December 21st
🎉 Holiday on this date
Winter Solstice
Shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, around December 21, marking the astronomical start of winter; celebrated across many cultures.
228 Notable deaths
Christine Brückner
German writer (1921-1996).
Born December 10th, 1921 in Schmillinghausen.
Died December 21st, 1996 at 75 years old in Kassel.
Andrea Scotti
Italian actor (1931–2003).
Born August 27th, 1931 in Naples.
Died December 21st, 2003 at 72 years old in Nepi. [ref]
Karl Friedrich Schimper
German botanist, naturalist and poet (1803–1867).
Born February 15th, 1803 in Mannheim.
Died December 21st, 1867 at 64 years old in Schwetzingen.
Olena Chekan
Soviet journalist and actor (1946-2013).
Born April 26th, 1946 in Kyiv.
Died December 21st, 2013 at 67 years old in Kyiv (cancer).
Roger Wolcott
American politician, governor of massachusetts (1847-1900).
Born July 13th, 1847 in Boston.
Died December 21st, 1900 at 53 years old in Boston.
Ivan Knunyants
Soviet chemist (1906–1990).
Born June 4th, 1906 in Shusha.
Died December 21st, 1990 at 84 years old in Moscow.
Friedrich August von Quenstedt
Professor of mineralogy and geology at eberhard karls universität, tübingen (1809–1889).
Born July 9th, 1809 in Eisleben.
Died December 21st, 1889 at 80 years old in Tübingen.
Gianni Mascolo
Italian singer (1940–2016).
Born November 3rd, 1940 in Milan.
Died December 21st, 2016 at 76 years old in London.
Rober Eryol
Turkish association football player (1930–2000).
Born December 21st, 1930 in Mersin.
Died December 21st, 2000 at 70 years old in Maltepe. [ref]
Koili Devi Mathema
Nepali composer.
Born January 1st, 1929.
Died December 21st, 2007 at 78 years old in Kathmandu.
Karl Bogislaus Reichert
German anatomist, embryologist and histologist (1811-1883).
Born December 20th, 1811 in Kętrzyn.
Died December 21st, 1883 at 72 years old in Berlin.
Margarita Nikolaeva
Olympic artistic gymnast (1935–1993).
Born September 23rd, 1935 in Ivanovo.
Died December 21st, 1993 at 58 years old in Odesa.
Emmanuel de Margerie
French geographer (1862-1953).
Born November 11th, 1862 in 7th arrondissement of Paris.
Died December 21st, 1953 at 91 years old in 7th arrondissement of Paris.
Kaarlo Koskelo
Finnish wrestler (1888–1953).
Born April 12th, 1888 in Kotka.
Died December 21st, 1953 at 65 years old in Astoria.
Baldo Baldi
Italian fencer (1888-1961).
Born February 19th, 1888 in Livorno.
Died December 21st, 1961 at 73 years old in Livorno.
Edwin Foster Coddington
American astronomer (1870–1950).
Born June 24th, 1870 in Miami County.
Died December 21st, 1950 at 80 years old in Columbus.
Yan Frid
Soviet screenwriter and film director (1908-2003).
Born May 31st, 1908 in Krasnoyarsk.
Died December 21st, 2003 at 95 years old in Stuttgart.
Wilhelm Wackernagel
Swiss philologist.
Born April 23rd, 1806 in Berlin.
Died December 21st, 1869 at 63 years old in Basel.
György Tumpek
Swimmer (1929–2022).
Born January 27th, 1929 in Budapest.
Died December 21st, 2022 at 93 years old in Szigethalom. [ref]
Emilio Estrada Carmona
President of ecuador (1911).
Died December 21st, 1911 at 56 years old in Guayaquil (heart failure).
Gen-ichi Koidzumi
Japanese botanist (1883-1953).
Born November 1st, 1883 in Yonezawa.
Died December 21st, 1953 at 70 years old in Yonezawa.
Jan Góra
Polish philosopher (1948–2015).
Born February 8th, 1948 in Prudnik.
Died December 21st, 2015 at 67 years old in Poznań (myocardial infarction). [ref]
Kenneth Edwards
Amateur golfer (1886-1952).
Born March 9th, 1886 in Chicago.
Died December 21st, 1952 at 66 years old in Evanston.
Daniel Oliver
English botanist (1830–1916).
Born February 6th, 1830 in Newcastle upon Tyne.
Died December 21st, 1916 at 86 years old in Kew.
Frederick Semple
American tennis player (1872–1927).
Born December 24th, 1872 in St. Louis.
Died December 21st, 1927 at 54 years old in St. Louis.
Deaths 176 to 200 of 228
Life is hard. After all, it kills you. Katharine Hepburn