Events in the year 1976 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

West Germany

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 ...

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Walter Scheel Walter Scheel (; 8 July 1919 – 24 August 2016) was a German statesman. A member of the Nazi Party who joined the Free Democratic Party of Germany (FDP) in 1946, he first served in government as the Federal Minister of Economic Cooperation and ...

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 ...

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Helmut Schmidt Helmut Heinrich Waldemar Schmidt (; 23 December 1918 – 10 November 2015) was a German politician and member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), who served as the chancellor of West Germany from 1974 to 1982. He was the longest ...

East Germany

Head of State A head of state is the public persona of a sovereign state.#Foakes, Foakes, pp. 110–11 "

he head of state He or HE may refer to: Language * He (letter), the fifth letter of the Semitic abjads * He (pronoun), a pronoun in Modern English * He (kana), one of the Japanese kana (へ in hiragana and ヘ in katakana) * Ge (Cyrillic), a Cyrillic letter cal ...

being an embodiment of the State itself or representative of its international persona." The name given to the office of head of sta ...

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Willi Stoph Wilhelm Stoph (9 July 1914 – 13 April 1999) was a German politician. He served as Council of Ministers of East Germany, Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) from 1964 to 1973, and again from ...

(until October 29),

Erich Honecker Erich Ernst Paul Honecker (; 25 August 1912 – 29 May 1994) was a German communist politician who led the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) from 1971 until shortly before the fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989. He held the post ...

(starting October 29) *

Head of Government In the Executive (government), executive branch, the head of government is the highest or the second-highest official of a sovereign state, a federated state, or a self-governing colony, autonomous region, or other government who often presid ...

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Horst Sindermann Horst Sindermann (; 5 September 1915 – 20 April 1990) was an East German politician. He became Chairman of the Council of Ministers in 1973, but in 1976 he became President of the Volkskammer, the only member of the Socialist Unity Party ...

(until October 29),

(starting October 29)

Events

* February 1 – Germany in the Eurovision Song Contest 1976 * June 25 – July 6 –

26th Berlin International Film Festival The 26th annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from 25 June to 6 July 1976. The Golden Bear was awarded to ''Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson'' directed by Robert Altman. The Japanese film ''In the Rea ...

* July 1 –

Mitbestimmungsgesetz Mitbestimmungsgesetz 1976 or the Codetermination Act 1976 is a German law that requires companies of over 2000 employees to have half the supervisory board of directors as representatives of workers, and just under half the votes. Background Fro ...

* October 3 – West German federal election, 1976 * October 17 – East German general election, 1976 * December 16 – The Second Schmidt cabinet led by

was sworn in.

Births

*January 6 – Judith Rakers, German journalist *January 9 – Simon Gosejohann, German comedian and television presenter *January 21 – Alexander Bommes, German handball player and journalist *January 21 – Kerstin Kowalski, German rower *March 12 –

Andreas Erm Andreas Erm (born 12 March 1976, in Berlin (East)) is a former German race walker. (german) At the 1995 European Athletics Junior Championships Erm won the ''Men's 10 kilometres walk'' aged 19. Almost one year later at the 1996 Olympic Summer Gam ...

, German race walker *April 6 –

Anke Rehlinger Anke Gabriele Rehlinger (''née'' Moos; born 6 April 1976) is a German politician of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) serving as the minister-president of Saarland and President of the Bundesrat. After her party won the 2022 state elections ...

, German politician *April 11 – Ruth Moschner, German television presenter *April 25 –

Rainer Schüttler Rainer Schüttler (; born 25 April 1976) is a German former professional tennis player. Schüttler was the runner-up at the 2003 Australian Open and a semifinalist at the 2008 Wimbledon Championships. He won an Olympic silver medal in doubles ...

, German tennis player *April 29 –

Stephanie Aeffner Stephanie Aeffner (29 April 1976 – 15 January 2025) was a German politician from Alliance 90/The Greens who served as a Member of the German Bundestag, Member of the Bundestag from 2021 until her death. She served on the parliament's Committee ...

