List of sons and daughters of the city of Riga

This list contains personalities born in Riga with an article in the German language Wikipedia. It is irrelevant whether you subsequently worked in Riga. The list does not claim to be complete.

A.

Solvita Āboltiņa (* 1963), lawyer and politician
Harry Adaskin (1901–1994), Canadian violinist and music teacher
Eriks Ādamsons (1907–1946), writer
Günter Adolphi (1902–1982), German process engineer and university professor as well as a senior functionary of a IG Farben production facility in Auschwitz-Monowitz
Achim von Akerman (1909–1945), Baltic German writer and philologist
Gunnar Alksnis (1931–2011), historian and theologian
Alexander Friedrich Wilhelm von Württemberg (1804–1881), Duke
John Annus (1935–2013), Latvian-American painter and photographer
Alexander Petrovich Apsit (1880–1943), artist
George Armitstead (1847–1912), engineer, entrepreneur, and mayor of Riga
Oleg Artemjew (* 1970), Russian cosmonaut
Vitālijs Astafjevs (born 1971), football player

B.

Johannes Baumann (musician) (1925–2019), German church music director
Johann Georg Berens von Rautenfeld (1741–1805), Russian lieutenant general
Johann Karl Ulrich Bähr (1801–1869), German painter
Jutta Balk (1902–1987), painter, puppet designer and co-founder of the municipal puppet theater in Magdeburg
Sergei Sergejewitsch Bakinski (1886–1939), Soviet revolutionary and politician
Edvīns Bārda (1900–1947), national soccer player
Mikhail Baryshnikov (* 1948), American ballet dancer, choreographer and actor
Elya Baskin (born 1950), American actor
Jānis Frīdrihs Baumanis (1834-1891), architect
Theodor Beise (1818–1878), German-Baltic, lawyer and author
Raivis Belohvoščiks (* 1976), racing cyclist
Johann Christoph Berens (1729–1792), councilor in Riga
Reinhold Berens (1745–1823), German-Baltic physician
Hermann Bergengruen (1872–1919), German-Baltic pastor and Protestant martyr
Werner Bergengruen (1892–1964), German writer
Aleksandrs Bergmanis (1925–2016), lawyer and Holocaust survivor
Ernst von Bergmann (1836–1907), surgeon and professor of medicine
Arend Berkholz (1808–1888), Mayor of Riga
Christian August Berkholz (1805–1889), clergyman and educator
Isaiah Berlin (1909–1997), political philosopher and historian of ideas
Lipman Bers (1914-1993), American mathematician
Zane Bērziņa (* 1971), designer
Viesturs Bērziņš (* 1974), cyclist
Ieva Bidermane (* 1984), physicist and national soccer player
Andris Biedriņš (* 1986), basketball player
Friedrich Gustav Bienemann (1838–1903), Baltic German historian and publicist
Valdis Birkavs (* 1942), politician
Gunnar Birkerts , Latvian Gunārs Birkerts (1925–2017), American architect
Ottilie von Bistram (1859–1931), German women's rights activist
Peter Heinrich von Blanckenhagen (1909–1990), classical archaeologist
Imants Bleidelis (* 1975), football player
Teodors Bļugers (* 1994), ice hockey player; also known as "Teddy Blueger"
Wilhelm Bockslaff (1858–1945), architect
Heinrich Julius Böthführ (1811–1888), mayor
Friedrich von Boetticher (1826–1902), German art historian
Walter von Boetticher (1853–1945), German historian and genealogist
Ernst Gotthilf Bosse (1785–1862), Baltic German history and portrait painter
Karl Hermann von Brevern (1704–1744), Russian diplomat
Mairis Briedis (* 1985), boxer
Anne Broecker (1893–1983), carer, headmistress
Friedrich von Bruemmer (Fred Bruemmer) (1929–2013), animal photographer and writer
Dmitri Bruns (1929–2020), architect and architecture theorist
Friedrich Brutzer (1879–1958), German naval officer, most recently Vice Admiral of the Reichsmarine
Friedrich Buchardt (1909–1982), German-Baltic SS leader
Gustav Daniel Budkowski (1813–1884), painter
Friedrich Alexander Buhse (1821–1898), botanist
Nauris Bulvītis (* 1987), football player
Nicolaus Busch (1864–1933), German-Baltic historian

C.

