List of personalities of the city of St. Gallen
This list contains personalities born in St. Gallen , sorted chronologically according to the year of birth, as well as personalities who are known locally through their work or their place of residence. The list does not claim to be complete.
Personalities born in St. Gallen
Until 1600
- Georg Gmünder (1391–1478), Mayor of St. Gallen
- Konrad Hör (first mentioned in 1415, last mentioned in 1457), merchant and mayor of St. Gallen
- Hans Schurff (1415–1480), Mayor of St. Gallen
- Gallus Kemli (1417–1480 / 81), wandering monk, prolific writer and book owner
- Hector von Watt (around 1420–1474), mayor of St. Gallen
- Ulrich Varnbuler (1432–1496), Imperial Bailiff and Mayor of St. Gallen
- Heinrich Zili (1434– after 1500), mayor of St. Gallen
- Othmar Schlaipfer (first mentioned in 1440; † 1485), Mayor of St. Gallen
- Jakob Schurtanner (around 1450 - 1526), Catholic priest, Evangelical Reformed pastor in Teufen and reformer in the Appenzell region
- Leonhard Merz (before 1450 - 1507), Mayor of St. Gallen
- Caspar Rugg († 1509), merchant and mayor of St. Gallen
- Ludwig Vogelweider (before 1454 - 1492), merchant and mayor of St. Gallen
- Christian Studer (1458–1531), Swiss businessman and mayor of St. Gallen
- Johannes Varnbüler (1464–1545), Mayor of Lindau
- Christoph Schappeler (around 1472 - 1551), Reformed theologian, peasant leader and reformer
- Ulrich Varnbuler (1474–1545), diplomat
- Hans Rainsperg (1480–1548), Mayor of St. Gallen
- Hieronymus Schurff (1481–1554), German lawyer
- Jakob Zili , businessman and politician in St. Gallen
- Joachim von Watt (1484–1551), humanist, physician, scholar, mayor and reformer of the city of St. Gallen
- Lorenz Hochrütiner (* before 1492), iconoclast and Anabaptist preacher
- Benedikt Burgauer (1494–1576), theologian and reformer
- Augustin Schurff (1495–1548), German physicist and medic
- Ambrosius Schlumpf (1497–1566), Mayor of St. Gallen
- Ambrosius Aigen (around 1500 - 1578), merchant and mayor of St. Gallen
- Wolfgang Ulimann (around 1500 - 1530), Anabaptist preacher
- Dominik Zili (before 1500-1542), reformer
- Johannes Rütiner (1501–1556), businessman, politician, chronicler and copyist
- Johannes Kessler (around 1502 - 1574), Protestant theologian and reformer
- Kaspar Schlumpf (1510–1587), merchant and mayor of St. Gallen
- Leonhart Zollikofer (1529–1587), merchant and policeman in St. Gallen
- Jacob Spengler (1537–1613), Mayor of St. Gallen
- Konrad Friederich (1542–1600), Mayor of St. Gallen
- Othmar Reiner (1542–1613), Mayor of St. Gallen
- Joachim Zollikofer (1547–1631), Mayor of St. Gallen
- Joachim Reutlinger (1553–1620), Mayor of St. Gallen
- Georg Huber (1557–1642), Mayor of St. Gallen
- Kaspar Friederich (1572–1655), Mayor of St. Gallen
- Ambrosius Schlumpf (1573–1635), Mayor of St. Gallen
- Jacob Studer (1574–1622), librarian at the city library
- Sebastian Schobinger (1579–1652), physician and mayor of St. Gallen
- Johannes Hildbrand (1580–1654), mayor and mint master in St. Gallen
- David Cunz (1592–1664), Mayor of St. Gallen
- Silvester Hiller (1592–1663), surgeon and mayor of St. Gallen
- Friedrich Buchmann (1595–1670), Mayor of St. Gallen
1601 to 1800
- Othmar Appenzeller (1610–1687), hat maker and mayor of St. Gallen
- Joachim Kunkler (1612–1696), Mayor of St. Gallen
- Hans Joachim Haltmeyer (1614–1687), pharmacist and mayor of St. Gallen
- Johannes Spengler (1629–1700), Mayor of St. Gallen
- Heinrich Hiller (1633–1719), Mayor of St. Gallen
- Georg Wartmann (1645–1727), Mayor of St. Gallen
