:: wikimiki.org ::

KdF Ship Wilhelm Gustloff

KdF Ship Wilhelm Gustloff

The Wilhelm Gustloff was a ship built by Blohm + Voss and named after the assassinated leader of the Nazi party in Switzerland, Wilhelm Gustloff. It was launched on May 5, 1937, and was sunk on January 30, 1945. The sinking remains the worst disaster in shipping history, in terms of loss of life in a single vessel.

History

Its original purpose was to target the low-cost cruise market. The German KdF organization provided cultural activities to German workers, including concerts, cruises and other holidays. The Wilhelm Gustloff was the flagship of the KdF cruise fleet until 1939. From September, 1939 to November, 1940, it served as a hospital ship. During the majority of the Second World War, Wilhelm Gustloff was used primarily as a barracks ship for U-boat trainees.

Sinking

The ship's final voyage was an evacuation of civilians and wounded German soldiers and sailors from Gotenhafen (also known as Gdingen/Gdynia) to Kiel. The ship left Gdingen early on January 30, 1945, accompanied by the passenger liner Hansa and two torpedo boats. The Hansa and one torpedo boat developed problems and could not continue, leaving the Gustloff with only one torpedo boat for escort. The ship had four captains on board, and an argument broke out about whether or not to light the red and green navigation lights in order to avoid a potential collision with an oncoming minesweeper convoy. Captain Peterson, in command, reluctantly agreed to activate the lights, and the ship was subsequently sighted by the Soviet submarine S-13. The Gustloff was torpedoed 30 kilometres off shore and somewhere between Wladyslawowo and Leba, taking three direct hits soon after 9.00 p.m. It sank 70 minutes later and plunged to a depth of 45 meters (150 feet). An eyewitness account claimed that 400 members of the Women's Auxiliary of the German Navy died almost instantly after the second torpedo hit almost directly under the empty swimming pool in which they were sitting. The mass panic that followed the torpedo hits resulted in an increased loss of life, as many of the refugees ignored orders to allow women and children to disembark first. Many were trampled in a rush for access to the lifeboats and life jackets available. Some equipment was lost as a further result of the panic. The Gustloff slipped below the surface at approximately the 70 minute mark. The water temperature in the Baltic at this time of year is usually around 4 degrees Celsius; however, this was a particularly cold day with air temperature of minus 10 to minus 18 degrees, with ice floes covering the surface. The ship was built for fewer than 2,000 passengers. However, because of its original recreational purpose it actually had the capacity to board much more. Unfortunately, it was carrying less than 50% of the rescue equipment necessary for the significantly increased number of passengers. It is estimated that of the approximately 5,000 to 7,000 refugees and over 1,000 soldiers and sailors on board at the time, only 1,239 passengers survived (other sources: 966 survivors), saved by German vessels in the vicinity. According to the ship's own records, the official total was 6,050 people. However, taking into an account those who sneaked on board the ship unaccounted, the death toll was almost certainly much higher. Today, one may find reports of 9,000, 10,000 and more. Of course, these numbers are only estimates made by different methods. For example, the Discovery Channel program "Unsolved History" has undertaken an extensive computer analysis of the sinking of the Gustloff, which in particular supported an estimate of 9,400 dead (among over 10,600 on board). The analysis considered load density based on eye-witness reports and simulation of escape routes and survivability in conjunction with the timeline of sinking. There were many other refugees transport ships sunk during the war by the Allies and Axis (like the Cap Arcona). However the Gustloff remains the worst disaster in shipping history, in terms of loss of life in a single vessel. Despite popular claims sinking of Gustloff wasn't a war crime, since it was a military training ship, and thus a legitimate military target. 55.07N, 17.41E is the resting place of Gustloff. This is 30 km off shore, east of Leba (17.33E) and west of Wladyslawowo (18.24E). It has been designated as a war memorial site (off-limits to salvage crews). On Polish navigation charts it is noted as "Obstacle No. 73".

Novel

The novel Im Krebsgang (2002) (English translation: Crabwalk), by Danzig-born German author Günter Grass, is based on the story of the disaster.

External links

- [http://www.feldgrau.com/wilhelmgustloff.html A Memorial to the Wilhelm Gustloff]
- [http://www.wilhelmgustloff.com www.wilhelmgustloff.com]
- [http://www.militaryhistoryonline.com/wwii/articles/wilhelmgustloff.aspx The Greatest Marine Disaster in History... and why you probably never heard of it.]
- [http://www.deepimage.co.uk/wrecks/wilhelm-gustoff/gustloff_main.htm Shipwreck Expedition May 2003, led by Mike Boring]
- [http://www.strelna.ru/en/chronology_navy/361] Allied view of the things Category:Cruise ships of Germany Category:Ships sunk by Soviet submarines Category:Shipwrecks ja:ヴィルヘルム・グストロフ号

Blohm & Voss

On April 5, 1877, Hermann Blohm and Ernst Voss founded the Blohm & Voss Schiffswerft und Maschinenfabrik shipbuilding and engineering works as a general partnership. A shipyard was built on the island of Kuhwerder, near the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, covering 15,000 m²;, with 250 m of water frontage and three building berths, two suitable for ships of up to 100 metres length. The company has continued to build ships and other large machines for 125 years. Despite being almost completely demolished after the end of World War II, it now builds warships both for the Deutsche Marine and for export (see MEKO), as well as oil drilling equipment and ships for numerous commercial customers. From about 1930 to 1945 Blohm & Voss also designed and built aircraft for use by both the German state airline, Lufthansa, and the air-force, Luftwaffe. Particularly noteworthy were the large flying boats the company produced, as well as ingenious approaches to aircraft building that often featured asymmetric designs. Although the aviation arm was originally known as Hamburger Flugzeugbau and their aircraft bore the designation "Ha", this quickly fell from use and newer designs received "BV" instead. The company's name is often found spelled Blohm & Voß in German (and occasionally English) sources. See ß for an explanation of the use of this letter and changes in German spelling that have taken place over the last century with regard to its use. Today Blohm + Voss is (along with Howaldtswerke at Kiel and Nordseewerke at Emden) a subsidiary of ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems.

