List of personalities of the city of Ilmenau

Goethe monument in front of the office building

This list contains personalities of the city of Ilmenau in Thuringia with about 36,000 inhabitants.

Since the late 18th century, the city has been attracting important cultural personalities such as Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. He paid homage to the city with the poem "Ilmenau" . Goethe particularly valued the city's surroundings in order to gather new strength for his Weimar official activities. The reason why he visited Ilmenau so frequently was that the city belonged to the Duchy of Saxony-Weimar-Eisenach and was easily accessible from Weimar via the Ilm Valley. The presence of Goethe meant that some of his friends often stayed in Ilmenau. B. Knebel and Schröter even lived here. In addition, Saxony-Weimar-Eisenach was only a very small state, so that almost all dukes and grand dukes left “traces” in Ilmenau. They mostly visited the city to spend their holidays here (Ilmenau was then a summer resort and the city has both a grand ducal hunting lodge (" Jagdhaus Gabelbach ") and a castle (the official building)). These dukes can be seen in the list of the dukes of Saxe-Weimar and are therefore not mentioned again in this list.

After Goethe's death there were numerous philosophers and poets who wanted to study his work intensively and organized themselves into the so-called Gabelbach Association.

Since the beginning of the 20th century, more and more politicians came to Ilmenau. Paul Löbe, who later became President of the Reichstag, founded the SPD local association in Ilmenau in 1898. After the First World War , Ilmenau became the center of left and right activities that were promoted by people like Fritz Sauckel and Felix Weil. These later politicians often stayed in Ilmenau because they were studying at the technical center . The fact that politicians repeatedly emerged from the technical center and today's university has remained so to this day.

In the 1930s, Ilmenau began to develop into a winter sports center. It was at times the center of German tobogganing and bobsleigh, from which numerous Olympic champions emerged. Today, however, the city has largely lost its function as a winter sports center.

After the Second World War , the Ilmenau University of Technology developed into a research center. That is why there have been and have been numerous scientists who are active in Ilmenau since then, such as B. Karlheinz Brandenburg, who developed large parts of the mp3 data compression format.

Goethe and Goethe friends

Corona Schröter's grave in the Ilmenau cemetery

Johann Wolfgang Goethe (born August 28, 1749 in Frankfurt / M .; † March 22, 1832 in Weimar) stayed very often in Ilmenau, for mining studies, scientific studies and for recreation, he celebrated his last birthday (82nd) in Ilmenau, today a street in Ilmenau is named after him.
Johann Friedrich Wilhelm von Charpentier (born June 24, 1738 in Dresden, † July 27, 1805 in Freiberg) and
Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich von Trebra (born April 5, 1740 in Allstedt; † July 16, 1819 in Freiberg) were two important Saxon mining engineers who advised Goethe on technical issues relating to the reactivation of mining in Ilmenau. A close friendship with Goethe later developed from the pure employment relationship.
Anna Amalie von Sachsen-Weimar-Eisenach (born October 24, 1739 in Wolfenbüttel, † April 10, 1807 in Weimar); Duchess of Saxony-Weimar-Eisenach, engaged in social engagement for the needy citizens in Ilmenau; provided aid to rebuild the city after the fire of 1752
François Ignace de Wendel (born September 23, 1741 in Thionville, † May 2, 1795 in Ilmenau), French industrialist, wanted to open a cast iron factory at Grenzhammer with the help of Goethe.
Karl Ludwig von Knebel (born November 30, 1744 near Nördlingen, † February 23, 1834 in Jena) Goethe's “great friend”, lived in Ilmenau from 1798 to 1805, today a street in Ilmenau is named after him.
Johann Gottlob Bernstein (born June 28, 1747 in Saalborn; † March 12, 1835 in Neuwied), doctor, was a "mountain doctor" in Ilmenau between 1772 and the 1790s and a confidante of Goethe
Corona Schröter (born January 14, 1751 in Guben; † August 23, 1802 in Ilmenau) was a Goethe actress, spent the last phase of her life in Ilmenau for air cures, died of tuberculosis, is buried in Ilmenau, today is a street in Ilmenau her named.
Karl Gottfried Baldauf (* 1751 in Marienberg / Sa .; † September 2, 1811 in Freiberg), mining engineer, stayed here at Goethe's invitation to investigate the Ilmenau mines, and set up a water column machine in Ilmenau.
Maria Pavlovna (born February 16, 1786 in Pavlovsk; † June 23, 1859 in Weimar), Grand Duchess of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, initiated the construction of the Kickelhahnturm and paid for it; financed the construction of Marienstraße (B4) from Ilmenau to Plaue as well as the expansion of the roads in the Ilmenau office and often stayed in the city
Johann Christian Mahr (* 1787; † 1869), geologist, fossil collector of Goethe and Bergrat in Ilmenau, today a street in Ilmenau is named after him
Johann Peter Eckermann (born September 21, 1792 in Winsen / L .; † December 3, 1854 in Weimar), poet and confidante of Goethe, stayed several times on cures in Ilmenau, today a street in Ilmenau is named after him.

