July 21

© 1997, 1998 by Paul A. Schons

July 21, 1816

Birth of Paul Freiherr von Reuter in Kassel. He was the founder of a news agency, Reuters, which is still in a leading position globally. Born of Jewish heritage, Israel Beer Josaphat, he changed his name in 1844 when he became a Christian.

July 21, 1935

Birth of Norbert Blüm in Rüsselsheim/M., Germany. Blüm is the minister of labor in the cabinet of Chancellor Helmut Kohl.

July 21, 1979

Death of Ludwig Renn (original name, Arnold Friedrich Vieth von Golssenau) in East Berlin, Germany. Krieg (1928) is the best known of the novelist's works. The novel was based on his horrific experiences in World War I. The sequel, Nachkrieg (1930) deals with the Weimar Republic. A liberal, he was arrested by the Nazis during the night of the fire at the Reichstag and spent 2 1/2 years in prison. Upon his release he fled to Switzerland. From Switzerland he moved to Mexico where he spent the war years. At war's end he returned to a life in East Germany.

July 21, 1990

The rock concert "The Wall" by Pink Floyd is performed in Berlin on the site of the Berlin Wall.