List of personalities from the Westphalian Wilhelms University
This list of the personalities of the Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität contains numerous famous graduates and students, lecturers and professors as well as holders of honorary doctorates from the Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität in Münster .
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/14/Ulrike_Meinhof_als_junge_Journalistin_%28retuschiert%29.jpg/150px-Ulrike_Meinhof_als_junge_Journalistin_%28retuschiert%29.jpg)
Ulrike Meinhof as a young journalist (around 1964). In 1958 she was a member of the AStA .
University professor
- Wilhelm Ackermann (1896–1962), mathematician, found the Ackermann function
- Dieter Ahlert (* 1944), business economist (marketing; especially distribution and trade)
- Barbara Aland (* 1937), Protestant theologian
- Kurt Aland (1915–1994), Protestant theologian, founder of the Institute for New Testament Text Research and the Bible Museum
- Götz Alsmann (* 1957), musicologist, musician, entertainer, honorary professor
- Gerd Althoff (* 1943), historian (Medievalist)
- Arnold Angenendt (* 1934), Catholic theologian and church historian
- Max Apffelstaedt (1863–1950), dentist and art collector
- Helmut Arntzen (1931–2014), Germanist and writer
- Wilfrid Bach (1936–2015), geographer and climatologist
- Klaus Backhaus (* 1947), business economist (especially marketing )
- Paul Bachmann (1837–1920), mathematician, known for number theory
- Jörg Baetge (* 1937), business economist (especially balance sheets and auditing )
- Karl Barth (1886–1968), Evangelical Reformed theologian, "Church father of the 20th century"
- Johannes Bauermann (1900–1987), historian, archivist
- Ulrich Beck (1944–2015), sociologist
- Jörg Becker (* 1959), business data processing and managing director of ERCIS
- Benedict XVI. (* 1927), bourgeois Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger
- Heinrich Behnke (1898–1979), mathematician, co-founder of complex analysis ("Münster School of Complex Analysis")
- Heinz Bittel (1910–1980), physicist, rector
- Herwig Blankertz (1969–1983), educational scientist / pedagogue
- Albert Bleckmann (1933–2004), legal scholar
- Hans Blumenberg (1920–1996), philosopher
- Martin T. Bohl (* 1962), economist
- Manfred Borchert (1939–2017), economist (money and currency)
- Axel Born (1887–1935), Honorary Professor of the Faculty of Economics and Director of McKinsey
- Günter Breithardt (* 1944), Director of the Medical Clinic and Polyclinic C of the Münster University Hospital , one of the world's leading cardiologists
- Bernhard Brockamp (1902–1968), geophysicist and polar researcher
- Johann Heinrich Brockmann (1767–1837), professor of theology and cathedral preacher
- Hans Brox (1920–2009), legal scholar and judge at the Federal Constitutional Court a. D.
- Alfred Brunswig (1877–1927), philosopher
- Wolfgang Burandt (* 1957), lawyer, attorney
- Dieter Claessens (1921–1997), sociologist and anthropologist
- Lars Clausen (1935-2010), sociologist
- Carl Correns (1864–1933), botanist and plant geneticist, rediscoverer of Mendel's rules
- Joachim Cuntz (* 1948), mathematician, Max Planck Research Prize winner (1993) and Leibniz Prize winner
- Max Dehn (1878–1952), mathematician, was the first to solve one of Hilbert's 23 mathematical problems
- Christopher Deninger (* 1958), mathematician and Leibniz Prize winner
- Cornelia Denz (* 1963), physicist, 2010–2016 Vice-Rector for International Affairs and Young Scientists
- Gerhard Domagk (1895–1964), pathologist and bacteriologist, Nobel Prize in Medicine 1939
- Friedrich Karl Dörner (1911–1992), epigraphist and archaeologist, researcher of Nemrut Dağı
- Udo Di Fabio (* 1954), judge at the Federal Constitutional Court
- Theodor Filthaut (1907–1967), pastoral theologian
- Wilhelm Flitsch (1924–2012), chemist
- Otto Forster (* 1937), mathematician
- Walter Franz (1911–1992), physicist ( Franz Keldysh effect )
- Harald Fuchs (* 1951), physicist for experimental physics, co-founder of CeNTech
- Marian Füssel (* 1973), historian
- Adolf Gottlob (1857–1930), historian
- Thomas Großbölting (* 1969), historian
- Heinz Grossekettler (1939–2019), economist, especially finance, chairman of the scientific advisory board of the Federal Ministry of Finance
- Boris Groys (* 1947), philosopher
- Erich Gutenberg (1897–1984), business economist, inventor of modern business administration