Vija Celmins (* 1938), painter
Gustav Cleemann (1858–1919), German-Baltic pastor and Protestant confessor
Georg Johannes Conradi (1679–1747), German Lutheran theologian
Selma des Coudres (1883–1956), German painter

D.

Kaspars Daugaviņš (* 1988), ice hockey player
Jacob Davis (1834–1908), tailor, co-inventor of jeans
Vadim Demidov (* 1986), Norwegian football player
Henriete Dermane (1882–1954), Russian-Soviet revolutionary and library scholar
Olga Dinnikova (* 1985), Swiss actress, director and screenwriter
Boris Djacenko (1917–1975), writer
Erhard Doebler (1882–1919), German-Baltic pastor and Protestant martyr
Valdis Dombrovskis (* 1971), politician
Vjačeslavs Dombrovskis (* 1977), politician
Pāvels Doroševs (* 1980), football goalkeeper
Mordechai Dubin (1889–1956), politician
Kaspars Dubra (* 1990), football player
Martins Dukurs (* 1984), skeleton driver
Raivis Dzintars (* 1982), politician

E.

Nicolaus Eck (1541–1623), mayor and burgrave of Riga
August Eckhardt (1868–1919), German-Baltic pastor and Protestant martyr
Gerry Eckhardt (1902–1984), Swedish artist
Theo Eggink (1901–1965), sculptor and puppet carver of the Hohnstein puppet shows

Sergei Eisenstein (1898–1948), Soviet film director

Georg von Engelhardt (1775–1862), German-Baltic-Russian educator and statesman

Heinz Erhardt (1909–1979), German-Baltic comedian, musician, entertainer, actor, poet

Michail Ossipowitsch Eisenstein (1867–1920), important Art Nouveau architect, father of Sergei Eisenstein

F.

Theodor von Faber (1766–1847), Baltic German lawyer and writer
Rudolf Faltin (1830–1918), Protestant pastor and missionary
Valentīna Freimane (1922–2018), theater and film scholar, author
Laila Freivalds (* 1942), Swedish politician
Daniel Fridman (* 1976), chess grandmaster

G

Inessa Galante (* 1954), soprano
Elīna Garanča (* 1976), mezzo-soprano
Alexandre Garbell (1903–1970), painter
Alfred Geist (1863-1919), German-Baltic pastor and Protestant confessor
Manfred Gentz (* 1942), German lawyer
Meinhard von Gerkan (* 1935), German architect
Aivars Gipslis (1937–2000), chess grandmaster
Zemgus Girgensons (* 1994), ice hockey player
Carl Friedrich Glasenapp (1847–1915), Russian State Councilor and Richard Wagner biographer
Bruno Goetz (1885–1954), poet, writer and translator
Kaspars Gorkšs (* 1981), football player
Raimonds Graube (* 1957), General
Erwin Gross (1870–1920), German-Baltic pastor and Protestant confessor
Walter Robert Gross (1903–1974), German paleontologist (son of Erwin Gross)
Konrad Guenther (1874–1955 in Ehrenstetten ), natural scientist
Lev Gutman (* 1945), chess grandmaster

H

Anna Hahn (* 1976), Latvian-American chess player
Eliezer Halfin (1948–1972), Israeli wrestler
Philippe Halsman (1906–1979), photographer and famous for his portraits
Paul Harff (* 1938), German-Baltic economist
Juris Hartmanis (* 1928), computer scientist and Turing Prize winner
Nicolai Hartmann (1882–1950), German philosopher
Julie Hausmann (1826–1901), German-Baltic poet
Jürgen von Hehn (1912–1983), historian
Paul Heinecken (1674–1746), German painter, draftsman and architect
Manfred Hellmann (1912–1992), German historian
Alvis Hermanis (* 1965), stage actor and director
David Hilchen († 1610), city counsel in Riga
Harro von Hirschheydt (1925–2017), German-Baltic publisher and bookseller
Georg Hodakowsky (* 1917), chess master
Korfiz Holm (1872–1942), German writer
Mia Holm (1845–1912), German writer
Erich von Holst (1908–1962), German biologist and behavioral scientist
Raivis Hščanovičs (* 1987), football player
Rudi Hübner (* 1986), German soccer player
Monika Hunnius (1858–1934), German-Baltic writer

I.