, German politician (died 2025) *May 3 –

Alexander Gerst Alexander Gerst (born 3 May 1976 in Künzelsau, Baden-Württemberg) is a German European Space Agency astronaut and geophysicist, who was selected in 2009 to take part in space training. He was part of the International Space Station Expeditio ...

, German astronaut *May 25 –

Sandra Nasić Sandra Nasić (born 25 May 1976) is a German singer best known as the vocalist of the rock band Guano Apes. Career Nasić was born in Göttingen, West Germany, where she grew up with her Croatian mother and sister. After she received her hig ...

, German singer *June 10 –

Georg Friedrich, Prince of Prussia Georg Friedrich, Prince of Prussia (born 10 June 1976, as ''Georg Friedrich Ferdinand Prinz von Preußen'') is a German heir who is the current head of the Prussian branch of the House of Hohenzollern, the former ruling dynasty of the German Em ...

, German nobleman *June 12 –

Katja Husen Katja Husen (12 June 1976 – 28 June 2022) was a German biologist and politician. A member of Alliance 90/The Greens, she was speaker of the party's youth organisation, Green Youth, and served in the Hamburg Parliament from 2004 to 2008. She ...

, German biologist and politician (died 2022) *June 19 –

Abdoul Thiam Abdoul Thiam (born 19 June 1976 in Berlin) is a German footballer who currently plays for Hilalspor Berlin in the 7th tier Landesliga Berlin Staffel 1. At the height of his career, Thiam played 73 games for Eintracht Braunschweig and Rot Weis ...

, German footballer *June 30 –

Christine Schürrer Christine Schürrer (born 30 June 1976 in Hanover) is a German criminal, convicted of murdering two Swedish children, and seriously injuring their mother with 15 blows to the head with a hammer, after attacking them in their home in Arboga, Swede ...

, German serial killer *July 10 –

Lars Ricken Lars Ricken (born 10 July 1976) is a German retired footballer and the current managing director of Borussia Dortmund. From 2008 to 2024, he was the youth coordinator at Dortmund. Ricken represented Borussia Dortmund throughout his entire prof ...

, German football player *July 15 –

Diane Kruger Diane Kruger (; Heidkrüger; ; born 15 July 1976) is a German actress. Early in her career, she gained worldwide recognition and received the Trophée Chopard from the Cannes Film Festival. Kruger became known for her roles in films such as ...

, German actress *July 20 –

Florian Panzner Florian Panzner (born 20 July 1976) is a German actor who has been active since 1999. Life and career Panzner studied at the University of Film and Television Potsdam-Babelsberg. In 2000, he played the role of Truffaldino in the comedy '' The ...

, German actor *August 4 –

Manja Schüle Manja Schüle (née Orlowski; born 4 August 1976) is a German politician from the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD). She has been since 2019. From 2017 to 2019 she was a member of the German Bundestag. Since the 2024 Brandenburg state ele ...

, German politician *September 26 –

Michael Ballack Michael Ballack (; born 26 September 1976) is a German former professional footballer. He was selected by Pelé as one of FIFA's 100 Greatest Living Players, and as the UEFA Club Midfielder of the Year in 2002. He won the German Footballer of ...

, German football player *November 2 – Mike Leon Grosch, German singer *November 12 –

Judith Holofernes Judith Holfelder-Roy (''née'' Holfelder-von der Tann; born 12 November 1976), known by her stage name Judith Holofernes (), is a German singer, guitarist, songwriter and author. She was the lead singer of Wir sind Helden, the German pop rock b ...

, German singer *December 8 –

Dominic Monaghan Dominic Bernard Patrick Luke Monaghan (born 8 December 1976) is a British-Irish actor. He is best known for playing Meriadoc "Merry" Brandybuck in Peter Jackson's film trilogy ''The Lord of the Rings'' (2001–2003), and Charlie Pace on the ...