Personalities in the Gabelbach-Verein / Gabelbach-Gemeinde

A fountain erected in honor of Friedrich Hofmann on the outskirts of Ilmenau

After Goethe's death there were numerous philosophers and poets who wanted to study his work intensively. They also met in Ilmenau, where they founded the Gabelbach Association , also known as the Gabelbach Community or the Gabelbach Community . He organized meetings and various activities in and around Ilmenau. It was named after the Gabelbach , a small river near Ilmenau. The meeting point of the group was, among other things, the hunting lodge in Gabelbach, which the municipality rented from 1910 .

Members of the association were:

August Wilhelm Fils (* 1799; † 1878), surveying technician, made elevation maps of the Thuringian Forest for the first time, was a member of the Gabelbachverein, and often visited Ilmenau for spa stays, since April 4, 1853 he has been an honorary citizen of the city of Ilmenau.
Friedrich Hofmann (born April 18, 1813 in Coburg, † August 14, 1888 in Ilmenau), poet, lived in Ilmenau for the second half of his life, today a street in Ilmenau is named after him.
Theodor Fontane (born December 30, 1819 in Neuruppin; † September 20, 1898 in Berlin), poet, stayed for six weeks on vacation in Ilmenau at the invitation of the Gabelbach Association
Karl Friedrich Schwanitz (born January 28, 1823 in Zillbach, † April 30, 1903 in Weimar), was a judge in Ilmenau for 27 years and decisively determined city life through involvement in numerous associations, among others. a. also in the Gabelbach-Verein, first “Gemeindepoet”, since March 21, 1890 honorary citizen of the city of Ilmenau, today a street in Ilmenau is named after him.
Joseph Victor von Scheffel (born February 16, 1826 in Karlsruhe; † April 9, 1886 in Karlsruhe), poet, was invited several times by Schwanitz to Ilmenau, composer of " Das Gabelbachlied ", today a street in Ilmenau is named after him.
Rudolf Baumbach (born September 28, 1840 in Kranichfeld; † September 21, 1905 in Meiningen), Thuringian local poet, third “community poet ”, today a street in Ilmenau is named after him.

Georg Bötticher (born May 20, 1849 in Jena, † January 15, 1918 in Leipzig), graphic artist, writer and literary scholar.

August Trinius (born July 31, 1851 in Schkeuditz; † April 2, 1919 in Waltershausen), writer, "Reich historiographer" of the community, published in 1898 "From the chronicle of the community of Gabelbach".

Gustav Richard Fischer (born August 28, 1862 in Pößneck; † May 13, 1921 in Ilmenau) entrepreneur and industrialist.

The local history researcher Bernd Frankenberger described the members of the community as "hard-drinking, influential and humorous Ilmenau dignitaries" . In terms of self-administration, the community had a Schulzen, treasurer and chronicler. In addition, they named a so-called "community poet."

