List of Famous people who died in 1953

Herbert Eugene Bolton was an American historian who pioneered the study of the Spanish-American borderlands and was a prominent authority on Spanish American history. He originated what became known as the Bolton Theory of the history of the Americas which holds that it is impossible to study the history of the United States in isolation from the histories of other American nations, and wrote or co-authored ninety-four works. A student of Frederick Jackson Turner, Bolton disagreed with his mentor's Frontier theory and argued that the history of the Americas is best understood by taking a holistic view and trying to understand the ways in which the different colonial and precolonial contexts have interacted to produce the modern United States. The height of his career was spent at the University of California, Berkeley where he served as chair of the history department for twenty-two years and is widely credited with making the renowned Bancroft Library the preeminent research center it is today.

Jacobo Fitz-James Stuart y Falcó, 17th Duke of Alba, 10th Duke of Berwick GE was a Spanish peer, diplomat, politician, art collector, and olympic medalist. A Jacobite, he was the most senior surviving male-line descendant of James II and despite having never made a claim, he was considered by some as the legitimate heir to the throne of Scotland. He was one of the most important aristocrats of his time and held, among other titles, the Dukedoms of Alba de Tormes and Berwick, the Countship of Lemos, Lerín, Montijo and the Marquessate of Carpio. He was granted the Order of the Golden Fleece of Spain in 1926.

Arkady Dmitrievich Shvetsov was a Soviet aircraft engine designer whose OKB was founded in Perm, USSR, in 1934, to produce the Wright Cyclone-derived Shvetsov M-25 engine. Under Shvetsov, his OKB became the primary provider of radial piston engines for Soviet aircraft industry. After his death in 1953, the OKB was taken over by Pavel Soloviev.

Eugene Allen Gilmore was Vice Governor-General of the Philippine Islands from 1922 to 1929, serving twice as acting Governor-General of the Philippines in 1927 and again in 1929; the Dean of the College of Law at the University of Iowa from 1930 to 1934; the twelfth President of the University of Iowa from 1934 to 1940; and the law dean at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law from 1940 to 1942.

Titta Ruffo, born as Ruffo Cafiero Titta, was an Italian operatic baritone who had a major international singing career. Known as the "Voce del leone", he was greatly admired, even by rival baritones, such as Giuseppe De Luca, who said of Ruffo: "His was not a voice, it was a miracle", and Victor Maurel, the creator of Verdi's Iago and Falstaff. Maurel said that the notes of Ruffo's upper register were the most glorious baritone sounds he had ever heard. Indeed Walter Legge, the prominent classical record producer, went so far as to call Ruffo "a genius".

Carl Julius Bernhard Börner was a German entomologist.

Yasuhito, Prince Chichibu , was the second son of Emperor Taishō (Yoshihito) and Empress Teimei (Sadako), a younger brother of Emperor Shōwa (Hirohito) and a general in the Imperial Japanese Army. As a member of the Imperial House of Japan, he was the patron of several sporting, medical, and international exchange organizations. Before and after World War II, the English-speaking prince and his wife attempted to foster good relations between Japan and the United Kingdom and enjoyed a good rapport with the British royal family. As with other Japanese imperial princes of his generation, he was an active-duty career officer in the Imperial Japanese Army. Like all members of the imperial family, he was exonerated from criminal prosecutions before the Tokyo tribunal by Douglas MacArthur.

Richard Eichberg was a German film director and producer. He directed 87 films between 1915 and 1949. He also produced 77 films between 1915 and 1950. He was born in Berlin, Germany and died in Munich, Germany.

Heinrich XLV, Hereditary Prince Reuss Younger Line was the head of the House of Reuss from 1928 to 1945, as well the last male member of the Reuss-Schleiz branch of the Younger Line.