- Andreas Hartmann (* 1952), folklorist
- Heinz Hartmann (* 1930), sociologist
- David Haunfelder (1912–1989), dentist
- Eduard Heis (1806–1877), astronomer
- Ernst Helmstädter (1924–2018), economist
- Thorsten Hennig-Thurau (* 1967), business economist (especially marketing )
- Hans-Olaf Henkel (* 1940), honorary professor at the Faculty of Economics
- Hans Hermes (1912–2003), from 1953 to 1966 head of the Institute for Mathematical Logic and Basic Research
- Horst Herrmann (1940-2017), sociologist and writer ( PEN Center )
- Johannes Herrmann (theologian) (1880–1960), Protestant theologian
- Klaus Hildebrand (* 1941), historian
- Franz Hillenkamp (1936–2014), bioanalyst , known for the invention of the "matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry" (MALDI-MS) used worldwide today
- Johann Wilhelm Hittorf (1824–1914), physicist and chemist, discoverer of cathode rays , honorary citizen of Münster
- Thomas Hoeren (* 1961), legal scholar in the field of information, telecommunications and media law
- Walther G. Hoffmann (1903–1971), economist, known for his work on the growth of the German and English economies
- Bernd Holznagel (* 1957), legal scholar in the field of information, telecommunications and media law
- Dieter Hoppe (* 1941), chemist, one of the most famous in Germany in the field of synthetic chemistry , a. a. Max Planck Research Award Winner
- Klaus Hortschansky (1935–2016), musicologist
- Christoph Aloys Hüffer (1755–1792), professor of natural and international law, later also criminology, father of Johann Hermann Hüffer
- Fernando Inciarte (1929-2000), philosopher
- Erwin Iserloh (1915–1996), theologian
- Hans D. Jarass (* 1945), legal scholar, head of the Central Institute for Spatial Planning
- Erik Jayme (* 1934), legal scholar
- Johann Heinrich Kalthoff (1803–1839), private lecturer for oriental languages and oriental antiquities
- Walter Kasper (* 1933), theologian and cardinal
- Ferdinand Adalbert Kehrer (1883–1966), physician, neurologist, psychiatrist
- Adel Theodor Khoury (* 1930), theologian, known for his works on Christianity and Islam, translator of the most famous Koran translation
- Wilhelm Killing (1847–1923), mathematician, founder of the theory of continuous groups
- Paul Kirchhof (* 1943), legal scholar, professor until 1987
- Johann Hyacinth Kistemaker (1754–1834), Catholic theologian and educator
- Wilhelm Klemm (1896–1985), chemist, rector
- Friedrich von Klocke (1891–1960), historian
- Karl Knauer (Romanist) (1906–1966), Romanist
- Helmut Koch (1919–2015), business economist (especially corporate management), predecessor of the Institute for Plants and System Technologies
- Joseph König (1843–1930), chemist
- Werner Korte (1906–1982), musicologist
- Manfred Krafft (* 1963), business economist (especially marketing )
- Herma Kramm (1920–1998), university choir director
- Adolf Kratzer (1893–1983), physicist, “father” of the Honnef model
- Paul Krause (doctor) (1871–1934), internist and radiologist
- Ekkehard Kreft (1939–2015), music teacher and musicologist
- Wilhelm Kroll (1869–1939), classical philologist, professor from 1906 to 1913
- Hans-Jürgen Krysmanski (1935–2016), sociologist
- Manuel Losada Villasante (* 1929), biochemist
- Ulrich Leffson (1911–1989), business economist , especially auditing and balance sheets
- Karl Lehmann (archeology) (1894–1960), archaeologist
- Paul Leidinger (historian) (* 1932), historian, history teacher
- Franz Lotze (1903–1971), geologist
- Hermann Lübbe (* 1926), philosopher
- Wolfgang Lück (* 1957), mathematician and Max Planck Research Award winner (2003)
- Niklas Luhmann (1927–1998), sociologist
- André Marchand (* 1980), business economist (esp. Marketing )
- Frido Mann (* 1940), psychologist and writer, grandson of Thomas Mann
- Golo Mann (1909–1994), historian, publicist, writer, 1958–1960 guest lecturer at the WWU, son of Thomas Mann
- Odo Marquard (1928–2015), philosopher
- Wolf-Dieter Marsch (1928–1972), Protestant theologian
- Willi Marxsen (1919–1993), evangelical theologian, New Testament scholar, founder of the editorial history method
- Heribert Meffert (* 1937), business economist (especially marketing )
- Johann Baptist Metz (1928–2019), Catholic theologian
- Wolfgang Metzger (1899–1979), psychologist
- Klaus Mezger (* 1958), geochemist and Leibniz Prize winner
- Georg Milbradt (* 1945), economist and former Prime Minister of Saxony
- Ruth Mohrmann (1945–2015), folklorist.