Nora Ikstena (* 1969), writer and cultural manager
Kaspars Ikstens (* 1988), football player
Artūrs Irbe (* 1967), goalkeeper of the Latvian national ice hockey team
Raitis Ivanāns (* 1979), ice hockey player

J

Maxim Jacobsen (1887–1973), violinist and violin teacher
Hermann Jadlowker (1877–1953), world-famous tenor
Victor Janson (1884–1960), actor and director
Mariss Jansons (1943–2019), conductor
Ņikita Jevpalovs (* 1994), ice hockey player

K

Biruta Pavlovna Kanzane (* 1939), Soviet-Russian architect
Hans Kahlert (* 1934), German actor
Gil Kane (1926-2000), American comic artist
Ida Kerkovius (1879–1970), German painter and tapestry weaver
Johannes Kirchring (the elder) ( p. 1592–1633), German typist and arithmetic master
Helge Klassohn (* 1944), German theologian and church president of the Evangelical Church in Anhalt
Edgar Klaus (1879–1945 or 1946), real estate agent, diplomat and agent
Artūrs Kļimovičs (* 1991), football player
August von Knieriem (1887–1978), lawyer on the board of IG Farben and defendant during the Nuremberg trials , military economic leader
Alexander Koblenz (1916–1993), chess master
Aleksandrs Koļinko (* 1975), football goalkeeper
John Konrads (* 1942), Australian swimmer
Rihards Kozlovskis (* 1969), politician
Hanns von Krannhals (1911–1970), German historian, translator and graphic artist
Friedrich Krause-Osten (1884–1966), German painter
Friedrich Ludwig Krauss (1900–1977), German building researcher and university professor
Gidon Kremer (* 1947), violinist
Arturs Kruminsch (* 1988), German-Latvian ice hockey player
Maris Kruminsch (* 1987), German-Latvian ice hockey player
Elita Kuzma (* 1964), diplomat
Manfred Kyber (1880–1933), author of (partly anthroposophical) animal stories

L.

Asja Lācis (1891–1979), actress, director and theater manager
Walter Lange (1904–1980), lawyer, hunter and student historian
Ralph Lansky (* 1931), Baltic German lawyer, librarian and legal bibliographer
Andrzej Łapicki (1924–2012), Polish actor and theater director
Johann Ludwig Alexander von Laudon (1762–1822), Austrian Lieutenant Field Marshal
Wolfgang Laur (1921–2009), German philologist
Edward Leedskalnin (1887–1951), sculptor and engineer
Jeschajahu Leibowitz (1903–1994), Israeli religious philosopher and biochemist
Wilhelm Lenz (1939–2020), German historian and archivist
Egils Levits (* 1955), legal scholar; Judge at the European Court of Justice
Tatjana Lietz (Lihzis) (1916–2001), Latvian-German painter and teacher
Fairy von Lilienfeld (1917–2009), German theology professor
Elmar Lipping (1906–1994), Estonian officer and politician in exile
Justus Christian Loder (1753–1832), German-Baltic physician
Voldemārs Lūsis (* 1974), Latvian athlete
Wolfgang Lüth (1913–1945), German submarine commander in World War II
Cynthia Lynn (1936–2014), American actress

M.

Sent M'Ahesa (1883–1970), German-Baltic dancer

Mischa Maisky (* 1948), cellist

Gotthard Wilhelm Marcks von Würtemberg (1688–1778), Swedish field marshal

Hermanis Matisons (1894-1932), chess player

Jānis Mediņš (1890–1966), composer

Jēkabs Mediņš (1885–1971), composer

Dace Melbārde (* 1971), politician

Yosef Mendelevitch (born 1947), rabbi

Elvis Merzļikins (* 1994), ice hockey goalkeeper
Valts Miltovics (* 1979), sports official and manager
Andreas von Mirbach (1931–1975), German officer and diplomat
Kai Molvig (1911–1996), Norwegian dancer, pianist and translator
Ivan Monighetti (* 1948), cellist and conductor
Wera Muchina (1889–1953), Russian sculptor
Vilhelms Munters (1898–1967), statesman and diplomat
Ernst Munzinger (1887–1945), German Wehrmacht officer and resistance fighter