Politician

Karl-Zink monument in Ilmenau

Memorial stone for Hendrikus Colijn

Hermann Mämpel (born August 25, 1866; † July 18, 1944 in Coburg ), politician (SPD), member of the Coburg state parliament (1908–1912), the state assembly (1919–1920), the Bavarian state parliament (1920) and Coburg city council (1921-1924)

Albert Pulvers (born March 12, 1868; † October 8, 1933 in Ilmenau), politician (SPD), city councilor for 25 years (1908–1933), today a street is named after him.

Paul Löbe (born December 14, 1875 in Liegnitz; † August 3, 1967 in Bonn), politician (SPD), founded the local SPD association (1898), worked briefly in the Henne printing company, later he was President of the Reichstag , after him today named a street in Ilmenau.
Paul Fliedner (born December 10, 1889 in Ilmenau; † July 26, 1970 in Hamburg), communist politician, 1945–1950 mayor of Ilmenau
Hermann Jahn (born March 28, 1894 in Ilmenau, † April 15, 1946 in Erfurt), communist politician, anti-fascist resistance fighter, Lord Mayor of Erfurt
Fritz Sauckel (born October 27, 1894 in Haßfurt; † October 16, 1946 in Nuremberg), politician (NSDAP), lived in Ilmenau from 1922 to 1925, founder and chairman of the NSDAP local group and later Gauleiter of Thuringia, studied at the technical center.
Fritz Reinhardt (born April 3, 1895 in Ilmenau; † June 17, 1969 in Regensburg), politician (NSDAP), NS State Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, founded the Ilmenau Reich Finance School.
Franz Metzner (born May 26, 1895 in Ilmenau; † July 6, 1970 in Essen-Stoppenberg ), politician (NSDAP) and SS-Obersturmbannführer
Hugo Brettschneider (born December 9, 1909 in Ilmenau; † January 5, 1964), politician (CDU), Member of the State Parliament in North Rhine-Westphalia (1947)
Karl Zink (born April 24, 1910 in Zella-Mehlis; † September 6, 1940 in Berlin), resistance fighter (KPD), lived in Ilmenau since 1917, was a resistance fighter against the National Socialists, was executed in Berlin in 1940, today is after him named a street in Ilmenau.
Günter Sieber (born March 11, 1930 in Ilmenau; † November 26, 2006 in Strausberg ), politician (SED), GDR ambassador to Poland, born in Ilmenau
Paul Latussek (born September 6, 1936 in Gleiwitz), right-wing populist politician (DSU), lost his offices and his job at the university because he downplayed the Holocaust and the number of victims at a meeting of the Association of Expellees in Arnstadt on November 9, 2001 denied.
Hansjoachim Walther (born December 16, 1939 in Bütow; † January 17, 2005 in Stützerbach), politician (DSU / CDU), 1990–1991 Federal Minister for Special Tasks, also worked at the university.
Burker-Wieland Jüngling (born January 7, 1943 in Ilmenau), politician (FDP), previously member of the state parliament of Saxony-Anhalt (SPD)
Dagmar Schipanski (born September 3, 1943 in Sättelstädt am Hörselberg) politician (CDU), professor and rector of the TU Ilmenau, ran for the office of Federal President in 1999, 1999–2004 Thuringian Minister for Science, Research and Art, 2004–2009 President of Thuringian Parliament
Michael Krapp (born November 22, 1944 in Gera), politician (CDU), 1999–2004 Thuringian minister of culture, lecturer at the university
Gerd-Michael Seeber (born July 29, 1949 in Ilmenau), politician (CDU), 1990–2018 Lord Mayor of Ilmenau
Jens Goebel (born January 11, 1952 in Jena), politician (CDU), Thuringian minister of education, lived in Ilmenau from 1975 to 1990, then worked at the Technical University.
Christina Schenk (born July 8, 1952 in Ilmenau), politician (SED, later PDS), grew up in Ilmenau, 1990–2002 Member of the Bundestag, active in women's, family, gay and lesbian politics
Andreas Enkelmann (born December 31, 1958 in Jena), politician (SPD), 1990–1999 member of the Thuringian state parliament, today social work at the Ilmenau hospice association
Frank Kuschel (born September 8, 1961 in Ilmenau), politician (Die Linke), 2004–2019 member of the Thuringian state parliament
Petra Enders (born December 24, 1965 in Ilmenau), politician (Die Linke), 2004–2012 member of the Thuringian state parliament, since 2012 district administrator of the Ilm district
Claudia Nolte (born February 7, 1966 in Rostock), politician (CDU), 1994–1998 Federal Minister for Family Affairs
Tankred Schipanski (born December 30, 1976 in Leipzig), politician (CDU), grew up in Ilmenau, Member of the Bundestag since 2009
Marcus Bühl (born April 29, 1977 in Ilmenau), politician (AfD), Member of the Bundestag since 2017
Sascha Bilay (born April 12, 1979 in Ilmenau), politician (Die Linke), member of the Thuringian state parliament since 2019
Daniel Schultheiß (* 1980 in Sonneberg ), politician (independent), from November 2018 Lord Mayor of Ilmenau, previously employee at the TU Ilmenau and city councilor of the voting community "Pro Bockwurst"
Madeleine Henfling (* 1983 in Ilmenau), politician (Bündnis 90 / Die Grünen), 2009–2011 state spokeswoman, member of the Thuringian state parliament since 2014
Andreas Bühl (born February 6, 1987 in Ilmenau), politician (CDU), directly elected for the southern Ilm district as a member of the Thuringian state parliament since 2014

