28 February

Across recorded history, 1,659 notable lives are recorded as having ended on 28 February. Below are the 24 most widely documented — ranked by how many language editions of Wikipedia carry an article about them.

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Ali Khamenei

1939–2026

cleric and former Supreme Leader of Iran from 1989 to 2026

Ali Khamenei was an Islamic jurist who served as the Supreme Leader of Iran.

Alphonse de Lamartine

1790–1869

French author, poet and statesman

Alphonse de Lamartine was a French poet and statesman who served as a diplomat and historian.

Henry James

1843–1916

American and British writer

Henry James was a novelist who produced a significant body of fiction and literary criticism throughout his career in the United States and Britain.

Olof Palme

1927–1986

Swedish Prime Minister (1969–76, 1982–86)

Olof Palme was a Swedish Prime Minister who served two terms leading the country.

Rajendra Prasad

1884–1963

Indian statesman, lawyer and writer (1884–1963); first President of India

Rajendra Prasad was an Indian politician who served as the first President of India.

Alfonso XIII

1886–1941

King of Spain from 1886 to 1931

Alfonso XIII was the King of Spain who reigned from his birth until his departure from the country.

Donald Arthur Glaser

1926–2013

American physicist and neurobiologist

Donald Arthur Glaser was a physicist who invented the bubble chamber to detect subatomic particles.

Friedrich Ebert

1871–1925

German politician, president of Germany

Friedrich Ebert was a German politician who served as the president of Germany.

Freeman Dyson

1923–2020

theoretical physicist and mathematician

Freeman Dyson was a theoretical physicist and mathematician known for his contributions to quantum electrodynamics and his work on space exploration concepts.

Owen Chamberlain

1920–2006

American physicist

Owen Chamberlain was an American physicist who conducted research in the field of particle physics.

Charles Nicolle

1866–1936

French microbiologist

Charles Nicolle was a French microbiologist who identified the transmission method of epidemic typhus.

Just Fontaine

1933–2023

French football player and manager

Just Fontaine was a French football player and manager who holds the record for the most goals scored in a single World Cup tournament.

Jane Russell

1921–2011

American actress

Jane Russell was an American actress who appeared in numerous films.

Annie Girardot

1931–2011

French actress

Annie Girardot was a French actor who performed in numerous film, television, and stage productions throughout her career.

Sergei Witte

1849–1915

Russian statesman and first Prime Minister of the Russian Empire

Sergei Witte was a Russian statesman who served as the first Prime Minister of the Russian Empire.

Yaşar Kemal

1922–2015

Kurdish writer and human rights activist

Yaşar Kemal was a writer and human rights activist known for his literary works.

Kang Youwei

1858–1927

Chinese politician and scholar

Kang Youwei was a Chinese politician and scholar who advocated for institutional reforms during the late Qing dynasty.

Nikolai Ryzhkov

1929–2024

Soviet-Russian politician

Nikolai Ryzhkov was a Soviet politician who served as the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union.

Armando Diaz

1861–1928

Italian general

Armando Diaz was an Italian general who served as a military commander.

André Previn

1929–2019

German-American conductor, pianist, and composer

André Previn was a conductor who worked as a pianist and composer throughout his career.

Alexandre Yersin

1863–1943

Swiss-French physician and bacteriologist

Alexandre Yersin was a bacteriologist who identified the pathogen responsible for the bubonic plague.

Adolf Schärf

1890–1965

Austrian politician, President of Austria 1957–1965

Adolf Schärf was an Austrian politician who served as the President of Austria.

Maxwell Anderson

1888–1959

American playwright and writer

Maxwell Anderson was an American playwright who authored numerous works for the stage.

Ishirō Honda

1911–1993

Japanese filmmaker

Ishirō Honda was a Japanese film director best known for his work on the Godzilla film series.

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.