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August 17th
215 Notable deaths
Madan Lal Dhingra
Indian revolutionary (1883–1909).
Born September 18th, 1883 in Amritsar, Punjab.
Died August 17th, 1909 at 25 years old in Barnsbury, HM Prison Pentonville (hanging to death).
Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq
President of pakistan from 1978 to 1988 of saudi origin.
Born August 12th, 1924 in Jalandhar.
Died August 17th, 1988 at 64 years old in Bahawalpur (aircraft crash).
Umberto Boccioni
Italian painter and sculptor (1882-1916).
Born October 19th, 1882 in Reggio Calabria. [ref]
Died August 17th, 1916 at 33 years old in Verona (horse fall). [ref]
Silvio Santos
Brazilian media entrepreneur (1930–2024).
Born December 12th, 1930 in Rio de Janeiro. [ref]
Died August 17th, 2024 at 93 years old in Albert Einstein Israelite Hospital (bronchopneumonia). [ref]
Tajuddin Muhammad Badruddin
Indian sufi master (1861–1925).
Born January 27th, 1861 in Kamptee.
Died August 17th, 1925 at 64 years old in Nagpur.
Irène Némirovsky
French novelist (1903–1942).
Born February 11th, 1903 in Kyiv.
Died August 17th, 1942 at 39 years old in Auschwitz, Auschwitz II-Birkenau concentration camp (influenza, typhus).
Wilhelm List
German field marshal (1880–1971).
Born May 14th, 1880 in Illerkirchberg.
Died August 17th, 1971 at 91 years old in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
Al Parker
American pornographic actor (1952-1992).
Born June 25th, 1952 in Natick.
Died August 17th, 1992 at 40 years old in San Francisco (death from AIDS-related complications).
Ruth First
South african politician (1925-1982).
Born May 4th, 1925 in Johannesburg.
Died August 17th, 1982 at 57 years old in Maputo (letter bomb).
Francesco Cossiga
8th president of italy (1928-2010).
Born July 26th, 1928 in Sassari.
Died August 17th, 2010 at 82 years old in Rome. [ref]
Helen E. Fisher
Canadian anthropologist (1945–2024).
Born May 31st, 1945 in Manhattan. [ref]
Died August 17th, 2024 at 79 years old in The Bronx (endometrial cancer). [ref]
Peter Fechter
German bricklayer (1944-1962).
Born January 14th, 1944 in Berlin.
Died August 17th, 1962 at 18 years old in Checkpoint Charlie (gunshot wound).
Richard Barthelmess
American actor (1895–1963).
Born May 9th, 1895 in New York City.
Died August 17th, 1963 at 68 years old in Southampton (esophageal cancer).
Barney Phillips
American actor (1913-1982).
Born October 20th, 1913 in St. Louis.
Died August 17th, 1982 at 68 years old in Los Angeles (cancer).
Jack Sharkey
American boxer (1902–1994).
Born October 26th, 1902 in Binghamton.
Died August 17th, 1994 at 91 years old in Beverly.
Billy Murray
American singer (1877–1954).
Born May 25th, 1877 in Philadelphia.
Died August 17th, 1954 at 77 years old in New York City.
John Marshall
British archaeologist (1876–1958).
Born March 19th, 1876 in Chester.
Died August 17th, 1958 at 82 years old in Guildford.
Conrad Aiken
American novelist and poet (1889–1973).
Born August 5th, 1889 in Savannah.
Died August 17th, 1973 at 84 years old in Savannah, Brewster.
Akhtar Abdur Rahman
Pakistani intelligence chief (1924–1988).
Born June 11th, 1924 in Rampur.
Died August 17th, 1988 at 64 years old in Bahawalpur.
Robert R. Gilruth
American aerospace engineer (1913–2000).
Born October 8th, 1913 in Nashwauk.
Died August 17th, 2000 at 86 years old in Charlottesville.
Arthur William Radford
United states naval aviator (1896-1973).
Born February 27th, 1896 in Chicago.
Died August 17th, 1973 at 77 years old in Bethesda (cancer).
Louis Jouvet
French actor (1887-1951).
Born December 24th, 1887 in Crozon.
Died August 17th, 1951 at 63 years old in Paris (myocardial infarction). [ref]
Otto Stern
German-american physicist (1888–1969).
Born February 17th, 1888 in Żory.
Died August 17th, 1969 at 81 years old in Berkeley.
Ole Bull
Norwegian violinist (1810–1880).
Born February 5th, 1810 in Bergen.
Died August 17th, 1880 at 70 years old in Bergen.
Clarence Brown
American film director (1890–1987).
Born May 10th, 1890 in Clinton.
Died August 17th, 1987 at 97 years old in Santa Monica (kidney failure).
Deaths 26 to 50 of 215
When we finally know we are dying, and all other sentient beings are dying with us, we start to have a burning, almost heartbreaking sense of the fragility and preciousness of each moment and each being, and from this can grow a deep, clear, limitless compassion for all beings. Sogyal Rinpoche