215,950 profiles ranked

← Fame through time1940-1949

The 1940s

Whose names filled the books of the 1940s - 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 1940s, whenever they lived.

  1. 1Novalis1772-1801 · 19th century · Germany · Writers6.8
  2. 2Adolf Hitler1889-1945 · 20th century · Austria · Politicians6.1
  3. 3Thomas Mann1875-1955 · 20th century · United States · Writers5.7
  4. 4Paracelsus1493-1541 · 16th century · Switzerland · Doctors5.6
  5. 5Jean Paul1763-1825 · 18th century · Germany · Writers4.2
  6. 6Maria Theresa1717-1780 · 18th century · Austria · Historical Figures2.8
  7. 7Karl Marx1818-1883 · 19th century · Germany · Academics2.5
  8. 8Gottfried Keller1819-1890 · 19th century · Switzerland · Writers2.2
  9. 9Charles Augustus, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach1757-1828 · 18th century · Politicians2.1
  10. 10Richard Wagner1813-1883 · 19th century · Germany · Musicians2.1
  11. 11Jacob Burckhardt1818-1897 · 19th century · Switzerland · Writers2.0
  12. 12Gerhart Hauptmann1862-1946 · 19th century · Germany · Writers1.9
  13. 13Rudolf Steiner1861-1925 · 19th century · Switzerland · Writers1.8
  14. 14Friedrich Schlegel1772-1829 · 19th century · Germany · Writers1.4
  15. 15William IV, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel1532-1592 · 16th century · Germany · Scientists1.3
  16. 16Gustav Adolph, Duke of Mecklenburg-Güstrow1633-1695 · 17th century · Germany · Writers1.3
  17. 17Max Weber1864-1920 · 19th century · Germany · Academics1.3
  18. 18Frederick William IV of Prussia1795-1861 · 19th century · Politicians1.3
  19. 19Martin Luther1483-1546 · 16th century · Germany · Religious Figures1.2
  20. 20Hermann Göring1893-1946 · 20th century · Germany · Politicians1.2
  21. 21Hermann Hesse1877-1962 · 20th century · Switzerland · Writers1.1
  22. 22Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor1316-1378 · 14th century · Historical Figures1.1
  23. 23Adalbert Stifter1805-1868 · 19th century · Artists1.1
  24. 24Stefan George1868-1933 · 20th century · Germany · Writers1.1
  25. 25Hans Sachs1494-1576 · 16th century · Germany · Writers1.0
  26. 26Wilhelm von Humboldt1767-1835 · 19th century · Germany · Academics1.0
  27. 27Heinrich Mann1871-1950 · 20th century · Germany · Writers1.0
  28. 28Heinrich Heine1797-1856 · 19th century · France · Writers1.00
  29. 29Tannhäuser1300-1300 · 14th century · Germany · Writers0.92
  30. 30Stefan Zweig1881-1942 · 20th century · Austria · Writers0.92
  31. 31Friedrich Engels1820-1895 · 19th century · United Kingdom · Academics0.88
  32. 32Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor1165-1197 · 12th century · Germany · Historical Figures0.88
  33. 33Friedrich Nietzsche1844-1900 · 19th century · Germany · Academics0.87
  34. 34Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor1741-1790 · 18th century · Austria · Historical Figures0.87
  35. 35Conradin1252-1268 · 13th century · Germany · Musicians0.86
  36. 36Robert Koch1843-1910 · 19th century · Germany · Doctors0.85
  37. 37Ernst Jünger1895-1998 · 20th century · Germany · Writers0.83
  38. 38Karl Kraus1874-1936 · 20th century · Austria · Writers0.81
  39. 39Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor1685-1740 · 18th century · Austria · Historical Figures0.80
  40. 40Albrecht Dürer1471-1528 · 16th century · Germany · Artists0.76
  41. 41Rainer Maria Rilke1875-1926 · 20th century · Germany · Writers0.76
  42. 42Heinrich von Kleist1777-1811 · 19th century · Germany · Writers0.73
  43. 43Alfred Rosenberg1893-1946 · 20th century · Germany · Politicians0.72
  44. 44Walther von der Vogelweide1170-1230 · 13th century · Austria · Musicians0.71
  45. 45Angelus Silesius1624-1677 · 17th century · Writers0.70
  46. 46Jakob Böhme1575-1624 · 17th century · Germany · Academics0.68
  47. 47Nicholas I of Werle1210-1277 · 13th century · Germany0.65
  48. 48Johannes von Müller1752-1809 · 18th century · Switzerland · Writers0.63
  49. 49Charlotte von Stein1742-1827 · 18th century · Writers0.60
  50. 50Friedrich List1789-1846 · 19th century · United States · Academics0.60
  51. 51Charles XII of Sweden1682-1718 · 18th century · Sweden · Historical Figures0.60
  52. 52Frederick Charles, Duke of Württemberg-Winnental1652-1698 · 17th century · Politicians0.59
  53. 53George Frederick of Waldeck-Eisenberg1620-1692 · 17th century · Models0.59
  54. 54Karl Barth1886-1968 · 20th century · Switzerland · Academics0.57
  55. 55Karl Jaspers1883-1969 · 20th century · Germany · Doctors0.57
  56. 56Florian Geyer1490-1525 · 16th century · Germany · Politicians0.57
  57. 57Jacob Grimm1785-1863 · 19th century · Germany · Academics0.56
  58. 58Hugo von Hofmannsthal1874-1929 · 20th century · Austria · Writers0.54
  59. 59Clemens Brentano1778-1842 · 19th century · Germany · Writers0.54
  60. 60Friedrich Hölderlin1770-1843 · 19th century · Germany · Writers0.53
  61. 61Jeremias Gotthelf1797-1854 · 19th century · Switzerland · Writers0.53
  62. 62Wilhelm Pieck1876-1960 · 20th century · Germany · Politicians0.53
  63. 63August Wilhelm Schlegel1767-1845 · 19th century · Germany · Writers0.52
  64. 64Matthias Claudius1740-1815 · 18th century · Writers0.51
  65. 65Rosa Luxemburg1871-1919 · 20th century · Germany · Activists0.51
  66. 66Friedrich Schiller1759-1805 · 18th century · Germany · Writers0.51
  67. 67Arno Holz1863-1929 · 19th century · Germany · Writers0.51
  68. 68Max Planck1858-1947 · 19th century · Germany · Scientists0.51
  69. 69Ricarda Huch1864-1947 · 19th century · Germany · Writers0.50
  70. 70Georg Büchner1813-1837 · 19th century · Germany · Writers0.50
  71. 71Catherine the Great1729-1796 · 18th century · Russia · Historical Figures0.49
  72. 72Johann Sebastian Bach1685-1750 · 18th century · Germany · Musicians0.49
  73. 73Sebastian Franck1499-1542 · 16th century · Germany · Writers0.48
  74. 74Ernst Moritz Arndt1769-1860 · 19th century · Germany · Writers0.47
  75. 75Wilhelm Busch1832-1908 · 19th century · Germany · Artists0.47
  76. 76Otto Ludwig1813-1865 · 19th century · Writers0.46
  77. 77Theodor Fontane1819-1898 · 19th century · Germany · Writers0.46
  78. 78E. T. A. Hoffmann1776-1822 · 19th century · Germany · Writers0.45
  79. 79John Louis of Nassau-Hadamar1590-1653 · 17th century · Germany0.45
  80. 80Julius von Mayer1814-1878 · 19th century · Germany · Scientists0.45
  81. 81Jakob Fugger1459-1525 · 15th century · Germany · Founders0.44
  82. 82Franz Schubert1797-1828 · 19th century · Austria · Musicians0.44
  83. 83Friedrich Hebbel1813-1863 · 19th century · Germany · Writers0.44
  84. 84Karl, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst1652-1718 · 17th century · Historical Figures0.43
  85. 85Wilhelm Raabe1831-1910 · 19th century · Germany · Writers0.43
  86. 86Ernest Augustus, Elector of Brunswick-Lüneburg1629-1698 · 17th century · Germany · Historical Figures0.43
  87. 87Hermann Bahr1863-1934 · 19th century · Austria · Writers0.42
  88. 88Gottlieb Daimler1834-1900 · 19th century · Germany · Scientists0.42
  89. 89Anna Seghers1900-1983 · 20th century · Germany · Writers0.42
  90. 90Paul Heyse1830-1914 · 19th century · Writers0.41
  91. 91Theodor Storm1817-1888 · 19th century · Germany · Writers0.41
  92. 92Otto of Freising1111-1158 · 12th century · Germany · Writers0.41
  93. 93Robert Schumann1810-1856 · 19th century · Germany · Musicians0.41
  94. 94Max Scheler1874-1928 · 20th century · Germany · Academics0.41
  95. 95Carl Spitteler1845-1924 · 19th century · Switzerland · Writers0.41
  96. 96Franz Werfel1890-1945 · 20th century · United States · Writers0.41
  97. 97Frederick Henry, Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt1709-1788 · 18th century · Germany · Models0.40
  98. 98Nicholas II of Werle1283-1316 · 14th century · Germany0.40
  99. 99Veit Stoss1447-1533 · 15th century · Germany · Artists0.40
  100. 100Carl Schmitt1888-1985 · 20th century · Germany · Academics0.40

