We had to say goodbye to these celebrities in 2024

"The only important things in life are the traces of love that we leave behind when we say goodbye." - Albert Schweitzer

In 2024, numerous celebrities from the worlds of culture, entertainment, sport and politics passed away. A look back.

January

Soccer emperor Franz Beckenbauer (†78, from left to right) is considered one of the most important personalities in the history of soccer. Glynis Johns (†100) was made famous by the Oscar-winning Disney musical "Mary Poppins" from 1964. Günther Fielmann (†84) made prescription glasses socially acceptable and his company is now one of the largest opticians in the world.
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  • Entrepreneur and eyewear expert Günther Fielmann (†84, January 3)
  • Actor and "Alarm for Cobra 11" star Christian Oliver (†51, January 4)
  • British actress, pianist and singer Glynis Johns (†100, January 4)
  • American actor and singer David Soul (†80, January 4)
  • Soccer legend Franz Beckenbauer (†78, January 7)
  • Mexican actor and series star Adan Canto (†42, January 8)
  • Austrian actress and theater icon Elisabeth Trissenaar (†79, 14 January)
  • Soccer official and Hertha president Kay Bernstein (†43, January 16)
  • Canadian track and field athlete and former pole vault world champion Shawnacy Barber (†29, January 17)
  • Music producer and composer Frank Farian (†82, January 23)

february

Carl Weathers (†76) became famous for his portrayal of boxer Apollo Creed in the "Rocky" film series. Ira von Fürstenberg (†83) made a name for herself as an actress, model and society lady. Alexei Navalny (†47) paid a high price for his fearless opposition to corruption and the autocratic long-term president Vladimir Putin.
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  • US actor and "Rocky" star Carl Weathers (†76, February 2)
  • Actor and rapper Pablo Grant (†26, February 6)
  • Musician and "City" legend Fritz Puppel (†79, February 10)
  • Austrian-German actress, singer and writer Johanna von Koczian (†90, February 10)
  • Kenyan long-distance runner and marathon world record holder Kelvin Kiptum (†24, February 11)
  • Russian opposition politician and Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny (†47, February 16)
  • Italian actress and jewelry designer Ira von Fürstenberg (†83, 18 February)
  • Actor and "Traumschiff" icon Horst Naumann (†98, February 19)
  • Soccer player and coach Andreas Brehme (†63, February 20)
  • American actor and comedian Richard Lewis ( †76, February 27)

March

Born in New York, Iris Apfel (†102) has gone down in history as a style icon in fashion, textile and interior design. Fritz Wepper (†82) became famous in 1959 with the anti-war film "Die Brücke" and had his breakthrough with the crime series "Der Kommissar" and "Derrick".
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  • US businesswoman and fashion icon Iris Apfel (†102, March 1)
  • Musician and rapper Martin Wenzel (†31, March 3)
  • Presenter and journalist HanneloreGadatsch (†82, March 11)
  • American singer and songwriter Eric Carmen (†74, March 11)
  • Composer and pop singer Hans Blum (†95, March 15)
  • Financial fraudster and author Jürgen Harksen (†63, March 19)
  • US actor and "Blade Runner" star M. Emmet Walsh (†88, March 19)
  • Actor and "Derrick" star Fritz Wepper (†82, March 25)
  • American actor and first black Oscar winner Louis Gossett Jr. (†87, March 29)

April

Peter Sodann (†87) played himself into the hearts of viewers as "Tatort" commissioner Ehrlicher and ran for the office of Federal President in 2009. Klaus Otto Nagorsnik (†68) has won numerous titles in quiz championships and has appeared on the ARD quiz show "Gefragt - Gejagt" since 2014.
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  • Actor and "Tatort" star Peter Sodann (†87, April 5)
  • American football player and actor O. J. Simpson (†76, April 10)
  • Italian couturier and designer Roberto Cavalli (†83, April 12)
  • Soccer player and record goal scorer Bernd Hölzenbein (†78, April 15)
  • Actor and film director Michael Verhoeven (†85, April 22)
  • Librarian and quiz legend Klaus Otto Nagorsnik (†68, April 22)
  • US writer and film director Paul Auster (†77, April 30)