N

Karl Eduard von Napiersky (1793–1864), Livonian literary historian
Andris Nelsons (* 1978), conductor
Walter Neumann (* 1926), German writer
Viktorija Ni (* 1991), chess player
Aaron Nimzowitsch (1886–1935), chess player and theorist

O

Andreas Oksche (1926–2017), German anatomist and neuroendocrinologist
Anna Orlova (* 1972), luge rider
Jeļena Ostapenko (* 1997), tennis player
Leonid Ostrowski (1936-2001), Soviet football player
Eugen Ostwald (1851–1932), Baltic German forest scientist
Walter Ostwald (1886–1958), Baltic German chemist and science journalist
Wilhelm Ostwald (1853–1932), Baltic German chemist and Nobel Prize winner
Wolfgang Ostwald (1883–1943), German biologist, physical chemist and founder of colloid chemistry
Sinta Ozoliņa (* 1988), javelin thrower
Karlis Ozols (1912-2001), Latvian-Australian chess player

P

Christian Heinrich von Pander (1794–1865), Baltic German embryologist, zoologist and paleontologist
Raimonds Pauls (* 1936), composer
Deniss Pavlovs (born 1983), tennis player
Vitālijs Pavlovs (* 1989), ice hockey player
Hans von Pezold (1870–1935), physician, Royal Prussian medical officer
Andris Poga (* 1980), conductor
Rosa von Praunheim (* 1942), German film director, co-founder of the political gay movement in Germany
Friedrich Karl von Prittwitz (1798–1849), Imperial Russian Major General
Juris Pūce (* 1980), politician
Ivars Punnenovs (* 1994), ice hockey goalkeeper

R.

Oscar Rabin (1899–1958), British jazz and entertainment musician
Eva von Radecki (1884–1920), Baltic German writer
Sigismund von Radecki (1891–1970), writer and literary translator
Arkadi Raikin (1911–1987), Russian pantomime, actor, director, satirist, comedian and theater director
Jessy Rameik (1934–2018), German actress and singer
Harriet Ellen Siderovna von Rathlef-Keilmann (1887–1933), sculptor
Marina Rebeka (* 1980), soprano
Clara Redlich (1908–1992), German prehistorian
Victor Reinshagen (1908–1992), Swiss conductor and composer
Jānis Reirs (* 1961), politician
Johann von Reutern (1666–1714), councilor in Riga
Lenore Ripke-Kühn (1878–1955), philosopher, pianist and writer
Hans von Rimscha (1899–1987), historian
Eliyahu Rips (* 1948), mathematician
Laura Rogule (* 1988), chess player
Vsevolod Rudnew (1855–1913), Russian naval officer

S.

