Welcome! Check out today's deaths, recent deaths, or our deaths stats.
Feeling experimental? Head on over to our newest (and darkest) feature: Next-2-Die™ predictions
August 21st
178 Notable deaths
Li Fang-Kuei
Chinese linguist and sinologist (1902–1987).
Born August 20th, 1902 in Guangzhou.
Died August 21st, 1987 at 85 years old in San Mateo County.
John Hartley
English clergyman and tennis player (1849-1935).
Born January 9th, 1849 in Tong.
Died August 21st, 1935 at 86 years old in Knaresborough.
Artur Artuzov
Headed soviet foreign intelligence service ino/part of ogpu/nkvd.
Born February 18th, 1891 in Kashin.
Died August 21st, 1937 at 46 years old in Moscow.
Wolfgang Hildesheimer
German author.
Born December 9th, 1916 in Hamburg.
Died August 21st, 1991 at 74 years old in Poschiavo.
S. Yizhar
Israeli writer and politician (1916-2006).
Born September 27th, 1916 in Rehovot. [ref]
Died August 21st, 2006 at 89 years old in Gedera (cardiovascular disease). [ref]
Georg Leber
German politician (spd) (1920-2012).
Born October 7th, 1920 in Obertiefenbach.
Died August 21st, 2012 at 91 years old in Schönau am Königsee.
Anita Lizana
Chilean tennis player (1915–1994).
Born November 1st, 1915 in Santiago.
Died August 21st, 1994 at 78 years old in Ferndown.
Caroline Aigle
Pilot.
Born September 12th, 1974 in Montauban.
Died August 21st, 2007 at 32 years old in Dijon (melanoma).
Chuck Stevenson
Racecar driver.
Born October 15th, 1919 in Sidney.
Died August 21st, 1995 at 75 years old in Benson.
Julius Oppert
Franco-german assyriologist.
Born July 9th, 1825 in Hamburg.
Died August 21st, 1905 at 80 years old in Paris.
Pierre Cot
French politician (1895-1977).
Born November 20th, 1895 in Grenoble.
Died August 21st, 1977 at 81 years old in Coise-Saint-Jean-Pied-Gauthier.
Lev Naumov
Russian classical pianist, composer and educator (1925–2005).
Born February 12th, 1925 in Rostov Veliky.
Died August 21st, 2005 at 80 years old in Moscow.
Élisabeth, Countess Greffulhe
French aristocrat (1860–1952).
Born July 11th, 1860 in 7th arrondissement of Paris.
Died August 21st, 1952 at 92 years old in Geneva, Lausanne.
Gustav Struve
German revolutionary and journalist (1805-1870).
Born October 11th, 1805 in Munich.
Died August 21st, 1870 at 64 years old in Vienna.
Eugen Gomringer
Swiss-bolivian poet (1925–2025).
Born January 20th, 1925 in Cachuela Esperanza.
Died August 21st, 2025 at 100 years old in Bamberg. [ref]
Qasdi Mirbah
Algerian politician (1938–1993).
Born April 16th, 1938 in Fez.
Died August 21st, 1993 at 55 years old in Bordj El Bahri (deliberate murder).
Alexandre O'Neill
Portuguese writer.
Born December 19th, 1924 in Lisbon.
Died August 21st, 1986 at 61 years old in Lisbon.
Oswald von Nell-Breuning
German theologian (1890-1991).
Born March 8th, 1890 in Trier.
Died August 21st, 1991 at 101 years old in Frankfurt.
Stevan Hristić
Serbian composer (1885-1958).
Born June 19th, 1885 in Belgrade.
Died August 21st, 1958 at 73 years old in Belgrade.
Rodolfo Tan Cardoso
Filipino chess player (1937–2013).
Born December 25th, 1937 in Anda.
Died August 21st, 2013 at 75 years old in Quezon City (myocardial infarction). [ref]
Heinz Ziegler
German general and knight's cross recipient (1894–1972).
Born May 19th, 1894 in Ozyorsk. [ref]
Died August 21st, 1972 at 78 years old in Göttingen.
Patricia Avery
Silent film actress (1902-1973).
Born November 12th, 1902 in Boston.
Died August 21st, 1973 at 70 years old in La Crescenta-Montrose (disease).
Frances Browne
Irish writer (1816–1879).
Born January 16th, 1816 in Stranorlar.
Died August 21st, 1879 at 63 years old in London Borough of Richmond upon Thames.
Edward L. G. Bowell
American astronomer (1943–2023).
Born November 26th, 1943 in London. [ref]
Died August 21st, 2023 at 79 years old [ref]
Deaths 101 to 125 of 178
The phoenix must burn to emerge. Janet Fitch