- Lorenz Werder (1646–1720), Mayor of St. Gallen
- Jacob Züblin (1653–1729), Mayor of St. Gallen
- Christoph Hochreutiner (1662–1742), Mayor of St. Gallen and delegate from the Diet
- Friedrich Girtanner (1664–1753), Mayor of St. Gallen and representative of the Diet
- Kaspar von Fels (1668–1752), Mayor of St. Gallen and Envoy of the Diet
- Georg Gsell (1673–1740), baroque painter, art advisor and art dealer
- David Stähelin (1673–1750), Mayor of St. Gallen
- Hans Jacob Rietmann (1677–1756), Mayor of St. Gallen
- Caspar Bernet (1698–1766), Mayor of St. Gallen
- Heinrich Giller (1701–1764), merchant and member of the Moravian Brethren
- Heinrich Schlumpf (1702–1783), Mayor of St. Gallen and representative of the Diet
- Hans Joachim Steinmann (1703–1792), Mayor of St. Gallen
- Daniel Högger (1706–1784), Mayor of St. Gallen
- Georg Abbt (1716–1757), Protestant clergyman
- Jakob Wegelin (1721–1791), historian and philosopher
- John Joachim Zubly (1724–1781), pastor, farmer and politician
- Hans Joachim Bernet (1725–1809), Mayor of St. Gallen and representative of the Diet
- Georg Joachim Zollikofer (1730–1788), Swiss-German theologian and hymn poet
- Adrian Zingg (1734–1816), painter, draftsman, etcher and engraver
- Joseph Anton Siegmund von Beroldingen (1738–1816), canon, friend of Goethe and St. Clement Maria Hofbauer
- Franz Cölestin von Beroldingen (1740–1798), theologian and speculative geologist
- Caspar Steinlin (1740–1814), Mayor of St. Gallen
- Hans Joachim Steinmann (1769–1836), Mayor of St. Gallen
- Georg Leonhard Zili , businessman and banker in St. Gallen
- David Christoph Huber (1777–1836), chief pastor in the Church of St. Leonhard
- Johann Martin Schirmer (1777–1842), businessman, entrepreneur and farmer
- Daniel Steinmann (1779–1839), businessman, cantonal councilor, government councilor and delegate to the Diet
- Ferdinand Huber (1791–1863), composer
- Johann Daniel Wilhelm Hartmann (1793–1862), painter, engraver and malacologist
- David Vonwiller (1794–1856), industrial pioneer in southern Italy
- Michael August Wegelin (1797–1867), lawyer and politician
1801 to 1850
- Carl Arnold Gonzenbach (1806–1885), painter, engraver and draftsman
- August Näf (1806–1887), Chairman of the Board of Directors and historical researcher
- Friedrich Wilhelm Hartmann (1809–1874), civil engineer
- Arnold Halder (1812–1888), businessman, local poet and songwriter
- Friedrich Albert Wenner (1812–1882), textile entrepreneur in southern Italy
- Johann Christoph Kunkler (1813–1898), architect
- Gaspard Gsell (1814–1904), Swiss-French glass painter
- Johann Jacob Rietmann (1815–1867), theologian and writer
- Arnold Otto Aepli (1816–1897), politician, lawyer and editor
- Theodor Gsell Fels (1818–1898), non-fiction author, art historian and physician
- Laurenz Engwiller (1819–1894), pastor, council clerk and politician
- Johann Jakob Weilenmann (1819–1896), alpinist
- Karl Hoffmann (1820–1895), politician
- Bartholome Konrad Karl Bärlocher (1821–1891), businessman and entrepreneur
- Gustav Zellweger (1822–1893), textile entrepreneur and politician
- Elisabeth Kelly (1825–1890), painter
- Joseph Karl Pankraz Morel (1825–1900), lawyer and politician
- Friedrich Bernhard Wartmann (1830–1902), botanist and plant collector
- Traugott Schiess (1834–1869), painter
- Alphonse Bory (1838-1891), politician
- Alexander Baumgartner (1841–1910), Jesuit and literary scholar
- Adolph Saurer (1841–1920), entrepreneur
- Jakob Müller (1842–1901), politician
- Julius Kunkler (1845–1923), architect and painter
