Today in History

Historical Events

1531 - Battle of Kappel: Swiss Roman Catholic cantons beat protestant forces of Zurich; Huldrych Zwingli Swiss reformation leader is killed
1634 - Burchardi flood, known as the second "Grote Mandrenke," kills about 15,000 people in North Friesland, Denmark, and Germany
1958 - Musical "Goldilocks" opens at Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in NYC for 161 performances
1969 - Soyuz 6 launches; Soyuz 7 and 8 follow in the next two days as part of a triple spacecraft missile
1979 - East Germany frees political dissidents Rudolf Bahro and Nico Hübner

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Famous Birthdays

1821 - Angelo Mariani, Italian composer, born in Ravenna, Papal States (d. 1873)
1844 - Henry John Heinz, German-American entrepreneur who founded prepared-foods company (H.J. Heinz Company-57 varieties), born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (d. 1919)
1903 - Charles P. Cabell, American military and intelligence officer (US Air Force general; Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, 1953–1962), born in Dallas, Texas (d. 1971)
1956 - Nicanor Frutos, Paraguayan politician (47th Presi...