February 1972
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The following events occurred in February 1972.
January 1972
January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – DecemberThe following events occurred in January 1972.-January 1, 1972 :...
– February – March
March 1972
January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November-DecemberThe following events occurred in March, 1972.-March 1, 1972 :...
– April
April 1972
January – February – March. – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November –DecemberThe following events occurred in April 1972.-April 1, 1972 :...
– May
May 1972
January – February – March. – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November –DecemberThe following events occurred in May 1972.-May 1, 1972 :...
– June
June 1972
January – February – March. – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – DecemberThe following events occurred in June 1972.-June 1, 1972 :...
– July
July 1972
January – February – March. – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – DecemberThe following events occurred in July 1972.-July 1, 1972 :...
– August
August 1972
January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – DecemberThe following events occurred in August 1972.-August 1, 1972 :...
– September
September 1972
January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – DecemberThe following events occurred in September 1972:-September 1, 1972 :...
– October
October 1972
January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November–DecemberThe following events occurred in October 1972:-October 1, 1972 :...
– November
November 1972
January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – DecemberThe following events occurred in November 1972.-November 1, 1972 :...
– December
December 1972
January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – DecemberThe following events occurred in December 1972.-December 1, 1972 :...
The following events occurred in February 1972.
February 1, 1972 (Tuesday)
- Four days after Nazi hunterNazi hunterA Nazi-hunter is a private individual who tracks down and gathers information on alleged former Nazis, SS members and Nazi collaborators involved in the Holocaust, typically for use at trial on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity...
Beate Klarsfeld had found that Klaus BarbieKlaus BarbieNikolaus 'Klaus' Barbie was an SS-Hauptsturmführer , Gestapo member and war criminal. He was known as the Butcher of Lyon.- Early life :...
was living in BoliviaBoliviaBolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
(as "Klaus Altmann"), the French government requested his extradition. Barbie was not brought to justice until 1983. - In a private White HouseWhite HouseThe White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
meeting between Billy GrahamBilly GrahamWilliam Franklin "Billy" Graham, Jr. is an American evangelical Christian evangelist. As of April 25, 2010, when he met with Barack Obama, Graham has spent personal time with twelve United States Presidents dating back to Harry S. Truman, and is number seven on Gallup's list of admired people for...
and U.S. President Richard NixonRichard NixonRichard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
, Graham voiced his concern that the Jewish "stranglehold" on the media "has got to be broken". Graham had to apologize for anti-Semitic remarks after the tape of the conversation was released by the National Archives in 2002. - Democrat Edwin Washington Edwards was elected to the first of his four terms as Governor of Louisiana, defeating Republican David C. TreenDavid C. TreenDavid Conner "Dave" Treen, Sr. , was an American attorney and politician from Mandeville, St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana – the first Republican Governor of the U.S. state of Louisiana since Reconstruction. He was the first Republican in modern times to have served in the U.S...
in the general election by a margin of 57-43 percent.
February 2, 1972 (Wednesday)
- Following the funerals in DerryDerryDerry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
of 13 of the persons killed by British paratroopers in Northern IrelandNorthern IrelandNorthern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
on "Bloody Sunday", a mob, estimated at 25,000, poured into Dublin's Merrion Square and burned down the United Kingdom's embassy in the Republic of IrelandRepublic of IrelandIreland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
. Because of attacks earlier in the week, all important records had been removed and the Embassy was unoccupied, but the four story building was destroyed. - Born: Satyendra Rawat, Indian Educationist
- Died: Genaro Vazquez, Mexican guerilla leader ; Natalie Barney, lesbian pioneer
February 3, 1972 (Thursday)
- The 1972 Winter Olympics1972 Winter OlympicsThe 1972 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XI Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated from February 3 to February 13, 1972 in Sapporo, Hokkaidō, Japan...
opened in Sapporo, Japan, with 1,006 athletes from 35 nations marching in the opening ceremony at Makomanai Stadium. Schoolboy Hideki Takada lit the Olympic flame. - The United States Federal Communications CommissionFederal Communications CommissionThe Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
(FCC) issued new rules for cable televisionCable televisionCable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
in the United States. American systems had to carry at least 20 channels (including a Public-access televisionPublic-access televisionPublic-access television is a form of non-commercial mass media where ordinary people can create content television programming which is cablecast through cable TV specialty channels...
). The reform opened the door for new cable television networks. - "Tutankhamen's curse" claimed another victim nearly 3,300 years after the death of the boy pharaoh (1324 BC). As King Tut's mask was being placed on a plane to be taken from Cairo to Paris, the museum's Director of Antiquities, Gamal Mehrej, died.
February 4, 1972 (Friday)
- Kenneth KaundaKenneth KaundaKenneth David Kaunda, known as KK, served as the first President of Zambia, from 1964 to 1991.-Early life:Kaunda was the youngest of eight children. He was born at Lubwa Mission in Chinsali, Northern Province of Northern Rhodesia, now Zambia...
, the President of Zambia, moved to turn the African democracy into a one-party state after the new United Progressive Party (Zambia)United Progressive Party (Zambia)The United Progressive Party was created in Zambia by Simon Kapwepwe and others, all from the ruling United National Independence Party in about August 1971. This provoked a big crisis in the cabinet, with five ministers expelled by Kenneth Kaunda, chief of the government and of the UNIP...
