Martin Heidegger was a German philosopher who is best known for contributions to phenomenology, hermeneutics, and existentialism. His work covers topics including technology, Immanuel Kant, metaphysics, and humanism. He is often considered to be among the most important and influential philosophers of the 20th century.

Heidegger was born on 26 September 1889 in rural Meßkirch, Baden, the son of Johanna (Kempf) and Friedrich Heidegger. His father was the sexton of the village church, and the young Martin was raised Roman Catholic.