Welcome! Check out today's deaths, recent deaths, or our deaths stats.
Feeling experimental? Head on over to our newest (and darkest) feature: Next-2-Die™ predictions
In the year 1940
476 Notable deaths
Nicolae Iorga
Romanian historian, politician, literary critic, memoirist, poet and playwright (1871-1940).
Born June 5th, 1871 in Botoșani.
Died November 28th, 1940 at 69 years old in Strejnicu (gunshot wound).
Robert Hichens
British sailor (1882–1940) who survived the sinking of the titanic.
Born September 16th, 1882 in Cornwall.
Died September 23rd, 1940 at 58 years old in Aberdeen (heart failure).
Prince Jean d’Orléans
Head of the house of orléans (1874-1940).
Born September 4th, 1874 in 8th arrondissement of Paris.
Died August 25th, 1940 at 65 years old in Larache.
Peter Behrens
German architect and designer (1868-1940).
Born April 14th, 1868 in Hamburg. [ref]
Died February 27th, 1940 at 71 years old in Berlin (myocardial infarction). [ref]
Lillian Wald
American nurse and activist (1867–1940).
Born March 10th, 1867 in Cincinnati.
Died September 1st, 1940 at 73 years old in Westport (stroke).
Pedro de Alcantara, Prince of Grão-Pará
(1875-1940).
Born October 15th, 1875 in Petrópolis.
Died January 29th, 1940 at 64 years old in Petrópolis.
Spyridon Louis
Greek athlete.
Born January 12th, 1873 in Marousi.
Died March 26th, 1940 at 67 years old in Marousi.
Michael Joseph Savage
First labour prime minister of new zealand (1872-1940).
Born March 23rd, 1872 in Tatong.
Died March 27th, 1940 at 68 years old in Wellington (colorectal cancer).
Princess María of Greece and Denmark
Grand duchess of russia.
Born March 3rd, 1876 in Athens.
Died December 14th, 1940 at 64 years old in Athens.
Arthur Zimmermann
German diplomat (1864–1940).
Born October 5th, 1864 in Olecko.
Died June 6th, 1940 at 75 years old in Berlin (pneumonia).
Ben Turpin
American actor (1869-1940).
Born September 17th, 1874 in New Orleans.
Died July 1st, 1940 at 65 years old in Santa Monica (myocardial infarction).
William Dodd
American historian and ambassador to germany.
Born October 21st, 1869 in Clayton.
Died February 9th, 1940 at 70 years old in Round Hill (pneumonia).
William Brockman Bankhead
American politician (1874-1940).
Born April 12th, 1874 in Sulligent.
Died September 15th, 1940 at 66 years old in Washington, D.C..
DuBose Heyward
American novelist, playwright, poet (1885-1940).
Born August 31st, 1885 in Charleston.
Died June 16th, 1940 at 54 years old in Tryon.
Oliver Lodge
British physicist (1851-1940).
Born June 12th, 1851 in Stoke-on-Trent.
Died August 22nd, 1940 at 89 years old in Wilsford.
James Craig, 1st Viscount Craigavon
British politician (1871-1940).
Born January 8th, 1871 in Belfast.
Died November 24th, 1940 at 69 years old in County Down.
Gregorio Aglipay
1st obispo maximo and co-founder of the philippine independent church.
Born May 5th, 1860 in Batac. [ref]
Died September 1st, 1940 at 80 years old in Manila.
Katharina Schratt
Austrian stage actress (1853–1940).
Born May 11th, 1855 in Baden. [ref]
Died April 17th, 1940 at 84 years old in Vienna.
Wladimir Köppen
German meteorologist (1846–1940).
Born October 7th, 1846 in Saint Petersburg.
Died June 22nd, 1940 at 93 years old in Graz.
Saionji Kinmochi
Japanese politician (1849-1940).
Born October 23rd, 1849 in Kyoto.
Died November 24th, 1940 at 91 years old in Zagyo-sō.
Julius Wagner-Jauregg
Austrian doctor, nobel prize laureate and psychiatrist (1857–1940).
Born March 7th, 1857 in Wels. [ref]
Died September 27th, 1940 at 83 years old in Vienna.
Ernest Lundeen
American politician (1878-1940).
Born August 4th, 1878 in Brooklyn Township.
Died August 31st, 1940 at 62 years old in Lovettsville (Lovettsville air disaster).
Mrs. Patrick Campbell
British stage actress (1865–1940).
Born February 9th, 1865 in Kensington. [ref]
Died April 9th, 1940 at 75 years old in Pau (pneumonia). [ref]
Willi Münzenberg
German politician (1889-1940).
Born August 14th, 1889 in Erfurt. [ref]
Died October 21st, 1940 at 51 years old in Saint-Marcellin (hanging to death).
Tokugawa Iesato
Japanese politician (1863-1940).
Born August 24th, 1863 in Edo Castle.
Died June 5th, 1940 at 76 years old in Sendagaya (pneumonia).
Deaths 51 to 75 of 476
Death and pain are windows to great insight if you have the strength to look through them. James Pierce