gustav Freytag1816-1895 · 19th century · Writers0.38
  52. 52Catherine the Great1729-1796 · 18th century · Russia · Historical Figures0.38
  53. 53Angelus Silesius1624-1677 · 17th century · Writers0.38
  54. 54Immanuel Kant1724-1804 · 18th century · Academics0.37
  55. 55Clemens Brentano1778-1842 · 19th century · Germany · Writers0.37
  56. 56Arno Holz1863-1929 · 19th century · Germany · Writers0.36
  57. 57Wilhelm Grimm1786-1859 · 19th century · Germany · Writers0.36
  58. 58Ricarda Huch1864-1947 · 19th century · Germany · Writers0.36
  59. 59Heinrich Mann1871-1950 · 20th century · Germany · Writers0.35
  60. 60Jacob Grimm1785-1863 · 19th century · Germany · Academics0.35
  61. 61Bernhard von Bülow1849-1929 · 19th century · Germany · Politicians0.35
  62. 62Hermann Bahr1863-1934 · 19th century · Austria · Writers0.34
  63. 63Moses Mendelssohn1729-1786 · 18th century · Germany · Academics0.34
  64. 64Conradin1252-1268 · 13th century · Germany · Musicians0.33
  65. 65Hugo Wolf1860-1903 · 19th century · Musicians0.33
  66. 66Max Scheler1874-1928 · 20th century · Germany · Academics0.33
  67. 67Karl Kautsky1854-1938 · 19th century · Germany · Politicians0.33
  68. 68Florian Geyer1490-1525 · 16th century · Germany · Politicians0.32
  69. 69Friedrich Hebbel1813-1863 · 19th century · Germany · Writers0.32
  70. 70Hans Delbrück1848-1929 · 19th century · Germany · Politicians0.31
  71. 71Walther Rathenau1867-1922 · 20th century · Germany · Writers0.31
  72. 72Theodor Fontane1819-1898 · 19th century · Germany · Writers0.31
  73. 73Heinrich Frauenlob1255-1318 · 13th century · Writers0.30
  74. 74Karl Liebknecht1871-1919 · 20th century · Politicians0.30
  75. 75Ludwig Richter1803-1884 · 19th century · Artists0.30
  76. 76Wilhelm Müller1794-1827 · 19th century · Writers0.30
  77. 77Charles XII of Sweden1682-1718 · 18th century · Sweden · Historical Figures0.30
  78. 78Frederick Henry, Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt1709-1788 · 18th century · Germany · Models0.29
  79. 79Franz Schubert1797-1828 · 19th century · Austria · Musicians0.28
  80. 80Hermann Hesse1877-1962 · 20th century · Switzerland · Writers0.28
  81. 81Oswald Spengler1880-1936 · 20th century · Germany · Writers0.28
  82. 82Hans Thoma1839-1924 · 19th century · Germany · Artists0.28
  83. 83Fritz Müller1822-1897 · 19th century · Brazil · Scientists0.27
  84. 84Stefan Zweig1881-1942 · 20th century · Austria · Writers0.27
  85. 85Zacharias Werner1768-1823 · 19th century · Writers0.27
  86. 86Karl II Eugen, Duke of Württemberg1728-1793 · 18th century · Historical Figures0.27
  87. 87Wilhelm Ostwald1853-1932 · 19th century · Germany · Scientists0.26
  88. 88Richard Dehmel1863-1920 · 19th century · Germany · Writers0.25
  89. 89Charlotte von Stein1742-1827 · 18th century · Writers0.25
  90. 90Francis Anthony, Count of Hohenzollern-Haigerloch1657-1702 · 17th century · Germany0.25
  91. 91Adalbert Stifter1805-1868 · 19th century · Artists0.25
  92. 92Adolf Frederick, King of Sweden1710-1771 · 18th century · Sweden · Historical Figures0.25
  93. 93Fritz Reuter1810-1874 · 19th century · Writers0.25
  94. 94Theodor Storm1817-1888 · 19th century · Germany · Writers0.24
  95. 95Ulrich von Hutten1488-1523 · 16th century · Germany · Academics0.24
  96. 96Franz Liszt1811-1886 · 19th century · Austria · Musicians0.24
  97. 97Franz Oppenheimer1864-1943 · 19th century · Germany · Doctors0.24
  98. 98Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor1768-1835 · 19th century0.24
  99. 99Julius von Mayer1814-1878 · 19th century · Germany · Scientists0.24
  100. 100Lujo Brentano1844-1931 · 19th century · Germany · Academics0.24

Lived then

The most notable people whose working lives fell in the 1920s, ranked where coverage and readership agree.

  1. 1Adolf Hitler1889-1945 · Austria · Politicians10 decades
  2. 2Mao Zedong1893-1976 · China · Politicians13 decades
  3. 3Charlie Chaplin1889-1977 · United Kingdom · Actors11 decades
  4. 4Dwight D. Eisenhower1890-1969 · United States · Politicians9 decades
  5. 5J. R. R. Tolkien1892-1973 · United Kingdom · Writers7 decades
  6. 6Charles de Gaulle1890-1970 · France · Politicians9 decades
  7. 7Agatha Christie1890-1976 · United Kingdom · Writers10 decades
  8. 8Nikita Khrushchev1894-1971 · Russia · Politicians10 decades
  9. 9Hermann Göring1893-1946 · Germany · Politicians9 decades
  10. 10Chiang Kai-shek1887-1975 · Taiwan · Politicians4 decades
  11. 11Francisco Franco1892-1975 · Spain · Politicians9 decades
  12. 12Edward VIII1894-1972 · United Kingdom · Historical Figures9 decades
  13. 13Jawaharlal Nehru1889-1964 · India · Politicians10 decades
  14. 14B. R. Ambedkar1891-1956 · India · Academics8 decades
  15. 15Srinivasa Ramanujan1887-1920 · India · Academics0 decades
  16. 16Ho Chi Minh1890-1969 · Politicians8 decades
  17. 17Erwin Rommel1891-1944 · Germany · Historical Figures8 decades
  18. 18Josip Broz Tito1892-1980 · Hungary · Activists8 decades
  19. 19H. P. Lovecraft1890-1937 · United States · Writers6 decades
  20. 20Haile Selassie1892-1975 · Historical Figures0 decades
  21. 21Sergei Yesenin1895-1925 · Russia · Writers11 decades
  22. 22Rudolf Hess1894-1987 · Egypt · Politicians9 decades
  23. 23George S. Patton1885-1945 · United States · Writers8 decades
  24. 24David Ben-Gurion1886-1973 · Israel · Politiciansnot measured-
  25. 25Karl Dönitz1891-1980 · Germany · Politicians8 decades
Show 75 more

How to read these rankings

  • Attention, not reputation. A place on these lists reflects the attention a person still draws in the public record. It is not a judgement on the life.
  • Fame in print. The curves show how often a name appeared in the books of each decade from 1800 to 2019, drawn from the Google Books Ngram corpus.
  • Gaps are left as gaps. Where the record is too thin to be fair, we would rather show nothing than guess.