Ships and submarines

Famous ships built by Blohm + Voss include: Tall ships:
- Peking, Pamir, Passat and other Flying P-Liners
- The three-mast barques and school ships of the Gorch Fock class Ocean liners and other passenger ships:
- Europa
- SS Cap Arcona sunk with great loss of life near the end of World War II
- Wilhelm Gustloff, world's first purpose-built cruise ship and also world's worst maritime desaster so far when she was sunk near the end of WWII Warships of World War I:
- SMS Scharnhorst, an armoured cruiser
- SMS Seydlitz and SMS Derfflinger, two battlecruisers that both got heavily damaged in the battle of jutland, but stayed afloat and brought their sailors home Warships of World War II:
- Admiral Hipper, a heavy cruiser
- Bismarck, a battleship
- many Type VII, Type XVII, Type XXI and Type XXVI U-boats Modern warships:
- F209 Rheinland-Pfalz, a Bremen class frigate
- F215 Brandenburg, the first Brandenburg class frigate
- F219 Sachsen, the first Sachsen class frigate

Aircraft

Blohm & Voss aircraft included:
- Blohm & Voss BV 40, glider interceptor
- Blohm & Voss Ha 137, prototype dive bomber
- Blohm & Voss BV 138, flying-boat (early versions designated as Ha 138)
- Blohm & Voss Ha 139, long-range seaplane
- Blohm & Voss Ha 140, torpedo bomber flying-boat (prototype)
- Blohm & Voss BV 141, reconnaissance (asymmetric)
- Blohm & Voss BV 142, reconnaissance + transport
- Blohm & Voss BV 143, glide bomb (prototype)
- Blohm & Voss BV 144, transport
- Blohm & Voss BV 155, high-altitude interceptor (formerly Me 155)
- Blohm & Voss BV 222 Wiking (Viking), transport flying-boat
- Blohm & Voss BV 238, flying-boat (prototype
- Blohm & Voss BV 246 Hagelkorn (Hailstone), long-range radar-homing glide bomb Blohm + Voss stopped building aircraft after World War II.

External links

- [http://www.blohmvoss.com Official website]
- [http://www.blohmvoss.com/e/info/presse_02042002_2.html Company history (English)]
- [http://www.blohmvoss.com/d/info/presse_02042002_2.html Company history (German)] Category:German aircraft manufacturers Category:Shipbuilding companies of Germany

Switzerland

The Swiss Confederation or Switzerland (Latin: Confoederatio Helvetica) is a landlocked federal republic in Europe, bordering Germany, France, Italy, Austria and Liechtenstein. The country has a strong tradition of political and military neutrality, but also of international cooperation, and is home to many international organisations. Confoederatio Helvetica is the Latin official name. The use of Latin avoids having to choose one of the four official languages. The abbreviation (CH) is similarly used; for example, it is used as Switzerland's ccTLD, .ch. The Latin title Confoederatio Helvetica means Helvetic Confederation. The titles commonly used in French, Italian and Romansh translate as Swiss Confederation, while the German name of Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft translates roughly as "Swiss Oath Fellowship" or "Swiss Commonwealth of the Covenant".

History

Switzerland is a federation of relatively autonomous cantons, some of which have a history of confederacy that goes back more than 700 years, arguably putting them among the world's oldest surviving republics. According to the popular legend, in 1291, representatives of the three forest cantons of Uri, Schwyz, and Unterwalden signed the Federal Charter. The charter united the involved parties in the struggle against foreign rule by the Habsburgs, who then held the German imperial throne of the Holy Roman Empire. At the Battle of Morgarten on November 15, 1315, the Swiss defeated the Habsburg army and secured quasi-independence as the Swiss Confederation. The authenticity of the Federal Charter is disputed, with many historians agreeing that it is in fact a forgery of the 14th century. By 1353, the three original cantons had been joined by the cantons of Glarus and Zug and the city states of Lucerne, Zürich and Berne, forming the "Old Federation" of eight states that persisted during much of the 15th century (although Zürich was expelled from the confederation during the 1440s due to a territorial conflict) and led to a significant increase of power and wealth of the federation, in particular due to the victories over Charles the Bold of Burgundy during the 1470s, and the success of the Swiss mercenaries. The traditional listing order of the cantons of Switzerland reflects this state, listing the eight "Old Cantons" first, with the city states preceding the founding cantons, followed by cantons that joined the federation after 1481, in historical order. The Swiss victory in a war against the Swabian League in 1499 amounted to de facto independence from the Holy Roman Empire. In 1506, Pope Julius II engaged the Swiss Guard that continues to serve the Vatican to the present day. The expansion of the federation, and the reputation of invincibility acquired during the earlier wars, suffered a first setback in 1515 with the Swiss defeat in the Battle of Marignano. The success of Zwingli's Reformation in some cantons led to inter-cantonal wars in 1529 and 1531 (Kappeler Kriege). The conflict between Catholic and Protestant cantons persisted, erupting in further violence at the battles of Villmergen in 1656 and 1712. 1712] Under the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648, European countries recognised Switzerland's independence from the Holy Roman Empire and its neutrality (ancien régime). In 1798, the armies of the French Revolution conquered Switzerland and imposed a new unified constitution. This centralised the government of the country and effectively abolished the cantons. The new regime was known as the Helvetic Republic and was highly unpopular. It had been imposed by a foreign invading army, had destroyed centuries of tradition, including the right to worship, and had made Switzerland nothing more than a French satellite state. Uprisings were common and only the presence of French troops kept them from succeeding. The brutal French suppression of the Nidwalden revolt in September was especially infamous. When war broke out between France and other countries Switzerland found itself being invaded by other outside forces from Austria and Russia. The Swiss were divided mainly between "Republicans" who were in favour of a centralised government, and "Federalists" who wanted to restore autonomy to the cantons. The violent conflict between both sides was never-ending. In Paris in 1803, Napoleon Bonaparte organised a meeting of the leading Swiss politicians from both sides. The result was the Act of Mediation which largely restored Swiss autonomy and introduced a Confederation of 19 Cantons. From then on much of Swiss politics would be about preserving the cantons' right to self-rule and the need for a central government. The Congress of Vienna in 1815 fully re-established Swiss independence and the European powers agreed to permanently recognise the Swiss neutrality. At this time, the territory of Switzerland was increased for the last time, by the new cantons of Valais, Neuchatel and Geneva. In 1847, a civil war broke out between the Catholic and the Protestant cantons (Sonderbundskrieg). Its immediate cause was a 'special treaty' (Sonderbund) of the Catholic cantons. The war lasted for less than a month, causing fewer than 100 casualties. Apart from small riots, this was the latest armed conflict on Swiss territory. As a consequence of the civil war, Switzerland adopted a federal constitution in 1848, amending it extensively in 1874 and establishing federal responsibility for defence, trade, and legal matters. In 1891, the constitution was revised with unusually strong elements of direct democracy, which remains unique even today. Since then, continued political, economic, and social improvement has characterised Swiss history. In 1920, Switzerland joined the League of Nations, and in 1963 the Council of Europe. Switzerland proclaimed neutrality in World War I and was not involved militarily in the conflict. Neutrality was again proclaimed in World War II, and although a German intervention was both planned and anticipated, it ultimately didn't occur. The massive mobilisation of Swiss armed forces under the leadership of General Henri Guisan is often cited as a decisive factor that the German invasion was never initiated. Modern historical findings, such as the research done by the Bergier commission, indicate that another major factor was the continued trade by Swiss banks with Nazi Germany. Bergier commission Women were granted the right to vote in the first cantons in 1959, at the federal level in 1971, in the last canton, Appenzell Innerrhoden, only in 1990. In 1979, parts of the canton of Berne attained independence, forming the new canton of Jura. On April 18, 1999 the Swiss population and the cantons voted in favour of a completely revised federal constitution. In 2002 Switzerland became a full member of the United Nations, leaving the Vatican as the last widely recognised state without full UN membership. Switzerland is not a member state of the EU but applied for membership therein in May 1992. Switzerland has not advanced this application since the rejection, by referendum, of the European Economic Area in December 1992. However, Swiss law is gradually being adjusted to that of the EU and the government has signed a number of bilateral agreements with the European Union. Switzerland (together with Liechtenstein) has been surrounded by the EU since Austria's membership in 1995. On June 5, 2005, Swiss voters agreed, by a 55% majority, to join the Schengen treaty, a result that was welcomed by EU commentators as a sign of goodwill by a Switzerland that is traditionally perceived as isolationist.

