What Happened on March 12?

All

events

births

deaths

holidays

EVENTS ON MARCH 12

Kapp Putsch

Year: 1920

The Kapp Putsch begins when the Marinebrigade Ehrhardt is ordered to march on Berlin.

Moscow

Year: 1918

Moscow becomes the capital of Russia again after Saint Petersburg held this status for most of the period since 1713.

Australia

Year: 1913

The future capital of Australia is officially named Canberra.

California

Year: 1928

In California, the St. Francis Dam fails; the resulting floods kill 431 people.

Mahatma Gandhi

Year: 1930

Mahatma Gandhi begins the Salt March, a 200-mile (320 km) march to the sea to protest the British monopoly on salt in India.

Winter War

Year: 1940

Winter War: Finland signs the Moscow Peace Treaty with the Soviet Union, ceding almost all of Finnish Karelia.

Anschluss

Year: 1938

Anschluss: German troops occupy and annex Austria.

Great Depression

Year: 1933

Great Depression: Franklin D. Roosevelt addresses the nation for the first time as President of the United States. This is also the first of his "fireside chats".

Girl Guides

Year: 1912

The Girl Guides (later renamed the Girl Scouts of the USA) are founded in the United States.

Peninsular War

Year: 1811

Peninsular War: A day after a successful rearguard action, French Marshal Michel Ney once again successfully delays the pursuing Anglo-Portuguese force at the Battle of Redinha.

BIRTHS ON MARCH 12

Liza Minnelli

Year of birth: 1946

Liza Minnelli, American actress, singer and dancer

Dean Cundey

Year of birth: 1946

Dean Cundey, American cinematographer and film director

Frank Welker

Year of birth: 1946

Frank Welker, American voice actor and singer

Anne Summers

Year of birth: 1945

Anne Summers, Australian feminist writer, editor, publisher and public servant

Ratko Mladić

Year of birth: 1943

Ratko Mladić, Serbian general

Alexandre Guilmant

Year of birth: 1837

Alexandre Guilmant, French organist and composer (died 1911)

Mitt Romney

Year of birth: 1947

Mitt Romney, American businessman and politician, 70th Governor of Massachusetts

David Rigert

Year of birth: 1947

David Rigert, Soviet Olympic weightlifter

Virginia Bottomley

Year of birth: 1948

Virginia Bottomley, Scottish social worker and politician, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport

David Mellor

Year of birth: 1949

David Mellor, British politician

DEATHS ON MARCH 12

Frankie Frisch

Year of death: 1973

Frankie Frisch, American baseball player and manager (born 1898)

Eugene Ormandy

Year of death: 1985

Eugene Ormandy, Hungarian-American violinist and conductor (born 1899)

Eugene Lindsay Opie

Year of death: 1971

Eugene Lindsay Opie, American physician and pathologist (born 1873)

Josephine Hull

Year of death: 1957

Josephine Hull, American actress (born 1877)

Theodor Plievier

Year of death: 1955

Theodor Plievier, German author best known for his anti-war novel (born 1892)

Charlie Parker

Year of death: 1955

Charlie Parker, American saxophonist and composer (born 1920)

Maurice Evans (actor)

Year of death: 1989

Maurice Evans, English-American actor (born 1901)

William Heinesen

Year of death: 1991

William Heinesen, Faroese author, poet, and author (born 1900)

Bidu Sayão

Year of death: 1999

Bidu Sayão, Brazilian-American soprano (born 1902)

Ronald DeFeo Jr.

Year of death: 2021

Ronald DeFeo Jr., American criminal (born 1951)

HOLIDAYS ON MARCH 12

Pope Gregory I

Christian feast day: Pope Gregory I (Eastern Orthodox Church, Eastern Catholic Church, and Anglican Communion)

Paul Aurelian

Christian feast day: Paul Aurelian

Theophanes the Confessor

Christian feast day: Theophanes the Confessor

March 12 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)

Christian feast day: March 12 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)

World Day Against Cyber Censorship

Arbor Day

Arbor Day (China)

Saint Fina

Christian feast day: Fina

Arbor Day

Arbor Day (Taiwan)

Gorgonius

Christian feast day: Gorgonius, Peter Cubicularius and Dorotheus of Nicomedia

Culture of Mauritius

National Day (Mauritius)

March