Born on This Day: May 2

Russian empress whose rule expanded the empire and promoted administrative reform, education, and Enlightenment culture.

German poet and philosopher whose visionary writing became foundational to early Romanticism.

German composer whose opera Hansel and Gretel became an enduring work of the international repertory.

English writer whose humorous fiction, especially Three Men in a Boat, became an enduring influence on comic prose.

Austro-Hungarian journalist and political thinker whose leadership helped establish modern political Zionism.

American pediatrician whose child-care writing influenced generations of parents and modern approaches to family life.

Indian filmmaker and writer whose humanistic films brought Bengali cinema international recognition and influenced directors worldwide.

American novelist whose long-running mysteries have made a lasting contribution to modern crime fiction.