Sept 30 in History
1568 — John III is declared king of Sweden after his half-brother, Eric XIV, is deposed for showing signs of madness.
1791 — Mozart conducts the premiere of his opera “The Magic Flute” in Vienna, Austria. He dies on December 5. The opera celebrates its 100th performance in November 1792.
1888 — “Jack the Ripper” butchers his third and fourth victims — Elizabeth Stride, 44, and Kate Eddowes, 46. Stride’s body is found at about 1am in Dutfield’s Yard, off Berner Street, Whitechapel, with a main artery in her neck severed. Eddowes is found 45 minutes later in Mitre Square in the City of London, her throat cut, abdomen ripped open, left kidney and the major part of her uterus removed.
1899 — Eleven days before the start of the AngloBoer War, the major mines on the Reef (including Simmer & Jack, Wolhuter, Geldenhuys Deep and Henry Nourse) cease to operate.
1901 — Cornelis Broeksma, 38, who emigated from the Netherlands at age 19, qualified as advocate in Bloemfontein and served as public prosecutor in Johannesburg, is executed as a traitor by firing squad at the Johannesburg Fort. He incurred the wrath of the British by exposing to Europe the atrocities in the concentration camps and their scorched-earth policy during the Anglo-Boer War. He pleaded guilty to breaking his oath of neutrality, treason and incitement with regard to the violation of the oath and was sentenced to death on September 14.
1938 — After returning home from co-signing (with Germany, France and Italy) the Munich Agreement allowing Germany’s annexation of Czechoslovakia’s Sudetenland, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain says: “I believe it is peace for our time.” 1939 — The French Army is called back from invading Germany. When Operation Saar started on September 7, the German generals’ great fear of a two-front war seemed to have been realised. It was inconceivable they could counter the mighty French army with the Wehrmacht wholly engaged in Poland. The French, however, advanced at a leisurely stroll and reached their peak 8km penetration on the 12th. The withdrawal is as sluggish and lasts until October 17. Germany invades France on May 10 1940.
1960 — “The Flintstones” premieres on ABC, the first primetime animation show.
1966 — Botswana gains independence from Britain with Seretse Khama as its first president.
1982 — The sitcom “Cheers” premieres on NBC.
1986 — Israeli Mossad agents snatch nuclear technician Mordechai Vanunu after luring him to Rome. He had leaked Israel’s nuclear secrets to the London Sunday Times. He spends 18 years in jail.