Facts

1916: A blockade of Greece is imposed by the Entente forces. Greece is forced to accept an ultimatum to withdraw its military forces from the Peloponnese and accept control of the Isthmus and Patras. (November)

1935:After the November 3 referendum, King George II returns to Athens, after 12 years of exile. He dismisses Prime Minister Georgios Kondylis and assigns the task of forming a new government to Konstantinos Demertzis. Alexandros Papagos takes over as Minister of Defense.

1940: Woody the Woodpecker, the lovable but scandalous bird, “born” from the pen of Walter Lange, makes his television debut.

1942: English commandos and Greek rebels (Eddie Myers, Napoleon Zervas, Aris Velouchiotis) blow up the Gorgopotamos bridge.

1952: Agatha Christie’s play The Mousetrap premieres in London, starring Richard Attenborough and Sheila Sim. It is the longest-running theatrical performance, since it is performed until today.

1973: The Markezini government is overthrown and the dictator George Papadopoulos himself, who is placed under house arrest in Lagonisi. New powerful man of the April regime, Brigadier General Ioannidis. General Phaedon Gizikis is sworn in as the new President of the Republic and Adamantios Androutsopoulos as Prime Minister.

Births

1844: Karl Benz, German engineer, who designed and built the first practical car equipped with an internal combustion engine. (D. 4/4/1929)

1939: Eleni Karaindrou, Greek composer, known for her music for the films of Theodoros Angelopoulos.

1941: Christos Papanikolaou, Greek sprinter, who also held the world record in the event in 1970.

Deaths

1970: Yukio Mishima, Japanese writer, who committed suicide by making harakiri. (Born 14/1/1925)

2005: George Best, Northern Irish footballer, with a major offer to Manchester United. (Born 22/5/1946)