Kārlis Šadurskis (* 1959), mathematician and politician
Käthe Saile (1899–1955), German writer
Hermann Samson (1579–1643), Superintendent of Livonia
Jevgēņijs Saproņenko (* 1978), artistic gymnast
Aleksejs Saramotins (* 1982), racing cyclist
Kaspars Saulietis (* 1987), ice hockey player
Aminata Savadogo (* 1993), singer
Max Erwin von Scheubner-Richter (1884–1923), diplomat
Eugen Scheuermann (1856–1919), pastor and martyr
Arno Schickedanz (1892–1945), diplomat
Heinrich Schilinzky (1923–2009), German-Baltic painter and sculptor
Friederike Schirmer (1785–1833), German theater actress
Alexei Schirow (* 1972), chess grandmaster
Carl Christian Gerhard Schirren (1826–1910), historian, editor-in-chief of the "Dorpater Tageblatt"
Karl Schlau (1851–1919), provost and evangelical martyr
Harald Schlegelmilch (* 1987), automobile racing driver
Iossif Schomaker (1859–1931), Russian sailor and Olympic medalist
Thomas Schöning († 1539), Archbishop of Riga
Johann Christoph Schwartz (1722–1804), legal historian and diplomat, mayor of Riga
Joseph Schwarz (1880–1926), opera singer
Georg Schweinfurth (1836–1925), Africa explorer
Philipp Schweinfurth (1887–1954), art historian
Gertrud Schwend-Uexküll (1867–1901), educator and women's rights activist
Marie Seebach (1829–1897), actress
Otto Seeck (1850–1921), ancient historian
Walter Seeler (1929–1996), journalist and Hamburg municipal official
Wilhelm von Seeler (1861–1925), Baltic German lawyer
Konstantin Semilakovs (* 1984), Latvian-German pianist
Alexander von Sengbusch (1796–1883), German-Baltic Evangelical clergyman
Alexander Gottschalk von Sengbusch (1738–1800), merchant and mayor of Riga
Reinhold von Sengbusch (1898–1985), German botanist and plant breeder
Hans-Jürgen Seraphim (1899–1962), economic historian
Peter-Heinz Seraphim (1902–1979), economist
Hans Erich Seuberlich (1920–1984), children's book author
Hans Seyboth (1864–1938), Baltic German chess composer and publicist
Alexander Shabalov (* 1967), Latvian-American chess grandmaster
Elena Shaftan (* 1971), fund manager
Judith N. Shklar (1928–1992), philosopher
Ksenija Sidorova (* 1988), accordionist
Zigismunds Sirmais (* 1992), javelin thrower
Kārlis Skrastiņš (1974–2011), ice hockey player
Baiba Skride (* 1981), violinist
Lauma Skride (* 1982), pianist
Knuts Skujenieks (* 1936), poet and translator
Marģers Skujenieks (1886–1941), Prime Minister, victim of Stalinism
Ainārs Šlesers (* 1970), entrepreneur and politician
Ksenia Solo (* 1987), Canadian actress
Anatoli Solowjow (* 1948), Russian cosmonaut
Edmunds Sprūdžs (* 1980), politician
Constantin Starck (1866–1939), sculptor and medalist
Nava Starr (* 1949), Canadian chess player
Helmuth Stegman (1892–1983), politician and lawyer
Bernhard Stern-Szana (1867–1927), German-Baltic-Austrian writer
Gustav Stever (1823–1877), German church, history and portrait painter
Ludwig Stieda (1837–1918), German physician, anatomist and anthropologist
Wilhelm Stieda (1852–1933), German economist, economic historian and social reformer
Henry Stolow (1901–1971), stamp wholesaler
Heinrich Friedrich von Storch (1766–1835), German-Russian economist
Jānis Stradiņš (1933–2019), chemist, science historian and President of the Latvian Academy of Sciences
Viktor von Struve (1892–1964), film producer
Viktors Stulpins (* 1971), Bishop of Liepāja
Martin Ernst von Styx (1759–1829), Baltic German doctor, rector of the University of Dorpat
Diana Sujew (* 1990), German athlete
Salman Susayev (1911–1981), Israeli politician, member of the Knesset and entrepreneur
Julius von Szymanowski (1829–1868), surgeon

T

Michail Tal (1936–1992), world chess champion
Igors Tarasovs (* 1988), football player
Edgar Tatarin-Tarnheyden (1882–1966), German legal scholar
Jane Tatarin-Tarnheyden (1886–1973), German writer
Robert Taube (1880–1964), German theater and film actor
Wilhelm Taurit (1870–1906), German Baltic Evangelical Lutheran clergyman, martyr
Andris Teikmanis (* 1959), diplomat
Endija Tērauda (* 1997), skeleton driver
George Thoms (1843–1902), Baltic German agricultural chemist
Viktor Tikhonov (* 1988), Russian ice hockey player
Herbert Tiemer (1879–1938), architect
Georg von Tiesenhausen (1914–2018), German-American aerospace engineer
Hans Diedrich von Tiesenhausen (1913–2000), German naval officer and submarine commander
Magdalene von Tiling (1877–1974), religious educator, politician (member of the DNVP )
August Tilling (1797–1861), Courland lawyer
Georg Wilhelm Timm (1820–1895), Baltic German painter, graphic artist, engraver, draftsman and ceramicist
Gottschalk Timmermann († 1570), businessman, Lübeck councilor and diplomat of the Hanseatic city of Lübeck
Gotthard von Timroth (1868–1941), Baltic German officer
Nicolaus von Tornauw (1811–1882), German-Baltic lawyer, author of one of the first presentations of Islamic law in German
Selfira Tregulowa (* 1955), Soviet-Russian art scholar
Edmund von Trompowsky (1851–1919), architect, civil engineer

