February 11


February 11 is the 42nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. There are
323 days remaining, 324 in leap years.

Events:

   * 660 BC - Traditional founding date of Japan by Emperor Jimmu Tenno.
   * 385 - Oldest Pope elected; Siricius, bishop of Tarragona.
   * 731 - Gregory II ends his reign as Pope.
   * 824 - Paschal I ends his reign as Pope.
   * 1531 - Henry VIII of England recognized as supreme head of the Church
     of England.
   * 1543 - Battle of Wayna Daga - Ethiopian/Portuguese troops beat Muslim
     army.
   * 1720 - Sweden & Prussia sign peace (2nd Treaty of Stockholm).
   * 1752 - Pennsylvania Hospital, 1st hospital in the United States, opens.
   * 1790 - Society of Friends petitions United States Congress for
     abolition of slavery.
   * 1794 - First session of United States Senate open to the public.
   * 1808 - Anthracite coal first burned as fuel, experimentally.
   * 1809 - Robert Fulton patents the steamboat
   * 1810 - Napoleon marries Marie-Louise of Austria.
   * 1812 - Massachusetts governor Elbridge Gerry gerrymanders for the first
     time.
   * 1814 - Norway's independence is proclaimed, marking the ultimate end of
     the Kalmar Union
   * 1826 - London University is founded.
   * 1837 - American Physiological Society organizes in Boston,
     Massachusetts.
   * 1840 - Gaetano Donizetti's opera La Fille du Regiment premieres in
     Paris.
   * 1843 - Giuseppe Verdi's opera I Lombardi premieres in Milan.
   * 1858 - Blessed Virgin Mary is said to appear to Saint Bernadette
     Soubirous of Lourdes.
   * 1861 - American Civil War: United States House of Representatives
     unanimously passes resolution guaranteeing noninterference with slavery
     in any state.
   * 1873 - Spanish Cortes fires king Amadeus I.
   * 1889 - Meiji constitution of Japan adopted; 1st Diet of Japan convenes
     in 1890
   * 1902 - Police beat up universal suffrage demonstrators in Brussels.
   * 1903 - Anton Bruckner's 9th Symphony premieres in Vienna.
   * 1905 - Pope Pius X publishes the encyclical Vehementer nos.
   * 1908 - Australia regain the Ashes with a 308 run cricket victory over
     England.
   * 1916 - Emma Goldman arrested for lecturing on birth control.
   * 1919 - Friedrich Ebert (SPD), elected President of Germany.
   * 1928 - 1928 Winter Olympic Games open in St. Moritz, Switzerland
   * 1929 - Italy and the Vatican sign the Lateran Treaty.
   * 1937 - A sit-down strike ends when General Motors recognizes the United
     Automobile Workers Union.
   * 1941 - First Gold record presented to Glenn Miller for "Chattanooga
     Choo Choo".
   * 1943 - General Dwight Eisenhower selected to command the allied armies
     in Europe.
   * 1945 - Yalta Conference ends.
   * 1948 - John Costello follows Eamon de Valera as Premier of Ireland.
   * 1953 - President Dwight Eisenhower refuses clemency appeal for Ethel
     and Julius Rosenberg
   * 1953 - The Soviet Union breaks diplomatic relations with Israel.
   * 1961 - Trial of Adolf Eichmann begins in Jerusalem.
   * 1963 - The Beatles tape 10 tracks for their first album, including
     "Please, Please Me".
   * 1964 - At the Washington, DC Coliseum, The Beatles have their 1st live
     appearance in the United States.
   * 1964 - Greeks and Turks begin fighting in Limassol, Cyprus.
   * 1964 - The Republic of China (Taiwan) drops diplomatic relations with
     France.
   * 1968 - Israeli-Jordanian border clashes.
   * 1968 - Madison Square Garden III closes and Madison Square Garden IV
     opens in New York City
   * 1971 - US, UK, USSR, others sign Seabed Treaty outlawing nuclear
     weapons in international waters.
   * 1973 - Vietname War: First release of American prisoners of war from
     Vietnam takes place.
   * 1978 - Censorship: China lifts a ban on works by Aristotle, Shakespeare
     and Dickens.
   * 1979 - Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini seizes power in Iran.
   * 1986 - Rights activist Anatoly Scharansky, released by the USSR, leaves
     the country.
   * 1987 - Philippines constitution goes into effect.
   * 1990 - James "Buster" Douglas KOs Mike Tyson to win heavyweight boxing
     crown.
   * 1990 - Nelson Mandela, a political prisoner for 27 years, is freed from
     Victor Verster prison outside Cape Town, South Africa.
   * 1991 - UNPO, the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization, forms
     in The Hague, Netherlands.

