August 1

© 1997, 1998 by Paul A. Schons

August 1

Swiss National Day (Three Swiss states formed a union on August 1, 1291, Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden.)

August 1, 1889

Birth of Walther Gerlach in Biebrich am Rhein, Germany. Gerlach was a professor of physics at the University of Tübingen and Munich. He did substantial work on the deflection of atoms in a nonhomogeneous magnetic field.

August 1, 1890

Birth of Walther Eichrodt in Gernsbach, Germany. Eichrodt was a professor of theology at the University of Basel, Switzerland. Eichrodt did much to demonstrate the necessity of an understanding of the Old Testament for the understanding of the theology of the New Testament.

August 1, 1896

Elizabeth Nietzsche moves the Nietzsche archive from Naumburg to Weimar.

August 1, 1899

Birth of William Steinberg in Cologne. Steinberg conduced the Pittsburgh Symphony from 1952 to 1976. Before coming to the United States he had been an apprentice to Otto Klemperer at the Cologne Opera and conducted the Prague Opera and the Frankfurt Opera. He worked with Arturo Toscanini in the U. S. before taking charge of the Pittsburgh Symphony.

August 1, 1914

World War I expands as Germany declares war on Russia. (Russia had an alliance with Serbia, which had been attacked by Austria on July 28.)

August 1, 1936

Opening of the XI Olympic Summer Games in Berlin.

August 1, 1970

Death of Otto Warburg in Berlin, Germany. A biochemist, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1931 for his work on cellular respiration. In 1944 he was offered a second Nobel Prize, but because he was a Jew, he was not permitted to accept the prize.

August 1, 1973

Death of Walter Ulbricht in Berlin, Germany. Ulbricht gained power in East Germany after the death of Wilhelm Pieck in 1960. He remained in power until his death.

August 1, 1998

The change in German writing rules (Rechtschreibreform) goes into effect. The changes in certain aspects of spelling and punctuation become required for use in German schools and government agencies on this date. A transition period extending through July 31,2005 is provided for change throughout society.