athlete

Franz Wanderer (born February 20, 1901 in Ilmenau; † 1944), marathon runner, Olympic participant in 1928
Elfriede von Nitzsch (born January 26, 1920 in Ilmenau, † October 29, 2011 in Celle), athlete
Franz Knappe (born March 23, 1921 in Harrachsdorf; † March 13, 2017 Geschwenda), ski jumper, started for the WSV Ilmenau
Wolfgang Scheidel (born March 9, 1943 in Erfurt), luge rider, learned toboggan in Ilmenau, Olympic champion in 1972
Wolfram Fiedler (born September 29, 1951 in Ilmenau, † April 11, 1988 in Berlin), luge rider, luge world champion 1975
Hans Rinn (born March 19, 1953 in Langewiesen), luge rider, honorary citizen of the city of Ilmenau since April 3, 1980, Olympic champion in doubles in 1976 and 1980
Norbert Hahn (born January 6, 1954), luge rider, Olympic champion in doubles in 1976 and 1980 (together with Hans Rinn)
Hartwig Gauder (born November 10, 1954 in Vaihingen / E .; † April 22, 2020), walker, moved to Ilmenau in 1960, later to Erfurt, Olympic champion in 50 km walking in 1980
Ute Oberhoffner (born September 15, 1961), luge athlete, honorary citizen of the city of Ilmenau since March 17, 1988
Jens Müller (born July 6, 1965 in Torgau), luge rider, honorary citizen of the city of Ilmenau since March 17, 1988, 1988 Olympic champion
Stefan Krauße (born September 17, 1967 in Ilmenau), luge rider, honorary citizen of the city of Ilmenau since February 19, 1998, Olympic champion in doubles with Jan Behrendt in 1992 and 1998
Jan Behrendt (born November 29, 1967 in Berlin), luge rider, honorary citizen of the city of Ilmenau since February 19, 1998, Olympic champion in doubles with Stefan Krauße in 1992 and 1998
Jana Bode (born March 1, 1969 in Rochlitz), luge athlete, trained as a youth in Ilmenau, World Cup winner 1996
Peter Sendel (born March 6, 1972 in Ilmenau), biathlete, Olympic champion in 1998 with the men's relay
Steffen Skel (born June 14, 1972 in Bad Salzungen), luge rider, trained in his youth in Ilmenau, winning World Cup silver in 2000 and 2001
André Lange (born June 28, 1973 in Ilmenau), bobsleigh athlete, Olympic champion in foursome in 2002 and 2006 and in twos in 2006 and 2010
Martina Stoof (born July 15, 1974 in Ilmenau), beach volleyball player
Andrea Henkel (born December 10, 1977 in Ilmenau), biathlete, Olympic champion, world champion and overall world cup winner
Dirk Matschenz (born May 30, 1979), skeleton driver, German champion in 2001 and Dutch champion in 2007
Jean-Claude Mpassy-Nzoumba (born May 27, 1986 in Ilmenau), Congolese national football player
Dajana Eitberger (born January 7, 1991 in Ilmenau), luge rider, at the 2015 European Luge Championships, Eitberger was European champion both in the single-seater and in the relay.