Politics

Schengen treaty]] The bicameral Swiss parliament, the Federal Assembly, is the primary seat of power, apart from the Federal Council. Both houses, the Council of States and the National Council, have equal powers in all respects, including the right to introduce legislation. Under the 1999 constitution, cantons hold all powers not specifically delegated to the federation. The 46 members of the Council of States (two from each canton and one from former half cantons) are directly elected in each canton, whereas the 200 members of the National Council are elected directly under a system of proportional representation. Members of both houses serve for 4 years. Through referenda citizens may challenge any law voted by federal parliament and through initiatives introduce amendments to the federal constitution, making Switzerland a semi-direct democracy. The top executive body and collective Head of State is the Federal Council, a collegial body of seven members. Although the constitution provides that the Assembly elects and supervises the members of the Council, the latter (and its administration) has gradually assumed a pre-eminent role in directing the legislative process as well as executing federal laws. The President of the Confederation is elected from the seven to assume special representative functions for a one-year term. From 1959 to December 2003, the four major parties were represented in the Federal Council according to the "magic formula", proportional to their representation in federal parliament: 2 Christian Democrats (CVP/PDC), 2 from the Social Democrats (SPS/PSS), 2 Free Democrats (FDP/PRD), and 1 from the Swiss People's Party (SVP/UDC). This traditional distribution of seats, however, is not backed up by any law, and in the 2003 elections to the Federal Council the CVP/PDC lost their second seat to the SVP/UDC. The function of the Federal Supreme Court is to hear appeals of cantonal courts or the administrative rulings of the federal administration. The judges are elected by the Federal Assembly for six-year terms. See also: International relations of Switzerland

Direct democracy

Switzerland features a system of government not seen at the national level on any other place on earth: Direct democracy. Any citizen may challenge a law that has been passed by parliament. If he is able to gather 50,000 signatures against the law within 100 days, a national vote has to be scheduled where voters decide by a simple majority whether to accept or reject the law. Also, any citizen may seek a decision on an amendment they want to make to the constitution. For such an amendment initiative to be organised, the signatures of 100,000 voters must be collected within 18 months. Such a popular initiative may be formulated as a general proposal or - much more often - be put forward as a precise new text whose wording can no longer be changed by parliament and the government. After a successful vote gathering, the federal council may create a counterproposal to the proposed amendment and put it to vote on the same day. Such counterproposals are usually a compromise between the status quo and the wording of the initiative. Voters will again decide in a national vote whether to accept the initiative amendment, the counterproposal put forward by the government or both. If both are accepted, one has to additionally signal a preference. Initiatives have to be accepted by a double majority of both the popular votes and a majority of the states.

Energy politics

The energy generated in Switzerland comprises around 40 percent nuclear power and 60 percent from hydroelectricity. On May 18, 2003, two referenda regarding the future of nuclear power in Switzerland were held. The referendum Electricity without nuclear asked for a decision on a nuclear power phase-out and Moratorium Plus asked about an extension an existing law forbidding the building of new nuclear power plants. Both were turned down: Moratorium Plus by a margin of 41.6% for and 58.4% opposed, and Electricity Without Nuclear by a margin of 33.7% for and 66.3% opposed. The former ten-year moratorium on the construction of new nuclear power plants was the result of a citizens' initiative voted on in 1990 which had passed with 54.5% Yes vs. 45.5% No votes (see Nuclear power phase-out#Switzerland for details).

Cantons (states)

Nuclear power phase-out#Switzerland]] The Swiss Confederation consists of 26 cantons:
- These cantons are represented by only one councillor in the Council of States. Their populations vary between 15,000 (Appenzell Innerrhoden) and 1,253,500 (Zürich), and their area between 37 km² (Basel-Stadt) and 7,105 km² (Grisons). The Cantons comprise a total of 2,889 municipalities. The following are enclaves within Switzerland: Büsingen is territory of Germany, Campione d'Italia is territory of Italy.

