Today in German History 
Historical Events
- 1871 Peace of Frankfurt-am-Main concluded between France & Germany ends Franco-Prussian war
- 1917 Atlantic ships get destroyer escorts to stop German attacks
- 1933 Nazis stage public book burnings in Germany
- 1940 World War II: The first German bombs of the war fall on England at Chilham and Petham, in Kent
- 1940 WWII: Battle of France - Fall Gelb (Case Yellow), Germany invades Benelux (Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg) and northern France, with Panzer tanks crossing through the Ardennes Forest
Rudolf Hess's Escape
1941 Adolf Hitler's deputy Rudolf Hess escapes to Britain to open secret negotiations with the Allies, parachuting into Scotland
Laureus Awards
2004 Laureus World Sports Awards, Cultural Centre of Belém, Lisbon, Portugal: Sportsman: Michael Schumacher; Sportswoman: Annika Sörenstam; Team: England Men's National Rugby Union team
Canonization
2012 Pope Benedict XVI signs decree of canonization of Benedictine nun and composer Hildegard von Bingen, completing sainthood process started in 1228
German History Timeline
Famous Birthdays
- 1705 Gallus Zeiler, German composer, born in Kempten (d. 1755)
- 1741 Johann Michael Schmidt, German composer and theologian, born in Meiningen, Thuringia (d. 1799)
- 1754 Asmus Jakob Carstens, Danish-German Neoclassical painter, born near Schleswig, Denmark (d. 1798)
- 1760 Johann Peter Hebel, German writer (Allemannische Gedichte), born in Basel (d. 1826)
- 1770 Louis-Nicholas Davout, French military commander under Napoleon (Marshall of the Empire, defeated Prussians at Battle of Auerstädt), born in Annoux, France (d. 1823)
- 1788 Catherine Pavlovna of Russia, German queen (d. 1819)
- 1825 Rudolf Viole, German pianist and composer, born in Schochwitz, Germany (d. 1867)
- 1843 Kaufmann Kohler, German-born American reform rabbi and theologian, born in Fürth (d. 1926)
- 1847 Wilhelm Killing, German mathematician (d. 1923)
Gustav Stresemann (1878-1929)
German chancellor (1923) who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1926, born in Berlin, Germany
- 1885 Fritz von Unruh, German writer, (d. 1970)
Alfred Jodl (1890-1946)
German general during World War II (head of the German High Command, signed unconditional Nazi surrender), born in Würzburg, German Empire
- 1902 Joachim Prinz, German-American Zionist leader, author and Rabbi of Berlin (1926-37), born in Bierdzany, Prussia (d. 1988)
- 1907 Harilaos Perpessas, Greek composer (Christus Symphony; The Infinite Bliss), born in Leipzig, Germany (d. 2005)
- 1911 Bel Kaufman, American author (Up the Down Staircase), born in Berlin, Germany (d. 2014)
- 1977 Nick Heidfeld, German Formula 1 driver
Famous Weddings
Heidi Klum & Seal
2005 Actress and model Heidi Klum (31) weds British soul and R&B singer-songwriter Seal (42) in Costa Careyes, Mexico; divorce in 2014
Famous Deaths
- 1566 Leonhard Fuchs, German physician and botanist (Notable Commentaries on the History of Plants) for which the flowering plants and color Fuchsia is named after, dies at 65
- 1760 Johann Christoph Graupner, German harpsichordist and Baroque composer, dies at 77
- 1764 Picander [Christian Henrici], German writer (Die Weiberprobe), dies
- 1869 Wilhelm Bernhard Molique, German composer and violonist, dies at 66
- 1885 Ferdinand Hiller, German pianist, composer and conductor, dies at 73
- 1915 Albert Weisgerber, German painter and graphic artist, dies in battle at 37
- 1945 Richard Glücks, German SS officer and concentration camp administrator, committed suicide at 56
- 1982 Peter Weiss, German author and playwright (Marat/Sade), dies at 65
- 1995 Hilde Jarecki, German English educationist (Kindertransport, Playgroups), dies at 83
Alfred Wegener
Ferdinand von Zeppelin
Karl Benz
Otto von Bismarck
Paul von Hindenburg
The Red Baron