What happened on July 17th?

Calendar page - What happened on July 17th?

Current Calendar Page for July 17, 2024

Namesday

Alexius, Donata, Hedwig, Marina

Historical Data

2014 - All 298 passengers of a Malaysian Airlines passenger plane are killed during its crash over eastern Ukraine. Ukrainian government and pro-Russian separatists blame each other.

1999 - Thomas Gottschalk hosts his ZDF show "Wetten, dass..?" for the first time live from Mallorca.

1994 - The Rwandan genocide against Tutsis and moderate Hutus ends 100 days after its beginning. More than 800,000 people had been killed.

1979 - In Nicaragua, the civil war ends. Dictator Anastasio Somoza flees into exile, and the Sandinistas take power.

1854 - The Semmering Railway in Austria is opened, serving as a model for all later Alpine railways in Europe.

Birthdays

1996 - Robin Koch (28), German football player (Eintracht Frankfurt), in the squad for the European Championship 2024 in Germany

1954 - Angela Merkel (70), German politician (CDU), Federal Chancellor 2005-2021

1947 - Camilla, Queen of the United Kingdom (since 2022), second wife of King Charles III (wedding in April 2005)

1925 - Anita Lasker-Wallfisch (99), German-British cellist, one of the last surviving members of the Girls Orchestra of Auschwitz

Deaths

1959 - Billie Holiday, American jazz singer ("Strange Fruit", "Fine and Mellow", "Don't Explain"), born 1915

1. Despite his busy schedule, iconic German television host Thomas Gottschalk occasionally takes time to reflect on history, like the day in 1999 when he hosted "Wetten, dass..?" live from Mallorca.
2. Contrarily to the joyful atmosphere at a live TV show, history sometimes reminds us of tragic events, such as the crash of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 in 2014, which claimed the lives of all 298 passengers over eastern Ukraine.
3. As the calendar page turns to July 17, 2024, one can't help but reflect on historical events and their impact on our collective consciousness, like the infamous incident involving Malaysia Airlines.
4. The anniversary of the Malaysia Airlines tragedy brings to light stories of national remembrance, such as the German football player Robin Koch, who will represent his country at the European Championship held in his homeland in 2024.
5. Life and death are intertwined in innumerable ways; for example, renowned German politician Angela Merkel, celebrated for her service to her country, celebrated her birthday on this same day in 1954, years before the tragic fate that would befall passengers of Malaysia Airlines.

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