, German-born British actor

Deaths

*January 18 –

Friedrich Hollaender Friedrich Hollaender (in exile also Frederick Hollander; 18 October 189618 January 1976) was a German film composer and author. Life and career He was born in London to a Jewish family, where his father, operetta composer Victor Hollaend ...

, German film composer and author (born 1896) *February 1 –

Werner Heisenberg Werner Karl Heisenberg (; ; 5 December 1901 – 1 February 1976) was a German theoretical physicist, one of the main pioneers of the theory of quantum mechanics and a principal scientist in the German nuclear program during World War II. He pub ...

, German physicist (born 1901) *February 1 – Hans Richter, German painter and graphic artist (born 1888) *February 11 –

Alexander Lippisch Alexander Martin Lippisch (2 November 1894 – 11 February 1976) was a German aeronautical engineer, a pioneer of aerodynamics who made important contributions to the understanding of tailless aircraft, delta wings and the ground effect in aircra ...

, German aeronautical engineer, a pioneer of aerodynamics (born 1894) *February 14 – Gertrud Dorka, German archaeologist, prehistorian and museum director (born 1893) *February 25 –

Paul May Paul May (8 May 1909 – 25 February 1976) was a German film director and film editor, editor. He directed 40 films between 1935 and 1972. Biography He was the son of Peter Ostermayr, a film producer with Universum Film AG, and his wife O ...

, German film director (born 1909) *March 27 –

Georg August Zinn Georg August Zinn (27 May 1901 – 27 March 1976) was a German lawyer and a politician of the Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands, SPD. He was a member of the Bundestag from 1949 to 1951 representing Kassel (electoral district), Kasse ...

, German politician (born 1901) *April 1 –

Max Ernst Max Ernst (; 2 April 1891 – 1 April 1976) was a German-born painter, sculptor, printmaker, graphic artist, and poet. A prolific artist, Ernst was a primary pioneer of the Dada movement and surrealism in Europe. He had no formal artistic trai ...

, German painter (born 1891) *April 13 –

Traugott Herr Traugott Herr (16 September 1890 – 13 April 1976) was a German general during World War II who commanded the 14th Army and the 10th Army of the Wehrmacht. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. ...

, German general (born 1890) *May 9 —

Ulrike Meinhof Ulrike Marie Meinhof (7 October 1934 – 9 May 1976) was a German left-wing militant, journalist and founding member of the Red Army Faction (RAF) in West Germany, commonly referred to in the press as the "Baader-Meinhof gang". She is the repute ...

, German terrorist (born 1934) *May 12 –

Rudolf Kempe Rudolf Kempe (14 June 1910 – 12 May 1976) was a German conductor. Biography Kempe was born in Dresden, where from the age of fourteen he studied at the Dresden State Opera School. He played oboe in the opera orchestra of Dortmund and ...

, German conductor (born 1910) *May 26 –

Martin Heidegger Martin Heidegger (; 26 September 1889 – 26 May 1976) was a German philosopher known for contributions to Phenomenology (philosophy), phenomenology, hermeneutics, and existentialism. His work covers a range of topics including metaphysics, art ...

, German philosopher (born 1889) *June 18 – Karl Adam, German rowing coach (born 1912) *July 1 –

Anneliese Michel Anna Elisabeth "Anneliese" Michel (21 September 1952 – 1 July 1976) was a Germans, German woman who underwent 67 Exorcism in the Catholic Church, Catholic exorcism rites during the year before her death. She died of malnutrition, for which her ...

, German woman (born 1952) *July 5 –

Anna Hübler Anna "Annie" Hübler (2 January 1885 – 5 July 1976) was a German pair skater, born in Munich. She was an Olympic champion and two-time World champion with skating partner Heinrich Burger. Hübler and Burger were the first World champions an ...