- Victor Fehr (1846–1938), landowner and politician
- Roderich Albert Kunkler (1846–1900), politician
- Samuel Oettli (1846–1911), Protestant clergyman and university professor in Bern and Greifswald
- Heinrich Weydmann (1848–1922), lawyer and politician
- Hans Eduard von Berlepsch-Valendas (1849–1921), architect and painter
- Arnold Billwiler (1850–1928), brewery entrepreneur
1851 to 1900
- Adolf Schlatter (1852–1938), Protestant theologian and professor
- Arthur Hoffmann (1857–1927), politician
- Johann Künzle (1857–1945), Catholic priest, publicist and a pioneer of modern phytotherapy
- August Hardegger (1858–1927), architect
- Robert Curjel (1859–1925), architect
- Robert Emden (1862–1940), physicist, astrophysicist and meteorologist
- Otto Feuerlein (1863–1930), physicist, electrical engineer and pioneer in the manufacture of light bulbs
- Gustav Laager (1867–1931), entrepreneur
- Robert Rittmeyer (1868–1960), architect
- Otto Pflegehard (1869–1958), architect
- Carl August Liner (1871–1946), painter, draftsman, graphic artist and inventor
- Karl Nef (1873–1935), musicologist
- Hans Fehr (1874–1961), legal historian
- Otto Fischbacher (1874–1953), entrepreneur, textile merchant and art collector
- Ernst Rüdin (1874–1952), doctor, psychiatrist and racial hygienist / eugenicist
- Ernst Löpfe (1878–1970), publisher and politician
- Otto Schlaginhaufen (1879–1973), anthropologist and ethnologist
- Heinrich Greinacher (1880–1974), physicist
- Wilhelm Meier (1880–1971), sculptor
- Rudolf Miescher (1880–1945), politician and officer
- Saly Mayer (1882–1950), textile entrepreneur and President of the SIG
- Wilhelm Wartmann (1882–1970), art historian and director of the Kunsthaus Zürich
- Jacob Lorenz (1883–1946), sociologist and university professor
- Regina Ullmann (1884–1961), Austrian-Swiss poet and storyteller
- Henri Kunkler (1886–1951), aviation pioneer
- Carl Böckli (1889–1970), writer, caricaturist and editor
- Robert Gsell (1889–1946), aviation pioneer
- Karl Kobelt (1891–1968), politician
- Paul Grüninger (1891–1972), police captain
- Dora Fanny Rittmeyer (1892–1966), art historian
- Arnold Wolfers (1892–1968), American political scientist
- Max Heinz (1894–1988), Christian Catholic clergyman and publicist
- Walter Mittelholzer (1894–1937), aviation pioneer
- Werner Näf (1894–1959), historian
- Werner Johannes Guggenheim (1895–1946), actor, playwright, dramaturge and translator
- Thomas Holenstein (1896–1962), politician
- Karl Meier (1897–1974), actor
- Erich Schmidt (1897–1952), German publicist, politician and publisher
- Armand Hiebner (1898–1990), organist and music critic
- Karl Käfer (1898–1999), Austrian-Swiss business economist
- Charles Hug (1899–1979), painter and book illustrator
- Emil Luginbühl (1899–1983), Germanist
- Edmund Richner (1900–1994), journalist, editor and politician
1901 to 1925
- Laura Thoma (1901–1966), lesbian activist
- Hans Huber (1901–1987), lawyer and federal judge
- Karl Schölly (1902–1987), writer
- Medard Boss (1903-1990), psychiatrist
- Otto Kopp (1903–1972), politician
- Ernst Otto Marti (1903–1979), writer
- Fritz Münch (1903–1993), union official and President of the St. Gallen Cantonal Council
- Otto Furter (1905–1998), photographer
- René Gilsi (1905–2002), graphic artist, painter and caricaturist
- Ernstrouteisen (1905–1978), Chief Apostle and thus chief leader of the New Apostolic Church
- Margret Fusbahn (1907–2001), aviation pioneer
- Curt Burgauer (1908–2002), textile merchant and art collector as well as author and publisher
