List of Famous people who died in 2001

Margarita Mimi Baez Fariña was a singer-songwriter and activist, the youngest of three daughters to a Scottish mother and Mexican-American physicist Albert Baez. She was the younger sister of the singer and activist Joan Baez.

Vera Brühne became famous throughout Germany as a victim of miscarriage of justice. In 1961/62, she was convicted, together with Johann Ferbach, of having murdered the physician Otto Praun and his lover. Ulrich Sonnemann considered the case as a new Dreyfus affair. In 1979, she was pardoned by Bavarian governor Franz Josef Strauss.

Jacques Marin was a French actor on film and television. Marin's fluency in English and his instantly recognisable features made him a familiar face in some major American and British productions and Disney movies.

Charles Michael Schuldiner was an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He founded the band Death in 1983 and was their lead vocalist until his death in 2001. His obituary in the January 5, 2002, issue of UK's Kerrang! magazine described him as "one of the most significant figures in the history of metal." Schuldiner was ranked No. 10 in Joel McIver's book The 100 Greatest Metal Guitarists in 2009 and No. 20 in March 2004 Guitar World's "The 100 Greatest Metal Guitarists". In 1987, Schuldiner founded the publishing company Mutilation Music, affiliated with performance rights organization BMI. Schuldiner died in 2001 of a brain tumor.

Helmut Flieg or Hellmuth Fliegel was a German writer, known by his pseudonym Stefan Heym. He lived in the United States between 1935 and 1952, before moving back to the part of his native Germany which was, from 1949 to 1990, the German Democratic Republic. He published works in English and German at home and abroad, and despite longstanding criticism of the GDR remained a committed socialist.

Robert Georgio Enrico was a French film director and scriptwriter best known for making the Oscar-winning short An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge (1961).

Ahmed Salah Said al-Ghamdi was one of five terrorist hijackers of United Airlines Flight 175 as part of the September 11 attacks.

Waldyr Pereira, also known as Didi, was a Brazilian footballer who played as a midfielder or as a forward and is considered one of the best football players of all time. He played in three FIFA World Cups, winning the latter two and was awarded the Golden Ball, given to the tournament's best player, for his performance at the 1958 competition.

Pierre Roche was a pianist, singer and composer, better known for his duo with Charles Aznavour (1943-1950). Roche and Aznavour met at a music hall and debuted on stage with their own songs in 1944. Edith Piaf noticed them and hired them for a tour in France with the Compagnons de la chanson. Charles Aznavour then decided to pursue a solo career in order to expand his repertoire, while his pianist settled in Quebec. In the 1970's, Aznavour invited Pierre Roche to join him on Olympia's stage to perform together.

Wilhelmus Antonius Sassen was a Dutch collaborator, Nazi journalist and a member of the Waffen-SS. He became widely known around 1960 as the interviewer of Adolf Eichmann.