March 28

© 1997, 1998 by Paul A. Schons

March 28, 1727

Birth of Maximilian III in Munich, Germany. Maximilian was the son of the Holy Roman emperor, Karl VII. He was the elector (Holy Roman Empire) of Bavaria. He gained his position in Bavaria by the peace of Füssen of April 22, 1745. He fostered science and industry in Bavaria. He founded the Academy of Sciences in Munich.

March 28, 1837

Marriage of the composer, Felix Mendelssohn and Cecile Jeanrenaud.

March 28, 1840

Birth of Emin Pasa Mehmed (original name, Eduard Schnitzer) in Oppln, Germany (now in Poland). Mehmed became a medical officer in the Turkish army in 1865. In that role he took on his Turkish name. In 1876 he moved to Africa as a medical officer with the British army. He then spent the rest of his life in Africa, exploring and in governing roles. In 1889 he joined with the famed British officer Henry Morton Stanley on an 8 month crossing of Africa from Sudan to Tanzania.

March 28, 1849

Friedrich Wilhelm IV, King of Prussia elected German "Kaiser" by the Frankfurt Parliament. 290 delegates voted for the resolution and 248 against. Friedrich Wilhelm would reject the authority of the parliament to name him "Kaiser". On that same day the parliament declared the new constitution in force.

March 28, 1903

Birth of Rudolf Serkin in Eger, Austria-Hungary (now in the Czech Republic). Serkin was a pianist who gave his first performance with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra at age 12. After developing a reputation in Europe, he moved to the United States in 1939 and taught and performed successfully as an American. He was one of the founders of the Marlboro Festival in Vermont. His son, Peter, followed him as a concert pianist.

March 28, 1916

First performance of Erich Korngold's Der Ring des Polykrates . The premier is conducted by Bruno Walter.

March 28, 1956

Birth of Evelin Schlaak in Annaberg, Germany. Schlaak was an East German athlete who won gold medals in the discus throw at the 1976 and 1980 Olympic games.

March 28, 1987

Maria von Trapp dies in Vermont (born in Austria). Her story was made famous by the movie,The Sound of Music.

March 28, 2002

The film director, Billy Wilder dies in California. Wilder, the director of such films as “The Seven Year Itch", "Some like it hot" and "One, two, three", had been born in sucha, Austria. His original name was Samuel Wilder.