(UPP) had won a by-election in December. Simon KapwepweSimon KapwepweSimon Mwansa Kapwepwe was the first vice-president of Zambia from 1967 to 1970.- Early life :Simon Kapwepwe was born on 12 April 1922 in the Chinsali district of the Northern Province of Northern Rhodesia...
, who had been Kaunda's Vice-President until founding the UPP in 1971, was arrested, along with other party members. Kaunda's United National Independence PartyUnited National Independence PartyThe United National Independence Party is a political party in Zambia. It governed that country from 1964 to 1991 under the presidency of Kenneth Kaunda....
(UNIP) then became the only legal party. - Born: Giovanni Silva De Oliveira, Brazilian footballer, in Abaetetuba, Brazil
- The 1972 Iran blizzard, which would kill more than 4,000 people, began, lasting until February 9.
February 5, 1972 (Saturday)
- Jean-Bédel BokassaJean-Bédel BokassaJean-Bédel Bokassa , a military officer, was the head of state of the Central African Republic and its successor state, the Central African Empire, from his coup d'état on 1 January 1966 until 20 September 1979...
, the President of the Central African Republic since 1966, was proclaimed "President for Life". In 1976, he would proclaim himself Emperor, ruling until his overthrow in 1979. - Died: Marianne MooreMarianne MooreMarianne Moore was an American Modernist poet and writer noted for her irony and wit.- Life :Moore was born in Kirkwood, Missouri, in the manse of the Presbyterian church where her maternal grandfather, John Riddle Warner, served as pastor. She was the daughter of mechanical engineer and inventor...
, 84, American poet
February 6, 1972 (Sunday)
- Two weeks before his historic visit to the People's Republic of China, President Nixon secretly (and unsuccessfully) asked the Chinese government to arrange a meeting their with North VietnamNorth VietnamThe Democratic Republic of Vietnam , was a communist state that ruled the northern half of Vietnam from 1954 until 1976 following the Geneva Conference and laid claim to all of Vietnam from 1945 to 1954 during the First Indochina War, during which they controlled pockets of territory throughout...
's peace negotiator, Le Duc ThoLe Duc ThoLê Đức Thọ , born Phan Đình Khải in Ha Nam province, was a Vietnamese revolutionary, general, diplomat, and politician, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize jointly with United States Secretary of State Henry Kissinger in 1973, although he declined it....
. - Died: Llewellyn ThompsonLlewellyn ThompsonLlewellyn E. "Tommy" Thompson Jr. , was a United States diplomat. He served in Sri Lanka, Austria, and for a lengthy period in the Soviet Union where his tenure saw some of the most significant events of the Cold War....
, former American Ambassador to the USSR
February 7, 1972 (Monday)
- Keith HolyoakeKeith HolyoakeSir Keith Jacka Holyoake, KG, GCMG, CH, QSO, KStJ was a New Zealand politician. The only person to have been both Prime Minister and Governor-General of New Zealand, Holyoake was National Party Prime Minister from 20 September 1957 to 12 December 1957, then again from 12 December 1960 to 7...
resigned as Prime Minister of New ZealandPrime Minister of New ZealandThe Prime Minister of New Zealand is New Zealand's head of government consequent on being the leader of the party or coalition with majority support in the Parliament of New Zealand...
after 14 years. - The Federal Election Campaign ActFederal Election Campaign ActThe Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 is a United States federal law which increased disclosure of contributions for federal campaigns. It was amended in 1974 to place legal limits on the campaign contributions...
was signed into law by U.S. President Nixon, taking effect on April 7.
February 8, 1972 (Tuesday)
- A state of emergencyState of emergencyA state of emergency is a governmental declaration that may suspend some normal functions of the executive, legislative and judicial powers, alert citizens to change their normal behaviours, or order government agencies to implement emergency preparedness plans. It can also be used as a rationale...
was declared throughout the United Kingdom by Prime Minister Edward HeathEdward HeathSir Edward Richard George "Ted" Heath, KG, MBE, PC was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and as Leader of the Conservative Party ....
as the coal miners' strike continued, and mined coal dwindled. - NHLNational Hockey LeagueThe National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
star Bruce GambleBruce GambleBruce George Gamble was a professional ice hockey goaltender who played 10 seasons in the NHL between 1962 and 1972, with some years in the minor leagues in between...
suffered a heart attack after tending goal for the Philadelphia FlyersPhiladelphia FlyersThe Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
in a 3–1 victory over the Vancouver CanucksVancouver CanucksThe Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
, and was hospitalized the next day as the team traveled from Vancouver to Oakland, bringing an end to his NHL career. Gamble would die of a heart attack in 1982, hours after practicing with another team. Some accounts state, erroneously, that Gamble had collapsed in the middle of the Vancouver game, or that he died while playing hockey. - After four months, a strike by the 13,000 members of the International Longshore and Warehouse UnionInternational Longshore and Warehouse UnionThe International Longshore and Warehouse Union is a labor union which primarily represents dock workers on the West Coast of the United States, Hawaii and Alaska, and in British Columbia, Canada. It also represents hotel workers in Hawaii, cannery workers in Alaska, warehouse workers throughout...
