Germany

Heitler, Walter (1904–81), theoretical physicist and philosopher, was born 2 January 1904 in Karlsruhe, Baden, Germany, son of Adolf Heitler, a Jewish engineering professor, and Ottilie Heitler (née Rudolf ). His largely classical early education left him with a lifelong interest…

Hempel, Eduard (1887–1972), German diplomat, was born 6 June 1887 in Pirna, Saxony, and baptised into the Zwinglian church, eldest among two sons and one daughter of Carl Constantin Hempel, district administrator, and Russian-born Olga Elvine Hempel (neé Ponfick). In 1898 his…

Hennig, Paul Gottfried Johannes (John) (1911–86), scholar and businessman, was born 3 March 1911 in Leipzig, Germany, fourth of five children of Fürchtegott Max Hennig, protestant theologian and teacher, and his wife Berta Johanna (neé Clemen) who was from a family of distinguished…

Jaffé, Sir Otto (1846–1929), businessman and philanthropist, was born 13 August 1846 in Hamburg, Germany, third son among four sons and five daughters of Daniel Joseph Jaffé (1809–74) and his wife Frederiké. Daniel Joseph Jaffé was a merchant in the Hamburg firm of Jaffé Brothers, who…

Keogh, William Nicholas (1817–78), MP and judge, was born 17 December 1817 in Mary St., Galway city, eldest son of William Keogh, solicitor and clerk of the crown, and his wife Mary, daughter of Austin French of Rahoon, Co. Galway. After attending Dr Huddard's school on Mountjoy…

Lewy, Ernst (1881–1966), linguist, was born on 19 September 1881 in Breslau, Germany (now Wrocław, Poland), the youngest of ten children of Jacob Lewy, a merchant, and Julia Lewy (née Bielschowsky). The family background was Jewish. Lewy attended the König-Wilhelms-Gymnasium in Breslau…

Logier, Johann Bernhard (1777–1846), pedagogue, composer, arranger, inventor, concert promoter, and music publisher and seller, was born 9 February 1777 in Kassel, Germany, the son of Johann Jacob Logier (1736–84), an organist and violinist, and Christina Elizabeth Gotze (1742–87…

MacCarthy, Donogh (1668–1734), 4th earl of Clancarty , soldier and Jacobite, was born in Blarney, Co. Cork, only son of Callaghan MacCarthy (qv) (second son of Donough MacCarthy (…

MacSheehy, Bernard (Brian) (1774–1807), officer in the French army, was born in Ireland on 2 December 1774, son of Bernard MacSheehy, also a French officer, and his wife, Honora (née Fagan). He was the fourth generation of his family (which had roots in Co. Kerry) to serve in the…

Magee, James (d. 1866), journalist and newspaper proprietor, was born in Dublin, the younger son of John Magee (qv), journalist and lottery broker. He was apprenticed to a Dublin merchant, and later had his own business, but also worked…

Mahr, Adolf (1887–1951), archaeologist and Nazi activist, was born 7 May 1887 at Trent in the South Tyrol (then part of the Hapsburg empire), the son of Gustav Johann Mahr, military bandmaster, and his wife, Maria Antonia (née Schroll). (His grandfather and two uncles were also…

Marianus Scottus (Máel-Brigte) (d. 1082/3), Irish chronicler on the Continent, entered the monastery of Mag Bile (Movilla, Co. Down) when 24 years old, but was later expelled by the abbot, Tigernach Bairrchech, for some small offence and left Ireland (1056), never to return. We next…

Meyer, Kuno (1858–1919), Celtic scholar, philologist and translator, was born 20 December 1858 in Hamburg, north Germany, second among four children of Eduard Meyer, a classical historian of some repute, and Henrietta Meyer. Kuno first attended the Siemsenschen Privatschule and then the…

Mullen, Michael (1919–82), trade unionist, republican, and politician, was born 1 February 1919 at 10 New St., Church St., Dublin, son of John Mullen, glassblower, and Martha Mullen (née Smith). Educated at St Michan's, Halston St., Dublin, he was forced to leave school at 14 to…

Mulvany, William Thomas (1806–85), engineer, public servant, and pioneer developer of deep mining in the Ruhr, was born in Sandymount, Dublin, eldest among seven children of Thomas James Mulvany (qv) (1779–1845) and his wife Mary (née…

Naish, John (1841–90), lawyer and lord chancellor of Ireland, was born at Ballycullen, Co. Limerick, second son of Carrol Naish, merchant, and Anna Margaret Naish (née O'Carroll); he came from a prosperous Roman Catholic family. Educated at Clongowes Wood College, Kildare, he…

O'Doherty, William James (1835–68), sculptor, was born in Dublin; no details of his parents are known. In 1848 he entered the RDS school, where he first studied painting before changing to modelling at the encouragement of Constantine…

Ranke, Clarissa (‘Clara’) Helena von (1808–71), poet, was born in Dublin, elder daughter of John Crosbie Graves (1776–1835), chief police magistrate of Dublin, and his wife Helena, daughter of the Rev. Charles Perceval, rector of Bruhenny, Co. Cork. Her brother…

Rosen, Hans Waldemar (1904–94), music teacher and choral conductor, was born 15 July 1904 in Dresden, Germany, the only child of Ferdinand Rosetzka and Hedwig Rosetzka (née Thiele). In 1919 his father changed the family name to Rosen. Primarily of German extraction, he was reared in…

Ryan, Francis Richard (‘Frank’) (1902–44), revolutionary, was born 11 September 1902 at Elton, Knocklong, Co. Limerick, fifth son among five sons and four daughters of Vere Ryan and Ann Ryan (née Slattery), both national school teachers. He attended the local national school until…

Ryan, Mary Kate ('Kit', 'Cáit') (1878–1934), academic and political activist, was born at Tomcoole, Taghmon, Co. Wexford, second of twelve children (four sons and eight daughters) of John Ryan, strong farmer, and his wife Elizabeth (née Sutton). The family was notable for its…

Schomberg (Schönberg), Frederick Herman von (1615–90), 1st duke of Schomberg , soldier of fortune, and commander-in-chief of William III's army in Ireland, was born 6 December 1615 at Heidelberg, Germany, the only son of Hans Meinhard von Schönberg (1582–1616), marshal of the…

Shaw (Shaw-Graetz), Elizabeth (1920–92), artist and children's author, was born 4 May 1920 in the manager's residence above the Ulster Bank in York Street, Belfast, the second of two daughters (there were also two sons) of George William Shaw, bank manager, originally from Co.…

Suerbeer, Albert (Albertus, Albrecht) (d. 1272/3), archbishop of Armagh, was a native of Cologne; studied in Paris, where he gained the title of magister; and became a scholasticus in the cathedral church of Bremen. In 1229 he was nominated to the see of Riga…

Talbot, Richard Francis (1710–52), titular earl of Tyrconnell, soldier, and diplomat, was baptised 26 December 1710 at Saint-Germain, France, son of Richard Talbot (d. 1716), who styled himself Lord Talbot from 1691 and had married his cousin Charlotte Talbot (1676?–1721), only…