- Alfred Müller-Armack (1901–1978), economist
- Frank Natterer (* 1941), mathematician, internationally known for the field of numerical mathematics
- Ursula Nelles (* 1949), lawyer, professor since 1994 and rector of the WWU from 2006–2016
- Christoph Neuberger (* 1964), communication scientist
- Eberhard Nieschlag (* 1941), doctor, men's medicine
- Jürgen Overhoff (* 1967), historian and educationalist
- Josef Pieper (1904–1997), philosopher
- Otto Alfred Piper (1891–1982), German-American Protestant theologian
- Johann Plenge (1874–1963), economist and sociologist
- Detlef Pollack (* 1955), sociologist
- Andreas Predöhl (1893–1974), economist, rector 1961/62
- Thomas Pröpper (1941–2015), theologian
- Karl Rahner (1904–1984), theologian
- Marianne Ravenstein (* 1957), communication scientist
- Hans-Jürgen Rehm (1927–2017), microbiologist, holder of the DECHEMA medal
- Reinhold Remmert (1930–2016), mathematician, known for his discoveries in complex analysis
- Bernhard Rensch (1900–1990), biologist
- Irmintraut Richarz (1927–2012), director of the Institute for Household Science and Household Didactics
- Klemens Richter (* 1940), director of the seminar for liturgical science, dean of the Catholic Theological Faculty
- Gerhard A. Ritter (1929–2015), historian
- Joachim Ritter (1903–1974), philosopher
- Rudolf Rosemann (1870–1943), physiologist
- Wilhelm Sauer (lawyer) (1879–1962), legal scholar, criminologist
- Helmut Schelsky (1912–1984), sociologist
- Winfried Schlepphorst (1937–2006), cathedral organist, musicologist
- Eva Schlotheuber (* 1959), historian
- Jürgen Schmidt (* 1941), former rector of the WWU
- Siegfried J. Schmidt (* 1940), communication scientist and philosopher
- Edzard Schmidt-Jortzig (* 1941), politician and lawyer
- Perry Schmidt-Leukel (* 1954), theologian and religious scholar
- Ruth Schmidt-Wiegand (1926–2014), Germanist, legal historian
- Otmar Schober (* 1948), nuclear medicine specialist
- Armin Scholl (* 1962), communication scientist
- Heinrich Scholz (1884–1956), philosopher and mathematician, pioneer and founder of the first Institute for Mathematical Logic
- Georg Schreiber (politician) (1882–1963), Catholic theologian, church historian, member of the Reichstag (center), rector of the WWU 1945/46
- Andreas Schulte (* 1958), forest scientist and chairman of the board of the International Institute for Forests and Wood in North Rhine-Westphalia
- Jochen Schumann (1930–2018), economist (economic theory)
- Waltraut Seitter (1930–2007), astronomer
- Hans-Jürgen Seraphim (1899–1962), economic historian
- Burkhard Spinnen (* 1956), German scholar and writer
- Anton Matthias Sprickmann (1749–1833), poet and lawyer, friend and supporter of Annette von Droste-Hülshoff
- Edith Stein (1891–1942), philosopher, women's rights activist, Catholic nun and saint
- Dieter Stöffler (* 1939), planetologist and Leibniz Prize winner
- Barbara Stollberg-Rilinger (* 1955), historian and Leibniz Prize winner
- Robert Stupperich (1904–2003), Protestant theologian
- Ulrich van Suntum (* 1954), economist
- Aurel von Szily (1880–1945), ophthalmologist
- Hans-Ulrich Thamer (* 1943), historian
- Jost Trier (1894–1970), Germanist
- Rosemarie Tüpker (* 1952), music therapist and musicologist
- Ulrich Unger (1930–2006), sinologist
- Otmar von Verschuer (1896–1969), physician , human geneticist and twin researcher
- Dietmar Vestweber (* 1956), cell biologist and Leibniz Prize winner
- Hermann Cardinal Volk (1903–1988), former bishop of Mainz
- Herbert Vorgrimler (1929–2014), Catholic theologian
- Gottfried Vossen (* 1955), computer scientist and Vice President of the Society for Computer Science
- Berthold Wald (* 1952), philosopher, today rector of the theological faculty in Paderborn
- Michael Wecklein (1778–1849), professor of exegesis and oriental languages, canon in Aachen
- Hans Wehr (1909–1981), Islamic scholar and author of the leading Arabic-German and Arabic-English dictionaries