, which mostly served West Coast ports, was settled. The strike had been interrupted by a Taft-Hartley ActTaft-Hartley ActThe Labor–Management Relations Act is a United States federal law that monitors the activities and power of labor unions. The act, still effective, was sponsored by Senator Robert Taft and Representative Fred A. Hartley, Jr. and became law by overriding U.S. President Harry S...
injunction that had expired earlier in the month. - Born: Whitney GaskellWhitney GaskellWhitney Gaskell is an American author of seven comedic novels published by Bantam Books. She lives in South Florida with her husband, George Gaskell, and their son....
, American novelist, in Syracuse, New YorkSyracuse, New YorkSyracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
; Big ShowPaul WightPaul Donald Wight, Jr. , better known by his ring name, Big Show, is an American professional wrestler and actor, currently signed to WWE on its Raw brand....
, American professional wrestler, in Aiken, South CarolinaAiken, South CarolinaAiken is a city in and the county seat of Aiken County, South Carolina, United States. With Augusta, Georgia, it is one of the two largest cities of the Central Savannah River Area. It is part of the Augusta-Richmond County Metropolitan Statistical Area. Aiken is home to the University of South...
February 9, 1972 (Wednesday)
- The 1972 Iran blizzard ended after seven days, during which as much as 26 feet of snow buried villages in northwestern, central and southern Iran. An estimated 4,000 people were killed, particularly in the area around ArdakanArdakanArdakan is a city in and the capital of Ardakan County, Yazd Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 51,349, in 13,730 families.Ardakan is the second major city of Yazd Province. It was established in the 12th century in the Zardug region...
.
February 10, 1972 (Thursday)
- In Calama, ChileCalama, ChileCalama is a city and commune in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile. It is the capital of El Loa Province, part of the Antofagasta Region. Calama is one of the driest cities in the world with average annual precipitation of just . The River Loa, Chile's longest, flows through the city...
, where it is said that no rain had fallen "for more than 400 years", rain fell in a downpour and caused mudslides. - David BowieDavid BowieDavid Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
opened his concert tour with his new alter ego of "Ziggy Stardust", starting at the Toby Jug Pub in TolworthTolworthTolworth is a mostly residential area of outer South London in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, located south west of Charing Cross. Neighbouring places include: New Malden, Kingston, Surbiton, Berrylands, Chessington, Ewell and Worcester Park....
. - American and South Vietnamese forces completed a 24 hour period of bombing strikes against North Vietnam, with almost 400 bombing strikes carried out in some of the heaviest raids of the Vietnam WarVietnam WarThe Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
.
February 11, 1972 (Friday)
- As the nationwide strike of British coal miners continued, Secretary for Trade and Industry John DaviesJohn Davies-Politicians:*John Davies , British businessman and Conservative MP and cabinet minister*John S. Davies , Pennsylvania politician...
told the House of Commons that the government was ordering a massive shutdown of Britain's industry. Davies added that "Many, many people—perhaps millions—will be laid off." - President Georges PompidouGeorges PompidouGeorges Jean Raymond Pompidou was a French politician. He was Prime Minister of France from 1962 to 1968, holding the longest tenure in this position, and later President of the French Republic from 1969 until his death in 1974.-Biography:...
of France and Chancellor Willy BrandtWilly BrandtWilly Brandt, born Herbert Ernst Karl Frahm , was a German politician, Mayor of West Berlin 1957–1966, Chancellor of West Germany 1969–1974, and leader of the Social Democratic Party of Germany 1964–1987....
of West GermanyWest GermanyWest Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
jointly announced in Paris that the two nations had agreed to form an economic and monetary union. - TIME Magazine concluded that The Autobiography of Howard Hughes, written by Hughes "with Clifford IrvingClifford IrvingClifford Michael Irving is an American author of novels and works of nonfiction, but best known for using forged handwritten letters to convince his publisher into accepting a fake "autobiography" of reclusive businessman Howard Hughes in the early 1970s...
" was a hoax, and that it had been plagiarized from a biography written by - The Nassau Coliseum was opened in Uniondale, New YorkUniondale, New YorkUniondale is a hamlet as well as a suburb of New York City in Nassau County, New York, United States, on Long Island, in the Town of Hempstead. The population was 24,759 at the 2010 United States Census.-Geography:...
, on Long IslandLong IslandLong Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
, with the first event being an American Basketball AssociationAmerican Basketball AssociationThe American Basketball Association was a professional basketball league founded in 1967. The ABA ceased to exist with the ABA–NBA merger in 1976.-League history:...
(ABA) game. The New York Nets beat the visiting Pittsburgh CondorsPittsburgh CondorsThe Pittsburgh Condors were a professional basketball team in the original American Basketball Association. Originally called the Pittsburgh Pipers, they were a charter franchise of the ABA...
, 129–121, as Rick BarryRick BarryRichard Francis Dennis Barry III , better known as Rick Barry, is a retired American professional basketball player. He is considered by many veteran basketball observers to be one of the greatest pure small forwards of all time as a result of his very precise outside shot, uncanny court vision,...
scored 45 points. - The Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic SealsConvention for the Conservation of Antarctic SealsThe Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals is part of the Antarctic Treaty System. It was signed at the conclusion of a multilateral conference in London on February 11, 1972...
was signed in London. - Born: Steve McManamanSteve McManamanSteven McManaman is a retired English footballer who played as a midfielder, winger and playmaker. Having spent his playing career at two of European football's most successful clubs of the 20th century, Liverpool and Real Madrid, as well as a spell at Manchester City, McManaman is the most...