- Hermann Frey (1908–1980), architect
- Hans Herold (1908–2002), lawyer
- Albert Graf-Bourquin (1909–2001), publisher, art critic, art collector and patron
- Emil Engeler (1910–1993), artist
- Benno Schaeppi (1911–1988), journalist
- Harald Huber (1912–1998), politician and federal judge
- Bärbel Inhelder (1913–1997), developmental psychologist
- Karl Ledergerber (1914–2004), editor and writer
- Carl Walter Liner (1914–1997), painter and draftsman
- Herbert Lüthy (1914–1996), physicist
- Johannes Duft (1915–2003), monastery librarian
- Kurt Früh (1915–1979), film director
- Karl Huber (1915–2002), lawyer and politician
- Martin Allgöwer (1917–2007), surgeon
- Joseph Stephan Moser (1918–1993), Austrian newspaper publisher
- Trudi Gerster (1919–2013), actress, storyteller and politician
- Robert Suter (1919–2008), composer and jazz pianist
- Victor Hasler (1920–2003), Protestant clergyman and professor at the University of Bern
- Walter Roderer (1920–2012), popular actor
- Hans Haug (1921–1995), lawyer
- Franz Xaver Hofmann (1921–2003), geologist
- Fred Luchsinger (1921–2009), journalist
- Hansjürg Steinlin (1921–2004), forest scientist and university professor
- Edwin Tobler (* 1922), coin collector and numismatist
- Hans Moeckel (1923–1983), composer and conductor
- Paul Hans Tobler (* 1923), locksmith, metal worker and industrial entrepreneur
- Florian Camathias (1924–1965), motorcycle racer
- Kurt Furgler (1924–2008), politician
- Roswitha Haftmann (1924–1998), gallery owner and benefactor
- Arthur Honegger (1924–2017), journalist, writer and politician
- Eduard Stäuble (1924–2009), publicist and author
- Hans Ferdinand Bürki (1925–2002), General Secretary of the VBG and Associate General Secretary of IFES
- Hans Rudolf Hilty (1925–1994), writer and publicist
- August E. Hohler (1925–2002), psychotherapist, journalist and writer
- Ruedi Schatz (1925–1979), politician, banker and mountaineer
- Walter Zwingli (1925–2018), Swiss politician (FDP)
1926 to 1950
- Joachim Salzgeber (1926–2012), Benedictine brother in Einsiedeln Abbey and teacher
- Doris Morf (1927–2003), politician
- Heinz Allenspach (* 1928), politician
- Hansrudi Wäscher (1928–2016), comic book artist and author
- Iso Baumer (* 1929), religious scholar
- Hermann Joseph Kopf (1929–1979), writer
- Ines Torelli (1931–2019), cabaret artist, singer and popular actress
- Alfons Weisser (1931–2016), architect and artist
- Hans-Werner Hunziker (1934–2011), psychologist
- Werner Jung (1935–1997), geometer and secondary school teacher
- Alois Riklin (* 1935), political scientist
- Roland Gretler (1937–2018), photographer and social researcher
- Elmar Holenstein (* 1937), philosopher
- Johannes Anderegg (* 1938), Germanist and literary scholar
- Richard Dürr (1938–2014), football player
- Ernst Ziegler (* 1938), historian and paleographer
- Hans Eugen Frischknecht (* 1939), composer, music teacher and organist
- Hannes W. Keller (* 1939), physicist, patron and sports official
- Dora Koster (1939–2017), writer and painter
- Markus Rauh (1939–2019), manager
- Heinz Schulthess (* 1939), entrepreneur and racing car driver
- Verena Voiret (* 1939), artist and women activist
- Ruth Dreifuss (* 1940), politician
- Klaus Lutz (1940–2009), painter, experimental filmmaker and performance artist
- Niklaus Meienberg (1940–1993), historian, writer and journalist
- Klara Obermüller (* 1940), journalist, writer and television presenter
- Helen Schüngel-Straumann (* 1940), Roman Catholic theologian
- Ruedi Aeschbacher (* 1941), politician
