January 28, 2013

200 years ago
1813

Literature
Jane Austen's novel Pride and Prejudice was first published in the United Kingdom.

60 years ago
1953

On the radio
I Was a Communist for the FBI, starring Dana Andrews
Tonight’s episode: A Study in Oils

Died on this date
Derek Bentley, 19. U.K. criminal. Mr. Bentley was hanged at Wandsworth Prison in London for the murder of police constable Sidney Miles during a break-in in Croydon. His partner in crime, Christopher Craig, had fired the fatal shot, but had been tried as a juvenile, this being spared the death penalty. There was much debate at the time as to whether Mr. Bentley was guilty or had received a fair trial, and the debate continues. The movie Let Him Have It (1991) was based on the incident, as was the episode of the syndicated British radio series The Black Museum titled Two Bullets (1951).

40 years ago
1973

Died on this date
John Banner, 63. Austro-Huugarian born U.S. actor. A native of Vienna, Mr. Banner was best known for playing Sergeant Schultz in the television comedy series Hogan's Heroes (1965-1971). Like Werner Klemperer, who played Colonel Klink in the series, and Leon Askin, who played General Burkhalter, Mr. Banner was Jewish. He died in Vienna of an abdominal hemorrhage on January 28, 1973, his 63rd birthday.

War
The cease-fire between North Vietnam and the forces of the United States and South Vietnam went into effect at 8 A.M. Saigon time.

30 years ago
1983

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Sexual Healing--Marvin Gaye (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Major Tom (Völlig Losgelöst)--Peter Schilling

Politics and government
At the convention of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in Winnipeg, a review of Joe Clark's leadership revealed that he had the support of 66.9% of the 2,402 delegates who voted on whether or not to have a leadership convention. This was a remarkably high level of support for a man whose bungling had lost the government three years earlier, but it wasn't high enough for Mr. Clark, and he called for a leadership convention to be held in June. Mr. Clark continued to lead the party in the meantime, and was one of the candidates in the leadership contest.

25 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Never Can Say Goodbye--The Communards (3rd week at #1)

Died on this date
Klaus Fuchs, 76. German physicist. Dr. Fuchs was a socialist who became a Communist while still a student in Germany. He fled to the United Kingdom shortly after the Nazis came to power in Germany in 1933, and went to the United States during World War II, where he worked on the Manhattan Project, which produced the first atomic bombs. Dr. Fuchs worked as a spy with the U.S.S.R., and illegally transferred nuclear information to the Soviets. In January 1950 he confessed to being a spy, and was sentenced to 14 years' imprisonment for espionage. Dr. Fuchs was released in 1959 after serving 9 1/3 years, and emigrated to East Germany, where he spent the rest of his life. He died 30 days after his 76th birthday.

Abominations
The Supreme Court of Canada, in the case of Her Majesty the Queen v Henry Morgentaler et al, voted 5-2 to strike down section 251 of the Criminal Code of Canada, outlawing abortion unless performed for "therapeutic" reasons. 25 years later, Canada still has no law regarding abortion.

20 years ago
1993

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Nahkatakkinen tyttö--Dingo (2nd week at #1)

Football
CFL
In the biggest trade in Canadian Football League history, the Edmonton Eskimos traded quarterback Tracy Ham, slotback Craig Ellis, defensive back Enis Jackson, running back Chris Johnstone, defensive back Travis Oliver, linebacker John Davis, wide receiver Ken Winey, and defensive lineman Cam Brosseau to the Toronto Argonauts for quarterback Rickey Foggie, wide receiver Eddie Brown, slotback Darrell K. Smith, slotback J.P. Izquierdo, defensive lineman Leonard Johnson, defensive back Don Wilson, cornerback Ed Berry, and linebacker Bruce Dickson.

10 years ago
2003

Abominations
In his State of the Union address, U.S. President George W. Bush presented his case for going to war against Iraq.