, British footballer, in Kirkdale, LiverpoolKirkdale, LiverpoolKirkdale is a district of Liverpool, Merseyside, England and a Liverpool City Council ward that covers both Kirkdale and Vauxhall. At the 2001 Census the population was recorded as 15,653.-Description:...
; Kelly SlaterKelly SlaterRobert Kelly Slater is an American professional surfer known for his competitive prowess and style. He has been crowned ASP World Champion a record 11 times, including 5 consecutive titles from 1994–98. He is the youngest and the oldest to win the title...
, American professional surfer, in Cocoa Beach, FloridaCocoa Beach, FloridaCocoa Beach is a city in Brevard County, Florida, United States. The population was 12,482 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S. Census Bureau estimates of 2008, the city had a population of 11,920...
February 12, 1972 (Saturday)
- TIME MagazineTime (magazine)Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
won the right to publish excerpts from Clifford IrvingClifford IrvingClifford Michael Irving is an American author of novels and works of nonfiction, but best known for using forged handwritten letters to convince his publisher into accepting a fake "autobiography" of reclusive businessman Howard Hughes in the early 1970s...
's "autobiography" of Howard HughesHoward HughesHoward Robard Hughes, Jr. was an American business magnate, investor, aviator, engineer, film producer, director, and philanthropist. He was one of the wealthiest people in the world...
, a day after cancelling declaring that it was a hoax. TIME had discovered also that much of the work had been plagiarized from author James Phelan. - The first delegates to the 1972 Democratic National Convention1972 Democratic National ConventionThe 1972 Democratic National Convention was the presidential nominating convention of the Democratic Party for the 1972 presidential election. It was held at Miami Beach Convention Center in Miami Beach, Florida on July 10–13, 1972....
were selected, with 1,508 needed to win. A caucus in ArizonaArizonaArizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
awarded nine delegates to Edmund MuskieEdmund MuskieEdmund Sixtus "Ed" Muskie was an American politician from Rumford, Maine. He served as Governor of Maine from 1955 to 1959, as a member of the United States Senate from 1959 to 1980, and as Secretary of State under Jimmy Carter from 1980 to 1981...
, six each to John V. Lindsay and George S. McGovern, and four uncommitted.
February 13, 1972 (Sunday)
- The 1972 Winter Olympics1972 Winter OlympicsThe 1972 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XI Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated from February 3 to February 13, 1972 in Sapporo, Hokkaidō, Japan...
in Sapporo ended. The Soviet Union had the most medals (16) and most gold medals (8), followed by East Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and the United States. - The Tony Award-winning musical 17761776 (musical)1776 is a musical with music and lyrics by Sherman Edwards and a book by Peter Stone. The story is based on the events surrounding the signing of the Declaration of Independence...
closed after 1,217 performances on Broadway.
February 14, 1972 (Monday)
- A week before his visit to BeijingBeijingBeijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, President Nixon removed restrictions on American exports to the People's Republic of China, which had been in place for more than 20 years. - The animated TV special The LoraxThe LoraxThe Lorax is a children's book written by Dr. Seuss and first published in 1971. It chronicles the plight of the environment and the Lorax, who speaks for the trees against the greedy Once-ler. As in most Dr...
by Dr. SeussDr. SeussTheodor Seuss Geisel was an American writer, poet, and cartoonist most widely known for his children's books written under the pen names Dr. Seuss, Theo LeSieg and, in one case, Rosetta Stone....
first aired on CBSCBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
. - Born: Drew BledsoeDrew BledsoeDrew McQueen Bledsoe is a former football quarterback in the National Football League, best known as the starting quarterback for the New England Patriots from 1993-2001. During the 1990s, he was considered the face of the Patriots franchise...
, American football player, in Ellensburg, WashingtonEllensburg, WashingtonEllensburg is a city in, and the county seat of, Kittitas County, Washington, United States. The population was 18,174 at the 2010 census. The population was 18,250 at 2011 Estimate from Office of Financial Management. Ellensburg is located just east of the Cascade Range on I-90 and is known as the...
; Rob ThomasRob Thomas (musician)Robert Kelly "Rob" Thomas is an American rock recording artist and songwriter. He is the primary songwriter and lead singer of the band Matchbox Twenty. Thomas also records and performs as a solo artist...
, American singer, in LandstuhlLandstuhlLandstuhl , literally translating as "country-throne", is a municipality of over 9,000 people in southwestern Germany. It is part of the district of Kaiserslautern, in the Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, and is home to the Sickinger Schloss, a small castle. It is situated on the north-western edge...
, West GermanyWest GermanyWest Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
February 15, 1972 (Tuesday)
- U.S. Patent No. 3,641,591 was granted to inventor Willem J. Kolff for the first artificial heartArtificial heartAn artificial heart is a mechanical device that replaces the heart. Artificial hearts are typically used in order to bridge the time to heart transplantation, or to permanently replace the heart in case transplantation is impossible...