- Franz Jaeger (* 1941), economist and politician
- Hanspeter Lebrument (* 1941), publisher
- Günther Frei (* 1942), mathematician and mathematician historian
- Hans Hartmann (* 1942), jazz bassist and Chapman stick player
- Trix Heberlein (* 1942), lawyer and politician
- Fredi Alder (* 1943), politician (SP)
- Bernhard Furrer (* 1943), architect and preservationist
- Eugen Strähl (* 1944), entrepreneur and racing car driver
- Willy Bischof (1945–2019), radio journalist and jazz pianist
- Eugen David (* 1945), politician
- Daniel Thürer (* 1945), legal scholar
- Marco Bischof (* 1947), author
- Peter Gomez (* 1947), economist
- Karl Ammann (* 1948), photographer
- Josef Flammer (* 1948), ophthalmologist
- Miguel Herz-Kestranek (* 1948), Austrian actor and book author
- Margrit Verena Zinggeler (* 1949), university professor and author
- Hans Altherr (* 1950), politician
- Paola Felix (* 1950), pop singer and presenter
- Valentin Landmann (* 1950), lawyer, author and politician
1951 to 1975
- Jürg Kesselring (* 1951), neurologist
- Peter Liechti (1951–2014), filmmaker
- Franziska Messner-Rast (* 1951), photographer
- Joachim Rittmeyer (* 1951), cabaret artist
- Norbert Möslang (* 1952), improvisation musician
- Paul Rechsteiner (* 1952), politician and trade unionist
- Pierre Rothschild (* 1952), journalist and media entrepreneur
- Pius Segmüller (* 1952), 32nd Commander of the Pontifical Swiss Guard and politician
- Bruno Zuppiger (1952–2016), politician
- Alfons Karl Zwicker (* 1952), composer and pianist
- Urs Bosshardt (* 1953), actor
- René Bottlang (* 1953), jazz pianist and composer
- Bernhard Ehrenzeller (* 1953), lawyer
- Konrad Hummler (* 1953), private banker
- Carlo Schöb (* 1953), jazz saxophonist
- René Tinner (* 1953), music producer and studio technician
- Hans Fässler (* 1954), historian, politician and cabaret artist
- Franz Xaver Bishop (* 1955), Roman Catholic theologian
- Renate Brümmer (* 1955), German astronaut candidate
- Bruno Oberle (* 1955), Director of the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN)
- Ernst Hafen (* 1956), biologist
- Christoph Maeder (* 1956), sociologist
- Ralph Scheuss (* 1956), competitive strategist, management consultant and book author
- Peter Weigelt (* 1956), entrepreneur and politician
- Beat Breu (* 1957), racing cyclist and cyclist
- Simone Drexel (* 1957), singer
- Meinrad Morger (* 1957), architect and professor of building theory
- Matthias Hüppi (* 1958), moderator and sports reporter
- Rainer Stadler (* 1958), journalist
- Fredy Fässler (* 1959), lawyer and politician
- Sabeth Holland (* 1959), painter and sculptor
- Andreas Kley (* 1959), legal scholar
- Verena Merz (1959–1990), painter
- Thomas Brunner (* 1960), politician
- Pascale Grau (* 1960), performance artist, curator and lecturer
- Thomas Hengartner (1960–2018), folklorist
- Hildegard Elisabeth Keller (* 1960), literary scholar and literary critic
- Kuno Schedler (* 1961), business economist
- Karina Thayenthal (* 1961), Austrian actress
- Petra Wenzel (* 1961), Liechtenstein ski racer
- Mathias Binswanger (* 1962), economist
- Irina Schoettel-Delacher (* 1962), Austrian-Swiss employee and politician
- Hans-Peter Wessels (* 1962), politician
- Christoph Keller (* 1963), writer
- René Oberholzer (* 1963), writer
- Felix Falkner (* 1964), composer
- David Signer (* 1964), ethnologist, journalist and writer
- Catherine Ann Berger (* 1965), film dramaturge and film critic
- Ueli Bodenmann (* 1965), rower
- Marcel Magis (1965–2018), German writer
