Bertolt Brecht

Bertolt Brecht, born Eugen Berthold Friedrich Brecht, was a German playwright and poet of considerable influence, best known for developing "epic theatre." His work, often overtly political and critical of capitalism, certainly made waves, and continues to be studied and performed worldwide. He even managed to get on the bad side of the Nazis, fleeing Germany in 1933. Not a bad mark for a fellow trying to make a name for himself in the arts, really.

While Brecht himself was not Jewish, his family tree bears a curious twig. His maternal grandmother, Sophie Friederike Mazel, had Jewish heritage. This makes Brecht what some might call a "quarter Jew" or, more accurately, someone with a Jewish great-grandparent. Enough to get a sidelong glance from a zealous Nazi, perhaps, but not quite enough for a bar mitzvah.

His plays, like "The Threepenny Opera" and "Mother Courage and Her Children," are undeniably significant contributions to world literature and theatre. However, his strong communist sympathies and later return to East Germany might not be everyone's idea of kvell-worthy achievements, depending on where one stands politically. We'll just say he made his mark, for better or worse.