. - José María Velasco IbarraJosé María Velasco IbarraJosé María Velasco Ibarra was an Ecuadorian political figure. He served as the president of Ecuador from 1934–1935, 1944–1947, 1952–1956, 1960–1961, and 1968-1972. He only served one of those terms without being ousted by the army, from 1952-1956.-Early life and career:Velasco Ibarra was born on...
was overthrown as President of Ecuador. Velasco, who had been President on four other occasions, and was facing re-election, prepared to address the nation after learning that a coup d'état was planned. Upon arriving at the Channel 10 studios in GuayaquilGuayaquilGuayaquil , officially Santiago de Guayaquil , is the largest and the most populous city in Ecuador,with about 2.3 million inhabitants in the city and nearly 3.1 million in the metropolitan area, as well as that nation's main port...
, he was arrested, placed on an Ecuadorian Air Force plane, and flown to PanamaPanamaPanama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
. Velasco was replaced by General Guillermo Rodriguez Lara, who cancelled the election. - The Oslo Convention, officially the Convention for the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping from Ships and AircraftConvention for the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping from Ships and AircraftThe Convention for the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping from Ships and Aircraft also called the Oslo Convention was an international agreement designed to control the dumping of harmful substances from ships and aircraft into the sea. It was adopted on February 15, 1972 in Oslo, Norway...
, was signed in the Norwegian capital by Denmark, France, Iceland, Norway, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden, to take effect April 7, 1974. - The United States granted copyright protection, for the first time, to sound recordings. Previously, only the written musical and lyrical compositions could be protected from reproduction.
- Ibrahim Hoti returned to KosovoKosovoKosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
from IraqIraqIraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, beginning the chain of events leading to a smallpox epidemic in Yugoslavia1972 outbreak of smallpox in YugoslaviaThe 1972 outbreak of smallpox in Yugoslavia was the last major outbreak of smallpox in Europe. It was centred in Kosovo and Belgrade, Serbia . A Muslim pilgrim had contracted the smallpox virus in the Middle East. Upon returning to his home in Kosovo, he started the epidemic in which 175 people...
. - Born: Jaromír JágrJaromir JagrJaromír Jágr is a Czech professional ice hockey right winger who plays for the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League . Jágr formerly played with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals, and New York Rangers, serving as captain of the Penguins and the Rangers...
, Czech hockey player, in KladnoKladnoKladno is a city in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It is located 25 km northwest of Prague. Kladno is the largest city of the region and holds a population together with its adjacent suburban areas of more than 110,000 people...
, CzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992... - Died: Edgar SnowEdgar SnowEdgar P. Snow was an American journalist known for his books and articles on Communism in China and the Chinese Communist revolution...
, 66, author of Red Star Over China
February 16, 1972 (Wednesday)
- The Republic of the Maldives hosted tourists for the first time, as 22 Italian visitors arrived at an airstrip on Hulhulé IslandHulhulé IslandHulhulé , located at Latitude 4° 10' 60 N Longitude 73° 31' 60 E, is an island in the North Malé Atoll of the Maldives. It is one of the islands closest to the capital island Malé. The Malé International Airport is located on this island along with some official premises, e.g. Maldivian Bureau of...
, and were taken to accommodations at three guest houses in MaléMaléMalé , is the capital and most populous city in the Republic of Maldives. It is located at the southern edge of North Malé Atoll . It is also one of the Administrative divisions of the Maldives. Traditionally it was the King's Island, from where the ancient Maldive Royal dynasties ruled and where...
. In 2009, there were more than 600,000 visitors annually to resorts throughout the Maldive Islands - Born: Taylor HawkinsTaylor HawkinsOliver Taylor Hawkins is an American musician, best known as the drummer of the rock band Foo Fighters....
, American rock musician (Foo FightersFoo FightersFoo Fighters is an American alternative rock band originally formed in 1994 by Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl as a one-man project following the dissolution of his previous band. The band got its name from the UFOs and various aerial phenomena that were reported by Allied aircraft pilots in World War...
), in Fort Worth, TexasFort Worth, TexasFort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
; Jerome BettisJerome BettisJerome Abram "The Bus" Bettis is a retired American football halfback who played for the NFL's Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams and Pittsburgh Steelers. Bettis is considered one of the best big backs ever because his footwork and power, and is currently fifth on the National Football League's all-time...
, American football player, in Detroit; Sarah ClarkeSarah ClarkeSarah Clarke is an American actress, best known for her role as Nina Myers on 24, and also for her roles as Renée Dwyer, Bella Swan's mother, in the 2008 film Twilight as well as Erin McGuire on the short-lived TV show, Trust Me.-Early life:Clarke was born in St...
, American actress, in St Louis, Missouri; Guy MowbrayGuy MowbrayGuy Mowbray is a football commentator on British television, who supports York City FC, and is currently with the BBC. Whilst working for Eurosport at the 1998 World Cup, he became the youngest ever television commentator on a World Cup Final, aged 26...
, British sports commentator, in York, Yorkshire.