- Johannes Wessels (* 1962), physicist, dean of the physics department from 2006 to 2010 , rector of the Westphalian Wilhelms University from 2016
- Ewald Wicke (1914–2000), chemist, recipient of the Fritz Haber Prize of the Bunsen Society for Physical Chemistry, holder of the Arnold Eucken Medal and the DECHEMA Medal
- Friso Wielenga (* 1956), historian and director of the Center for Dutch Studies
- Benno von Wiese (1903–1987), Germanist
- Burkhard Wilking (* 1970), mathematician and Leibniz Prize winner
- Hubert Wolf (* 1959), historian and theologian and Leibniz Prize winner
- Hans-Michael Wolffgang (* 1953), lawyer
- Peter Wust (1884–1940), philosopher
- Erich Zenger (1939-2010), Catholic theologian
- Kaspar Zumkley (1732–1794), mathematician
Graduates and Students
- Götz Alsmann (* 1957), musician, entertainer and honorary professor
- Peter Paul Althaus (1892–1965), writer and cabaret artist
- Walter Baade (1893–1960), astronomer, astrophysicist
- Daniel Bahr (* 1976), politician Federal Minister for Health
- Katarina Barley (* 1968), politician (SPD), Federal Minister of Justice and Consumer Protection
- Christian Becker-Carus (* 1936), natural scientist, psychologist and sleep researcher
- Johannes Georg Bednorz (* 1950), Nobel Laureate in Physics (1987)
- Gabriele Behler (* 1951), politician
- Gerhard J. Bellinger (1931-2020), theologian
- Thomas Bellut (* 1955), ZDF program director
- Hubertus Brandenburg (1923–2009), Bishop of the Catholic Church in Sweden
- Werner Brinkmann (* 1946), sole director of Stiftung Warentest between 1995 and the end of 2011
- Johann Heinrich Brockmann (1767–1837), Catholic theologian, clergyman and university professor
- Manfred Bruhn (* 1949), business economist, especially marketing. Professor at the University of Basel and honorary professor at the Technical University of Munich
- Friedhelm Busch (* 1938), TV presenter ( Telebörse )
- Martin Carrier (* 1955), philosopher, Leibniz Prize winner
- Friedrich Caspers (* 1951), business economist, CEO of R + V Versicherung
- Wolf-Michael Catenhusen (1945–2019), politician
- Wolfgang Clement (* 1940), former German Federal Minister for Economics and Labor
- Paul Josef Cordes (* 1934), Curia Cardinal, President of the Pontifical Council Cor Unum
- Gerhard Cromme (* 1943), lawyer, chairman of the supervisory board of Siemens AG
- Wilhelm Damberg (* 1954), church historian, professor at the Ruhr University in Bochum
- Werner Delfmann (* 1949), mathematician and business economist (direction: logistics)
- Ulrich Deppendorf (* 1950), journalist and moderator
- Ingolf Deubel (* 1950), politician
- Kai Diekmann (* 1964), journalist
- Thomas Dinkelmann (* 1959), politician
- Andreas Raymond Dombret (* 1960), business economist, Vice-Chairman Europe Bank of America , Chairman of the Management Board Germany, Austria, Switzerland
- Mariano Freiherr von Droste zu Hülshoff (1907–1997), chief forest master
- Wilderich von Droste zu Hülshoff (* 1948), lawyer, author and board member
- Martin Ebbertz (* 1962), writer
- Kaspar Elm (1929–2019), historian
- Kirsten Erl (1966–2017), TV judge
- Hans-Jürgen Ewers (1942–2002), economist, President of the TU Berlin
- Gerd Faltings (* 1954), mathematician, Fields Medal and Leibniz Prize winner
- Dieter Fenske (* 1942), chemist
- Wilhelm Anton Ficker (1768–1824), doctor in Paderborn
- Kurt von Figura (* 1944), molecular biologist, habilitation, President of the Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
- Birgit Fischer (* 1953), politician
- Mareile Flitsch (* 1960), ethnologist and sinologist
- Wilhelm Flitsch (1924–2012), chemist
- Peter Funnekötter (* 1946), rower
- Jürgen Gerdes (* 1964), business economist, board member of Deutsche Post AG
- Herbert Giersch (1921–2010), economist, headed the Institute for the World Economy from 1969 to 1989, long-time member of the Federal Ministry of Economics a. a.
