1348 Prague, Education: Charles University was found by the Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV. I gave a talk there once.
1795 Paris, Technology. France adopted the metre as the basic unit of length. The next year sixteen steel bars were placed around Paris to make it known. One is pictured below in the Place Vendôme which I saw once with my own eyes.
1805 Vienna, Music: Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony Number 3 in E minor (‘Eroica’) premiered with the composer conducing. Below is Beethoven’s autography copy of the score which he defaced in removing the original dedication to Napoleon.
1953 New York City, UN: Dag Hammarskjöld was selected as the second Secretary General of the United Nations. A biography of Hammarskjöld is discussed elsewhere on this blog.
1961 DC, Politics: Because they were part of the heritage of mankind, the Kennedy Administration committed the United States to fund the preservation of artefacts from the ancient historic sites in the Valley of Nile when the Aswan Dam was to be built. In the end American funds came to 16% of the total cost, covering the preservation of the temples at Abu Simbel and more. Kate has seen some of this stuff with her own eyes.
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