February 17, 1972 (Thursday)
- British Prime Minister Edward HeathEdward HeathSir Edward Richard George "Ted" Heath, KG, MBE, PC was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and as Leader of the Conservative Party ....
narrowly won a vote in the House of Commons on whether to ratify the treaty for the United Kingdom to join the European Community. Heath turned the matter into a vote of confidence by pledging to resign and to call new elections in the midst of a crisis, saying that "If the House will not agree ... my colleagues and I are unanimous that in these circumstances, this Parliament could not sensibly continue." By a margin of only eight votes (309–301), the bill passed. - The Volkswagen BeetleVolkswagen BeetleThe Volkswagen Type 1, widely known as the Volkswagen Beetle or Volkswagen Bug, is an economy car produced by the German auto maker Volkswagen from 1938 until 2003...
broke the record for the most popular automobile in history, as the 15,007,034th Beetle was produced. Between 1908 and May 26, 1927, a total of 15,007,033 Model Ts had been produced. - Born: Billie Joe ArmstrongBillie Joe ArmstrongBillie Joe Armstrong is an American rock musician and occasional actor, best known as the lead vocalist, main songwriter and lead guitarist for the American punk rock band Green Day...
, American musician, lead singer of Green DayGreen DayGreen Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
, in Oakland
February 18, 1972 (Friday)
- In a 6–1 decision in the case of People v. Anderson (6 Cal.3d 628), California's Supreme Court declared that the death penalty law violated the State Constitution. The Court commuted the death sentences, of 102 men and five women on death row, to life imprisonment.
February 19, 1972 (Saturday)
- Radio HanoiRadio HanoiRadio Hanoi was a propaganda radio station run by the North Vietnamese Army during the Vietnam War.In September 1967, Radio Hanoi transmitted a message by General Võ Nguyên Giáp entitled "The Big Victory, The Great Task". Unbenknownst to Americans listening to the message, it was actually an...
broadcast a live press conference to display five newly captured American prisoners of war. - The TV show All in the FamilyAll in the FamilyAll in the Family is an American sitcom that was originally broadcast on the CBS television network from January 12, 1971, to April 8, 1979. In September 1979, a new show, Archie Bunker's Place, picked up where All in the Family had ended...
first aired what became its most famous episode, which ended with black musician Sammy Davis, Jr.Sammy Davis, Jr.Samuel George "Sammy" Davis Jr. was an American entertainer and was also known for his impersonations of actors and other celebrities....
giving a kiss on the cheek to America's most popular bigot, Archie BunkerArchie BunkerArchibald "Archie" Bunker is a fictional New Yorker in the 1970s top-rated American television sitcom All in the Family and its spin-off Archie Bunker's Place, played to acclaim by Carroll O'Connor. Bunker is a veteran of World War II, reactionary, bigoted, conservative, blue-collar worker, and...
. - The Asama-Sansō incidentAsama-Sanso incidentThe was a hostage crisis and police siege in a mountain lodge near Karuizawa, Nagano prefecture, Japan that lasted from February 19, 1972 to February 28, 1972...
, which would soon be watched on live television across Japan, began when five members of the Japanese Red ArmyJapanese Red ArmyThe was a Communist terrorist group founded by Fusako Shigenobu early in 1971 in Lebanon. It sometimes called itself Arab-JRA after the Lod airport massacre...
began a standoff in a mountain lodge with a woman hostage. - Died: John GriersonJohn GriersonJohn Grierson was a pioneering Scottish documentary maker, often considered the father of British and Canadian documentary film. According to popular myth, in 1926, Grierson coined the term "documentary" to describe a non-fiction film.-Early life:Grierson was born in Deanston, near Doune, Scotland...
, Scottish documentary filmmaker (b. 1898); jazz trumpeter Lee MorganLee MorganEdward Lee Morgan was an American hard bop trumpeter.-Biography:...
(shot and killed at Slug's, a New York bar, after completing a concert)
February 20, 1972 (Sunday)
- Sixty million Americans tuned in to watch live television coverage of President Nixon's Monday morning arrival in Communist China, starting at EST, PST. The three networks (ABC, CBS and NBC) split the cost of $8,300 per hour for satellite broadcasting during the eight day visit, and each sent eleven persons on the trip.
- Died: Maria Goeppert-Mayer, German physicist, Nobel PrizeNobel Prize in PhysicsThe Nobel Prize in Physics is awarded once a year by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. It is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the will of Alfred Nobel in 1895 and awarded since 1901; the others are the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, Nobel Prize in Literature, Nobel Peace Prize, and...
laureate (b. 1906); Walter WinchellWalter WinchellWalter Winchell was an American newspaper and radio gossip commentator.-Professional career:Born Walter Weinschel in New York City, he left school in the sixth grade and started performing in a vaudeville troupe known as Gus Edwards' "Newsboys Sextet."His career in journalism was begun by posting...
, American journalist (b. 1897)
February 21, 1972 (Monday)
- At 11:30 a.m. in Peking (now BeijingBeijingBeijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
), Richard M. Nixon became the first President of the United StatesPresident of the United StatesThe President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
to visit the People's Republic of China, ending more than 22 years of hostility between the two nations. Nixon greeted China's Prime Minister Zhou EnlaiZhou EnlaiZhou Enlai was the first Premier of the People's Republic of China, serving from October 1949 until his death in January 1976...
with one of the most famous handshakes in history. "When our hands met", Nixon would write later, "one era ended and another began", while Zhou told Nixon on their trip from the airport, "Your handshake came over the vastest ocean in the world – twenty-five years of no communication."