U

Guntis Ulmanis (* 1939), politician, President from 1993 to 1999
Karl Christian Ulmann (1793–1871), theologian, rector of the Imperial University of Dorpat
Wassili Ulrich (1889–1951), Colonel General and Chairman of the Military College of the Supreme Court of the USSR
Emilia Unda (1879–1939), Baltic German actress
Alexander Unterberger (1827–1875), veterinarian, Russian State Councilor
Juris Upatnieks (* 1936), Latvian-American physicist and inventor, pioneer of holography
Anita Ušacka (* 1952), judge
Nils Ušakovs (* 1976), incumbent mayor of Riga

V

Vadims Vasiļevskis (* 1982), javelin thrower
Haralds Vasiļjevs (* 1952), ice hockey player and coach
Otto Moritz von Vegesack (1807–1874), Russian diplomat of German Baltic origin
Erik Veldre (* 1932), German actor
Gražbylė Venclauskaitė (1912–2017), Lithuanian lawyer
Marģers Vestermanis (* 1925), historian, founder of the Jewish Museum in Riga
Otto Hermann von Vietinghoff (1722–1792), General Director of the All-Russian Medical College
Igors Vihrovs (* 1978), Turner
Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga (* 1937), university lecturer, President from 1999 to 2007
Edgars Vinters (1919-2014), painter
Jānis Vitomskis (1936–2009), chess player, European champion in correspondence chess
Robert Volkner (1871–1950), German theater actor, director and theater manager
Milda Voss (1894–1964), resistance fighter against National Socialism

W.

Arthur Walter (1860–1919), German-Baltic pastor and Protestant confessor
Pola Walter (before 1900 - around 1942), actress of the Yiddish theater
Olga Wendt (1896–1991), German designer
Gerhart von Westerman (1894–1963), composer, director of the Berlin Philharmonic, music writer
Verena von Weymarn (* 1943), German doctor, medical officer and first female general in the Bundeswehr
Peter von Wichert (* 1935), German internist
Burchard Heinrich von Wichmann (1786–1822), German-Baltic writer
Nicolai von Wilm (1834–1911), German composer, pianist and conductor
Rudolf von Wistinghausen (1905–1981), German diplomat
Gunther Witte (1935–2018), German dramaturge, film producer and screenwriter
Henning Witte (1634–1696), German-Baltic biographer and literary historian
Johann Witte (1614–1657), German-Baltic historian and archivist
Nicolaus Witte or Witte von Lilienau (1618–1688), German-Baltic physician, city physician of Riga
Christian Heinrich von Wöhrmann (1814–1874), Baltic German merchant
Johann Christoph Wöhrmann (1784–1843), Baltic German merchant
Aleksander Wojtkiewicz (1963-2006), Latvian-Polish chess player
Margarete Woltner (1897–1985), German Slavist
Alexander Friedrich Wilhelm von Württemberg (1804–1881), Duke of Württemberg
Pauline von Württemberg (1800–1873), Queen of Württemberg
Karl Wustrow (1878–1920), German-Baltic diplomat, German consul in Tabriz

Z

Friedrich Arturowitsch Zander (1887–1933), Baltic German pioneer of rocket construction
Walter Zapp (1905–2003), inventor of the miniature camera and the Minox brand

Kārlis Zariņš (1930–2015), opera singer

Valdis Zatlers (* 1955), politician, former President of the Republic of Latvia

Juris Zeibārts (* 1959), major general

Agnese Zeltiņa (* 1971), actress

Elmars Zemgalis (1923-2014), Latvian-American chess player

Yitzchak Zieman (1920–2007), Latvian-American psychoanalyst

Roberts Zīle (* 1958), economist and politician

Aljoscha Zimmermann (1944–2009), German pianist and composer

Laima Žurgina (* 1943), documentary film director and screenwriter