List of Famous people who died in 1956

Paul Bonatz was a German architect, member of the Stuttgart School and professor at the technical university in that city during part of World War II, and from 1954 until his death. He worked in many styles, but most often in a simplified neo-Romanesque, and designed important public buildings both in the Weimar Republic and under the Third Reich, including major bridges for the new autobahns. In 1943 he designed several buildings in Turkey, returning to Stuttgart in 1954.

Dame Meriel Lucy Talbot, was a British public servant and women's welfare worker.

Frieda Lawrence was a German literary figure mainly known for her marriage to the British novelist D.H. Lawrence.

Jan Šrámek was Prime Minister of the Czechoslovak government-in-exile from 21 July 1940 to 5 April 1945. He was the first chairman of the Czechoslovak People's Party and was a Monsignor in the Catholic church.

Infante Alfonso of Spain was the younger brother of King Juan Carlos of Spain. He is also the youngest son of Infante Juan, Count of Barcelona and Princess María de las Mercedes of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, and the grandson of King Alfonso XIII.

Leo Baeck was a 20th-century German rabbi, scholar and theologian. He served as leader of Reform Judaism in his native country and internationally, and later represented all German Jews during the Nazi era. After the Second World War, he settled in London, UK, where he served as the chairman of the World Union for Progressive Judaism.

Walter Wilhelm Gieseking was a French-born German pianist and composer. Gieseking was renowned for his subtle touch, pedaling, and dynamic control—particularly in the music of Debussy and Ravel; he made integral recordings of all their published works which were extant during his life. He also recorded most of the solo piano works by Mozart.

Karl Joseph Wirth was a German politician of the Catholic Centre Party who served for one year and six months as Chancellor of Germany from 1921 to 1922, as Finance Minister from 1920 to 1921, as acting Foreign Minister of Germany from 1921 to 1922 and again in 1922, as Minister for the Occupied Territories from 1929 to 1930 and as Reich Minister of the Interior from 1930 to 1931. During the postwar era, he participated in the Soviet and East German Communist-controlled neutralist Alliance of Germans party from 1952 until his death in 1956.

Wilhelm Josef Franz Ritter von Leeb was a German field marshal and war criminal in World War II. Leeb was a highly decorated officer in World War I and was awarded the Military Order of Max Joseph which granted him the title of nobility. In the Invasion of France, he commanded Army Group C, responsible for the breakthrough of the Maginot Line.

Harry Link was an American vaudeville actor and songwriter. He wrote and co-wrote several well-known jazz standards.