February 22, 1972 (Tuesday)
- Ahmad ibn `Ali Al ThaniAhmad ibn `Ali Al ThaniSheikh Ahmad bin Ali bin Abdullah bin Jassim bin Muhammed Al Thani, was the Emir of the State of Qatar through the final years of dependency, presiding over its independence from Britain in 1971. He was born at Doha in 1917 as the 2nd son of Sheikh 'Ali bin 'Abdu'llah Al-Thani...
, who had been the Emir of Qatar since its independence in 1971, was removed from office by unanimous vote of other members of the Al Thani family. Ahmad, who had failed even to organize a government and had used the nation's wealth to support an expensive lifestyle, was replaced by his cousin, Khalifa bin Hamad Al ThaniKhalifa bin Hamad Al ThaniEmir Shaikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Abdullah bin Jassim bin Muhammed Al Thani GCB GCMG was the Emir of Qatar from 1972 until he was deposed by his son Hamad bin Khalifa in 1995....
, who ruled until 1995. - In retaliation for the killing of 13 Irish civilians by the British army on "Bloody Sunday", the Irish Republican ArmyIrish Republican ArmyThe Irish Republican Army was an Irish republican revolutionary military organisation. It was descended from the Irish Volunteers, an organisation established on 25 November 1913 that staged the Easter Rising in April 1916...
exploded a car bomb outside of a mess hall reserved for officers at the Aldershot, England1972 Aldershot BombingThe Aldershot bombing was a car bomb attack by the Official Irish Republican Army on 22 February 1972 in Aldershot, England. The bomb targeted the headquarters of the British Army's 16th Parachute Brigade and was claimed as a revenge attack for Bloody Sunday. Seven civilian staff were killed and...
, headquarters of the 16th Parachute Brigade. Seven people were killed by the IRA bomb, and none of them were soldiers. Killed in the blast were an Army chaplain and six waitresses. - Born: Michael ChangMichael ChangMichael Te-Pei Chang is a former American professional tennis player. He is best remembered for becoming the youngest-ever male player to win a Grand Slam singles title when he won the French Open in 1989 at the age of 17....
, American tennis player, in Hoboken, New JerseyHoboken, New JerseyHoboken is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population was 50,005. The city is part of the New York metropolitan area and contains Hoboken Terminal, a major transportation hub for the region...
; Jo GuestJo GuestJoanne Guest is an English former glamour model and media figure.- Glamour career :Born and raised in Chesterfield, north east Derbyshire, England, Guest got her start in modelling when she came across an advertisement for it while on a catering course at her local college...
, English glamour model and media figure, in Chesterfield, Derbyshire; Duane SwierczynskiDuane SwierczynskiDuane Louis Swierczynski is an American crime writer who has written a number of non-fiction books, novels and also writes for comic books.-Early life:...
, American crime writer, in Frankford, Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaFrankford, Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaFrankford is a large and important neighborhood in the lower Northeast section of Philadelphia situated about six miles northeast of Center City. Although its borders are vaguely defined, the neighborhood is bounded roughly by the original course of Frankford Creek, now roughly Adams to Aramingo...
- Died: Tedd PierceTedd PierceTedd Pierce , was an American animated cartoon writer, animator and artist. Pierce spent the majority of his career as a writer for the Warner Bros. "Termite Terrace" animation studio, working alongside fellow luminaries such as Chuck Jones and Michael Maltese. Pierce also worked as a writer at...
, American animator (b. 1906)
- Died: Tedd Pierce
February 23, 1972 (Wednesday)
- The hijacking of LufthansaLufthansaDeutsche Lufthansa AG is the flag carrier of Germany and the largest airline in Europe in terms of overall passengers carried. The name of the company is derived from Luft , and Hansa .The airline is the world's fourth-largest airline in terms of overall passengers carried, operating...
Flight 649 ended in BeirutBeirutBeirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
after Palestinian gunmen released their last hostages, the 14 member crew. Shortly after the inflight movie began during the 747's flight from New DelhiNew DelhiNew Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
to AthensAthensAthens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, five gunmen had seized the jet and forced it to land in YemenYemenThe Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
, where they freed the 172 passengers (including future Congressman Joseph P. Kennedy II). The terrorists had threatened to explode the plane, with its hostages onboard, after landing in LebanonLebanonLebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
. The release came after the government of West GermanyWest GermanyWest Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
paid a five million dollar ransom. - After 16 months in prison, black militant Angela DavisAngela DavisAngela Davis is an American political activist, scholar, and author. Davis was most politically active during the late 1960s through the 1970s and was associated with the Communist Party USA, the Civil Rights Movement and the Black Panther Party...
was released on bail when a white farmer posted most of the required $102,500. "Freed Angela", TIME Magazine, March 6, 1972 - The Environmental Protection Agency published its first regulations requiring unleaded gasoline to be made available at all gas stations.
February 24, 1972 (Thursday)
- Twenty-eight men on board the Soviet nuclear submarine K-19Soviet submarine K-19K-19, KS-19, BS_19 was one of the first two Soviet submarines of the 658, 658м, 658с class , the first generation nuclear submarine equipped with nuclear ballistic missiles, specifically the R-13 . Its keel was laid down on 17 October 1958, christened on 8 April 1959 and launched on 11 October 1959...
were killed when fires broke out in three of its compartments while the sub was submerged. The twelve survivors remained trapped inside the sub as it was towed, over the next three weeks, from the Arctic Ocean back to the Kola PeninsulaKola PeninsulaThe Kola Peninsula is a peninsula in the far northwest of Russia. Constituting the bulk of the territory of Murmansk Oblast, it lies almost completely to the north of the Arctic Circle and is washed by the Barents Sea in the north and the White Sea in the east and southeast...
