Hiromu Naruse, Master Test Driver

Toyota’s 67-year-old designer and master test driver died in a crash near the Nurburgring test track in Germany.

The Enigma of Bruno S.

Director Werner Herzog plucked street performer Bruno S. out of obscurity and made him a movie star. But what happened when the cameras stopped rolling?

The Curious Journey of H.A. and Margret Rey

We take a look back at Curious George creators H.A. and Margret Rey.

The Notorious Rainer Werner Fassbinder

Rainier Werner Fassbinder was one of Germany’s most important post-war filmmakers. We look back at the controversial life and career of the prolific cinematic bad boy.

Carl Laemmle, Movie Mogul and Humanitarian

We look back on the life and legacy of Universal Studios founder Carl Laemmle, a man who not only helped create Hollywood, but saved hundreds of families during the Holocaust.

Happy Holidays, Marlene Dietrich

Born Dec. 27, 1901, Marlene Dietrich was a Christmas-season baby.

Albert Einstein, Movie Star

Albert Einstein is one of few scientists to achieve the status of pop culture icon.

We Remember the Munich 11

In Munich 1972, Olympic joy turned to tragedy when Israeli athletes and coaches were kidnapped and murdered.

London 2012: Closing Time

We're watching highlights of Olympic opening and closing ceremonies past, tipping our hats once more to the Olympians who won our hearts years ago.

Influenced by Nico

On the 25th anniversary of Nico's death, we offer a side-by-side comparison of a few of her best performances with the artists who paid homage to them.

Germany Honors Heroic Young Woman

Germany is mourning the death of an unlikely hero this month: student teacher Tugce Albayrak. She was beaten into a coma by a man harassing two teens, and died Nov. 28.

Remembering Those Lost on Germanwings Flight 4U9525

On March 24, 2015, Germanwings Flight 4U9525 crashed in the Alps of France, killing all 144 passengers and all six crew members.

Lillian Vernon (1927 - 2015), mail order catalog founder

Lillian Vernon, the businesswoman who founded the mail-order catalog company that bears her name, has died. She was 88. Vernon, whose corporation was the first company founded by a woman to be traded on the American Stock Exchange, died Monday in Manhattan, New York. No cause of death was announced.

Kurt Masur (1927 - 2015), New York Philharmonic maestro

Kurt Masur, the maestro who tamed the New York Philharmonic and united a divided Germany, has died of complications of Parkinson’s disease, The Associated Press and the New York Philharmonic report. Masur, who died Saturday, Dec. 19, was 88.

Pierre Boulez (1925 - 2016), renowned French conductor

Pierre Boulez, the world-renowned French conductor who was a major force in modern classical music, has died. He was 90. Boulez, who once served as the principal conductor of the New York Philharmonic, died Tuesday at his home in Baden-Baden, Germany. The death was confirmed by Hamid Si Amer, a spokesman for the Paris Philharmonic. No cause of death was announced, however.

These Obituaries Offer a Glimpse Into a Concentration Camp

In Holocaust survivors' obituaries, horrific places like Treblinka are mentioned alongside recollections of happy marriages and personal achievements.

Guido Westerwelle (1961 - 2016), former German foreign minister

Guido Westerwelle, a former German foreign minister, died March 18 of complications of leukemia, according to multiple news sources. He was 54.

Munich Shooting Victims (2016)

At least eight people have been killed and many more wounded by a gunman at a shopping center in Munich, Germany, July 22, 2016, according to multiple news sources.

Max Mannheimer (1920 - 2016), Holocaust survivor, author, and painter

Max Mannheimer, Holocaust survivor, author and painter, died Friday, September 23, 2016 in Munich, Germany, according to multiple news sources. He was 96.

Andrew Sachs (1930 - 2016), Fawlty Towers actor

British actor Andrew Sachs was known best for playing Spanish waiter Manuel on “Fawlty Towers.”

Berlin Market Truck Crash Victims

A truck plowed through a busy Christmas market in Berlin, Germany, Monday, killing at least 12 people and injuring scores of others, according to multiple news sources.

Christine Kaufmann (1945 - 2017), German-Austrian actress

The German-Austrian actress was Germany's first winner of a Golden Globe Award.

Stu Sutcliffe and the Beatles

Stuart Sutcliffehas often been called the "Fifth Beatle," but in reality he was the fourth.

Helmut Kohl (1930 - 2017), former chancellor of Germany

Former German chancellor presided over his country's reunification...

Fred Beckey (1923–2017), passion as large as the mountains he climbed

Fred Beckey, the mountaineer known for his many trailblazing first ascents, has died, according to The Associated Press. He was 94.

Karin Dor (1938 – 2017), played an assassin in James Bond film "You Only Live Twice"

German actress also starred in Alfred Hitchcock thriller “Topaz”…

Coco Schumann (1924–2018), holocaust survivor and renowned jazz guitarist

Forced to perform at concentration camps in the “Ghetto Swingers” band.