Geography

Italy With an area of 41,285 km², Switzerland is a small country. The population is around 7.4 million, resulting in a population density of 184 people per km². Switzerland comprises three basic topographical areas: the Swiss Alps, the Swiss plateau, and the Jura mountains.The Alps are a high mountain range running across the central-south of the country. Among the high peaks of the Swiss Alps, the highest of which is the Dufour Peak at 4,634 m, are found countless valleys, some with glaciers. From these the headwaters of several major European rivers such as the Rhine, the Rhône, the Inn, the Aare or the Ticino, flow down into lakes such as Lake Geneva, Lake Zürich, Lake Neuchâtel, and Lake Constance. Lake Constance The northern, more populous part of the country is more open, but can still be mountainous, for example, in the Jura Mountains, a smaller range in the northwest. The Swiss climate is generally temperate, but can vary greatly between the localities, from harsh conditions on the high mountains to the often pleasant Mediterranean climate at Switzerland's southern tip. A zoomable map of Switzerland is available at either [http://www.swissinfo-geo.org www.swissinfo-geo.org] or [http://www.swissgeo.ch www.swissgeo.ch]; a zoomable satellite picture is at [http://map.search.ch/ map.search.ch].
See also: Swisstopo topographical survey, List of lakes of Switzerland, List of rivers of Switzerland, List of mountain passes in Switzerland.

Economy

Switzerland is a prosperous and stable modern market economy, with a per capita GDP that is higher than those of the big western European economies. For much of the 20th century Switzerland was the wealthiest country in Europe by a considerable margin. However since the early 1990s it has suffered from slow growth, and as of 2005 it had fallen to fourth among European states with populations above one million in terms of Gross Domestic Product per capita at purchasing power parity, behind Ireland, Denmark and Norway (see list). Switzerland is a member of the European Free Trade Association. In recent years, the Swiss have brought their economic practices largely into conformity with those of the European Union, in an effort to enhance their international competitiveness, but this has not produced strong growth. Full EU membership is a long-term objective of the Swiss government, but there is considerable popular sentiment against this. To this end, it has established an [http://www.europa.admin.ch/e/index.htm Integration Office] under the Department of Foreign and Economic Affairs. To minimise the negative consequences of Switzerland's isolation from the rest of Europe, Bern and Brussels signed seven agreements, called Bilateral Agreements I, to further liberalise trade ties in 1999 and entering into force in 2001. This first series of bilateral agreements included the free movement of persons. A second series covering nine areas was signed in 2004 and awaits ratification. The second series includes the Schengen treaty and the Dublin Convention. They continue to discuss further areas for cooperation. Preparatory discussions are being opened on four new areas: opening up the electricity market, participation in the European GPS system Galileo, cooperating with the European centre for disease prevention and recognising certificates of origin for food products. Switzerland voted against membership in the European Economic Area in December 1992 and has since maintained and developed its relationships with the European Union and European countries through bilateral agreements.
- List of Swiss companies
- Swiss bank

Demographics

Swiss bank (19.2%),
Italian (7.6%),
Romansh (0.6%)]] Switzerland sits at the crossroads of several major European cultures that have heavily influenced the country's languages and culture. Switzerland has three nationwide official languages (German (64%) in the north and centre, French (19%) to the west, and Italian (8%) in the south), plus a fourth national language that is considered official locally (Romansh, a Romance language spoken by a small minority (< 1%) in the southeastern canton of Graubünden and in parts of Ticino). The federal government is obliged to communicate in the three official languages. In the federal parliament, German, French and Italian are the official languages and simultaneous translation is provided. The German spoken in Switzerland is predominantly a group of dialects that are almost unintelligible to Germans and are collectively known as Swiss German, but written communication and broadcasts typically use standard German. Swiss French and Swiss Italian differ far less from their counterparts in France and Italy, respectively. Learning one of the other national languages at school is obligatory for all Swiss, so most Swiss are at least bilingual. English is considered by some as a Swiss lingua franca, and most Swiss people have some command of English; many Swiss documents and websites are available in English. Resident foreigners and temporary foreign workers make up about 20% of the population. The most popular religion in Switzerland is Roman Catholicism (43% of the population). There are various Protestant denominations (35%), while immigration has brought Islam (4%) and Eastern Orthodoxy (2%) as sizeable minority religions. The stability and prosperity of Switzerland, combined with a linguistically diverse population, has led some to describe the country as a consensus, or consociational state.
- List of Swiss people

Culture

List of Swiss people] The culture of Switzerland is influenced by its neighbours, but over the years a distinctive culture with strong regional differences has developed. Traditionally Switzerland is not considered one of the centres of European culture, but this conception might be deceptive. A number of culturally active Swiss have chosen to move abroad, probably given the limited opportunities in their homeland. At the same time, the neutrality of Switzerland has attracted many creative people from all over the world. In war times the tradition of political asylum helped to attract artists, whilst recently low taxes seem predominant. Strong regionalism in Switzerland makes it difficult to speak of a homogeneous Swiss culture. The influence of German, French and Italian culture on their neighbouring parts and the influence of Anglo-American culture cannot be denied. The Rhaeto-Romanic culture in the eastern mountains of Switzerland is robust. The Swiss are noted for their banks, their chocolate, their cheese, their pocket knives, their watches (particularly the famous Rolex), their private boarding schools and their strengths in engineering and the sciences. The tallest building in Switzerland is the Basler Messeturm.
- Music of Switzerland
- Culture of Switzerland
- Swiss cuisine
- SRG SSR idée suisse

External links

- Governmental websites
- [http://www.admin.ch/ch/index.en.html The Federal Authorities]
- [http://www.parlament.ch/e/homepage.htm The Swiss Parliament]
- [http://www.bger.ch/ Federal Supreme Court] - (in German, French and Italian)
- [http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/en/ Swiss Federal Statistical Office]
- [http://www.swissinfo.org/ Switzerland's news and information platform] - maintained by the public Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (in 9 languages)
- Historical Dictionary of Switzerland: [http://www.dhs.ch www.dhs.ch] - Country encyclopedia (in German, French and Italian)
- [http://www.swissworld.org/ Swissworld] - an encyclopedic presentation of the country by the Swiss Confederation
- [http://www.about.ch/ About.ch] - another presentation of the country
- [http://www.myswitzerland.com/ Switzerland Tourism] National tourist office
- [http://www.culturelinks.ch/ Culturelinks.ch] - a portal giving access to Swiss culture websites
- [http://www.are.ch/ Spatial Planning in Switzerland] Website of Swiss Federal Office for Spatial Development (land-use planning, transportation, sustainable development)
- [http://map.search.ch/ Map.Search.ch] Maps of Switzerland
- [http://www.justlanded.com/english/switzerland/ Just Landed Switzerland] - Useful info for moving to Switzerland
- Alemannic Wikipedia
- Category:Landlocked countries als:Schweiz zh-min-nan:Sūi-se ko:스위스 ms:Switzerland ja:スイス simple:Switzerland th:ประเทศสวิตเซอร์แลนด์