Births:

   * 1380 - Gianfrancesco Poggio Bracciolini, Italian humanist
   * 1465 - Elizabeth of York, consort of King Henry VII of England
   * 1535 - Pope Gregory XIV
   * 1557 - John Uijtenbogaert Dutch remonstrant theologian.
   * 1568 - Honore d'Urfe French writer
   * 1657 - Bernard Le Bovier Fontenelle, French scientist and man of
     letters
   * 1755 - Albert Christoph Dies, composer
   * 1764 - Marie-Joseph de Chenier French poet
   * 1774 - Hans Jarta, Swedish political activist, administrator, publicist
   * 1776 - Joannis Capodistrias Greek governor of Troezen (1827-31)
   * 1780 - Karoline von GŸnderode, poet (+ 1806)
   * 1790 - Ignaz Assmayer, composer
   * 1800 - William Henry Fox Talbot, English photographic pioneer
   * 1802 - Lydia Child
   * 1810 - Loisa Puget, composer
   * 1812 - Alexander Hamilton Stephens, Vice President of the Confederate
     States of America
   * 1812 - Benjamin Franklin Sands, Commander (Union Navy)
   * 1813 - Otto Ludwig, German novelist, playwright, critic
   * 1819 - Samuel Parkman Tuckerman, composer
   * 1821 - Auguste Edouard Mariette, French Egyptologist
   * 1821 - Hermann Allmers, writer
   * 1830 - Hans Bronsart von Schellendorf, composer
   * 1830 - Peter Arnold Heise, composer
   * 1833 - Melville Weston Fuller 8th Cchief Justice of the United States
   * 1839 - Josiah Willard Gibbs theoretical physicist, chemist.
   * 1847 - Thomas Alva Edison, inventor (+ 1931)
   * 1860 - Rachilde [Marguerite Vallette-Eymery], French author
   * 1867 - August W Messer, German philosopher, educator, psychologist
   * 1869 - Helene Kroller-Muller Dutch museum founder and patron of the
     arts
   * 1869 - Else Lasker-SchŸler, lyricist, dramatist and narrator (+ 1945)
   * 1873 - Feodor Chaliapine, Russian author
   * 1874 - Elsa Beskow (Maartman), Swedish children's book and fairy tales
     author
   * 1874 - Fritz Bennicke Hart, composer
   * 1875 - Sara Wennerberg-Reuter, composer
   * 1879 - Jean Gilbert, composer
   * 1882 - Gheorghe Cucu composer
   * 1883 - Paul August von Klenau Danish composer, conductor
   * 1887 - Ernst HanfstŠngl pianist, politician
   * 1887 - John van Melle South African writer
   * 1889 - Vladimir Mikhaylovich Deshevov composer
   * 1890 - John de Vries, fairy tale writer
   * 1891 - J W Hearne English cricket player
   * 1893 - Johan Alberts Dutch literary figure
   * 1894 - Alfonso Leng, composer
   * 1894 - Isaac Kolthoff chemist
   * 1895 - Viktor Nikolayevich Trambitsky, composer
   * 1896 - Else Lasker-SchŸler, writer
   * 1897 - Yves de La Casiniere, composer
   * 1898 - Leo Szilard, physicist, peace activist
   * 1900 - Thomas Hitchcock Jr, polo player
   * 1900 - Hans-Georg Gadamer, German philosopher
   * 1902 - Arne Jacobsen Danish architect/designer
   * 1903 - Hans Redlich, composer
   * 1904 - Henry LaBouisse, head of UNICEF
   * 1904 - Sir Keith Holyoake, Prime Minister of New Zealand
   * 1905 - Elizabeth Vuyk, Dutch/Indonesian writer
   * 1906 - Denis Barnett, British air chief marshal
   * 1907 - E W Swanton, author, sports commentator
   * 1908 - Sutan Takdir Alishahbana, Indonesian linguist, author, novelist
   * 1908 - Vivian Ernest Fuchs, geologist, explorer
   * 1908 - Josh White
   * 1909 - Joseph Mankiewicz, director
   * 1909 - Max Baer (The Livermore Larruper), boxer, actor