The WWII Massacre of Americans You Haven't Heard Of

Even in a war with more than its share of horrors, the Malmedy massacre stands out. Eighty-four American soldiers were brutally killed by their German captors in a shocking breach of the Geneva Convention's rules for warfare. Forty-three more were left for dead, using all their will to remain completely silent and still as they lay amidst the dead on freezing, snow-covered ground.

Harry L. Ettlinger (1926 - 2018), one of World War II’s “Monuments Men”

Member of the Allied team that recovered valuable artwork stolen by the Nazis.

Peter Lindbergh (1944–2019), photographer of supermodels

Peter Lindbergh was a fashion photographer who is credited with jump-starting the rise of the supermodel in the 1990s.

Werner Doehner (1929–2019), last survivor of the Hindenburg disaster

He was 8 years old when the Hindenburg crashed in 1937.

Why Newspaper Obituaries Are So Valuable for Genealogy Research

When it comes to researching family history, the obit is a treasure trove of information.

Holocaust Survivors Tell Their Stories

This International Holocaust Memorial Day, January 27, 2020, marks 75 years since those held prisoner in the Auschwitz concentration camp were liberated. The , who emerged from a nightmare and managed to put together the pieces of a new life, have grown to old age in the 21st century. Those with the most vivid memories, who were adults during World War II, are mostly gone, and those few who are left are in the last years of their lives. Many, as they leave this life, take one last chance to tell their stories — via their obituaries.

Jesse Owens

Jesse Owens was one of the greatest track stars—and one of the most beloved Olympians—of all time. In a year when hate threatened to overshadow the Olympic Games being held in Nazi Germany, Owens delighted the free world by winning four gold medals and destroying Adolf Hitler's notion that his Aryan athletes were superior to black competitors. The photos taken of Owens at those 1936 games, and in the years before and after, depict an amazing athlete who has inspired generations of people of all races. In honor of Owens, we present a photo celebration of his life and legacy.

German Bar Shooting Victims (2020)

Nine people were killed in a shooting that took place at two bars in Hanau, Germany, near Frankfurt. Several others were injured.

Florian Schneider (1947–2020), Kraftwerk co-founder

Florian Schneider was a co-founder of Kraftwerk, the highly influential German electronic band.

Roy Horn (1944–2020) of Siegfried & Roy, tiger-wrangling magician

Roy Horn was an internationally renowned illusionist whose duo with Siegfried Fischbacher, famed for sharing the stage with lions and tigers, was the most popular show in Las Vegas for more than a decade.

Else Blangsted (1920–2020), acclaimed movie music editor

Else Blangsted was an acclaimed movie music editor known as the “Queen of Music Editors.” She fled from Germany to the United States to escape Nazi Germany.  

Ruth Weiss (1928–2020), pioneering female beat poet

Ruth Weiss was a pioneering female poet of the Beat Generation and one of the first people to perform jazz poetry. 

Shere Hite (1942–2020), author of Hite Reports on female sexuality

Shere Hite was a sex educator and feminist who issued the groundbreaking Hite Reports that explored human sexuality and focused on women’s experiences.

Sabine Schmitz (1969–2021), racing driver and “Top Gear” star

Sabine Schmitz was a racing driver who was the first and, to date, only woman to win the famed 24 Hours Nürburgring race. She was also a star of TV’s “Top Gear.”

German and Belgian Flood Victims (2021)

At least 48 people have died in severe flooding in Germany and Belgium. Dozens more are missing.

Wolfgang Petersen (1941–2022), director of “Das Boot,” “The NeverEnding Story”

Wolfgang Petersen was the Oscar-nominated director of movies including “Das Boot,” “Air Force One,” and “The NeverEnding Story.”

Clarence Smoyer (1923–2022), World War II hero  

Clarence Smoyer was a World War II tank gunner known as the “Hero of Cologne” for his bravery in helping to defeat a German panther tank during the important 1945 battle.

Pope Benedict XVI (1927–2022), former pope who stepped down in 2013

Pope Benedict XVI was the former pope, who became the first pope to resign his office voluntarily since 1294.

Tatjana Patitz (1966–2023), one of the first supermodels

Tatjana Patitz was one of the original supermodels who rose to fame in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Klaus Teuber (1952–2023), Catan board game creator

Klaus Teuber was a German board game designer who created the influential game Settlers of Catan.

Menahem Pressler (1923–2023), Beaux Arts Trio pianist 

Menahem Pressler was a co-founder and the longtime pianist of the acclaimed Beaux Arts Trio, beloved around the world for their chamber music.

Harald zur Hausen (1936–2023), Nobel Prize-winning virologist 

Harald zur Hausen was a Nobel Prize-winning German virologist who discovered the link between HPV and cervical cancer, and whose work led to the development of a vaccine against cancer-causing human papilloma viruses.