Other personalities

Elisabeth of Brandenburg

Anastasia von Brandenburg (born March 14, 1478 in Ansbach; † July 4, 1534 in Ilmenau), Countess von Henneberg-Schleusingen, was married to Wilhelm VII zu Henneberg-Schleusingen.
Elisabeth von Brandenburg (born August 24, 1510 in Cölln (Berlin); † May 25, 1558 in Ilmenau), Duchess of Braunschweig-Lüneburg, moved to Ilmenau in 1555, died here alone and disappointed 3 years later.
Andreas Libavius (* 1555 in Halle / S .; † July 25, 1616 in Coburg), alchemist, worked as a teacher in Ilmenau from 1581 to 1586.
Barbara, widow of the cantor Andras Halbig († 1668 in Ilmenau), was beheaded in a witch trial on charges of possession of a dragon.
Johann Stephan Bach (* before 1665 in Ilmenau; † January 10, 1717 in Braunschweig), musician and poet.
Gottfried Heinrich Krohne (born March 26, 1703 in Dresden; † May 30, 1756 in Weimar), architect, led the reconstruction of the city after the fire of 1752, today a street in Ilmenau is named after him.
Johann Christian Bartholomäi (born February 26, 1708 in Ilmenau; † February 1, 1776 in Jena), librarian and scholar, active at the Jena University Library
Johann Georg Wilhelm Freiherr von Keller (born May 11, 1710 in Ilmenau, † November 20, 1785 in Stettin), Lieutenant General and Governor of Stettin
Johann Ernst Heinsius (born May 21, 1731 in Ilmenau, † October 18, 1794 in Erfurt), painter. He worked for several courts in Thuringia and made a name for himself as a portrait and portrait painter.
Sidonia Hedwig Zigarunemann (born January 15, 1711 in Erfurt, † December 11, 1740 in Plaue), poet of the Baroque, often visited Ilmenau because her sister lived here, visited an Ilmenau mine and processed the impressions she gained there in the poem Das Bergwerk zu Ilmenau .
Georg Christian Füchsel (born February 14, 1722 in Ilmenau; † June 20, 1773 in Rudolstadt), geologist, drew the first geological map of Thuringia, today a street in Ilmenau is named after him.
Johann Karl Wilhelm Voigt (born February 20, 1752 in Allstedt; † January 2, 1821 in Ilmenau), geologist, worked in the Ilmenau mining industry, today the Bergrat-Voigt-Straße in Ilmenau is named after him.
Wilhelm Friedrich Hezel (born May 16, 1754 in Königsberg in Franconia; † June 12, 1824 in Dorpat) orientalist, theologian and university professor, owner of the Grenzhammer estate in Ilmenau, lived in Ilmenau from 1778 to 1896
Charlotte Henriette Hezel (born January 8, 1755 in Ilmenau, † April 3, 1817 in Dorpat), journalist and editor
Ernst Christian Wilhelm Ackermann (born June 14, 1761 in Weimar; † October 4, 1835 in Jena), judicial officer in Ilmenau and later editor of the Weimar weekly literary papers
Julius Heinrich Gottlieb Schlegel (born March 15, 1772 in Jena, † January 19, 1839 in Vienna) was the district doctor in Ilmenau
Wilhelm Ernst Schwabe (1775–1851), military lawyer in Weimar
