Today, September 19, 2023

1888… The first women’s beauty contest is held in Spa, Belgium. First prize goes to 18-year-old Bertha Sucaret from Guatemala.

1931… The stock market panic in America and Europe also affects Greece. There is a devaluation of values ​​and the bankruptcy of stockbrokers in Athens and Thessaloniki, while the Stock Exchange closes.

1940…. A prehistoric Greek lake city is discovered, dating back to an era older than 2000 BC. in the lake of Kastoria.

1952…. The US bans Charlie Chaplin from re-entering the country after a trip to England.

1955… Argentina’s president, Juan Peron, is overthrown in a military coup.

1957…. The US conducts its first underground nuclear test.

…. On the same day in Greece, for the first time, the question of transferring the Athens international airport from Elliniko is raised, during the prime ministership of Konstantinos Karamanlis.

1961… The Center Union is founded by Georgios Papandreou with the participation of Sophocles Venizelos, with the union of several parties of the center.

1968… In Mexico, police storm the University of Mexico City to quell student unrest, killing 18 students.

1970…. The Legislative Work Advisory Committee is established by the dictatorship as a substitute for the Parliament. It is a 60-member “Small Parliament”.
….. On the same day in Genoa, Italy, student Kostas Georgakis sets himself on fire, shouting “Long live free Greece”, in protest of the military regime in Greece.

1982… In Sweden, the Social Democrats under Olof Palme win a major victory in the parliamentary elections.

1985… Devastating earthquake in Mexico, measuring 8.1 on the Richter scale, kills more than 4,200 people.

1992…. “Czar of the Airs”, Sergei Bubka, sets a new pole vault world record with 6.13m in Tokyo.

2000…. Weightlifting gives Greece another medal at the Sydney Olympics, with Ioanna Hatziioannou taking third place in the 63kg category, lifting 222.5kg.

2002….A coup d’état is attempted in Ivory Coast while President Laurent Bagbo is away in Italy. During the clashes, dozens of people are killed, among them the former dictator Robert Guay.

– Like today in 866 he was born the Macedonian emperor of Byzantium, Leo VI the Wise, in 1943 the American singer of “Mamas & Papas”, Cass Elliott, in 1948 the British actor, Jeremy Ironsin 1949 the famous model from England, Twiggy, and in 1954 the singer, Helen Vitali.

-On the same day in 1985, the distinguished Italian writer, Italo Calvino, (“Divided Count”, “Invisible Cities”) died.