Wilhelm Gustloff

Wilhelm Gustloff (January 30, 1895-February 4, 1936) was the German leader of the Swiss Nazi party. He was responsible for the widespread distribution of the anti-Semitic "Protocols of the Elders of Zion". Gustloff was shot in 1936 by David Frankfurter, a Jewish student who had been monitoring his activities. He was born in Schwerin in Mecklenburg and had a state funeral in Schwerin in the presence of Adolf Hitler and Joseph Goebbels. The Hitlerjugend members had to line the street through which the cortege passed. This episode is an element of the novel Crabwalk (in German: Im Krebsgang) by the German writer Günter Grass with the plot based the fate of KdF Ship Wilhelm Gustloff. Gustloff, Wilhelm Gustloff, Wilhelm

1937

1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar).

Events

January

- January 1 - Anastasio Somoza becomes President of Nicaragua
- January 11 - The first issue of Look magazine goes on sale in the United States.
- January 19 - Howard Hughes sets a new air record by flying from Los Angeles to New York City in 7 hours, 28 minutes and 25 seconds.
- January 23 - In Moscow, 17 leading Communists go on trial accused of participating in a plot led by Leon Trotsky to overthrow Joseph Stalin's regime and assassinate its leaders.
- January 31 - Ohio river floods
- January 31 - 31 people executed in the Soviet Union for "Trotskyism"

February

- February 5 - President Franklin D. Roosevelt proposes a plan to enlarge the Supreme Court of the United States.
- February 8 - Falangist troops take Málaga
- February 11 - A sit-down strike ends when General Motors recognises the United Automobile Workers Union
- February 16 - Wallace H. Carothers receives a patent for nylon.
- February 19 - During a public ceremony at the Viceregal Palace (the former Imperial residence) in Addis Ababa Ahmed, Ethiopia, two Eritrean nationalists attempt to kill viceroy Rodolfo Graziani with a number of grenades. The Italian security guard fire into the crowd of Ethiopian onlookers, and over the passing weeks indiscriminately slaughter native Ethiopians in reprisal.
- February 21 - Initial flight of the first successful flying car, Waldo Waterman's Arrowbile; the League of Nations Non-Intervention Committee ban on foreign national "volunteers" in the Spanish Civil War.

March

- March - The first issue of the comic book Detective Comics is published in the United States. Twenty-seven issues later, Detective Comics would introduce Batman. The comic would go on to become the longest continually-published comic magazine in American history; it is still published as of 2005.
- March 10 - The Encyclical Mit Brennender Sorge of pope Pius XI is published in Nazi Germany
- March 18 - The New London School explosion kills three hundred.
- March 26 - In Crystal City, Texas spinach growers erect a statue of the cartoon character Popeye.
- March 26 - William Henry Hastie becomes the first African-American appointed to federal judgeship.

April

- April 1 - Aden becomes a British crown colony.
- April 17 - Release of the animated short Porky's Duck Hunt, directed by Tex Avery for the Merrie Melodies series, featuring the debut of Daffy Duck.
- April 26 - Spanish Civil War: Guernica, Spain is bombed by German Luftwaffe.
- April 26 - In his report of the Falangist attack on Guernica, British journalist George Steer reports that he had found German bomb casing; that means that Luftwaffe planes were connected with the attack

May

Luftwaffe, with their daughters Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret.]]
- May 1 - General strike in Paris, France
- May 6 - In United States, the German airship Hindenburg bursts into flame when mooring to a mast in Lakehurst.
- May 7 - Spanish Civil War: The German Condor Legion Fighter Group, equipped with Heinkel He 51 biplanes arrive in Spain to assist Francisco Franco's forces.
- May 12 - Coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth takes place at Westminster Abbey, London.
- May 21 - As one of the reprisals for the attempted assassination of Italian viceroy Rodolfo Graziani, a detachment of Italian troops massacre the entire community of Debre Libanos. 297 monks and 23 laymen are killed.
- May 27 - In California, the Golden Gate Bridge opens to pedestrian traffic creating a vital link between San Francisco and Marin County. The next day, President Franklin D. Roosevelt pushes a button in Washington, DC signaling the start of vehicle traffic over the Golden Gate Bridge.
- May - Dáil Éireann passes the Executive Authority (Consequential Provisions) Act, 1937 which retrospectively abolishes the office of Governor-General of the Irish Free State. The abolition is retrospectively dated to December 1936.

June

- June 8 - First total solar eclipse to exceed 7 minutes of totality in over 800 years; visible in the Pacific and Peru.
- June 14 - Pennsylvania becomes the first (and only) of the United States to celebrate Flag Day officially as a state holiday.
- June 21 - Coalition government of Leon Blum resigns in France.
- June/July - Dáil Éireann debates and passes the draft new constitution of Éire, to be called Bunreacht na hÉireann. The new constitution is then submitted for public approval by plebiscite.

July

- July 1 - Gestapo arrests priest Martin Niemöller.
- July 1 - In a referendum the people of the Irish Free State accept the new Constitution by 685,105 votes to 527,945.
- July 2 - Amelia Earhart disappears
- July 5 - Highest recorded temperature in Canada, at Yellow Grass, Saskatchewan: 45 °C.
- July 7 - Sino-Japanese War: Battle of Lugou Bridge - Japanese forces invade China.
- July 21 - Eamon de Valera elected president of Eire
- July 22 - New Deal: The United States Senate votes down President Franklin D. Roosevelt's proposal to add more justices to the Supreme Court of the United States.
- July 24 - Alabama drops rape charges against the so-called "Scottsboro Boys."
- July 28 - IRA attempts bombing assassination against King George VI in Belfast.

August

- August 6 - Falangist artillery bombards Madrid.

September

- September 5 - Spanish Civil War: The fall of Llanes.
- September 16 - birth of Keith Bosley, broadcaster (retired), poet and translator.
- September 21 - George Allen & Unwin, Ltd. of London published the first edition of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Hobbit.
- September 25 - Sino-Japanese War: Battle of Pingxingguan.

