✦ DateLore

On This Day · The 350th day of the year

December 16

A look at December 16 through the almanac — historic events, famous birthdays including Ludwig van Beethoven and Leopold I of Belgium, and the day's notable deaths and observances.

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Events

10 notable moments
  1. 1997

    Dennō Senshi Porygon

    Dennō Senshi Porygon: Over 600 kids in Japan suffer photosensitive epileptic seizures after watching an episode of the Pokémon anime.

    38th episode of the
  2. 1971

    Bahrain

    The United Kingdom recognizes Bahrain's independence, which is commemorated annually as Bahrain's National Day.

    Country in West Asia
  3. 1944

    World War II

    World War II: The Battle of the Bulge begins with the surprise offensive of three German armies through the Ardennes forest.

    1939–1945 global conflict
  4. 1942

    The Holocaust

    The Holocaust: Schutzstaffel chief Heinrich Himmler orders that Roma candidates for extermination be deported to Auschwitz.

    Genocide of European Jews
  5. 1920

    1920 Haiyuan earthquake

    The Haiyuan earthquake of 8.5Mw rocks the Gansu province in China, killing an estimated 200,000.

    1920 earthquake in central
  6. 1914

    World War I

    World War I: Admiral Franz von Hipper commands a raid on Scarborough, Hartlepool and Whitby.

    1914–1918 global conflict
  7. 1811

    1811–1812 New Madrid earthquakes

    The first two in a series of four severe earthquakes occur in the vicinity of New Madrid, Missouri.

    Series of earthquakes during
  8. 1773

    American Revolution

    American Revolution: Boston Tea Party: Members of the Sons of Liberty disguised as Mohawk Indians dump hundreds of crates of tea into Boston harbor as a protest against the Tea Act.

    Founding of the United
  9. 1761

    Seven Years' War

    Seven Years' War: After a four-month siege, the Russians under Pyotr Rumyantsev take the Prussian fortress of Kołobrzeg.

    Global war among European
  10. 1707

    Hōei eruption

    The most recent eruption of Mount Fuji.

    Last major eruption of
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Famous birthday twins

Born on December 16

Ludwig van Beethoven

b. 1770

composer

Leopold I of Belgium

b. 1790

King of the Belgians from 1831 to 1865

Léon Walras

b. 1834

French-Swiss economist and theorist

Bill Hicks

b. 1961

American comedian and musician

Jane Austen

b. 1775

English novelist

Arthur C. Clarke

b. 1917

English science fiction writer

Heike Drechsler

b. 1964

German sprinter and long jumper

Johann Wilhelm Ritter

b. 1776

German chemist, physicist, and philosopher

Deaths

  • 1922Gabriel Narutowicz, Lithuanian–Polish engineer and politician, 1st President of the Republic of Poland
  • 1859Wilhelm Grimm, German anthropologist and author
  • 1774François Quesnay, French economist, physician, and philosopher
  • 1598Yi Sun-sin, Korean general
  • 999AD 999, Holy Roman Empress
  • 705Wu Zetian, Empress of the Zhou dynasty

Holidays & observances

  • —Christian feast day: Adelaide of Italy
  • —Christian feast day: Haggai
  • —Christian feast day: Blessed Marianna Fontanella
  • —Christian feast day: Blessed Philip Siphong Onphitak
  • —Christian feast day: Ralph Adams Cram, Richard Upjohn and John La Farge (Episcopal Church (USA))
  • —Christian feast day: December 16 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
  • —Day of Reconciliation, formerly celebrated as Day of the Vow by the Afrikaners (South Africa)
  • —Independence Day, celebrates the independence of Kazakhstan from the Soviet Union in 1991.

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