- Roger Walch (* 1965), Japanologist, filmmaker and publicist
- Gregor Zöllig (* 1965), dancer and choreographer
- Giuseppe Gracia (* 1967), writer, journalist and communications consultant
- André Schmucki (1967–2019), artist, painter, graphic artist and photographer
- Andrea Büchler (* 1968), lawyer and politician
- Maximilian von und zu Liechtenstein (* 1969), Liechtenstein manager
- Eva Maron (* 1969), actress, dancer and singer
- Patrick Senn (* 1969), radio presenter
- Markus Gier (* 1970), rower
- Lukas Bangerter (* 1971), director
- Roman Riklin (* 1971), composer, musician and author
- Martin Streule (* 1971), composer and big band leader
- Marco Zwyssig (* 1971), football player
- Gabriela Krapf (* 1973), pop and jazz musician and songwriter
- Sibylle Stillhart (* 1973), journalist and writer
- Manuel Stahlberger (* 1974), cabaret artist, songwriter and comic artist
- Aurelia Frick (* 1975), Liechtenstein politician
- David Philip Hefti (* 1975), composer and conductor
- Christian Heule (* 1975), cyclocrosser
From 1976
- Marco Battilana (* 1976), curler
- Pascal Sieber (* 1977), curler
- Chris Sulser (* 1977), director, actor, producer and author
- Isabel Schorer (* 1978), politician (FDP)
- Enzo Todisco (* 1980), Italian football player
- Lukas Mantel (* 1982), jazz musician
- Fabian M. Müller (* 1983), jazz musician
- Stephan Sigg (* 1983), theologian and author
- Dominik Meichtry (* 1984), swimmer
- Stephan Weiler (* 1984), Mister Switzerland of the year 2008
- Tranquillo Barnetta (born 1985), football player
- Swintha Gersthofer (* 1985), actress
- Nevin Galmarini (* 1986), snowboarder
- Marwin Hitz (* 1987), football player
- Damian Bellón (* 1989), football player
- Michael Lang (* 1991), football player
- Franziska Ryser (* 1991), member of the city parliament and national councilor (Greens)
- Kevin Fiala (born 1996), ice hockey player
- Sereina Zwissler (* 1998), floorball player
- Jasper van der Werff (* 1998), soccer player
Personalities who worked in the city
- Heinrich Zwick († around 1458), cloth merchant and mayor of St. Gallen
- Kaspar von Vonbühl (* before 1490, † after 1548), Mayor of St. Gallen
- Bartholomäus Schobinger (1500–1585), merchant and alchemist
- Heinrich Hochreutiner († 1513), merchant and mayor of St. Gallen
- Caspar Schlumpf († 1524), mayor of St., Gallen
- Jacob Krum († 1527), Mayor of St. Gallen
- Placidus Bridler (1613–1679), Benedictine priest, canon law teacher and official in St. Gallen and governor of St. Gallen
- Bartholomäus Anhorn the Younger (1616–1700), Evangelical Reformed pastor and historian, 1637–1648 in St. Gallen
- Sylvester Samuel Anhorn von Hartwiss (1659–1736), physician, member of the council and city physician of St. Gallen
- Peter Bion (1684–1735), textile entrepreneur
- Julius Hieronymus Zollikofer (1713–1802), Mayor of St. Gallen
- Jacob Bartholome Rittmeyer (1786–1848), textile merchant
- Ludovico «Aquilino» Maestrani (1814–1880), entrepreneur, founder of the Maestrani chocolate factory
- Gabriel Narutowicz (1865–1922), first President of the Second Polish Republic; previously worked as a hydraulic engineer in St. Gallen
- Jakob Bruderer (1821–1884), entrepreneur and politician
- Ernst Schmid (1888–1941), geographer
- Lothar Rothschild (1909–1974), rabbi
- Hans Hurni (1926–2017), Central Director of the St. Galler Kantonalbank and football official (FC St. Gallen, new stadium)
Individual evidence
- ^ Peter Müller: Aquilino Maestrani. In: Historical Lexicon of Switzerland . October 22, 2009 , accessed March 24, 2020 .