Günter Grass
b. 1927
German novelist, poet, playwright, Nobel Prize laureate
On This Day · The 289th day of the year
October 16
October 16 carries 10 recorded events spanning between 690 and 2013. Empress Wu Zetian ascends to the throne of the Tang dynasty and proclaims herself ruler of the Chinese Empire.
Compiled & reviewed by Roman Tailor · Last reviewed July 13, 2026
What happened on October 16?
October 16 is the 289th day of the year. It marks 10 notable events in history, dated between 690 and 2013. Famous people born on October 16 include Günter Grass, Inna and Oscar Wilde.
The shape of the day
October 16 carries an unusually long memory — its events reach back as far as 690. Most of the weight falls in the 20th century, where conflict is a recurring thread.
Libra is the sign for October 16 — read more on the Libra page, or see October's birthstone & birth flower.
Released on October 16
Movies, games, albums & shows2025
- Game Fellowship
- Game Duet Night Abyss
- Game Pokémon Legends: Z-A
- Game Pax Dei
- Game Escape from Duckov
- Game Starbites
2021
- Movie The Unknown Man
Release data from TMDB & IGDB.
Events
10 notable moments- 690
Wu Zetian
Empress Wu Zetian ascends to the throne of the Tang dynasty and proclaims herself ruler of the Chinese Empire.
- 1384
Jadwiga of Poland
Jadwiga is crowned King of Poland, although she is a woman.
- 1875
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is founded in Provo, Utah.
- 1916
Margaret Sanger
Margaret Sanger opens the first family planning clinic in the United States.
- 1923
Walt Disney
Walt Disney and his brother, Roy, found the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, today known as The Walt Disney Company.
- 1939
World War II
World War II: No. 603 Squadron RAF intercepts the first Luftwaffe raid on Britain.
- 1953
Cuba
Cuban revolutionary Fidel Castro delivers his "History Will Absolve Me" speech, and is sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment by the Fulgencio Batista government for leading an attack on the Moncada Barracks.
- 1964
Project 596
China detonates its first nuclear weapon.
- 1998
Augusto Pinochet
Former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet is arrested in London on a murder extradition warrant.
- 2013
Lao Airlines Flight 301
Lao Airlines Flight 301 crashes on approach to Pakse International Airport in Laos, killing 49 people.
Famous birthday twins
Born on October 16Inna
b. 1986
Romanian singer
Oscar Wilde
b. 1854
Irish playwright, novelist, and poet
Hema Malini
b. 1948
Indian actress, director, producer, and politician
David Ben-Gurion
b. 1886
Polish-Israeli soldier and politician, 1st Prime Minister of Israel
Andrei Chikatilo
b. 1936
Ukrainian-Russian serial killer
Nico
b. 1938
German singer-songwriter, model, and actress
Enver Hoxha
b. 1908
Albanian general and politician, Prime Minister of Albania
Deaths
- 2023Martti Ahtisaari
- 2017Daphne Caruana Galizia
- 2013Ed Lauter
- 1946Alfred Jodl
- 1793Marie Antoinette
- 1523Luca Signorelli
Holidays & observances
- —Air Force Day (Bulgaria)
- —Boss's Day (United States)
- —Christian feast day: Balderic (Baudry) of Monfaucon
- —Christian feast day: Bercharius
- —Christian feast day: Bertrand of Comminges
- —Christian feast day: Colmán of Kilroot (Colman mac Cathbaid)
- —Christian feast day: Eliphius
- —Christian feast day: Fortunatus of Casei
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.
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