May

Bernard Hill (†79) played the captain in "Titanic" and King Théoden in "The Lord of the Rings". Manfred Wolke (†81) won a gold medal at the 1968 Olympic Games and celebrated great success as trainer to Henry Maske and Axel Schulz.
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  • British "Titanic" and "Lord of the Rings" actor Bernard Hill (†79, May 5)
  • British actor and "Game of Thrones" actor Ian Gelder (†74, May 6)
  • Iranian president and politician Ebrahim Raisi (†63, May 19)
  • National soccer player Karl-Heinz Schnellinger (†85, 20 May)
  • Bank manager and board spokesman Rolf-Ernst Breuer (†86, May 22)
  • US-American actor Johnny Wactor (†37, May 25)
  • Boxing coach and Olympic champion Manfred Wolke (†81, May 29)

June

Eberhard Hertel (†85) was one of the most successful folk music singers in the GDR until the fall of the Berlin Wall and also became famous for his performances with his daughter Stefanie Hertel. Ruth Maria Kubitschek (†92) was considered the grande dame of German television and was successful as "Spatzl" in the TV series "Monaco Franze". Donald Sutherland (†88) appeared in several classic films in high-profile roles and received an honorary Oscar for his life's work in 2017.
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  • Actress, voice actress and author Ruth Maria Kubitschek (†92, June 1)
  • Politician and Federal Minister for the Environment and Nature Conservation Klaus Töpfer (†85, June 8)
  • French chanson singer Françoise Hardy (†80, June 11)
  • American actor and child star Benji Gregory (†46, June 13)
  • Canadian theater and film actor Donald Sutherland (†88, 20 June)
  • Singer and folk musician Eberhard Hertel (†85, June 20)
  • Television presenter and sports commentator Günter Zapf (†66, June 24)
  • American actor and comedian Martin Mull (†80, June 27)

July

Shannen Doherty (†53) became famous through the TV series "Beverly Hills, 90210" and "Charmed", she battled cancer for years. Shelley Duvall (†75) probably had her most famous role in the 1980 horror classic "The Shining". Ralph Peter Steitz (†74), also known as R.P.S. Lanrue, was a co-founder of the rock group "Ton Steine Scherben".
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  • "Berlin - Day and Night" actor FalkoOchsenknecht (†39, July 1)
  • US actress and star of "The Shining" Shelley Duvall (†75, July 11)
  • Sociologist and sex therapist Ruth Westheimer (†96, July 12)
  • US actress and "Beverly Hills" star Shannen Doherty (†53, July 13)
  • Guitarist and "Ton Steine Scherben" co-founder Ralph Peter Steitz (†74, July 14)
  • American actor and stand-up comedian Bob Newhart (†94, July 18)
  • Composer, musicologist and essayist Wolfgang Rihm (†72, July 27)
  • "Traumschiff" author and producer Rochus Bassauer (†81, July 29)

august

Christoph Daum (†70) was one of the most successful and controversial coaches in professional soccer for many years, becoming German champion with VfB Stuttgart. Richard "Mörtel" Lugner (†91) became a reality TV star thanks to his media-effective appearances at the Vienna Opera Ball. With a great deal of commitment and warmth of heart, "Raus aus den Schulden" star Peter Zwegat (†74) helped numerous people to get their lives back on track.
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  • Actor, voice actor and author Rainer Brandt (†88, August 1)
  • Debt advisor and TV actor Peter Zwegat (†74, August 9)
  • US-American-Polish "YouTube" manager Susan Wojcicki (†56, August 9)
  • "Scheibenwischer" cabaret artist Richard Rogler (†74, August 11)
  • Austrian building contractor and entertainer Richard Lugner (†91, August 12)
  • Sports official and Bundesliga manager Wilfried Lemke (†77, August 12)
  • American actress Gena Rowlands (†94, August 14)
  • French-Swiss actor and film producer Alain Delon (†88, August 18)
  • Swedish tennis player and coach Peter Lundgren (†59, August 22)
  • Soccer coach Christoph Daum (†70, August 24)