August Thieme (born February 26, 1780 in Allstedt; † June 13, 1860 in Allstedt), poet and writer, held the office of deacon in Ilmenau from 1813 to 1817 .
Christian Ludwig Brehm (born January 24, 1787 in Schönau vor dem Walde, † June 23, 1864 in Renthendorf), ornithologist and father of Alfred Brehm, published some of his works in Ilmenau.
Bernhard Friedrich Voigt (born July 5, 1787 in Weimar; † February 17, 1859 ibid), bookseller, publisher and member of the state parliament of the Ilmenau constituency
Hermann von Staff zu Reitzenstein (1790–1867), officer in the coalition wars
Constantin Ackermann (born April 15, 1799 in Ilmenau; † October 5, 1877 in Meiningen), general superintendent in Meiningen
Johann Christian Hertzer (born June 20, 1807 in Ilmenau; † February 18, 1884 in Ilmenau), Mayor of Ilmenau from 1849 to 1873
Eduard Martiny (born December 25, 1808 in Ilmenau, † September 24, 1876 in Bad Salzschlirf ) as the founder of the spa and its honorary citizen
Gustav Herbst (born November 1, 1809 in Ilmenau, † December 9, 1881 in Weimar ), geometer, geologist and fossil collector
Emil Preller (* 1836; † 1893 in Ilmenau), doctor and owner of "Sanitätsrat Dr. Prellers Kur- und Wasserheilanstalt" in Ilmenau
Friedrich Christoph Pelizaeus (* 1851; † 1942 in Kassel), neurologist, occasionally spa doctor in Ilmenau
Gustav Richard Fischer (born August 28, 1862 in Pößneck; † May 13, 1921 in Ilmenau), entrepreneur, founder of the Fischerhütte (one of the Ilmenau glassworks)
Richard Wiesel (born November 23, 1864 in Langewiesen ; † November 16, 1943 in Würzburg ), doctor and owner of the “Sanatorium Dr. Wiesel ”in Ilmenau
Hendrikus Colijn (born June 22, 1869 in Burgerveen (NL), † September 18, 1944 in Ilmenau), Dutch politician (Prime Minister of the Netherlands in the 1920s), became a German prisoner of war, was deported to Ilmenau, where he was a little later died.
Georg Schmidt (* 1871; † 1955 in Ilmenau), director of the Thuringian technical center in Ilmenau, saved the technical center from being destroyed several times
Marie Gutheil-Schoder (born February 10, 1874 in Weimar; † October 4, 1935 in Ilmenau), opera singer
Otto Prase (* 1874 in Ilmenau; † 1956), master painter and researcher of color theory
Curt Altmann (born February 18, 1883 in Alt Lewin, † August 23, 1958 in Wunsiedel); Industrialist, founded a textile goods factory in Ilmenau ( Curt Altmann & Co. ) together with Willy Besser in 1911 , which he ran here until 1919.
Otto-Wilhelm Förster (born March 16, 1885 in Ilmenau, † June 24, 1966 in Walsrode), general in both world wars, was involved in the construction of the Siegfried Line.
Theodor Eicke (born October 17, 1892 in Hampont; † February 26, 1943 in Michailowka), senior SS officer, studied in Ilmenau after the First World War, worked as an informant / spy for the Ilmenau police, and met his wife, the Ilmenau native, here Bertha Schwebel, know.