Lived then

The most notable people whose working lives fell in the 1940s, ranked where coverage and readership agree.

  1. 1Ronald Reagan1911-2004 · United States · Politicians9 decades
  2. 2Richard Nixon1913-1994 · United States · Politicians8 decades
  3. 3Frida Kahlo1907-1954 · Mexico · Artists8 decades
  4. 4Lyndon B. Johnson1908-1973 · United States · Politicians8 decades
  5. 5Alan Turing1912-1954 · United Kingdom · Academics4 decades
  6. 6Gerald Ford1913-2006 · United States · Politicians6 decades
  7. 7Anne Frank1929-1945 · Germany · Writers7 decades
  8. 8Mother Teresa1910-1997 · Albania · Musicians9 decades
  9. 9Leonid Brezhnev1906-1982 · Russia · Politicians7 decades
  10. 10John Wayne1907-1979 · United States · Actors9 decades
  11. 11Albert Camus1913-1960 · France · Academics8 decades
  12. 12Pope John Paul I1912-1978 · Italy · Religious Figures2 decades
  13. 13Katharine Hepburn1907-2003 · United States · Actors9 decades
  14. 14Rosa Parks1913-2005 · United States · Activists6 decades
  15. 15Ayn Rand1905-1982 · United States · Writers3 decades
  16. 16James Stewart1908-1997 · United States · Actorsnot measured-
  17. 17Adolf Eichmann1906-1962 · Austria · Politicians8 decades
  18. 18Hedy Lamarr1914-2000 · Austria · Actors3 decades
  19. 19Bette Davis1908-1989 · United States · Actors9 decades
  20. 20Wernher von Braun1912-1977 · United States · Scientists7 decades
  21. 21Hannah Arendt1906-1975 · United States · Academics8 decades
  22. 22Jean-Paul Sartre1905-1980 · France · Academics9 decades
  23. 23Ian Fleming1908-1964 · United Kingdom · Writers7 decades
  24. 24Vivien Leigh1913-1967 · United Kingdom · Actors8 decades
  25. 25Akira Kurosawa1910-1998 · Japan · Directors6 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.