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On This Day · The 345th day of the year

December 11

A look at December 11 through the almanac — historic events, famous birthdays including Hector Berlioz and Naguib Mahfouz, and the day's notable deaths and observances.

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Events

10 notable moments
  1. 2008

    Bernie Madoff

    Bernie Madoff is arrested and charged with securities fraud in a $50 billion Ponzi scheme.

    American financier and con
  2. 1990

    Albania

    Demonstrations by students and workers across Albania begin, which eventually trigger the fall of communism in Albania.

    Country in Southeast Europe
  3. 1972

    Apollo 17

    Apollo 17 becomes the sixth and final Apollo mission to land on the Moon.

    Sixth and most recent
  4. 1941

    World War II

    World War II: Germany and Italy declare war on the United States, following the Americans' declaration of war on the Empire of Japan in the wake of the attack on Pearl Harbor. The United States, in turn, declares war on them.

    1939–1945 global conflict
  5. 1920

    Irish War of Independence

    Irish War of Independence: In retaliation for a recent IRA ambush, British forces burn and loot numerous buildings in Cork city. Many civilians report being beaten, shot at, robbed and verbally abused by British forces.

    1919–1921 war between Irish
  6. 1917

    World War I

    World War I: British General Edmund Allenby enters Jerusalem on foot and declares martial law.

    1914–1918 global conflict
  7. 1899

    Second Boer War

    Second Boer War: In the Battle of Magersfontein the Boers commanded by general Piet Cronjé inflict a defeat on the forces of the British Empire commanded by Lord Methuen trying to relieve the Siege of Kimberley.

    1899–1902 war in South
  8. 1816

    Indiana

    Indiana becomes the 19th U.S. state.

    U.S. state
  9. 1640

    Root and Branch petition

    The Root and Branch petition, signed by 15,000 Londoners calling for the abolition of the episcopacy, is presented to the Long Parliament.

    1640 petition to the
  10. 861

    Abbasid Caliphate

    Assassination of the Abbasid caliph al-Mutawakkil by the Turkish guard, who raise al-Muntasir to the throne, start of the "Anarchy at Samarra".

    Third Islamic caliphate
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Famous birthday twins

Born on December 11

Hector Berlioz

b. 1803

French composer, conductor, and critic

Naguib Mahfouz

b. 1911

Egyptian author, playwright, and screenwriter, Nobel Prize laureate

Leon Lai

b. 1966

Hong Kong singer and actor

John Kerry

b. 1943

American lieutenant, lawyer, and politician, 68th United States Secretary of State

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

b. 1918

Russian novelist, historian, and short story writer, Nobel Prize laureate

Robert Koch

b. 1843

German microbiologist and physician, Nobel Prize laureate

Yasiin Bey

b. 1973

American rapper

Manoel de Oliveira

b. 1908

Portuguese actor, director, producer, and screenwriter

Deaths

  • 1978Vincent du Vigneaud, American biochemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate
  • 1918Ivan Cankar, Slovenian author, poet, and playwright
  • 1909Ludwig Mond, German-born chemist and British industrialist who discovered the metal carbonyls
  • 1241Ögedei Khan, Mongolian emperor
  • 1198Averroes, Spanish astronomer, physicist, and philosopher
  • 969Nikephoros II Phokas, Byzantine emperor

Holidays & observances

  • —Christian feast day: Cian
  • —Christian feast day: Daniel the Stylite
  • —Christian feast day: María de las Maravillas de Jesús
  • —Christian feast day: Pope Damasus I
  • —Christian feast day: Sabinus of Piacenza
  • —Christian feast day: Victoricus, Fuscian, and Gentian
  • —Christian feast day: December 11 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
  • —Establishment of Kurdish Women's Union (Iraqi Kurdistan)

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