, German pair skater (born 1885) *July 7 –

Gustav Heinemann Gustav Walter Heinemann (; 23 July 1899 – 7 July 1976) was a German politician who was President of West Germany from 1969 to 1974. He served as mayor of Essen from 1946 to 1949, West German Minister of the Interior from 1949 to 1950, and Mini ...

, German politician, former

President of Germany The president of Germany, officially titled the Federal President of the Federal Republic of Germany (),The official title within Germany is ', with ' being added in international correspondence; the official English title is President of the F ...

(born 1899) *July 24 –

Julius Döpfner Julius may refer to: People * Julius (name), a masculine given name and surname (includes a list of people with the name) * Julius (nomen), the name of a Roman family (includes a list of Ancient Romans with the name) ** Julius Caesar (100– ...

, German cardinal of Roman Catholic Church (born 1913) *July 30 –

Rudolf Bultmann Rudolf Karl Bultmann (; ; 20 August 1884 – 30 July 1976) was a German Lutheran theologian and professor of the New Testament at the University of Marburg. He was one of the major figures of early 20th-century biblical studies. A prominent c ...

, German Lutheran theologian and professor of New Testament at the University of Marburg (born 1884) *August 10 –

Paul Lücke Paul Lücke (13 November 1914 – 10 August 1976) was a German politician and civil servant. He served as Germany's Federal Minister of the Interior from 1965–1968. Lücke was a member of the Christian Democratic Union since the party's foun ...

, German politician (born 1914) *September 9 –

Gottlob Bauknecht Gottlob Bauknecht (born 30 April 1892 in Neckartenzlingen; died 9 September 1976 in Stuttgart) was a German businessman and engineer. Life Bauknecht founded his own company ''Bauknecht (company), Bauknecht'' for electrical household applian ...

, German businessman (born 1892) *August 10 –

Karl Schmidt-Rottluff Karl Schmidt-Rottluff (Karl Schmidt until 1905; 1 December 1884 – 10 August 1976) was a German expressionist painter and printmaker; he was one of the four founders of the artist group Die Brücke. Life and work Schmidt-Rottluff was born in R ...

, German painter (born 1884) *October 3 – Hermann Pünder, German politician (born 1888) *October 18 – Paul Schmidt, German engineer (born 1898) *October 21 –

Theodor Koch Theodor Koch (13 May 1905 – 21 October 1976) was a German engineer, investor and weapons manufacturer, born in Zuffenhausen, Germany. As a young man, Koch apprenticed as a precision mechanic. After completing his apprenticeship he attended ...

, German engineer and weapons manufacturer (born 1905) *November 8 –

Gottfried von Cramm Gottfried Alexander Maximilian Walter Kurt Freiherr von Cramm (; 7 July 1909 – 8 November 1976) was a German tennis player who won the French Open, French Championships twice, becoming the first non American, British, Australian or French playe ...

, German tennis player (born 1909) *November 30 –

Fritz Rasp Fritz Heinrich Rasp (13 May 1891 – 30 November 1976) was a German film actor who appeared in more than 100 films between 1916 and 1976. His obituary in ''Der Spiegel'' described Rasp as "the German film villain in service, for over 60 years." ...

, German actor (born 1891) *November 30 –

Armin Zimmermann __NOTOC__ Armin Zimmermann (23 December 1917 – 30 November 1976) was a German admiral and Inspector General of the Bundeswehr from 1 April 1972 until 30 November 1976. He joined the Kriegsmarine in 1937. Awards *German Cross in Gold on 4 March ...

, German admiral (born 1917) *14 –

Friedrich Foertsch Friedrich Albert Foertsch (19 May 1900 – 14 December 1976) was a German general serving during World War II and from 1961 to 1963 the second Inspector General of the Bundeswehr. Foertsch was born in 1900 and joined the military service in ...

, German general (born 1900)

References

Years of the 20th century in Germany 1970s in Germany

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