   * 1911 - Alec Cairncross chancellor of the University of Glasgow.
   * 1912 - Roy Fuller English poet/novelist
   * 1912 - Rudolf Firkusny Napajedla, pianist
   * 1913 - Lucio Diestro, composer
   * 1914 - Matt Dennis, singer
   * 1914 - French Duynstee, Dutch constitutional lawyer
   * 1914 - Menelaos Pallantios, composer
   * 1914 - Winand Borgerhoff Mulder court judge of Amsterdam
   * 1915 - Haakon Stotijn, Dutch oboist
   * 1915 - Mervyn Levy, artist, critic
   * 1915 - Patrick Leigh Fermor, author
   * 1916 - Bernice Levin Neugarten, social scientist, gerontologist
   * 1916 - Joseph Alioto, Mayor of San Francisco, California
   * 1917 - Richard Jock Kinneir, graphic designer
   * 1917 - Sidney Sheldon, author
   * 1919 - Gretchen Fraser, slalom skier
   * 1919 - Eddie Robinson, college football coach.
   * 1920 - Billy Halop, actor
   * 1920 - Daniel Galouye, American science fiction author
   * 1920 - King Farouk I of Egypt (+ 1965)
   * 1920 - Paul Peter Piech, artist
   * 1921 - Eva Gabor, actress
   * 1921 - Lloyd Bentsen, American politician
   * 1922 - Leslie Nielsen, actor
   * 1922 - Tudor Jarda, composer
   * 1923 - Ronald Arculus, British diplomat
   * 1924 - Mary Tregear, Oriental art historian
   * 1925 - Peter Berger, British Vice-Admiral
   * 1925 - Kim Stanley, actress
   * 1925 - Virginia Johnson, doctor, sexologist
   * 1926 - Paul Bocuse French chef
   * 1926 - Alexander Gibson British conductor/founder of the Scottish Opera
   * 1928 - Conrad Janis, actor
   * 1928 - Archibald Forster, CEO (Esso UK)
   * 1928 - Gerry AlexanderWest Indies cricket player
   * 1928 - Raoul Cita, rocker
   * 1928 - Gotthilf Fischer, choirmaste
   * 1929 - Leonard Gregory Kastle, composer
   * 1930 - Alevtina Koltschina Soviet skier
   * 1930 - C H Dearnley, organist
   * 1931 - Larry Merchant, author, boxing commentator
   * 1932 - Jerome Lowenthal, pianist, professor
   * 1934 - Francesco Pennisi, composer
   * 1934 - John Surtees, British race car driver
   * 1934 - Mary Quant, fashion designer
   * 1934 - Tina Louise, actress
   * 1935 - (disputed) Sergio Mendes, musician, songwriter
   * 1935 - Gerry Goffin, songwriter
   * 1935 - Bent Lorentzen, composer
   * 1935 - (disputed) - Gene Vincent, rock music guitarist, vocalist
   * 1936 - Burt Reynolds, actor
   * 1937 - Bill Lawry, Australian cricket player.
   * 1937 - Lodewijk Boer, Dutch violinist, playwright
   * 1937 - Marilyn Butler, Rector of Exeter College, Oxford
   * 1937 - Peter Lashley, West Indies cricket player.
   * 1938 - Bevan Congdon, New Zealand cricket player
   * 1938 - Willy Correa de Oliveira, composer
   * 1938 - Manuel Noriega, Panamanian general and dictator
   * 1939 - Gerry Goffin, lyricist
   * 1939 - Jane Yolen, science fiction author
   * 1940 - Bobby Picket, musician
   * 1942 - Otis Clay, gospel qand R&B singer
   * 1943 - Iain Cameron British brigadier
   * 1944 - Bert Greene golfer
   * 1944 - Buddhadev Dasgupta, film director
   * 1953 - Philip Anglim, actor
   * 1961 - Mary Docter, speed skater
   * 1961 - Carey Lowell, actress
   * 1962 - Sheryl Crow, musician
   * 1969 - Jennifer Aniston, actress
   * 1970 - Alistair Brown, English cricket player.
   * 1974 - D'Angelo, singer.
   * 1979 - Brandy Norwood, singer.
   * 1980 - Matthew Lawrence, actor.
   * 1980 - Natasha Bobo, actress.

