215,950 profiles ranked

← Fame through time1960-1969

The 1960s

Whose names filled the books of the 1960s - 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 1960s, whenever they lived.

  1. 1Karl Marx1818-1883 · 19th century · Germany · Academics8.1
  2. 2Thomas Mann1875-1955 · 20th century · United States · Writers7.7
  3. 3Novalis1772-1801 · 19th century · Germany · Writers6.6
  4. 4Walter Ulbricht1893-1973 · 20th century · Politicians5.4
  5. 5Jean Paul1763-1825 · 18th century · Germany · Writers4.9
  6. 6Friedrich Engels1820-1895 · 19th century · United Kingdom · Academics4.2
  7. 7Max Weber1864-1920 · 19th century · Germany · Academics3.3
  8. 8Maria Theresa1717-1780 · 18th century · Austria · Historical Figures2.6
  9. 9Paracelsus1493-1541 · 16th century · Switzerland · Doctors2.5
  10. 10Adolf Hitler1889-1945 · 20th century · Austria · Politicians2.4
  11. 11Richard Wagner1813-1883 · 19th century · Germany · Musicians2.3
  12. 12Friedrich Schlegel1772-1829 · 19th century · Germany · Writers2.1
  13. 13Karl Kraus1874-1936 · 20th century · Austria · Writers2.0
  14. 14Rosa Luxemburg1871-1919 · 20th century · Germany · Activists1.9
  15. 15Heinrich Mann1871-1950 · 20th century · Germany · Writers1.9
  16. 16Gerhart Hauptmann1862-1946 · 19th century · Germany · Writers1.9
  17. 17Martin Luther1483-1546 · 16th century · Germany · Religious Figures1.7
  18. 18Charles Augustus, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach1757-1828 · 18th century · Politicians1.6
  19. 19Gustav Adolph, Duke of Mecklenburg-Güstrow1633-1695 · 17th century · Germany · Writers1.6
  20. 20Karl Liebknecht1871-1919 · 20th century · Politicians1.6
  21. 21Bertolt Brecht1898-1956 · 20th century · Austria · Writers1.6
  22. 22Stefan George1868-1933 · 20th century · Germany · Writers1.6
  23. 23Tannhäuser1300-1300 · 14th century · Germany · Writers1.5
  24. 24Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor1316-1378 · 14th century · Historical Figures1.5
  25. 25Heinrich Heine1797-1856 · 19th century · France · Writers1.5
  26. 26Richard Strauss1864-1949 · 19th century · Germany · Musicians1.4
  27. 27Konrad Adenauer1876-1967 · 20th century · Germany · Politicians1.4
  28. 28Hans Sachs1494-1576 · 16th century · Germany · Writers1.4
  29. 29George Frederick of Waldeck-Eisenberg1620-1692 · 17th century · Models1.4
  30. 30William IV, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel1532-1592 · 16th century · Germany · Scientists1.3
  31. 31Willy Brandt1913-1992 · 20th century · Germany · Politicians1.3
  32. 32Jacob Grimm1785-1863 · 19th century · Germany · Academics1.2
  33. 33Gottfried Keller1819-1890 · 19th century · Switzerland · Writers1.2
  34. 34Wilhelm Pieck1876-1960 · 20th century · Germany · Politicians1.2
  35. 35Frederick William IV of Prussia1795-1861 · 19th century · Politicians1.1
  36. 36Ernst Thälmann1886-1944 · 20th century · Germany · Politicians1.1
  37. 37Wilhelm von Humboldt1767-1835 · 19th century · Germany · Academics1.1
  38. 38August Bebel1840-1913 · 19th century · Germany · Politicians1.1
  39. 39Adalbert Stifter1805-1868 · 19th century · Artists1.1
  40. 40Frederick Charles, Duke of Württemberg-Winnental1652-1698 · 17th century · Politicians1.1
  41. 41Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor1741-1790 · 18th century · Austria · Historical Figures1.1
  42. 42Franz Kafka1883-1924 · 20th century · Czechia · Writers1.1
  43. 43Karl Barth1886-1968 · 20th century · Switzerland · Academics1.0
  44. 44Gottfried Benn1886-1956 · 20th century · Germany · Writers1.0
  45. 45Hugo von Hofmannsthal1874-1929 · 20th century · Austria · Writers0.99
  46. 46Karl Jaspers1883-1969 · 20th century · Germany · Doctors0.99
  47. 47Rudolf Steiner1861-1925 · 19th century · Switzerland · Writers0.99
  48. 48Theodor Heuss1884-1963 · 20th century · Germany · Journalists0.98
  49. 49Anna Seghers1900-1983 · 20th century · Germany · Writers0.97
  50. 50Hermann Hesse1877-1962 · 20th century · Switzerland · Writers0.95
  51. 51Ludwig Erhard1897-1977 · 20th century · Germany · Politicians0.92
  52. 52Carl Schmitt1888-1985 · 20th century · Germany · Academics0.90
  53. 53Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor1165-1197 · 12th century · Germany · Historical Figures0.86
  54. 54Heinrich von Kleist1777-1811 · 19th century · Germany · Writers0.85
  55. 55Martin Buber1878-1965 · 20th century · Germany · Academics0.82
  56. 56Stefan Zweig1881-1942 · 20th century · Austria · Writers0.82
  57. 57Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor1685-1740 · 18th century · Austria · Historical Figures0.80
  58. 58Ernst Jünger1895-1998 · 20th century · Germany · Writers0.79
  59. 59Friedrich Schiller1759-1805 · 18th century · Germany · Writers0.76
  60. 60Ernest Augustus, Elector of Brunswick-Lüneburg1629-1698 · 17th century · Germany · Historical Figures0.75
  61. 61E. T. A. Hoffmann1776-1822 · 19th century · Germany · Writers0.75
  62. 62Christian Wolff1679-1754 · 18th century · Academics0.74
  63. 63Franz Mehring1846-1919 · 19th century · Germany · Writers0.74
  64. 64Theodor Fontane1819-1898 · 19th century · Germany · Writers0.73
  65. 65Jacob Burckhardt1818-1897 · 19th century · Switzerland · Writers0.72
  66. 66Max Brod1884-1968 · 20th century · Israel · Writers0.71
  67. 67Albrecht Dürer1471-1528 · 16th century · Germany · Artists0.71
  68. 68Wilhelm Grimm1786-1859 · 19th century · Germany · Writers0.69
  69. 69Max Frisch1911-1991 · 20th century · Switzerland · Writers0.68
  70. 70Arno Holz1863-1929 · 19th century · Germany · Writers0.67
  71. 71Friedrich Nietzsche1844-1900 · 19th century · Germany · Academics0.67
  72. 72Clara Zetkin1857-1933 · 19th century · Germany · Activists0.66
  73. 73Walther von der Vogelweide1170-1230 · 13th century · Austria · Musicians0.66
  74. 74Johann Sebastian Bach1685-1750 · 18th century · Germany · Musicians0.65
  75. 75Wilhelm Liebknecht1826-1900 · 19th century · Germany · Journalists0.63
  76. 76August Wilhelm Schlegel1767-1845 · 19th century · Germany · Writers0.62
  77. 77Sigmund Freud1856-1939 · 19th century · Austria · Doctors0.62
  78. 78Clemens Brentano1778-1842 · 19th century · Germany · Writers0.61
  79. 79Karl, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst1652-1718 · 17th century · Historical Figures0.61
  80. 80Rainer Maria Rilke1875-1926 · 20th century · Germany · Writers0.61
  81. 81Günter Grass1927-2015 · 20th century · Germany · Writers0.60
  82. 82Ernst Bloch1885-1977 · 20th century · Germany · Academics0.60
  83. 83Albert Einstein1879-1955 · 20th century · Switzerland · Scientists0.60
  84. 84Frederick Henry, Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt1709-1788 · 18th century · Germany · Models0.59
  85. 85Robert Musil1880-1942 · 20th century · Austria · Writers0.59
  86. 86Karl Kautsky1854-1938 · 19th century · Germany · Politicians0.59
  87. 87Nicholas I of Werle1210-1277 · 13th century · Germany0.58
  88. 88Franz Werfel1890-1945 · 20th century · United States · Writers0.57
  89. 89Friedrich List1789-1846 · 19th century · United States · Academics0.57
  90. 90Georg Büchner1813-1837 · 19th century · Germany · Writers0.56
  91. 91Friedrich Naumann1860-1919 · 19th century · Germany · Politicians0.54
  92. 92Friedrich Meinecke1862-1954 · 19th century · Germany · Writers0.54
  93. 93Heinrich Lübke1894-1972 · 20th century · Germany · Politicians0.54
  94. 94Ricarda Huch1864-1947 · 19th century · Germany · Writers0.54
  95. 95Max Scheler1874-1928 · 20th century · Germany · Academics0.53
  96. 96Martin Heidegger1889-1976 · 20th century · Germany · Academics0.53
  97. 97Immanuel Kant1724-1804 · 18th century · Academics0.52
  98. 98Robert Schumann1810-1856 · 19th century · Germany · Musicians0.52
  99. 99Franz Liszt1811-1886 · 19th century · Austria · Musicians0.51
  100. 100John Louis of Nassau-Hadamar1590-1653 · 17th century · Germany0.51