Joachim Wanke

Friedrich Michael (* 1892 in Ilmenau; † 1986 in Wiesbaden), writer and publisher, grew up in Ilmenau
Robert Döpel (* 1895 in Neustadt an der Orla; † 1982 in Ilmenau), nuclear physicist, was professor at the University of Electrical Engineering from 1957 to 1962.
Rudolf Bechstein (born April 18, 1897 in Ilmenau; † April 20, 1961 there), landscape painter and photographer, used motifs from his Thuringian homeland
Karl Kemedinger (born September 29, 1897 in Erdberg; † May 1, 1964 in Ilmenau), sculptor, worked as a designer for the porcelain industry (Henneberg, Metzler & Ortloff)
Alfred Wegwerth (* 1897; † 1976), artist and politician (NSDAP), created the sgraffiti on the house walls in Schlachthofstrasse and on the Faraday building of the TU in the 1930s.
Josef Hampel (born December 13, 1897 in Fugau (Bohemia), † February 2, 1979 in Ilmenau), professor of electrochemistry and electroplating at the Technical University of Ilmenau, founder and first director of the Institute for Chemistry, Electrochemistry and Electroplating
Felix Weil (* 1898; † September 18, 1975 in Dover / Delaware), Marxist, organized the “First Marxist Work Week” in Ilmenau in 1923, which later became the Frankfurt School.
Rolf Hansen (born December 12, 1904 in Ilmenau; † December 3, 1990 in Munich), directed numerous films from the 1930s, 40s and 50s.
Siegfried Burmeister (born April 7, 1906 in Anklam, † July 11, 1998 in Ilmenau); Painter, musician and writer of the new modern age
Johannes Martin Ulrich (born January 11, 1909 in Ilmenau; † April 27, 1977 in Zurich), zoologist, professor at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich
Gottfried Forck (born October 6, 1923 in Ilmenau; † December 24, 1996 in Rheinsberg) was a Protestant bishop in Berlin-Brandenburg and was very committed to civil rights activists in the GDR.
Horst Aschermann (born April 27, 1932 in Ilmenau; † July 20, 2005 in Purkersdorf near Vienna), sculptor
Hans-Jürgen Müller (born April 8, 1936 in Ilmenau; † May 27, 2009 in Stuttgart), gallery owner
Christoph Schnittler (* 1936 in Ilmenau), politician and university professor
Joachim Wanke (born May 4, 1941 in Breslau), Catholic bishop in the diocese of Erfurt, grew up in Ilmenau.
Uwe Grüning (born January 16, 1942 in Pabianice near Łódź , Poland), university professor (TH Ilmenau, 1970–1975), writer and politician (CDU), MdL Saxony (1990–2004), Media Council Saxony (2004–2016)
Lutz Fritsche (born January 31, 1944 in Nebra / Unstrut; † July 11, 2016 in Ilmenau), managing director, book author, lived in Ilmenau
Bernd Frankenberger (born March 1, 1944 in Ilmenau), author and historian
Lutz Gebhardt (born March 18, 1952 in Weimar), publisher, founder of the map and tourism literature publisher green heart
Sabine Bock (* 1954 in Ilmenau), architectural historian and monument conservator
Jens Neundorff von Enzberg (* 1966 in Ilmenau), theater director, opera director and dramaturge
Holger-Ralf Ehrhardt (born April 11, 1967 in Ilmenau), journalist and radio host
Monika Guthmann (born February 11, 1968 in Ilmenau), actress, can be seen in numerous television series (e.g. "Tatort", "Behind Bars").
Bettina Lamprecht (born June 2, 1977 in Ilmenau), actress
Katharina Herz (born July 28, 1979 in Ilmenau), pop singer
Philipp Senkpiel (born July 31, 1979 in Ilmenau), DJ, music producer, music publisher
Heinz-Jürgen Voß (born December 17, 1979 in Ilmenau), German social scientist and biologist
Nico Kuhn (born March 13, 1985 in Leipzig), non-fiction author, lives in Ilmenau

Honorary citizen

The following list contains all persons who have been granted honorary citizenship by the Ilmenau city administration. The date of the appointment is given first, followed by the name, a brief description and the reason for the appointment:

1852, August 8th: Johann Christian Gottlob Reiter, grammar school teacher, as thanks for donation
1853, April 4th: August Wilhelm Fils, Prussian major, appreciation of his work as a surveying officer
1854, January 3rd: Louis Jacques Ravené , businessman, as thanks for donation
1861, August 27th: Agnes von Santi, Countess, as thanks for the donation
1862, January 1st: Friedrich Wilhelm Diehm († 1884), businessman, as thanks for donation
1863, February 2: Gustav Höhn (1805–1878), particular, appreciation of his services
1869, October 4: Ernst August Kronbiegel-Collenbusch (1819–1870), Councilor of Commerce, as thanks for donation
1870, June 3: Karl Wilhelm Heise (1810–1883), forester, and his wife Wilhelmine Heise (1817–1886), as thanks for the donation
1870, December 9th: August Reisig († 1884), Justice Commissioner, as thanks for donation
1876, January 8: Ernst Keil (1816–1878), editor, as thanks for a donation