- Hans Grauert (1930–2011), mathematician, a. a. first winner of the Karl-Georg-Christian-von-Staudt-Prize
- Friedrich Wilhelm Grimme (1827–1887), writer, scholar
- Andreas Gruschka (* 1950), educational scientist / pedagogue
- Sergi Gvarjaladze (* 1967), musician, journalist, showmaster, film director
- August Hanning (* 1946), State Secretary of the Federal Ministry of the Interior and former President of the Federal Intelligence Service
- Peter Heine (* 1944), Islamic scholar
- Gustav Heinemann (1899–1976), politician
- Hans Werner Heymann (* 1946), educational scientist and university professor
- Franz Cardinal Hengsbach (1910–1991), former Bishop of Essen
- Werner Heukamp (1929–2020), Catholic pastor, local history researcher and author
- Friedrich Hirzebruch (1927–2012), mathematician
- Andreas Holzem (* 1961), theologian, professor at the University of Tübingen
- Wolfgang Holzgreve (* 1955), prenatal doctor , medical director at the University Hospital Bonn
- Heike van Hoorn (* 1971), manager and author
- Friedrich Janssen (* 1935), theologian
- Bernhard Jussen (* 1959), historian, Leibniz Prize winner
- Oliver Kalkofe (* 1965), moderator
- Peter Kallien , Science Manager, Managing Director of the Private University of Witten / Herdecke
- Ingo Knollmann (* 1976), singer in the punk band Donots
- Johann Heinrich Kalthoff (1803–1839), Hebrew, pedagogue and university lecturer
- Michael Karas (* 1952), bioanalyst
- Wilhelm Keim (1934–2018), chemistry (technical chemistry)
- Wilhelm Killing (1847–1923), mathematician
- Edige Mustafa Kirimal (1911–1980), Turkish politician of Crimean Tatar origin
- Stefan Klöckner (* 1958), Catholic theologian and musicologist , professor at the Folkwang University in Essen
- Karin Kneffel (* 1957), painter
- Manfred Kock (* 1936), theologian
- Benedikt Kranemann (* 1959), Catholic theologian, liturgist and professor at the University of Erfurt
- Heinrich Kreft (* 1958), German diplomat
- Hermann Küllmer (* 1944), Chief Financial Officer Altana
- Anil Jacob Kunnel (* 1984), director, film producer and author
- Heinz Rudolf Kunze (* 1956), musician
- Günther Lachmann (* 1961), economist, deputy head of the parliamentary editorial office of Welt am Sonntag
- Falko Langenhorst (* 1964), mineralogist, Leibniz Prize winner
- Jens Lehmann (* 1969), German national player (goalkeeper)
- Norbert Lehmann (* 1960), television presenter and journalist
- Dieter Lenzen (* 1947), educationalist, President of the Free University of Berlin
- Robert Ley (1890–1945), politician (NSDAP), head of the DAF
- Ursula von der Leyen (* 1958), doctor, politician
- Erik Lindner (* 1964), head of the corporate archive at Axel Springer AG
- Hermann Löns (1866–1914), journalist and writer
- Niklas Luhmann (1927–1998), sociologist
- Gregor Luthe (* 1970), entrepreneur, chemist and toxicologist
- Hubertus Lutterbach (* 1961), Catholic theologian and professor
- Thomas de Maizière (* 1954), politician
- Frank Mattern (* 1961), business economist, Germany boss McKinsey
- Ingrid Matthäus-Maier (* 1945), politician
- Miriam Meckel (* 1967), journalist, former State Secretary for Media in North Rhine-Westphalia, communications scientist
- Dieter Medicus (1929–2015), 1956 doctorate in Münster as iur.
