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On this day in history - March 18

What Happened On This Day – March 18

  • 1990 East Germany holds its first and only free parliamentary elections

    The election was held between the peaceful revolution leading to the demise of the German Democratic Republic in 1989 and the German reunification in 1990.

  • 1971 A 100 feet (30 meter) high wave destroys a Peruvian mining camp and kills hundreds of people

    The tsunami was caused by a massive rock avalanche that crashed into Lake Yanahuani from a height of 1300 feet (400 meters).

  • 1965 Russian cosmonaut Aleksei Leonov becomes the first person to walk in space

    During the tethered spacewalk, which lasted 12 minutes, Leonov ventured up to 10 meters from his spacecraft, Voskhod 2.

  • 1962 The Évian Accords are signed, ending the Algerian War

    Algeria gained its independence from France as a consequence.

  • 1892 Lord Stanley of Preston pledges to donate a challenge cup for the best ice hockey team in Canada

    Today, the Stanley Cup is the world's most prestigious ice hockey trophy.

Illustration of stork, signifying birth

Births On This Day,
March 18

  • 1981 Fabian Cancellara

    Swiss cyclist

  • 1932 John Updike

    American author, poet, critic

  • 1869 Neville Chamberlain

    English politician, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

  • 1844 Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov

    Russian composer

  • 1837 Grover Cleveland

    American lawyer, politician, 22nd President of the United States

Illustration of tombstone, signifying death

Deaths On This Day,
March 18

  • 1936 Eleftherios Venizelos

    Greek politician, Prime Minister of Greece

  • 1913 George I of Greece

  • 1745 Robert Walpole

    English politician, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

  • 1314 Jacques de Molay

    Frankish knight

  • 978 Edward the Martyr

    English king