Events in the year 1968 in

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

Incumbents

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...

–

Heinrich Lübke Karl Heinrich Lübke (; 14 October 1894 – 6 April 1972) was a German politician, who served as president of West Germany from 1959 to 1969. He suffered from deteriorating health towards the end of his career and is known for a series of emba ...

Chancellor Chancellor () is a title of various official positions in the governments of many countries. The original chancellors were the of Roman courts of justice—ushers, who sat at the (lattice work screens) of a basilica (court hall), which separa ...

–

Kurt Georg Kiesinger Kurt Georg Kiesinger (; 6 April 1904 – 9 March 1988) was a German politician who served as the chancellor of West Germany from 1 December 1966 to 21 October 1969. Before he became Chancellor he served as Minister-President of Baden-Württembe ...

Events

* Germany in the Eurovision Song Contest 1968 * May 30 -

German Emergency Acts The German Emergency Acts (') were passed on 30 May 1968 at the time of the ''Grand coalition, First Grand Coalition'' between the Social Democratic Party of Germany and the Christian Democratic Union of Germany. It was the 17th constitutional amen ...

* June 21 - July 2 -

18th Berlin International Film Festival The 18th annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from 21 June to 2 July 1968. The Golden Bear was awarded to '' Who Saw Him Die?'' directed by Jan Troell. Jury The following people were announced as being on the jury for the festiva ...

* June 27-October 4 - 4. documenta *

Neue Nationalgalerie The Neue Nationalgalerie (New National Gallery) at the Kulturforum is a museum for modern art in Berlin, with its main focus on the 20th century. It is part of the National Gallery of the Berlin State Museums. The museum building and its sculpt ...

opened in Berlin.

Births

* January 2 –

Matthias Berger Matthias Berger (born 2 January 1968) is a German politician who is a member of the Landtag of Saxony. On 1 December 2023 Berger was selected as the top candidate for the Free Voters of Saxony for the 2024 Saxony state election in which he was ...

, German politician * January 11 –

Benjamin List Benjamin List (; born 11 January 1968) is a German chemist who is one of the directors of the Max Planck Institute for Coal Research and professor of organic chemistry at the University of Cologne. He co-developed organocatalysis, a method of acc ...

, German organic chemist, recipient of Nobel Prize in Chemistry * February 27 -

Samuel Kummer Samuel Kummer (28 February 1968 – 23 April 2024) was a German organist, from 2005 to 2022 at the Frauenkirche, Dresden, Frauenkirche in Dresden. When he took the position at the restored church, destroyed by bombing in World War II, with a new ...

, German organist (died 2024) * March 6 - Smudo, German singer * April 6 -

Oliver Korittke Oliver Korittke (born 6 April 1968) is a German actor. He appeared in more than one hundred films since 1972. In ''Wilsberg ''Wilsberg'' is a German TV series based on novels about the fictional private detective Georg Wilsberg. A first TV epis ...

, German actor * April 8 -

Gabriele Fähnrich Gabriele Fähnrich (born 8 April 1968) is a German former gymnast who represented East Germany (GDR). She is the 1985 World champion on the uneven bars. She also finished fourth in the all-around event at the 1985 World Championships, and won a ...

, German gymnast * April 20 -

Jens Weidmann Jens Weidmann (born 20 April 1968) is a German economist who served as president of the Deutsche Bundesbank between 2011 and 2021. He also served as chairman of the Board of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS). Before moving to the Bunde ...

, German economist, president of the Deutsche Bundesbank, and Chairman of the Board of the Bank for International Settlements * April 21 - Tita von Hardenberg, German journalist and television presenter * April 25 -

Thomas Strunz Thomas Strunz (born 25 April 1968) is a German former professional footballer who played mostly as a defensive midfielder. Over the course of 12 seasons, he amassed Bundesliga totals of 235 games and 32 goals, representing in the competition Ba ...

, German football player * April 29 -

Michael Herbig Michael may refer to: People * Michael (given name), a given name * he He ..., a given name * Michael (surname), including a list of people with the surname Michael Given name * Michael (bishop elect)">Michael (surname)">he He ..., a given nam ...

, German film actor and director * April 29 -

Jürgen Vogel Jürgen Peter Vogel (; born 29 April 1968 in Hamburg) is a German actor and producer. One of the most successful character actors in German cinema, he first broke out in 1992 with his role in ''Little Sharks''.Jürgen Vogel i"German Who is Who"/ ...

, German actor * May 1 -

Oliver Bierhoff Oliver Bierhoff (born 1 May 1968) is a German association football official and former player who played as a striker. He has previously served as the technical director of the Germany national team. A tall, strong and prolific goalscorer, Bier ...

, German football player * May 2 -

August François von Finck August François von Finck (born 2 May 1968) is a German businessman and the son of August von Finck, Jr., thus grandson of August von Finck, Sr. August François von Finck's great-grandfather Wilhelm von Finck was the co-founder of the private ...

