1703: The man in the iron mask, whose life was praised by Voltaire and Alexandre Dumas (father), dies in the prisons of the Bastille.

1924: A military movement by Loufa and Dertili against the government of Andreas Michalakopoulos fails.

1942: The Soviets under Marshal Zhukov go on the counter-attack in implementation of “Operation Uranus”. (The Battle of Stalingrad)

1973: The deputy minister in addition to the prime minister, Spyridon Zournatzis, announces at a press conference that the dead from the suppression of the Polytechnic riots amount to 11 and the wounded to 138.

1999: China launches its first spacecraft named “Shenzhou 1”.

1999: US President Bill Clinton visits Athens for 24 hours amidst episodes. Among the protesters was the later president of SYRIZA and prime minister Alexis Tsipras. At the official dinner, the President of the Republic, Kostis Stephanopoulos, with his monumental speech, reminds him of Turkey’s responsibilities with the invasion and occupation of Cyprus and the problems it creates in the Aegean.

Births

1896: Georgy Zhukov, Russian field marshal, who played an important role in World War II. (D. 18/6/1974)

1951: Panagiotis Lafazanis, Greek politician. (People’s Unity)

1961: Meg Ryan, American actress.

Deaths

1828: Franz Schubert, Austrian composer. (Born 31/1/1797)

1958: Kyriakos Matsis, Cypriot agronomist and EOKA activist, who was killed in his hideout in Dikomos. (Born 23/1/1926)

1988: Christina Onassis, daughter and heir of the Greek tycoon Aristotle Onassis. (Born 11/12/1950)