Famous People Born In Riga

Latvian-born Russian-American dancer and choreographer Mikhail Baryshnikov was a prominent male classical dancer of the 1970s and 1980s. Born in Latvian SSR, he moved to America where he joined the New York City Ballet. Within years, he became one of the most widely recognized contemporary ballet dancers in the world. He is also a dramatic actor.

Mikhail Tal was a Soviet Latvian chess player. Widely regarded as one of the best attacking players and a creative genius, Tal was renowned for his unpredictability and improvisation. He was also known as the magician from Riga for his daring, combinatorial playing style. Since 2006, the Mikhail Tal Memorial has been annually held in Moscow to honor Tal's memory.

Wilhelm Ostwald was a Baltic German philosopher and chemist who is credited with co-founding the field of physical chemistry. A polymath, Ostwald made significant contributions to philosophy, art, and politics, especially after his retirement from academic life. His contributions to the fields of reaction velocities, chemical equilibria, and catalysis earned him the 1909 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

Latvian-born Aron Nimzowitsch escaped to Berlin and then to Copenhagen to avoid being drafted into the army during the Russian Revolution. He is best known for his cult classic book My System, which promotes the Hypermodern school of chess. In spite of repeated attempts, he failed to secure a world title.

In school, Latvian-Canadian MMA fighter Misha Cirkunov excelled in many sports, such as swimming, judo, and basketball. After an unsuccessful stint as a gym owner, he chose mixed martial arts as a career option. The UFC fighter currently ranks 12th in the MMA light heavyweight rankings.

Considered the most popular female Soviet sculptor, Vera Mukhina earned the nickname of the queen of Soviet sculpture. After a plastic surgery following a sledging accident as a young girl, she focused on studying sculpting. The five-time Stalin Prize winner is remembered for her works such as Peasant Woman.

Ernst von Bergmann was a Baltic German surgeon, known for being the first physician to introduce heat sterilization of surgical instruments. He is credited to be a pioneer of aseptic surgery. He also served as a medical officer in the Austro-Prussian War (1866) and the Franco-Prussian War. He wrote a classic treatise on head injuries, among other medical works. 

Soviet stand-up comedian, actor, and director Arkady Raikin remains one of the most revered Soviet humorists of the 20th century. Starting his career with state theaters and variety shows, he later established his own theater in Leningrad. He also founded the Satyricon Theater in Moscow and was made a Hero of Socialist Labor.

John Konrads was an Australian swimmer best remembered for winning a gold medal at the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome. At the same Olympics, he also won two bronze medals for Australia. John Konrads set 26 individual world records over the course of his swimming career. In 1985, he was made an inductee of the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.

Alexander Petersson is a Latvian-born Icelandic retired handball player who represented the Icelandic men's national team from 2005 to 2021. In 2008, he helped his national team win the silver medal at the Summer Olympics in Beijing. In 2010, Alexander Petersson was part of the team that won the bronze medal at the European Championship in Austria.