October

- October 1 - Marijuana Tax Act in USA.
- October 3 - Japanese troops advance toward Nanking.
- October 5 - Roosevelt "Quarantine the Aggressors" speech at Chicago
- October 21 - The whole Spanish northern seaboard in the Falangists' hands.
- October 21 - Roberto Ortiz elected president of Argentina.
- October 27 - Spanish Civil War - Republican forces in Gijon, Spain, set fire to petrol reserves before they retreat before the advancing Falangists.

November

- November 5 Spanish Civil War - Massacre of Republican supporters in Piedrafita de Babia, near León. Possibly 35,000 executed.
- November 5 - World War II: In the Reich Chancellery, Adolf Hitler holds a secret meeting and states his plans for acquiring "living space" for the German people.
- November 9 - Japanese troops take Shanghai.

December

- December 3 - The Dandy, the world's longest running comic, was first published.
- December 12 - Panay incident
- December 13 - Battle of Nanjing ends and the Nanjing Massacre begins. Japanese troops would slaughter over 250,000 civilians and prisoners over three months.
- December 27 - Mae West performance gets her banned from NBC Radio
- December 29 - New Irish Constitution, Bunreacht na hÉireann comes into force. The Irish Free State becomes Éire. Eamon de Valera becomes the first Taoiseach (prime minister) of the new state. A Presidential Commission (made up the Irish Chief Justice, the Speaker of Dáil Éireann and the President of the High Court) assumes the powers of the new presidency of Ireland pending the election of the first president in June 1938.
- December - The Marijuana Tax Act is signed, ending the US hemp industry just as it was about to benefit from a mechanised brake and compete with cotton and wood pulp.

Unknown dates

- Japan invades Manchuria. (Some consider this the start of World War II. Most historians disagree).
- New Irish constitution bans divorce.
- First science fiction convention in Leeds, United Kingdom.
- Italy joins Antikomintern Pact.
- The National House Builders Registration Council (now the NHBC) was formed in the United Kingdom.
- Donald Goines (1937 - 1973)
- Jimmie Angel lands his plane on top of Devil's Mountain however the plane gets damaged and he has to trek through the rainforest for help.

Ongoing events

- Spanish Civil War (1936-1939)
- Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945)
- Harlem Renaissance (1920-1940) [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harlem_Renaissance]

Births

January

- January 1 - Anne Aubrey, British actor
- January 4 - Dyan Cannon, Ameircan actress
- January 6 - Underwood Dudley, American mathematician
- January 8 - Shirley Bassey, Welsh singer
- January 14 - Ken Higgs, English cricketer
- January 15 - Margaret O'Brien, American actress
- January 18 - John Hume, Irish politician, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize
- January 27 - John Ogdon, English pianist (d. 1989)
- January 30 - Vanessa Redgrave, English actress
- January 30 - Boris Spassky, Russian chess player
- January 31 - Suzanne Pleshette, Amrican actress
- January 31 - Philip Glass, American composer

February

- February 1 - Garrett Morris, American comedian
- February 1 - Don Everly, American musician
- February 2 - Tom Smothers, American musician and comedian
- February 2 - Magic Sam, American musician (d. 1969)
- February 8 - Manfred Krug, German actor and singer
- February 11 - Bill Lawry, Australian cricketer
- February 12 - Charles Dumas, American athlete
- February 20 - Robert Huber, German chemist, Nobel Prize laureate
- February 20 - Roger Penske, American race car driver
- February 20 - Nancy Wilson, American singer and actress
- February 21 - King Harald V of Norway
- February 25 - Tom Courtenay, English actor

March

- March 2 - Abdelaziz Bouteflika, Algerian president
- March 4 - Graham Dowling, New Zealand cricket captains
- March 6 - Valentina Tereshkova, cosmonaut
- March 9 - Mickey Gilly, American musician
- March 17 - Rudy Ray Moore, American comedian
- March 20 - Jerry Reed, American musician
- March 22 - Armin Hary, German athlete
- March 23 - Craig Breedlove, American race car driver
- March 30 - Warren Beatty, American actor and director

April

- April 5 - Colin Powell, U.S. Secretary of State
- April 6 - Merle Haggard, American musician
- April 6 - Billy Dee Williams, American actor
- April 10 - Bella Akhmadulina, Russian poet
- April 16 - Joseph Whipp, American actor
- April 22 - Jack Nicholson, American actor
- April 29 - Jill Paton Walsh, English novelist

May

- May 1 - Una Stubbs, British actor
- May 8 - Thomas Pynchon, American writer
- May 6 - Rubin 'Hurricane' Carter, American boxer
- May 12 - George Carlin, American comedian
- May 13 - Roch Carrier, Canadian writer
- May 13 - Roger Zelazny, American writer (d. 1995)
- May 15 - Madeleine Albright, U.S. Secretary of State
- May 15 - Trini López, American musician
- May 17 - Hazel R. O'Leary, U.S. Secretary of Energy
- May 18 - Brooks Robinson, baseball player
- May 18 - Jacques Santer, Luxembourg politician, President of the European Council

June

- June 1 - Morgan Freeman, American actor
- June 3 - Solomon P. Ortiz, U.S. Congressman from Texas
- June 7 - Neemi Järvi, Estonian conductor
- June 9 - Harald Rosenthal, German biologist
- June 11 - Robin Warren, Australian pathologist, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
- June 18 - Wray Carlton, American football player
- June 18 - Vitali Zholobov, cosmonaut
- June 23 - Martti Ahtisaari, President of Finland
- June 25 - Keizo Obuchi, Prime Minister of Japan (d. 2000)
- June 26 - Robert Coleman Richardson, American physicist, Nobel Prize laureate
- June 28 - Ron Luciano, baseball umpire and writer (d. 1995)

July

- July 6 - Vladimir Ashkenazy, Russian pianist
- July 6 - Ned Beatty, American actor
- July 7 - Tung Chee-Hwa, Hong Kong administrator
- July 9 - David Hockney, English-born artist
- July 12 - Lionel Jospin, Prime Minister of France
- July 12 - Bill Cosby, American actor and comedian
- July 14 - Yoshiro Mori, Japanese politician
- July 18 - Roald Hoffmann, Polish-born chemist, Nobel Prize laureate
- July 29 - Daniel McFadden, American economist, Nobel Prize laureate

