February 12, 2013

475 years ago
1538

Died on this date
Albrecht Altdorfer, 58 (?). German painter. Mr. Altdorfer was a major figure of the Danube School, painting biblical and historical scenes against a background of colourful landscapes.

420 years ago
1593

War
3,000 Joseon (Korean) defenders led by General Kwon Yul successfully repelled an invasion of 30,000 Japanese soldiers, commanded by Ukita Hideie and Kato Kiyomasa, in the Battle of Haengju.

280 years ago
1733

Americana
James Oglethorpe led the first colonists as they arrived in Georgia at the site of what is now Savannah.

250 years ago
1763

Died on this date
Pierre de Marivaux, 75. French playwright. Mr. Marivaux wrote numerous comedies and was one of the most prominent French playwrights of the 18th century

220 years ago
1793

Law
The United States Congress enacted the first fugitive slave law, requiring states--even those where slavery was forbidden--to return escaped slaves to their masters.

120 years ago
1893
Born on this date
Omar Bradley. U.S. military officer. General Bradley had a distinguished record in World War II, commanding forces in the Allied invasions of Sicily and Normandy. He headed the U.S. Veterans Administration from 1945-1947, and was Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army from 1948-1949 and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 1949-1953, overseeing U.S. military policy during the Korean War. General Bradley was promoted to General of the Army in 1950, becoming the ninth and last (so far) five-star officer in the U.S. armed forces. He died on April 8, 1981 at the age of 88.

80 years ago
1933

Died on this date
Henri Duparc, 85. French composer. Mr. Duparc wrote 17 mélodies ("art songs") and transcribed works by Johann Sebastian Bach for organ.

75 years ago
1938

Diplomacy
Austrian Chancellor Kurt Schuschnigg visited Adolf Hitler at the German Chancellor's retreat at Berchtesgaden, Bavaria. Mr. Hitler threatened to use military action against Austria if Mr. Schuschnigg didn't lift the ban on political parties, reinstate full party freedoms, release all imprisoned members of the Nazi party and let them participate in the Austrian government. Mr. Schuschnigg complied with Mr. Hitler's demands and appointed pro-Nazi lawyer Arthur Seyss-Inquart as Interior Minister and Nazi Edmund Glaise-Horstenau as minister without portfolio.

70 years ago
1943

At the movies
Journey Into Fear, directed by Norman Foster and starring Joseph Cotten, Dolores Del Rio, Ruth Warrick, and Orson Welles, opened in theatres.

40 years ago
1973

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): I'd Love You to Want Me--Lobo (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in France: Crazy Horses--The Osmonds (3rd week at #1)

War
The first release of American prisoners of war in Vietnam took place, with 142 of 591 prisoners being released at Gia Lam Airport in Hanoi.

30 years ago
1983

Hit parade
#1 single in France: Africa--Rose Laurens (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Down Under--Men at Work (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K.: Down Under--Men at Work (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Down Under--Men at Work (4th week at #1)

U.S.A. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Down Under--Men at Work (4th week at #1)
2 Baby, Come to Me--Patti Austin (with James Ingram)
3 Africa--Toto
4 Maneater--Daryl Hall & John Oates
5 Stray Cat Strut--Stray Cats
6 Do You Really Want to Hurt Me--Culture Club
7 Shame on the Moon--Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band
8 The Other Guy--Little River Band
9 Billie Jean--Michael Jackson
10 You Are--Lionel Richie

Singles entering the chart were Mr. Roboto by Styx (#49); Something to Grab For by Ric Ocasek (#85); The Clapping Song by Pia Zadora (#87); Der Kommissar by After the Fire (#88); She's a Runner by Billy Squier (#89); and I Don't Care Anymore by Phil Collins (#90).

Canada's top 10 (RPM)
1 Africa--Toto
2 Do You Really Want to Hurt Me--Culture Club
3 Sexual Healing--Marvin Gaye
4 Pass the Dutchie--Musical Youth
5 Goody Two Shoes--Adam Ant
6 Come On Eileen--Dexys Midnight Runners & the Emerald Express
7 Mirror Man--The Human League
8 Baby, Come to Me--Patti Austin (with James Ingram)
9 Mickey--Toni Basil
10 Maneater--Daryl Hall & John Oates

Singles entering the chart were One on One by Daryl Hall & John Oates (#45); Heart to Heart by Kenny Loggins (#46); Breaking Us in Two by Joe Jackson (#47); and Cuts Like a Knife by Bryan Adams (#49).

Died on this date
Eubie Blake, 96. U.S. musician and composer. The ragtime pianist and composer of such songs as I'm Just Wild About Harry died just 5 days after celebrating his 100th birthday (which was actually his 96th birthday). Mr. Blake was one of the first people to appear in sound films, performing in several musical shorts as early as 1922.

Weather
A blizzard that began the previous day paralyzed the eastern United States from North Carolina to Maine, leaving up to 35 inches of snow. Thousands were standed, and 11 died. Philadelphia reported a record of 21.3 inches of accumulation of snow, and the storm in New York was regarded as the worst since 1947.

25 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Always On My Mind--Pet Shop Boys (6th week at #1)

Theatre
This blogger attended a performance of Christopher Marlowe's play Dr. Faustus at Alumni Hall on the campus of the University of Western Ontario in London. The production was put on by the UWO English Department.

World events
A Soviet frigate and destroyer bumped into the U.S. destroyer Caron and cruiser Yorktown in the Black Sea while the American ships were within the 12-mile limit claimed by the U.S.S.R.

Labour
Nurses in Edmonton voted to return to work, ending an illegal strike that had lasted 19 days.

20 years ago
1993

Died on this date
James Bulger, 2. U.K. crime victim. Master Bulger was kidnapped and murdered by two 10-year-old boys, Robert Thompson and Jon Venables from a shopping centre in Bootle, near Liverpool.