Many personalities have left a lasting mark on Aachen through their work and commitment. In addition to the Lord Mayors, these include the honorary citizens and honorary ring bearers of the city of Aachen.
Honorary citizens
From 1880 to today
1880
Dr. Heinrich von Dechen (*25.03.1800 +15.02.1889)
Construction of new water pipes / preservation of the old thermal springsOct. 1882
Barthold Suermondt (*18.05.1818 +01.03.1887)
Donations of art to the cityMay 1883
Dr. jur. et phil. Alfred von Reumont (*15.08.1808 +27.04.1887)
Historian, Privy Councillor and Legislative Councillor - 50th anniversary of his doctorateOct. 1890
Field Marshal Helmuth Karl Bernhard Graf von Moltke (*26.10.1800 +24.04.1891)
90th birthdayNov. 1910
Papal Privy Chamberlain Dr. jur. Adam Bock (*21.11.1832 +01.11.1912)
80th birthdayMay 1928
Professor Dr. Hugo Junkers (*03.02.1859 +03.02.1935)
Builder of the "Bremen" aircraft, the first plane to cross the Atlantic in an east-west directionOct. 1930
Reich President Paul von Hindenburg (*02.10.1847 +02.08.1934)
Celebration of the liberation of Aachen26.02.1967
Former Chief Municipal Director Albert Servais (*26.02.1887 +27.10.1974)
On the occasion of his 80th birthday - in recognition of his many and great services to the city of Aachen06.01.1968
Willem Baron Michiels van Kessenich (16.10.1902 +09.01.1992)
Former mayor of Maastricht
In recognition of his great contribution to the early opening of borders between the Netherlands and Germany after the Second World War08.06.1968
Dr. Kurt Pfeiffer (*03.06.1893 +30.01.1987)
Founder of the International Charlemagne Prize16.08.1973
Former Lord Mayor Hermann Heusch (*23.06.06 +15.01.81)
25 years Lord Mayor of Aachen - continuously on Aachen City Council from 1946 to 197306.10.1991
Consul Hugo Cadenbach (*02.10.16 +29.09.00)
In recognition of his outstanding commitment to the social, cultural and sporting life of the city of Aachen16.04.1994
Professor Dr. h.c. mult. Irene Ludwig (*17.06.27 +28.11.2010)
Professor Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Peter Ludwig (*09.07.25 +22.07.96)
In appreciation and grateful recognition of their outstanding services to the promotion of art and artists, museums and cultural institutions20.01.2001
Dr. Jost Pfeiffer (*29.12.1920 +14.01.2010)
Citizen of the city of Aachen and important advocate of the European idea
In recognition of his decades-long commitment to the reconstruction of the city and the development of Aachen.03.07.2002
Dr. Hans Müllejans (*12.03.29 +05.08.2009)
Cathedral Provost
In appreciation and grateful recognition of his decades of work as the initiator of measures for the preservation of Aachen Cathedral and keeper of the city's traditional right of custodianship over the Aachen shrines18.09.2004
Kurt Malangré (*18.09.1934)
1973-1989 Lord Mayor of the City of Aachen
1969-1994 Member of the City Council
Thank you for your commitment to the City of Aachen and its citizens over the decades.12.12.2009 Dr. Jürgen Linden (*13.01.1947)
1989-2009 Lord Mayor of the City of Aachen
In recognition of his outstanding services to Aachen and its citizens.Lord Mayors
They shaped Aachen from 1814 until today...
1814-1820
Cornelius von Guaita (1814-182)
1820-1826
Dr. med Matthias Solders + notary public Wilhelm Daniels
(associate mayors) (1820-1826)1826-1831
Wilhelm Daniels (First Deputy Mayor,
Lord Mayor position not filled since 1820)1832-1848
Edmund Emundts
1848-1851
Arnold Edmund Pelzer
1851-1875
Johann Contzen
1875-1883
Ludwig von Weise
1884-1896
Ludwig Pelzer
1896-1916
Philipp Veltman
1916-1928
Wilhelm Farwick
1928-1933
Dr. Wilhelm Rombach
1933-1945
Quirin Jansen
1944-1945
Franz Oppenhoff
1945
Dr. Wilhelm Rombach
1946
Ludwig Kuhnen
1946-1952
Dr. Albert Maas
1952-1973
Hermann Heusch
1973-1989
Kurt Malangré
1989-2009
Dr. Jürgen Linden (1989-1995 honorary, from 1995 full-time Lord Mayor)
2009-2020
Marcel Philipp
2020-
Sibylle Keupen
Honorary ring bearers of the city of Aachen
In addition to honorary citizenship, the City of Aachen has the Golden Ring of Honor as a form of award for personalities who have made a life's work and shown great commitment to the well-being and reputation of the City of Aachen and its citizens.