1956 deaths

Anthony Williamsen (January 31, 1880 – October 1, 1956) was an American cyclist. He competed in four events at the 1904 Summer Olympics.

Albert Sézary (26 December 1880, Algiers – 1 December 1956, Paris) was a French dermatologist and syphilogist.
He served as a hospital interne in Algiers (from 1901) and Paris (from 1905), where he worked with neurologists Joseph Jules Dejerine and Fulgence Raymond and dermatologists Lucien Jacquet and Edouard Jeanselme. He received his medical doctorate in 1909, and from 1919 to 1926 was laboratory chief in the clinic for skin and syphilitic diseases at the Hôpital Saint-Louis. In 1927, he became an associate professor for skin and venereal diseases, and two years later was appointed chef de service at the Hôpitaux Broca and Saint-Louis.In 1921 he introduced the combination of arsenic and bismuth for the treatment of syphilis. He also proposed pentavalent arsenic as a treatment for general paresis of the insane.

Henri Valbel (1885–1956) was a French film actor. Valbel was also noted for his work as voice actor.

Paul René Colas (6 May 1880 – 9 September 1956) was a French sport shooter who competed at the 1908, 1912, 1920, and 1924 Summer Olympics.Between 1908 and 1924 Colas won four Olympic medals: a bronze in 1908, two gold in 1912, and one silver in 1924. Only in 1920 did he fail to win a medal. With his two individual gold medals at the 1912 Games he became the second shooter (a day behind Alfred Lane of the United States) and the first rifle shooter to win two individual Olympic gold medals.In the 1908 Olympics he also participated in the following events:

300 metre free rifle - 25th place
1000 yard free rifle - 28th placeIn the 1912 Olympics he also participated in the following events:

Team free rifle - fourth place
Team military rifle - fifth place
300 metre military rifle, three positions - 22nd placeIn the 1920 Olympics he also participated in the following events:

Team free rifle - seventh place
300 m free rifle, 3 positions - result unknown

Henri Léon Thiébaut (19 November 1880 in Paris – 13 October 1956 in Paris) was a French fencer who competed in the late 19th century and early 20th century. He participated in Fencing at the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris and won the silver medal in the sabre. He was defeated by Georges de la Falaise in the final.

Rudolf Veiel (10 December 1883 – 19 March 1956) was a German general (General der Panzertruppe) during World War II.

Faith Bacon (born Frances Yvonne Bacon; July 19, 1910 – September 26, 1956) was an American burlesque dancer and actress. During the height of her career, she was billed as "America's Most Beautiful Dancer".

Ludwig Dürr (4 June 1878 in Stuttgart – 1 January 1956 in Friedrichshafen) was a German airship designer.

Paul Rostock (18 January 1892 – 17 June 1956) was a Nazi physician, official, and university professor. He was chief of the Office for Medical Science and Research (Amtschef der Dienststelle Medizinische Wissenschaft und Forschung) under Third Reich Commissioner and Nazi war criminal Karl Brandt and a full professor, medical doctorate, medical superintendent of the University of Berlin Surgical Clinic.
After the end of World War II, he was tried as a war criminal in the Doctors' Trial for his complicity in medical atrocities performed on concentration camp prisoners.

Karl Schelenz (or Carl Schelenz, born 6 February 1890 in Berlin; died 7 February 1956) was a German sports teacher. He is famous as the "father" of modern handball.