Date·Lore

On This Day · The 56th day of the year

February 25

February 25 carries 10 recorded events spanning between 138 and 2026. Roman emperor Hadrian adopts Antoninus Pius as his son, effectively making him his successor.

♓ZodiacPisces ◈BirthstoneAmethyst ❀Birth flowerViolet

Compiled & reviewed by · Last reviewed July 13, 2026

What happened on February 25?

February 25 is the 56th day of the year. It marks 10 notable events in history, dated between 138 and 2026. Famous people born on February 25 include George Harrison, Karl May and George Reid.

The shape of the day

February 25 carries an unusually long memory — its events reach back as far as 138. Most of the weight falls in the 20th century, where conflict is a recurring thread.

Pisces is the sign for February 25 — read more on the Pisces page, or see February's birthstone & birth flower.

Released on February 25

Movies, games, albums & shows

2026

  • Game Reigns: The Witcher
  • Movie Scream 7

2024

  • TV Dreams of Freedom

2023

  • Game File Destined

2022

  • Game Elden Ring
  • TV Vikings: Valhalla

Release data from TMDB & IGDB.

Events

10 notable moments
  1. 138

    AD 138

    Roman emperor Hadrian adopts Antoninus Pius as his son, effectively making him his successor.

  2. 628

    Khosrow II

    Khosrow II, the last great Shah of the Sasanian Empire (Iran), is overthrown by his son Kavadh II.

  3. 1705

    George Frideric Handel

    George Frideric Handel's opera Nero premieres in Hamburg.

  4. 1916

    World War I

    World War I: In the Battle of Verdun, a German unit captures Fort Douaumont, keystone of the French defences, without a fight.

  5. 1932

    Adolf Hitler

    Adolf Hitler, having been stateless for seven years, obtains German citizenship when he is appointed a Brunswick state official by Dietrich Klagges, a fellow Nazi. As a result, Hitler is able to run for Reichspräsident in the 1932 election.

  6. 1933

    USS Ranger (CV-4)

    Launch of the USS Ranger at Newport News, Virginia. It is the first purpose-built aircraft carrier to be commissioned by the US Navy.

  7. 1956

    On the Cult of Personality and Its Consequences

    In his speech On the Cult of Personality and Its Consequences, Nikita Khrushchev, leader of the Soviet Union, denounces Stalin.

  8. 1980

    Suriname

    The government of Suriname is overthrown by a military coup led by Dési Bouterse.

  9. 1994

    Baruch Goldstein

    American-Israeli extremist Baruch Goldstein commits a mass shooting at the Cave of the Patriarchs mausoleum, leaving 29 dead and over 100 injured before he is disarmed and beaten to death by survivors.

  10. 2026

    Cuba

    Four people are killed and several more are injured when Cuban Border Guard Troops confront and open fire on a US-registered speedboat violating Cuban waters.

Famous birthday twins

Born on February 25

George Harrison

b. 1943

English singer-songwriter, guitarist and film producer

Karl May

b. 1842

German author, poet, and playwright

George Reid

b. 1845

Scottish-Australian lawyer and politician, 4th Prime Minister of Australia

Pierre-Auguste Renoir

b. 1841

French painter and sculptor

Ric Flair

b. 1949

American professional wrestler

Kana Hanazawa

b. 1989

Japanese voice actress and singer

Park Ji-sung

b. 1981

South Korean footballer

Paul Elvstrøm

b. 1928

Danish yachtsman

Deaths

  • 2020Dmitry Yazov
  • 1999Glenn T. Seaborg
  • 1911Friedrich Spielhagen
  • 1899Paul Reuter
  • 1865Otto Ludwig (writer)
  • 1536Berchtold Haller

Holidays & observances

  • —Christian feast days: Æthelberht of Kent
  • —Christian feast days: Blessed Ciriaco María Sancha y Hervás
  • —Christian feast days: Gerland of Agrigento
  • —Christian feast days: John Roberts, writer and missionary (Anglican Communion)
  • —Christian feast days: Hamburg Matthiae-mahl, feast of Hanseatic League cities on the mediaeval first day of spring
  • —Christian feast days: Blessed Maria Adeodata Pisani
  • —Christian feast days: Blessed Robert of Arbrissel, founder of Fontevraud Abbey
  • —Christian feast days: Saint Walpurga (she was canonised on 1 May c. 870 and Walpurgis Night is celebrated 30 April)

Historical facts, event summaries, and biographical lines above are adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA) license. DateLore adds curation, structure, and original editorial commentary. DateLore is not affiliated with the Wikimedia Foundation.

About the author

Roman Tailor compiles and reviews every date on DateLore. He's the writer and editor behind the site's editorial essays and the day-by-day almanac. Corrections and questions are welcome — read more about DateLore or get in touch.

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