28 April

Across recorded history, 1,543 notable lives are recorded as having ended on 28 April. Below are the 24 most widely documented — ranked by how many language editions of Wikipedia carry an article about them.

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Josiah Willard Gibbs

1839–1903

American scientist

Josiah Willard Gibbs was a theoretical physicist who formulated the fundamental principles of thermodynamics and statistical mechanics.

Mikhail Kutuzov

1745–1813

Field Marshal of the Russian Empire

Mikhail Kutuzov was a field marshal of the Russian Empire who commanded forces during the Napoleonic Wars.

Arthur Leonard Schawlow

1921–1999

American physicist

Arthur Leonard Schawlow was an American physicist who contributed to the development of the laser.

Francis Bacon

1909–1992

Irish-born British figurative painter

Francis Bacon was a British figurative painter known for his work.

Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin

1826–1889

Russian writer, journalist, plawright and satirist

Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin was a Russian writer known for his satirical works.

Ludwig Tieck

1773–1853

German poet, writer, and critic

Ludwig Tieck was a German writer and critic who contributed significantly to the development of Romantic literature.

Paul Deschanel

1855–1922

11th President of the French Republic

Paul Deschanel was a politician who served as the President of the French Republic.

Matilde Camus

1919–2012

Spanish poet

Matilde Camus was a Spanish poet who also worked as a literary critic, translator, historian, writer, and actor.

Clara Petacci

1912–1945

mistress of the Italian dictator Benito Mussolini

Clara Petacci was a politician known for her relationship with the Italian dictator Benito Mussolini.

Léon Jouhaux

1879–1954

French trade unionist

Léon Jouhaux was a French trade unionist who served as a prominent leader in the labor movement.

Jacques Maritain

1882–1973

French philosopher

Jacques Maritain was a French philosopher who contributed significantly to the development of modern Catholic social teaching.

Mohammed Daoud Khan

1909–1978

politician, first President of Afghanistan

Mohammed Daoud Khan was a politician who served as the first President of Afghanistan.

Fuad I of Egypt

1868–1936

Egyptian former King and former Sultan

Fuad I of Egypt was a monarch who served as the Sultan and later the King of Egypt.

Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker

1912–2007

German physicist

Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker was a physicist who conducted research in nuclear physics and astronomy.

Alexander Lebed

1950–2002

Russian general

Alexander Lebed was a Russian military officer who served as a general.

Alf Ramsey

1920–1999

English association football player and manager

Alf Ramsey was an association football manager who led the England national team to victory in the World Cup.

Johannes Peter Müller

1801–1858

German physiologist, comparative anatomist, ichthyologist, and herpetologist

Johannes Peter Müller was a physiologist who conducted extensive research in comparative anatomy, ichthyology, and herpetology.

Ed Begley

1901–1970

American actor

Ed Begley was an American actor who performed in film, television, and stage productions.

Penelope Fitzgerald

1916–2000

British writer and poet

Penelope Fitzgerald was a British writer who authored several novels and biographies.

Charles Bell

1774–1842

Scottish physician, painter and theologian

Charles Bell was a Scottish physician who contributed to the study of the nervous system and produced anatomical paintings.

René Lesson

1794–1849

French surgeon, naturalist, ornithologist, and herpetologist

René Lesson was a French naturalist who conducted extensive research in ornithology and herpetology.

Hermann Fegelein

1906–1945

German lieutenant general in the Waffen-SS

Hermann Fegelein was a German lieutenant general in the Waffen-SS.

Chairil Anwar

1922–1949

Indonesian poet

Chairil Anwar was an Indonesian poet who pioneered the development of modern Indonesian literature.

Sepp Herberger

1897–1977

German footballer and manager

Sepp Herberger was an association football coach who managed the German national team.

Source: Wikidata, released into the public domain under CC0. Snapshot: 2026-07. Names, dates and roles come from Wikidata; summaries are condensed from it. Nothing here is generated to fill a gap.