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      <liveTestFlag>LIVE</liveTestFlag>
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      <registrantFullName>NML VARIABLE ANNUITY ACCT C OF NORTHWESTERN MUT LIFE INS CO</registrantFullName>
      <investmentCompFileNo>811-21886</investmentCompFileNo>
      <registrantCik>0000790163</registrantCik>
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      <registrantstreet1>720 E WISCONSIN AVE</registrantstreet1>
      <registrantcity>MILWAUKEE</registrantcity>
      <registrantzipCode>53202</registrantzipCode>
      <registrantstate>US-WI</registrantstate>
      <registrantcountry>US</registrantcountry>
      <registrantphoneNumber>414-271-1444</registrantphoneNumber>
      <websites>
        <website webpage="www.northwesternmutual.com"/>
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      <locationBooksRecords>
        <locationBooksRecord>
          <officeName>The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company</officeName>
          <officeAddress1>720 East Wisconsin Avenue</officeAddress1>
          <officeCity>Milwaukee</officeCity>
          <officeStateCountry officeCountry="US" officeState="US-WI"/>
          <officeRecordsZipCode>53202-4797</officeRecordsZipCode>
          <officePhone>414-271-1444</officePhone>
          <booksRecordsDesc>Account, book or other document required to be maintained by Section 31(a) of the 1940 Act and Rules 17 CFR SS 270-31a-1 to 31a-3 promulgated thereunder</booksRecordsDesc>
        </locationBooksRecord>
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      <isRegistrantFirstFiling>N</isRegistrantFirstFiling>
      <isRegistrantLastFiling>N</isRegistrantLastFiling>
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      <isSecuritiesActRegistration>Y</isSecuritiesActRegistration>
      <chiefComplianceOfficers>
        <chiefComplianceOfficer>
          <ccoName>Paula Storniolo</ccoName>
          <crdNumber>004496007</crdNumber>
          <ccoStreet1>720 E WISCONSIN AVE</ccoStreet1>
          <ccoCity>MILWAUKEE</ccoCity>
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      <isRegistrantSubmittedMatter>N</isRegistrantSubmittedMatter>
      <isPreviousLegalProceeding>N</isPreviousLegalProceeding>
      <isPreviousProceedingTerminated>N</isPreviousProceedingTerminated>
      <isClaimFiled>N</isClaimFiled>
      <isCoveredByInsurancePolicy>N</isCoveredByInsurancePolicy>
      <isFinancialSupportDuringPeriod>N</isFinancialSupportDuringPeriod>
      <isExemptionFromAct>N</isExemptionFromAct>
      <principalUnderwriters>
        <principalUnderwriter>
          <principalUnderwriterName>Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC</principalUnderwriterName>
          <principalUnderwriterFileNumber>8-14088</principalUnderwriterFileNumber>
          <principalUnderwriterCrdNumber>000002881</principalUnderwriterCrdNumber>
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          <isPrincipalUnderwriterAffiliatedWithRegistrant>Y</isPrincipalUnderwriterAffiliatedWithRegistrant>
        </principalUnderwriter>
      </principalUnderwriters>
      <isUnderwriterHiredOrTerminated>N</isUnderwriterHiredOrTerminated>
      <publicAccountants>
        <publicAccountant>
          <publicAccountantName>PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP</publicAccountantName>
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          <publicAccountantStateCountry publicAccountantCountry="US" publicAccountantState="US-NY"/>
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      <isPublicAccountantChanged>N</isPublicAccountantChanged>
      <isOpinionOffered>N</isOpinionOffered>
      <isMaterialChange>N</isMaterialChange>
      <isAccountingPrincipleChange>N</isAccountingPrincipleChange>
      <isPaymentErrorInNetAssetValue>N</isPaymentErrorInNetAssetValue>
      <isPaymentDividend>N</isPaymentDividend>
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      <depositors>
        <depositor>
          <depositorName>The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company</depositorName>
          <depositorCrdNo>000000000</depositorCrdNo>
          <depositorLei>1DU7IM20QESYGDO4HO54</depositorLei>
          <depositorStateCountry depositorCountry="US" depositorState="US-WI"/>
          <depositorUltimateParentname>Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company</depositorUltimateParentname>
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      <isUitAdminHiredTerminated>N</isUitAdminHiredTerminated>
      <registrantSeparateInsuranceAccount isRegistrantSeparateInsuranceAccount="Y" separateAccountSeriesId="S000000062"/>
      <numOfContracts>507</numOfContracts>
      <contractSecurities>
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        <contractSecurity separateAccountSecurityName="Flexible Payment Variable Annuity (Network Edition)" separateAccountContractId="C000034306" separateAccountTotalAsset="60385652.00000000" numContractsSold="18" grossPremiumReceived="2191368.00000000" grossPremiumReceivedSection1035="2243075.00000000" numContractsAffected="4" contractValueRedeemed="2522459.00000000" contractValueRedeemedSection1035="50150.00000000" numContractsAffectedRedeemed="1"/>
      </contractSecurities>
      <isRule6C7Reliance>N</isRule6C7Reliance>
      <isRule11A2Reliance>N</isRule11A2Reliance>
    </unitInvestmentTrust>
    <signature registrantSignedName="NML VARIABLE ANNUITY ACCT C OF NORTHWESTERN MUT LIFE INS CO" signedDate="2020-03-11" signature="Todd Kuzminski" title="VP Investment Accounting"/>
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