August

- August 4 - David Bedford, American musician
- August 5 - Herb Brooks, American hockey coach (d. 2003)
- August 8 - Dustin Hoffman, American actor
- August 18 - Robert Redford, American actor
- August 18 - Willie Rushton, English comedian and cartoonist (d. 1996)
- August 21 - Donald Dewar, First Minister of Scotland (d. 2000)
- August 29 - James Florio, Governor of New Jersey

September

- September 4 - Dawn Fraser, Australian swimmer
- September 15 - Robert Lucas, Jr., American economist, Nobel Prize laureate
- September 15 - Fernando de la Rúa, President of Argentina
- September 19 - Abner Haynes, American football player
- September 28 - Rod Roddy, American television announcer (d. 2003)

October

- October 2 - Johnnie Cochran, American attorney (d. 2005)
- October 5 - Barry Switzer, American football coach
- October 10 - Bobby Charlton, English footballer

November

- November 8 - Paul Mackintosh Foot, British journalist
- November 15 - Yaphet Kotto, American actor
- November 17 - Peter Cook, English comedian and writer
- November 26 - Boris Yegorov, cosmonaut

December

- December 3 - Bobby Allison, American race car driver
- December 8 - Arne Næss Jr., Norwegian mountaineer and businessman (d. 2004)
- December 21 - Jane Fonda, American actress and social activist
- December 26 - Gnassingbe Eyadema, President of Togo (d. 2005)
- December 29 - Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, President of the Maldives
- December 30 - John Hartford, American musician and composer (d. 2001)
- December 30 - Jim Marshall, American football player
- December 31 - Avram Hershko, Israeli biologist, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry
- December 31 - Sir Anthony Hopkins, Welsh actor

Deaths

- January 6 - Brother Andre, Canadian religious leader (b. 1845)
- January 23 - Marie Prevost, Canadian actress (b. 1898)
- February 5 - Lou Andreas-Salome, Russian-born writer (b. 1861)
- February 7 - Elihu Root, American statesman and diplomat, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize (b. 1845)
- February 11 - Walter Burley Griffin, American architect and town planner (b. 1876)
- March 9 - Paul Elmer More, American critic and essayist (b. 1864)
- March 12 - Charles-Marie Widor, French organist and composer (b. 1840)
- March 15 - H. P. Lovecraft, American writer (b. 1890)
- March 17 - Austen Chamberlain, English statesman, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize (b. 1863)
- March 29 - Karol Szymanowski, Polish composer (b. 1882)
- April 19 - William Martin Conway, British art critic and mountaineer (b. 1856)
- April 21 - Saima Harmaja, Finnish poet (b. 1913)
- April 25 - Michał Drzymała, Polish rebel (b.1857)
- May 23 - John D. Rockefeller, American industrialist and philanthropist (b. 1839)
- May 28 - Alfred Adler, Austrian psychologist (b. 1870)
- June 19 - J. M. Barrie, Scottish novelist and dramatist (b. 1860)
- July 9 - Oliver Law, American labor organizer and Army officer (killed in battle) (b. 1899)
- July 11 - George Gershwin, American composer (b. 1898)
- July 20 - Guglielmo Marconi, Italian inventor (b. 1874)
- July 21 - Louis Vierne, French composer (b. 1870)
- August 11 - Edith Wharton, American writer (b. 1862)
- September 2 - Pierre de Coubertin, French founder of the modern Olympic Games (b. 1863)
- September 26 - Bessie Smith, American singer (b. 1894)
- September 29 - Ray Ewry, American athlete (b. 1873)
- October 16 - Jean de Brunhoff, French writer (b. 1899)
- October 19 - Ernest Rutherford, 1st Baron Rutherford of Nelson, New Zealand physicist, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry (b. 1871)
- October 26 - Józef Dowbór-Muśnicki, Polish general (b. 1867)
- November 17 - Jack Worrall, Australian cricketer and coach (b. 1860)
- November 23 - Jagdish Chandra Bose, Indian Physicist (b. 1858)
- December 9 - Gustaf Dalén, Swedish physicist, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1869)
- December 20 - Erich Ludendorff, German general (b. 1865)
- December 21 - Frank B. Kellogg, United States Secretary of State, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize (b. 1856)
- December 28 - Maurice Ravel, French composer (b. 1875)

Nobel Prizes

- Physics - Clinton Joseph Davisson, George Paget Thomson
- Chemistry - Walter Haworth, Paul Karrer
- Medicine - Albert von Szent-Györgyi Nagyrapolt
- Literature - Roger Martin du Gard
- Peace - Robert Cecil Category:1937 ko:1937년 ms:1937 ja:1937年 simple:1937 th:พ.ศ. 2480

January 30

January 30 is the 30th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. There are 335 days remaining, (336 in leap years).