, German businessman * May 5 - Peter Frank, German lawyer * May 9 -

Hardy Krüger Jr. Hardy Krüger Jr. (born 9 May 1968) is a German actor. He is the son of the German actor-writer Hardy Krüger and the Italian painter Francesca Marazzi. Life Krüger was born in Lugano, Switzerland. Shortly after his birth, his father took hi ...

, German actor * May 19 -

Sonja Zietlow Sonja Zietlow (born 13 May 1968) is a German television presenter. Biography Zietlow was born in Bonn. After she graduated from school and before her media career began in 1993, she worked as the first officer for the German airline Lufthansa. ...

, German television presenter * June 8 - Torsten Gutsche, German canoeist * June 29 -

Tilo Kummer Tilo Kummer (born 29 June 1968) is a German politician from the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance ( BSW), previously a member of Die Linke. Since 2024 he has been in the Voigt Cabinet. From 2020 until his deselection in 2023 he was mayor of the tow ...

, German politician * July 16 - Marcel Machill, German journalist * August 2 -

Stefan Effenberg Stefan Effenberg (; born 2 August 1968) is a German former footballer who most recently acted as sporting director for KFC Uerdingen 05. A midfielder, he was known for his leadership skills, passing range, shooting ability, and physical strengt ...

, German football player * August 17 - Anja Fichtel, German fencer * August 31 – Alexander Haugg, German actor * September 11 -

Andreas Tews Andreas Tews (born 11 September 1968) is a German former amateur boxer. Tews won the Flyweight Silver medal at the 1988 Summer Olympics and the Featherweight Gold medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics. His first international success came with his ...

, German boxer * September 23 -

Gabriele Reinsch Gabriele Reinsch (born 23 September 1963 in Cottbus) is a German track and field athlete. She represented East Germany in the 1988 Olympic Games in discus throw. On 9 July 1988 at the East Germany–Italy tournament in Neubrandenburg, she set ...

, German athlete * September 29 -

Svenja Schulze Svenja Schulze (born 29 September 1968) is a German politician of the Social Democratic Party (SPD). She served as Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development in the cabinet of Olaf Scholz from 2021 to 2025. Schulze has been serving as m ...

, German politician * October 13 - Kay Bluhm, German canoeist * October 18 -

Michael Stich Michael Detlef Stich (; born 18 October 1968) is a German former professional tennis player. He was ranked world No. 2 in men's singles by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), achieved in 1993, and No. 9 in men's doubles, achieved in ...

, German tennis player * November 19 **

Katarina Barley Katarina Barley (born 19 November 1968) is a German politician and lawyer who has been a Member of the European Parliament since 2019, serving as one of its Vice-Presidents. She served as Federal Minister of Justice and Consumer Protection in t ...

, German politician **

Anja Vanrobaeys Anja M. M. G. Vanrobaeys (born 19 November 1968) is a Belgian politician and member of the Chamber of Representatives. A member of Vooruit, she has represented East Flanders since June 2019. Vanrobaeys was born on 19 November 1968 in Lüdensch ...

, Belgian politician * November 21 - Inka Bause, German actress, singer and television presenter * November 24 -

Martin Schneider Martin Schneider (born 25 May 1964), often just called "Maddin", is a German comedian, cabaret artist and actor. Biography Born in Bad Homburg vor der Höhe, Schneider grew up in Burgholzhausen, a district of Friedrichsdorf. He has a twin s ...

, German footballer * December 18 -

Mario Basler Mario Basler (born 18 December 1968) is a German Association football, football manager and former professional player who mainly played as a right midfielder. He is currently at TSG Eisenberg as a player and advisor. A dead-ball specialist, Ba ...

, German footballer * December 30 -

Thomas D Die Fantastischen Vier (, "The Fantastic Four"), often shortened to Fanta 4, is a German hip hop band from Stuttgart. The members are Smudo, Michael Schmidt (Smudo), Andreas Rieke, Thomas Dürr, and Michi Beck. They were, together with Advanced ...

, German singer

Deaths

*January 2 -

Cuno Hoffmeister Cuno Hoffmeister (2 February 1892 – 2 January 1968) was a German astronomer, observer and discoverer of variable stars, comets and minor planets, and founder of Sonneberg Observatory. Born in Sonneberg in 1892 to Carl and Marie Hoffmeister, Cu ...

, German astronomer (born

1892 In Samoa, this was the only leap year spanned to 367 days as July 4 repeated. This means that the International Date Line was drawn from the east of the country to go west. Events January * January 1 – Ellis Island begins processing imm ...

) *February 23 -

Emil Hirschfeld Emil Hirschfeld (31 July 1903 – 23 February 1968) was a German athlete who won a bronze medal in the shot put at the 1928 Olympics. The same year he set two world records in this event. At the 1932 Summer Olympics he finished fourth in the sho ...