- Ulrike Meinhof (1934–1976), journalist, terrorist with the RAF
- Helmut Metzner (1925–1999), chemist, recipient of the Federal Cross of Merit
- Andreas KW Meyer (* 1958), music dramaturge and journalist
- Thomas Middelhoff (* 1953), former Bertelsmann - Arcandor - CEO
- Ralf Miggelbrink (* 1959), theologian
- Georg Milbradt (* 1945), former Prime Minister of Saxony (also honorary professor)
- Fritz-Gerd Mittelstädt (* 1948), professor at the University of Osnabrück
- Peter Mohr (* 1964), economist and neuro-economist
- Walter Momper (* 1945), politician
- Karsten Mosebach (* 1969), teacher and photographer
- Arnold Münster (1912–1990), chemist
- Heinrich Mussinghoff (* 1940), Bishop of Aachen
- Philip Naameh (* 1948), Archbishop in Tamale
- Ingo Nentwig (1960–2016), sinologist and ethnologist
- Martin Niemöller (1892–1984), Protestant theologian and resistance fighter against National Socialism
- René Obermann (* 1963), economics, CEO of Deutsche Telekom AG
- Günter Ollenschläger (* 1951), head of the Medical Center for Quality in Medicine , Berlin
- Gertrud Pätsch (1910–1994), philologist, ethnologist
- Christian Peitz (* 1974), author and radio play producer
- Andreas Pinkwart (* 1960), politician, former Minister for Innovation, Science, Research and Technology and Deputy Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia
- Ruprecht Polenz (* 1946), politician
- Christopher Poremba (* 1967), pathologist, University of Düsseldorf
- Judith Rakers (* 1976), journalist, television presenter and spokeswoman for Tagesschau
- Veronika Rampold (* 1964), doctor, author and publicist
- Carla Reemtsma (* 1998), climate protection activist
- Reinhold Remmert (1930–2016), mathematician, leading function theorist of the post-war period
- Ernst Reuter (1889–1953), former mayor of Berlin (1948–1953)
- Peter Rocholl (* 1929), radio editor and journalist
- Gerhard Rödding (* 1933), Protestant theologian and politician of the CDU
- Gerhard Roth (* 1942), neurobiologist
- Felix Rütten (1881–1961), Roman Catholic priest, historian and teacher
- Judith Ryan (* 1943), Germanist, professor at Harvard University
- Winfried Scharlau (1934-2004), journalist
- Rainer Schepper (* 1927), writer
- Frank Schindelhauer (* 1953), general practitioner
- Thorsten Schmidt , business economist, board member Gildemeister AG, Career of the year 2006 ( Junge Karriere magazine )
- Hubert Schulze Pellengahr (1899–1985), politician
- Kurt Schumacher (1895–1952), politician, first opposition leader in the Federal Republic
- Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza (* 1938), theologian (doctorate in Münster), professor at Harvard University
- Ferdi Schüth (* 1960), chemist, Leibniz Prize winner
- Hans-Joachim Schwager (1929–2004), educator
- Rudolf Seiters (* 1937), politician
- Horst Siebert (1938–2009), economist, former head of the Institute for the World Economy from 1989 to 2003
- Friedrich Sieburg (1893–1964), journalist
- Alex Siedenbiedel , business economist, degree and doctorate, guitarist for the band Donots
- Michael Sievernich (* 1945), SJ , professor for pastoral theology at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz and at the Philosophical-Theological University of Sankt Georgen
- Hans-Werner Sinn (* 1948), economist, President of the Ifo Institute for Economic Research
- Martin Sonneborn (* 1965), satirist, politician
- Burkhard Spinnen (* 1956), writer
- Karl Stein (1913–2000), mathematician, winner of the first Georg Cantor medal
- Christoph Strässer (* 1949), member of the German Bundestag, SPD
- Martin Stuflesser (* 1970), Catholic theologian, professor of liturgical science at the Julius Maximilians University of Würzburg
- Barbara Stühlmeyer (* 1964), author, scientist
- Ludger Stühlmeyer (* 1961), cantor, composer and musicologist
- Friedel Thiekötter (1944–2011), writer