September

Tito Jackson (†70) was the third of nine siblings in the Jackson family and, together with his brother Michael, was in one of the most successful bands in pop history. Caterina Valente (†93) sang 1500 hits, songs and chansons in 13 languages. Maggie Smith (†89) was one of the most sought-after stage and film actresses of her generation and became known worldwide as Professor McGonagall in the "Harry Potter" films.
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  • US actor and "Star Trek" star James Darren (†88, September 2)
  • Italian pop singer and dancer Caterina Valente (†93, September 9)
  • Theologian, civil rights activist and publicist Friedrich Schorlemmer (†80, September 9)
  • American actor and Oscar winner James Earl Jones (†93, September 9)
  • American actor and Steve McQueen's son Chad McQueen (†63, September 11)
  • Politician and Federal Chairman of the FDP Wolfgang Gerhardt (†80, September 13)
  • US singer and Michael Jackson's brother TitoJackson (†70, September 15)
  • American "Beverly Hills Cop" actor John Ashton (†76, September 26)
  • British "Downton Abbey" and "Harry Potter" actress Maggie Smith (†89, September 27)
  • Swiss racing cyclist and mountain biker Muriel Furrer (†18, September 27)

october

Footballer Bernd Bauchspieß (†85) sensationally scored BSG Chemie Leipzig's goals to win the GDR championship in 1964. Liam Payne (†31) was one of five members of the boy band "One Direction"; his fatal fall caused deep horror in the music world. Teri Garr (†79) mainly played comedic roles and appeared in many well-known Hollywood films between the 1970s and 1990s.
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  • Soccer goalkeeper and "Werder Bremen" record player Dieter Burdenski (†73, October 9)
  • Double bass player and musical cabaret artist Elisabeth Aumeier (†60, October 10)
  • British singer and One Direction member Liam Payne (†31, October 16)
  • American lifeguard and "Baywatch" star Michael Newman (†68, October 20)
  • Protestant city youth pastor Lothar König (†70, October 21)
  • GDR national team player Bernd Bauchspieß (†85, October 22)
  • Restaurateur and star chef Michael Wollenberg (†60, October 26)
  • Manager and "Daimler" boss Edzard Reuter (†96, October 27)
  • German-Iranian dissident and human rights activist Jamshid Sharmahd (†69, October 28)
  • US-American "Tootsie" actress Teri Garr (†79, October 29)

november

Karin Baal (†84) took part in over 100 films and became famous throughout Germany with the movie "Die Halbstarken". Michael Hübner (†65) was one of the most successful German cyclists ever, winning seven world championship titles.
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  • American music producer and composer Quincy Jones (†91, November 3)
  • US-American "Candyman" actor Tony Todd (†69, November 6)
  • Poet and prose writer Jürgen Becker (†91, November 7)
  • Austrian "Aktenzeichen XY" television presenter Peter Nidetzky (†84, November 11)
  • Cyclist and GDR professional world champion Michael Hübner (†65, November 12)
  • Banker and patron of the arts Friedrich von Metzler (†81, November 17)
  • Australian actor and "Bee Gees" drummer Colin Petersen (†78, November 18)
  • Actor, director and voice actor Jürgen Thormann (†96, 22 November)
  • Theater, film and television actress Karin Baal (†84, 26 November)

December

Actress Christel Bodenstein (†86) is best known for her role as Princess Tausendschön in the DEFA fairytale film "Das singende, klingende Bäumchen". Jimmy Carter (†100) served as the 39th President of the United States from 1977 to 1981 and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his humanitarian work. Wolfgang Becker (†70) celebrated his greatest success with "Good Bye, Lenin"; the tragicomedy also won several international awards.
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  • Discus thrower and Olympic champion Ilke Wyludda (†55, December 1)
  • Actress and GDR film icon Christel Bodenstein (†86, December 5)
  • Theater and film actress Lilly Forgách (†58, 8 December)
  • Reporter and journalist Gerd Heidemann (†93, December 9)
  • Film director and screenwriter Wolfgang Becker (†70, December 12)
  • Turkish-Spanish businessman Isak Andic (†71, December 14)
  • Athlete and Olympic champion Klaus Wolfermann (†78, December 18)
  • Actress and theater director Hannelore Hoger (†84, 21 December)
  • British "Romeo and Juliet" actress Olivia Hussey (†73, December 27)
  • US politician and US President Jimmy Carter (†100, December 29)