✦ DateLore

On This Day · The 36th day of the year

February 5

A look at February 5 through the almanac — historic events, famous birthdays including Daniel Balavoine and Francisco Varallo, and the day's notable deaths and observances.

♒ZodiacAquarius ◈BirthstoneAmethyst ❀Birth flowerViolet
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Events

10 notable moments
  1. 2004

    National Revolutionary Front for the Liberation and Reconstruction of Haiti

    Rebels from the Revolutionary Artibonite Resistance Front capture the city of Gonaïves, starting the 2004 Haiti rebellion.

    Haitian rebellion group
  2. 1967

    Cultural Revolution

    Cultural Revolution: The Shanghai People's Commune is formally proclaimed, with Yao Wenyuan and Zhang Chunqiao being appointed as its leaders.

    Period of sociopolitical turmoil
  3. 1941

    World War II

    World War II: Allied forces begin the Battle of Keren to capture Keren, Eritrea.

    1939–1945 global conflict
  4. 1919

    Charlie Chaplin

    Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, and D. W. Griffith launch United Artists.

    English actor and filmmaker
  5. 1917

    United States Congress

    The Congress of the United States passes the Immigration Act of 1917 over President Woodrow Wilson's veto.

    Bicameral legislature of the
  6. 1913

    Claudio Monteverdi

    Claudio Monteverdi's last opera L'incoronazione di Poppea was performed theatrically for the first time in more than 250 years.

    Italian composer (1567–1643)
  7. 1907

    Leo Baekeland

    Belgian chemist Leo Baekeland announces the creation of Bakelite, the world's first synthetic plastic.

    Belgian chemist (1863–1944); inventor
  8. 1818

    Charles XIV John

    Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte ascends to the thrones of Sweden and Norway.

    King of Sweden and
  9. 62

    AD 62

    An earthquake with an estimated intensity between IX or X on the Mercalli scale occurs in Pompeii, Italy.

    Calendar year
  10. -2

    Augustus

    Caesar Augustus is granted the title pater patriae by the Roman Senate.

    Roman emperor from 27
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Famous birthday twins

Born on February 5

Daniel Balavoine

b. 1952

French singer-songwriter and producer

Francisco Varallo

b. 1910

Argentinian footballer

Cristiano Ronaldo

b. 1985

Portuguese footballer

Mary L. Cleave

b. 1947

American engineer and astronaut

Vinnie Colaiuta

b. 1956

American drummer

Alex Harvey (musician)

b. 1935

Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist

Carlos Tevez

b. 1984

Argentinian footballer

Jussi Björling

b. 1911

Swedish tenor

Deaths

  • 2023Pervez Musharraf, Pakistani military officer and politician, 10th President of Pakistan
  • 1999Wassily Leontief, Russian-American economist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate
  • 1993Joseph L. Mankiewicz, American director, producer, and screenwriter
  • 1937Lou Andreas-Salomé, Russian-German psychoanalyst and author
  • 1917Jaber II Al-Sabah, Kuwaiti ruler
  • 1036Alfred Ætheling, Anglo-Saxon prince

Holidays & observances

  • —Christian feast day: Adelaide of Vilich
  • —Christian feast day: Agatha of Sicily
  • —Christian feast day: Avitus of Vienne
  • —Christian feast day: Bertulf (Bertoul) of Renty
  • —Christian feast day: Ingenuinus (Jenewein)
  • —Christian feast day: Roger Williams, Anne Hutchinson (Episcopal Church (United States))
  • —Christian feast day: 26 Martyrs of Japan (in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and Anglican Church in Japan)
  • —Christian feast day: February 5 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)

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