- Hans Tietmeyer (1931–2016), economist
- Bettina Tietjen (* 1960), presenter
- Berthold Tillmann (* 1950), politician
- Klaus Töpfer (* 1938), politician and UN High Commissioner
- Franz Vallée (* 1964), business economist
- Markus Voeth (* 1968), professor of business administration, especially marketing, at the University of Hohenheim
- Claudia Vorst (* 1963), pedagogue, Germanist and university professor
- Karl-Josef Wasserhövel (* 1962), State Secretary, SPD
- Bernd Wehren (* 1970), elementary school teacher and textbook author
- Karl Weierstrass (1815–1897), mathematician
- Marina Weisband (* 1987), psychologist and politician
- Oliver Welke (* 1966), moderator
- Manfred Wennemer (* 1947), mathematician, CEO of Continental AG
- Monica Nancy Wick (* 1971), actress, film producer, film director and screenwriter
- Arthur Wieferich (1884–1954), mathematician
- Christian Wilp (* 1964), journalist, head of the Washington studio of the news channel n-tv
- Klaus Zumwinkel (* 1943), former CEO of Deutsche Post World Net
Honorary doctors
- Giuseppe Alberigo (1926–2007), Roman Catholic theologian and church historian (1999, Catholic Theological Faculty)
- Friedrich Althoff (1839–1908), former secret councilor for the university department (1904)
- Jan Assmann (* 1938), Egyptologist , religious scholar and cultural scientist (1998, Protestant Theological Faculty)
- Karl Barth (1886–1968), Evangelical Reformed theologian (1922, Evangelical Theological Faculty)
- Ernst-Wolfgang Böckenförde (1930–2019), legal scholar, former judge at the Federal Constitutional Court (2001, Faculty of Law)
- Johannes Bours (1913–1988), Roman Catholic theologian and writer (Catholic Theological Faculty)
- Oliver Brachfeld (1908–1967), psychologist and representative of individual psychology (1960, Philosophical Faculty)
- Urie Bronfenbrenner (1917–2005), developmental psychologist
- Alfred Buß (* 1947), President of the Evangelical Church of Westphalia (2009, Evangelical Theological Faculty)
- Henri Paul Cartan (1904–2008), mathematician in Paris (1952, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences)
- Günther Dehn (1882–1970), Protestant pastor and practical theologian (1926, Protestant theological faculty)
- Arnold L. Demain (1927–2020), Microbiology and Biotechnology (2003, Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences)
- Ingolf Deubel (* 1950), politician (2004, Faculty of Economics)
- Johannes Bernhard Diepenbrock (1796–1884), theologian and historian
- Hermann Jakob Dingelstad (1835–1911), Bishop of Münster (1890, Catholic Theological Faculty)
- Georg Draheim (1903–1972), economist (1968)
- David AO Edward (* 1934), legal scholar, judge at the Court of Justice of the European Communities (2001, Faculty of Law)
- Martin Eichler (1912–1992), mathematician (1982, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences)
- Heinz Ellenberg (1913–1997), biologist, botanist and landscape ecologist
- Gerhard Ertl (1936), physicist and Nobel Prize winner (2000, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences)
- Gerd Faltings (1954), mathematician, Fields Medal (2012, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences)
- Gilberto Freyre (1900–1987), Ph. D., founder of Brazilian sociology (1968, Faculty of Law and Political Science)
- Johann Michae l Fritz (* 1936), art historian (2005, Evangelical Theological Faculty)
- Alois Fuchs (1877–1971), theologian and art historian (1947, Philosophical Faculty)
- August Gärtner (1848–1934), physician and microbiologist (Philosophical Faculty)
- Tenzin Gyatso (* 1935), 14th Dalai Lama (2007, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences)
- Paul Goerens (1882–1945), metallurgist (1942, Philosophical Faculty)
- Mikhail Gorbachev (* 1931), former President of the USSR (2005, Faculty of Law)
- Manfred Gotthardt , 1984 to 2006 Commercial Director of the University Hospital Münster (2003, Medical Faculty)