Events

- 1648 - The Treaty of Münster is signed, ending the Eighty Years' War between the Netherlands and Spain.
- 1649 - King Charles I of England is beheaded.
- 1661 -Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England is formally executed- after having been dead for two years.
- 1790 - The first boat specialized as a lifeboat is tested on the River Tyne.
- 1820 - Edward Bransfield lands on the Antarctic mainland.
- 1835 - A mentally ill man named Richard Lawrence attempts to assassinate President Andrew Jackson in the United States Capitol -- the first assassination attempt against a President. Both of Lawrence's pistols misfire, and Jackson proceeds to beat his would-be assassin with his cane.
- 1847 - Yerba Buena, California is renamed San Francisco.
- 1862 - The first American ironclad warship, the USS Monitor is launched.
- 1889 - Archduke Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria, heir to the Austro-Hungarian crown, was found dead with his mistress Baroness Mary Vetsera in Mayerling. How they died remains a mystery.
- 1900 - United Kingdom forces fighting Boers in South Africa ask for reinforcements.
- 1911 - The destroyer USS Terry makes the first airplane rescue at sea saving the life of James McCurdy 10 miles from Havana, Cuba.
- 1911 - The Canadian Naval Service becomes the Royal Canadian Navy.
- 1913 - House of Lords rejects Irish Home Rule Bill.
- 1925 - Government of Turkey throws Patriarch Constantine VI out of Istanbul.
- 1933 - Adolf Hitler is sworn in as Chancellor of Germany.
- 1933 - The first of 2,956 episodes of The Lone Ranger radio series airs on station WXYZ in Detroit, Michigan.
- 1944 - United States troops invade Majuro, Marshall Islands.
- 1945 - KdF Ship Wilhelm Gustloff sunk in the Baltic Sea - deadliest maritime disaster in known history killing roughly 9,000.
- 1948 - Indian pacifist and leader Mahatma Gandhi is murdered by a Hindu extremist.
- 1948 - 1948 Winter Olympics open in St. Moritz, Switzerland.
- 1962 - Two of the high-wire Flying Wallendas are killed when their famous seven-person pyramid collapses during a performance in Detroit, Michigan.
- 1964 - Ranger 6 is launched by NASA. Its mission is to carry television cameras and to crash-land on the moon.
- 1968 - Vietnam War: The Tet Offensive begins when Viet Cong forces launch series of a surprise attacks in South Vietnam.
- 1969 - The Beatles' last public performance, on the roof of Apple Records. The impromptu concert was broken up by the police.
- 1972 - Bloody Sunday: United Kingdom British Paratroopers murder fourteen Roman Catholic civil rights /anti internment marchers in Northern Ireland- Bloody Sunday (1972)
- 1972 - Pakistan withdraws from the British Commonwealth.
- 1975 - First faroese stamp issued
- 1980 - Australian Sitcom Kingswood Country starts on ATN-7.
- 1983 - Super Bowl XVII: The Washington Redskins defeat the Miami Dolphins, 27-17, thus winning their first NFL championship since 1942.
- 1989 - The American embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan closes.
- 1994 - Péter Lékó becomes the youngest grand master in chess.
- 1994 - The Dallas Cowboys win their fourth Super Bowl title, 30-13 over the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl XXVIII.
- 1995 - Workers from the National Institutes of Health announce the success of clinical trials testing the first preventive treatment for sickle-cell disease.
- 1996 - Suspected leader of the Irish National Liberation Army Gino Gallagher is killed while in line for his unemployment benefit.
- 1999 - A 7-year old boy dies of choking on a Pokémon Power Bouncer ball toy.
- 2000 - Off the coast of Côte d'Ivoire, Kenya Airways Flight 431 crashes into the Atlantic Ocean, killing 169.
- 2000 - In a dramatic finish to Super Bowl XXXIV, the St. Louis Rams defeat the Tennessee Titans, 23-16.
- 2002 - Slobodan Milošević accuses the United Nations war crimes tribunal of an "evil and hostile attack" against him.
- 2003 - Belgium legally recognizes same-sex marriage.
- 2005 - Amid violence and threats to boycott the results, Iraq holds an election for its National Assembly, the country's first free election since 1953.

Births

- 133 - Marcus Severus Didius Julianus, Roman Emperor (d.193)
- 1505 - Thomas Tallis, English composer (d. 1585)
- 1563 - Franciscus Gomarus, Dutch theologian (d. 1641)
- 1615 - Thomas Rolfe, American colonial settler
- 1661 - Charles Rollin, French historian (d. 1741)
- 1687 - Johann Balthasar Neumann, German architect (d. 1753)
- 1697 - Johann Joachim Quantz, German flutist and composer (d. 1773)
- 1720 - Charles De Geer, Swedish industrialist and entomologist (d. 1778)
- 1754 - John Lansing, Jr., American statesman (d. 1829)
- 1781 - Adelbert von Chamisso, German writer (d. 1838)
- 1841 - Félix Faure, President of France (d. 1899)
- 1861 - Charles Martin Loeffler, German-born composer (d. 1935)
- 1878 - Anton Hansen Tammsaare, Estonian author (d. 1940)
- 1882 - Franklin D. Roosevelt, President of the United States (d. 1945)
- 1894 - King Boris III of Bulgaria (d. 1943)
- 1899 - Max Theiler, South African virologist, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (d. 1972)
- 1901 - Rudolf Caracciola, German race car driver (d. 1959)
- 1902 - Nikolaus Pevsner, German-born art historian (d. 1983)
- 1910 - C Subramaniam, Indian politician (d. 2000)
- 1911 - Roy Eldridge, American musician (d. 1989)
- 1912 - Barbara W. Tuchman, American historian (d. 1989)
- 1914 - John Ireland, Canadian actor (d. 1992)
- 1915 - Joachim Peiper, German military leader (d. 1976)
- 1915 - John Profumo, British cabinet minister
- 1920 - Delbert Mann, American director
- 1922 - Dick Martin, American comedian
- 1924 - Lloyd Alexander, American writer
- 1925 - Douglas Engelbart, American computer scientist
- 1925 - Dorothy Malone, American actress
- 1927 - Olof Palme, Prime Minister of Sweden (d. 1986)
- 1928 - Hal Prince, American stage producer and director
- 1930 - Samuel J. Byck, American attempted assassin of Richard Nixon
- 1930 - Gene Hackman, American actor
- 1930 - Magnus Malan, South African politician
- 1931 - Allan W. Eckert, American historian, naturalist, and author
- 1931 - Shirley Hazzard, Australian-born author
- 1932 - Knock Yokoyama, Japanese comedian and politician
- 1933 - Louis Rukeyser, American journalist
- 1935 - Richard Brautigan, American writer and poet (d. 1984)
- 1937 - Vanessa Redgrave, English actress
- 1937 - Boris Spassky, Russian chess player
- 1939 - Alejandro Toledo, President of Peru
- 1941 - Gregory Benford, American author and scientist
- 1941 - Dick Cheney, Vice President of the United States
- 1943 - Marty Balin, American musician
- 1945 - Michael Dorris, American author (d. 1997)
- 1947 - Les Barker, English poet
- 1947 - Steve Marriott, English musician (The Small Faces) (d. 1991)
- 1948 - Nick Broomfield, British actor
- 1949 - Peter Agre, American biologist, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry
- 1951 - Phil Collins, English musician
- 1951 - Charles S. Dutton, American actor
- 1955 - Judith Tarr, American author
- 1957 - Payne Stewart, American golfer (d. 1999)
- 1959 - Jody Watley, American singer
- 1962 - Mary Kay Letourneau, American teacher
- 1974 - Christian Bale, Welsh actor
- 1976 - Andy Milonakis, American comedian
- 1980 - Wilmer Valderrama, American actor
- 1981 - Dimitar Berbatov, Bulgarian football player
- 1981 - Peter Crouch, English footballer
- 1990 - Jake Thomas, American actor

Deaths

- 1030 - William V, Duke of Aquitaine (b. 969)
- 1181 - Emperor Takakura of Japan (b. 1161)
-