. - For the first time since the Paris Peace Talks (concerning the Vietnam WarVietnam WarThe Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
) three years earlier, the two Communist delegations walked out of a session. The groups were protesting the recent surge in bombing by the United States. The talks resumed the following week. - Born: Manon RheaumeManon RhéaumeManon Rhéaume is a Canadian ice hockey goaltender. An Olympic silver medalist, she achieved a number of historic firsts during her career, including becoming the first and only woman ever to play in a National Hockey League exhibition game.In 1992 Rhéaume signed a contract with the Tampa Bay...
, female NHL player; Richard ChelimoRichard ChelimoRichard Chelimo was a Kenyan athlete, and a former world and world junior record holder over 10,000 m...
, Kenyan athlete (d. 2001)
February 25, 1972 (Friday)
- By a vote of 210,039 to 7,581 the members of the National Union of Mineworkers ended a strike that had crippled the British economy, in return for a 20 percent pay increase by the National Coal BoardNational Coal BoardThe National Coal Board was the statutory corporation created to run the nationalised coal mining industry in the United Kingdom. Set up under the Coal Industry Nationalisation Act 1946, it took over the mines on "vesting day", 1 January 1947...
.
February 26, 1972 (Saturday)
- At 8:05 a.m., a coal slurry dam gave way under heavy rains, sending 132,000,000 gallons of coal waste and water in a wave over communities in Logan County, West VirginiaLogan County, West VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 37,710 people, 14,880 households, and 10,936 families residing in the county. The population density was 83 people per square mile . There were 16,807 housing units at an average density of 37 per square mile...
. The Buffalo Creek FloodBuffalo Creek FloodThe Buffalo Creek Flood was a disaster that occurred on February 26, 1972, when the Pittston Coal Company's coal slurry impoundment dam #3, located on a hillside in Logan County, West Virginia, USA, burst four days after having been declared 'satisfactory' by a federal mine inspector.The resulting...
killed 125 people.
February 27, 1972 (Sunday)
- The Addis Ababa Agreement (1972) was signed at the palace of Ethiopia's Emperor Haile Selassie, bringing an end to the First Sudanese Civil WarFirst Sudanese Civil WarThe First Sudanese Civil War was a conflict from 1955 to 1972 between the northern part of Sudan and the southern Sudan region that demanded representation and more regional autonomy...
after more than 17 years and more than 500,000 deaths. Ezboni Mondiri Gwonza of the South Sudan Liberation MovementSouth Sudan Liberation MovementThe South Sudan Liberation Movement is an armed group that operates in the Upper Nile Region in southern Sudan. The group's creation was announced in November 1999 by people of the Nuer ethnicity who were in both the rebel Sudan People's Liberation Army and the government-allied South Sudan...
, and SudanSudanSudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
's Foreign Minister, Mansour Khalid, signed an agreement to end fighting in return for recognition by the Islamic government's of political and religious autonomy for the people living in the southern half of the nation. The agreement lasted until 1983, when fighting broke out again. - The New York Times carried on its front page the troublesome World3World3The World3 model was a computer simulation of interactions between population, industrial growth, food production and limits in the ecosystems of the Earth. It was originally produced and used by a Club of Rome study that produced the model and the book The Limits to Growth...
forecast of a group at MIT for the century ahead, writing that began "A major computer study of world trends has concluded, as many have feared, that mankind probably faces an uncontrollable and disastrous collapse of its society within 100 years unless it moves speedily to establish a "global equilibrium" in which growth of population and industrial output are halted." The study, soon published as The Limits to Growth was funded by the Club of RomeClub of RomeThe Club of Rome is a global think tank that deals with a variety of international political issues. Founded in 1968 at Accademia dei Lincei in Rome, Italy, the CoR describes itself as "a group of world citizens, sharing a common concern for the future of humanity." It consists of current and...
.
February 28, 1972 (Monday)
- Before departing People's Republic of China following an historic visit, President Nixon of the United States signed the Shanghai CommuniquéShanghai CommuniquéThe Joint Communiqué of the United States of America and the People's Republic of China, also known as the Shanghai Communiqué , was an important diplomatic document issued by the United States of America and the People's Republic of China on February 27, 1972 during President Richard Nixon's visit...
with and Premier Zhou of China, setting out agreements to improve diplomatic relations and to prevent the hegemony of any nation (including the Soviet Union) over the "Asia-Pacific Region".
February 29, 1972 (Tuesday)
- "We now have evidence that the settlement of the Nixon administration's biggest antitrust case was privately arranged between Atty. Gen. John Mitchell and the top lobbyist for the company involved", was the opener to Jack Anderson's syndicated column. "We have this on the word of the lobbyist herself, crusty, capable Dita Beard of the International Telephone and Telegraph Co. She acknowledged the secret deal after we obtained a highly incriminating memo, written by her, from ITT's files." The subsequent investigation by the Nixon Administration into the source of leaked information was one of seven improper activities cited by the Watergate Committee in its final report.
- Born: Antonio Sabato Jr., Italian actor, in Rome