Deaths:

   * 641 - Heraclius, Emperor of Byzantium (610-641).
   * 731 - Pope Gregory II
   * 821 - Saint Benedict of Aniane
   * 824 - Pope Paschal I
   * 1141 - Hugo of St. Victor, philosopher, theologian, mystic
   * 1503 - Elizabeth of York, consort of King Henry VII of England
   * 1543 - Ahmed Gran, sultan of Adal
   * 1622 - Alfonso Fontanelli, composer
   * 1650 - RenŽ Descartes, philosopher
   * 1685 - David Teniers III, Flemish painter
   * 1762 - Johann Tobias Krebs, composer
   * 1797 - Antoine Dauvergne, composer
   * 1806 - Vicente Martin y Soler, composer
   * 1841 - J H Ferdinand Olivier, German painter
   * 1868 - LŽon Foucault, astronomer
   * 1870 - Leopold Eugen Mechura, composer.
   * 1879 - Honore Daumier, caricaturist/painter.
   * 1879 - Willem J van Zeggelen, Dutch author.
   * 1882 - Gustav Schmidt, composer.
   * 1892 - Erik Anthon Valdemar Siboni, composer.
   * 1894 - Pasqual Juan Emilio Arrieta y Corera composer
   * 1903 - Henryk Szulc, composer
   * 1907 - Peter J Savelberg, Dutch monastery founder
   * 1911 - Albert von Rothschild, baron, Austrian banker
   * 1922 - Gerardus J P Bolland, Dutch philosopher
   * 1931 - Charles Algernon Parsons, British inventor
   * 1939 - Franz Schmidt, Austrian composer
   * 1940 - John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir, Governor-General of Canada
   * 1945 - Al Dubin, Swiss songwriter
   * 1945 - J S H Lokerman, Dutch resistance fighter
   * 1948 - Sergei Eisenstein, film director
   * 1961 - Eduard R Verkade, Dutch actor, director
   * 1963 - Sylvia Plath, poet, novelist
   * 1968 - Howard Lindsay, playwright
   * 1970 - Emil Abranyi, composer.
   * 1971 - Whitney Young Jr, National Urban League director
   * 1972 - Jan Wils, architect
   * 1973 - Hans D Jensen, German physicist
   * 1976 - Lee J Cobb, actor
   * 1977 - Louis J M Beel, Premier of the Netherlands
   * 1978 - James B Conant, headmaster of Harvard University
   * 1982 - Eleanor Powell, actress, dancer
   * 1982 - Takashi Shimura, Japanese actor
   * 1985 - Heinz Eric Roemheld, composer
   * 1985 - Henry Hathaway actor, director
   * 1985 - Ulysses Simpson Kay, composer
   * 1986 - Frank Herbert, science fiction author
   * 1989 - George O'Hanlon, actor, director
   * 1991 - Oscar Nitzchke, German architect
   * 1993 - George A Stephen, inventor
   * 1994 - Sorrell Brooke, actor
   * 1994 - William Conrad, actor
   * 1996 - Amelia Rosselli, poet
   * 1996 - Bob Shaw, science fiction author
   * 1996 - Cyril Poole, English cricket player
   * 1996 - Kebby Musokotwane, prime minister of Zambia
   * 2000 - Roger Vadim, French director

Holidays and observances

   * Catholicism - Feast day of Our Lady of Lourdes.
   * World Day of the Sick.