, German athlete (born

1903 Events January * January 1 – Edward VII is proclaimed Emperor of India. * January 10 – The Aceh Sultanate was fully annexed by the Dutch forces, deposing the last sultan, marking the end of the Aceh War that have lasted for al ...

) *February 28 - Hans Lohmeyer, German politician and jurist (born

1881 Events January * January 1– 24 – Siege of Geok Tepe: Russian troops under General Mikhail Skobelev defeat the Turkomans. * January 13 – War of the Pacific – Battle of San Juan and Chorrillos: The Chilean army ...

) *April 16 —

Albert Betz Albert Betz (25 December 1885 – 16 April 1968) was a German physicist and a pioneer of wind turbine technology. Education and career Betz was born in Schweinfurt. In 1910 he graduated as a naval engineer from Technische Hochschule Berlin ...

, German physicist and a pioneer of wind turbine technology (born

1885 Events January * January 3– 4 – Sino-French War – Battle of Núi Bop: French troops under General Oscar de Négrier defeat a numerically superior Qing Chinese force, in northern Vietnam. * January 17 – Mahdist ...

) *May 25 -

Georg von Küchler Georg Carl Wilhelm Friedrich von Küchler (30 May 1881 – 25 May 1968) was a German Generalfeldmarschall (Field Marshal) of the ''Wehrmacht'' during the Second World War, who was subsequently convicted of war crimes. He commanded the 18th Army ...

, German field marshal (born

) *May 30 -

Louis, Prince of Hesse and by Rhine Louis, Prince of Hesse and by Rhine (''Ludwig Hermann Alexander Chlodwig'', 20 November 1908 – 30 May 1968) was the youngest son of Ernest Louis, Grand Duke of Hesse by his second wife, Princess Eleonore of Solms-Hohensolms-Lich. He was a grea ...

(born

1908 This is the longest year in either the Julian or Gregorian calendars, having a duration of 31622401.38 seconds of Terrestrial Time (or ephemeris time), measured according to the definition of mean solar time. Events January * January ...

) *June 18 -

Nikolaus von Falkenhorst Paul Nikolaus von Falkenhorst (17 January 1885 – 18 June 1968) was a German general and war criminal during World War II. He planned and commanded the German invasion of Denmark and Norway in 1940, and was commander of German troops during th ...

, German general (born

) *June 23 —

Andreas von Aulock Andreas Maria Karl von Aulock (23 March 1893 – 23 June 1968) was a highly decorated Oberst in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded the 79th Infantry Division. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak L ...

, Imperial Army officer and

Wehrmacht The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the German Army (1935–1945), ''Heer'' (army), the ''Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmac ...

general (born

1893 Events January * January 2 – Webb C. Ball introduces railroad chronometers, which become the general railroad timepiece standards in North America. * January 6 – The Washington National Cathedral is chartered by Congress; th ...

) *July 1 -

Fritz Bauer Fritz Bauer (16 July 1903 – 1 July 1968) was a German Jewish judge and prosecutor. He played an instrumental role in the post-war capture of former Holocaust planner Adolf Eichmann, and in bringing about the Frankfurt Auschwitz trials. Early ...

, German judge (born

) *July 19 -

Käthe Kruse Käthe Kruse, born Katharina Simon (17 September 1883, in Dąbrowa, Opole County, Dambrau – 19 July 1968, in Murnau am Staffelsee) was a notable pioneer of German doll-making and went on to establish manufacturing principles which persist to this ...

notable pioneer of German doll-making (born

1883 Events January * January 4 – ''Life'' magazine is founded in Los Angeles, California, United States. * January 10 – A fire at the Newhall Hotel in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States, kills 73 people. * January 16 – ...

) *July 20 -

Joseph Keilberth Joseph Keilberth (19 April 1908 – 20 July 1968) was a German conductor who specialised in opera. Career Keilberth began his career in the State Theatre of his native city, Karlsruhe, joining as a répétiteur in 1925 and conducting from 193 ...

, German conductor (born

) *July 28 -

Otto Hahn Otto Hahn (; 8 March 1879 – 28 July 1968) was a German chemist who was a pioneer in the field of radiochemistry. He is referred to as the father of nuclear chemistry and discoverer of nuclear fission, the science behind nuclear reactors and ...

, German chemist (born

1879 Events January * January 1 ** The Specie Resumption Act takes effect. The United States Note is valued the same as gold, for the first time since the American Civil War. ** Brahms' Violin Concerto is premiered in Leipzig with Joseph Joachim ...

) *December 16 - Jürgen Moll, German football player (born

1939 This year also marks the start of the World War II, Second World War, the largest and deadliest conflict in human history. Events Events related to World War II have a "WWII" prefix. January * January 1 ** Coming into effect in Nazi Ger ...

)

References

Years of the 20th century in Germany 1960s in Germany

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