MARCUS KLINGBERG, aged 97
A Polish Jew who fought for the Red Army in the war, he emigrated to Israel to become their leading scientist – but all along he was a spy for the USSR.
MICHEL SIFFRE, aged 85
A scientist who explored the effect of isolation on human beings by living underground in caves for long periods, leading to a new branch of science.
MARK WHEELER, aged 74
An American academic who lived in the UK, he became the expert on Yugoslavia, helping rebuild the country after its dissolution, working for the United Nations.
GERTRUDE WRIGHT, aged 99
A proficient linguist, she survived the bombing of her home city, fled from the Red Army, became a translator and teacher and built a school in the Himalayas.
ILSE NATHAN, aged 98 and RUTH SIEGLER, aged 95
Very close sisters, many of their family died in the Holocaust. They survived a concentration camp and emigrated to the USA, where they told their story.
NICOLA TRAHAN, aged 97
A French schoolgirl who joined the SOE and was regularly parachuted into France, assisting the Resistance in fighting the Nazis. She received the Croix de Guerre.
OLGA FIKOTOVA, aged 91
A gold medal winning Olympic athlete from Czechoslovakia, she broke down Cold War barriers by falling in love with an American – to the fury of her country’s authorities.
ALBERTO ZAMPERLA, aged 71
Part of a showbiz family, he created some of the greatest amusement park rides in the world. He was threatened by the Mafia and stood to be mayor of Venice
VALERY RYUMIN, aged 82
Initially a rocket engineer he became a cosmonaut, spending a record amount of time in space and being the oldest man in space. He also appeared at the Olympics
ANNE BEAUMANOIR, aged 98
Active in the French Resistance, she saved a number of children. She was then involved in the Algerian Civil War and eventually became a leading neurologist.
PRINCESS IRA von FURSTENBERG, aged 83
An Italian princess who married young, into the jet set, she became an actress, a model, a fashion designer and a renown artist, mixing with the rich, powerful and famous.
MAUREEN SWEENEY, aged 100
An Irish post mistress, she also took weather readings. It was her reports that persuaded D-Day to be postponed because of a storm – thus ensuring its success.
FRANCOISE DELBART, aged 93
A drama student in post-war Paris, a kiss from her boyfriend was captured by a photographer and became one of the most iconic images of the Twentieth Century.
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