Today in History

1789 – The French National Assembly adopts the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, proclaiming that ‘‘men are born and remain free and equal in rights’’.

1813 – French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte wins his last great battle at Dresden, Germany, against a larger Austrian, Prussian and Russian force.

1883 – Krakatau, an uninhabited volcanic island in Indonesia, erupts. Of the estimated 36,000 resulting deaths, at least 31,000 were caused by tsunamis.

1904 – Foundation stone laid for Victoria University’s first building.

1911 – Joseph Pawelka escapes from a Wellington prison and is never recaptured.

1953 – Roman Holiday, featuring Audrey Hepburn, left, in her first starring movie role, premieres.

1955 – The Guinness Book of Records debuts. 1967 – Beatles manager Brian Epstein is found dead after an accidental drug overdose, aged 32.

1979 – British war hero Lord Louis Mountbatten is killed when the IRA detonates a bomb hidden on his fishing boat.

2001 – Peru’s Congress votes to lift the constitutional immunity of former President Alberto Fujimori, so that prosecutors can charge him with crimes against humanity.

Birthdays

Donald Bradman, Australian cricketer (1908-2001); Lyndon Johnson, US president (1908-1973); John Morrison, New Zealand cricketer (1947-); Barbara Bach, US actress (1947-); Bernhard Langer, German golfer (1957-); Tom Ford, US fashion designer (1961-); Matthew Ridge, NZ league player (1968-); Michael Long, NZ golfer (1968-); Chandra Wilson, US actress (1969-); Andy Bichel, Australian cricketer (1970-); Glen Osborne, All Black (1971-); Mark Webber, Australian racing driver (1976-); Deco, Portuguese footballer (1977-); Helen Norfolk, NZ swimmer (1981-).