Lived then

The most notable people whose working lives fell in the 1960s, ranked where coverage and readership agree.

  1. 1Elizabeth II1926-2022 · United Kingdom · Historical Figures8 decades
  2. 2Marilyn Monroe1926-1962 · United States · Actors7 decades
  3. 3Martin Luther King Jr.1929-1968 · United States · Activists6 decades
  4. 4Pope Benedict XVI1927-2022 · Germany · Religious Figures2 decades
  5. 5Che Guevara1928-1967 · Cuba · Activists7 decades
  6. 6Brigitte Bardot1934-2025 · France · Actors7 decades
  7. 7Margaret Thatcher1925-2013 · United Kingdom · Politicians6 decades
  8. 8Clint Eastwoodborn 1930 · United States · Actors6 decades
  9. 9Mikhail Gorbachev1931-2022 · Russia · Politicians4 decades
  10. 10Fidel Castro1926-2016 · Cuba · Politicians10 decades
  11. 11Audrey Hepburn1929-1993 · United Kingdom · Actors7 decades
  12. 12Elizabeth Taylor1932-2011 · United Kingdom · Actors9 decades
  13. 13Sean Connery1930-2020 · United Kingdom · Actors6 decades
  14. 14Warren Buffettborn 1930 · United States · Investors3 decades
  15. 15Stanley Kubrick1928-1999 · United States · Directors6 decades
  16. 16Malcolm X1925-1965 · United States · Activists6 decades
  17. 17Neil Armstrong1930-2012 · United States · Astronauts6 decades
  18. 18Jane Goodall1934-2025 · United Kingdom · Academics5 decades
  19. 19Noam Chomskyborn 1928 · United States · Academics6 decades
  20. 20Yuri Gagarin1934-1968 · Russia · Astronauts6 decades
  21. 21Andy Warhol1928-1987 · United States · Artists6 decades
  22. 22Johnny Cash1932-2003 · United States · Musicians6 decades
  23. 23Pol Pot1925-1998 · Cambodia · Politicians5 decades
  24. 24Boris Yeltsin1931-2007 · Russia · Politicians4 decades
  25. 25Sophia Lorenborn 1934 · Italy · Actors7 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.