In the same vein as the French people thread. Well known Germans: Martin Luther Otto von Bismarck Ludwig van Beethoven Immanuel Kant Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Johannes Gutenberg Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Johann Sebastian Bach Richard Wagner Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel Friedrich Schiller Karl Marx Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm Konrad Adenauer Albrecht Dürer Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Karl Benz Konrad Zuse Marlene Dietrich Max Planck Angela Merkel Albert Einstein Johannes Kepler Friedrich Nietzsche Rudolf Diesel Who else?
Robert Koch (bacteriologist), Rudolf Koch (calligrapher and typographic artist), Max Ernst (painter), Karl der Grosse, (Holy Roman Emperor), Arminius [Hermann] (Cherusci chief who defeated the Romans at the Teuteburgwald), Götz von Berlichingen [Götz of the iron hand] Knight who fought in the German Peasant's Rebellion and when ordered to surrender by the Bishop of Bamberg said, "Er aber, sag's ihm, er kann mich im Arsche lecken!", later shortened to "Leck mich im Arsch!" or simply to give a Götz. He lost his hand at the Battle of Landschutt and had it replaced with one of the world's first prosthetic hands. The prosthetic was so good he could grip a sword or even a quill pen with it.
i'm sure you aware that Elizabeth Alexandra Mary of the House of Windsor was born in London. if we include her, we're speaking of the German people as a race. even if we don't, Hilter became a German Citizen in 1925. gotta take the bad with the good.
Still wondering what's the point of the OP. Germany has been more influential and contributed as much to human civilization as France, the UK and the USA combined.
Once a Proud People. Today Their society is Weak and somewhat Confussed. Were once Men were Men.... now....Searching for their Manhhoods. Were once the best looking Women in the world.... now....Searching for a Real Man.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Über allen Gipfeln ist Ruh, in allen Wipfeln spürest du kaum einen Hauch; die Vögelein schweigen im Walde, warte nur, balde ruhest du auch! Walther von der Vogelweide (Minnesinger) Nieman kan mit Gerten Kindes zuht beherten Falala... Kindes zuht beherten nieman kan mit Gerten Falala... den man zeren bringen mac dem ist ein wort als ein slac Falala... dem ist ein wort als ein slac den man zeren bringen mac Falala... Hildegard von Bingen (The sybil of the Rhein) Theologian and visionary writer Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e40Mm8baD7A&playnext=1&list=PL53FB98B70F61C9DB"]YouTube - ‪Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau sings Schubert - Der Erlkönig (Video)‬‏[/ame]
Yeah, and it gave funny names to people like Eisenhower, Bush, Rockefeller, Boeing, Chrysler, Westinghouse, von Braun, Heinz, etc. Americans basically are English-speaking Germans -- like the British. After the Germans, without a doubt, the Dutch-speaking folks are the most influential on par with the French -- followed by the British, the Portugese and the Spanish.
No, Dutch speakers above everyone else! So, regarding America -- I'm more of a Roosevelt guy. I absolutely adore Theodore Roosevelt -- and FDR to a lesser degree. And, hence, why posters like Frogger or Flounder live on the "Lange Eiland" or "Long Island". Besides, Charlemagne/Karl Der Grosse (spelling?) -- Karel De Grote in Dutch -- was born in what is Belgium nowadays and spoke Old Dutch. Just saying. Oops, made a mistake about Bush too: At least five American presidents had Dutch ancestry: