Events from the year 1856 in Germany.

• King of Bavaria – Maximilian II
• King of Hanover – George V
• King of Prussia – Frederick William IV
• King of Saxony – John of Saxony

• August – Pre-human remains are found in the Neander Valley in Prussia .

• January 6 – Martin von Feuerstein, German painter (d. 1931)
• January 31 – Hermann von François, German general (d. 1933)
• February 12 – Eduard von Böhm-Ermolli, Austrian general, German field marshal (d. 1941)
• February 15 – Emil Kraepelin, German psychiatrist (d. 1926)
• February 17 – Arnold von Winckler, German general (d. 1945)

• July 7 – Georg von der Marwitz, German general (d. 1929)
• September 18 – Wilhelm von Gloeden, German photographer (d. 1931)
• November 16 – Jürgen Kröger, German architect (d. 1928)
• November 29 – Theobald von Bethmann Hollweg, Chancellor of Germany (d. 1921)
• December 25 – Hans von Bartels, German painter (d. 1913)