- Johann Georg Hagen (1847–1930), astronomer and director of the Vatican observatory in Rome
- Tomas Hammar (* 1928), political scientist (2002, Philosophical Faculty)
- Jean-Claude Juncker (* 1954), Prime Minister of Luxembourg and President of the European Commission (2001)
- Gennadi Georgijewitsch Kasparow , mathematician (2002, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences)
- Karl Koch (1876–1951), Protestant theologian (1929, Protestant theological faculty)
- Anton Köchling (1903–1990), Director of the Regional Association of Westphalia-Lippe (1962, Medical Faculty)
- Wim Kok (1938–2018), Prime Minister of the Netherlands (2003, Philosophical Faculty)
- Helmut Kollhosser (1934-2004), lawyer (2003, medical faculty)
- Heinrich Kraut (1893–1992), chemist and nutrition researcher (1963, Faculty of Medicine)
- Hanna-Renate Laurien (1928–2010), theologian (1996, Catholic Theological Faculty)
- Ulrich Lehner (* 1946), manager
- Robert Lehr (1883–1956), politician (medical faculty)
- Robert Leicht (* 1944), journalist (2003, Protestant Theological Faculty)
- Reinhard Lettmann (1933–2013), Bishop of Münster (1991, Catholic-Theological Faculty)
- Karl Lücking (1893–1976), Protestant theologian (1954, Protestant theological faculty)
- Jan Łukasiewicz (1878–1956), Polish logician (1938, Faculty of Science)
- Geert Mak (* 1946), Dutch writer and journalist (2014, Department of History / Philosophy)
- Rupert Neudeck (1939–2016), journalist
- Gerrit Noltensmeier (* 1941), regional superintendent of the Lippe regional church (2005, Protestant theological faculty)
- Reinhard Mohn (1921–2009), Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Bertelsmann Foundation (2001, Faculty of Economics)
- Krzysztof Penderecki (1933–2020), composer and conductor (2006, Philosophical Faculty)
- Karl Peters (1904–1998), lawyer (1989, medical faculty)
- Friedrich Philippi (1853–1930), historian and archivist (1923, Faculty of Law)
- Erich Potthoff (1914–2005), auditor and member of the state parliament (1996, Faculty of Economics)
- Arnulf Rainer (* 1929), painter (2004, Catholic Theological Faculty)
- Bernhard Salzmann (1886–1959), politician (1950, medical faculty)
- Hubert Schmidbaur (* 1934), chemist (2005, Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences)
- Erich Schumann (1930–2007), lawyer (2002, Faculty of Law)
- Albert Schweitzer (1875–1965), theologian, philosopher and doctor (1958, Medical Faculty)
- Hubertus Schwartz (1883–1966), Senator in the Free City of Danzig, lawyer, mayor and local researcher (Protestant Theological Faculty)
- Jon Sobrino SJ (* 1938), theologian (1998, Catholic Theological Faculty)
- Karl Stein (1913–2000), mathematician (1973, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences)
- Stijn Streuvels (1871–1969), Flemish writer (1941, Faculty of Philosophy and Science)
- Wolfgang Thierse (* 1943), politician (2004, Philosophical Faculty)
- Hans Tietmeyer (1931–2016), former President of the Bundesbank. D. (1994, Faculty of Economics)
- Wilhelm Thimme (1879–1966), Protestant theologian (1925, Protestant theological faculty)
- Klaus Tolksdorf (* 1948), lawyer and federal judge (1999, Faculty of Law)
- Wolfgang Trilling (1925–1993), Catholic priest, theologian and New Testament scholar (1971)
- Martin Weber (* 1952), economist, for his services to decision theory (2007, Faculty of Economics)
- Wilhelm Weirich (1879–1954), Protestant theologian (1932, Protestant Theological Faculty)
- Hermann Witting (1927-2010), mathematician (1992, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences)
- Wilhelm Zangen (1891–1971), General Director and Chairman of Mannesmann AG and other companies (1958, Faculty of Economics)
Web links
Commons : Personalities of the Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files