List of Famous people who born in 1926

Patricia J. Thompson, also known as Yelena Vladimirovna Mayakovskaya, was an American philosopher and author of more than 20 books. She was one of the two known children of the poet Vladimir Mayakovsky, the other being Gleb-Nikita Lavinsky (1921–1986). This fact was kept a secret until 1991.

Gertrud Herrbruck was a German backstroke swimmer who won a silver medal in the 100 m backstroke at the 1950 European Aquatics Championships. She also participated in the 1952 Summer Olympics and finished sixth in the same event. She won several German Championships. She was born in Pirmasens in July 1926 and died in June 2021 at the age of 94.

Marcello Abbado was an Italian pianist, composer, conductor and academic teacher. His compositions include several orchestral works, two ballets, numerous pieces for solo piano, and chamber music. As a pianist, he played in major concert halls of the world. He taught composition at several conservatories, ultimately at the Giuseppe Verdi Conservatory. In 1989 he was awarded the Gold Medal for Meritorious Culture and Art by the Government of Italy.

Sheikh Khalid bin Mohammed Al Qasimi (1931—1972) was ruler of the Emirate of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates from 1965 to 1972.

Gregorio Conrado Álvarez Armelino, also known as El Goyo, was an Uruguayan Army general who served as president of Uruguay from 1981 until 1985 and was the last surviving president of the civic-military dictatorship.

Riccardo Garrone was an Italian actor, voice actor and director.

Stjepan Đureković was a Croatian political dissident and businessman who was assassinated by the Yugoslavian State Security Administration (UDBA) in West Germany in 1983. He was previously the CEO of the state-owned INA petrol company. In 1982, he defected to West Germany and became active in Croatian émigré circles opposed to Yugoslavia.

Philippe Nicaud (1926–2009) was a French actor and singer, was married to Christine Carère from 1957 to 2008).

Alfreda Noncia Markowska was a Polish-Romani woman who during World War II saved approximately fifty Jewish and Roma children from death in the Holocaust and the Porajmos genocide.

Francis Rapp was a French medievalist specializing in the history of Alsace and medieval Germany. An emeritus university professor, he was a member of the Académie des inscriptions et belles-lettres since 1993.