Otto von Bismarck

1879, August 24: Karl Schambach (1836–1920), Privy Councilor, appreciation of his services to the city's rail link
1884, June 8: Karl Springer, reindeer, as thanks for donation
1884, June 8: Bernhard Singer (1830–1889), master builder, as thanks for donation
1890, March 21: Karl Schwanitz , legal advisor, appreciation of his services
1891, March 31: August Lincke (1815–1895), Superintendent, appreciation of his services
1895, April 1st: Otto von Bismarck , Reich Chancellor, general honor by Thuringian cities
1917, October 2nd: Paul von Hindenburg , President of the Reich, general honor by Thuringian cities
1919, March 4th: Hermann Schubert (1853–1928), Councilor of Commerce, appreciation of his services
1922, October 25th: Karl Kirchner, wholesale merchant, in gratitude for charity towards the poor Roda
1933, April 20: Adolf Hitler and Wilhelm Frick , NSDAP politicians; At that time, honorary citizenship was awarded in all cities of the Thuringian City Association and revoked on November 1, 1946.
1936, May 4th: Fritz Reinhardt , NSDAP politician, revoked on November 1st, 1946
1974, September 26th: Pyotr Monakow, first Soviet city commandant over Ilmenau after the Second World War; Awarded for the "building of the German-Soviet friendship in Ilmenau"
1974, September 26th: Zdzislaw Gorski, head of the Polish Budimex group, who helped with various construction works in Ilmenau (e.g. outdoor swimming pool and Schortesiedlung)
1974, September 26th: Charlotte Gleichmann (1912–2008), Mayor of Ilmenau from 1951–1961, recognition for “Supporting the development of socialism in Ilmenau”
1980, April 3rd: Hans Rinn , luge rider, recognition for sporting achievements
1988, March 17th: Ute Oberhoffner and Jens Müller , both luge athletes, recognition for sporting achievements
1998, February 19th: Stefan Krauße and Jan Behrendt , both luge athletes, recognition for sporting achievements
1998, December 10: Willi Botz (1903–2001), local history researcher, recognition for work on local history
2009, January 22nd: Gunter Lacroix (* 1941), Stadtwegewart; Appreciation and recognition of the many years of work as a city guide
2013, January 16: Helmut Krause (* 1952), senior physician; Honor for his commitment during the peaceful revolution in 1989 and appreciation of many voluntary activities (membership in district council and city council, chairman of several associations, establishment of a palliative care ward)

City Medal of Honor

Since 1999 the city of Ilmenau has awarded a medal of honor for social commitment.

Memorial plaques in the urban area

Memorial plaque on the lion, where Goethe celebrated his last birthday in 1831
Memorial plaque on Knebels house
Memorial plaque on Friedrich Hofmann's house
Memorial plaque on Eckermann's house
Memorial plaque on the 50th anniversary of F. Hofmann's death on the Prellerpromenade
Memorial plaque on the Schwalbenstein near Ilmenau (Goethe)
Inscription of the Scheffeldenkmal

swell

List of honorary citizens
Gabelbach community
Illustrious Gesellschaft zu Gabelbach , Thüringer Allgemeine, 2011

Individual evidence

↑ Jürgen Apel: Gabelbach . The hen, 1990.
^ Kai Lehmann : Exhibition "Luther and the Witches" , Ilmenau area, Library Museum Schloss Wilhelmsburg Schmalkalden, 2012; Ronald Füssel: The persecution of witches in the Thuringian region , publications of the working group for historical witchcraft and crime research in Northern Germany, Volume 2, Hamburg 2003, p. 238.
↑ see also: Carl August Hugo Burkhardt: Bartholomäi, Johann Christian . In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB). Volume 2, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1875, p. 108 f.