Historical Events
- Jan 1 Brooklyn merges with NY to form present City of NY
"Sogno d'un Mattino di Primavera
Jan 1 Italian poet and playwright Gabriele D'Annunzio's dramatic work "Sogno d'un mattino di primavera," (Dream of a Spring Morning) premieres in Rome
Hirobumi's Third Term
Jan 12 Itō Hirobumi begins his third term as Prime Minister of Japan
Dreyfus Affair
Jan 13 Emile Zola publishes his open letter "J'accuse" accusing the French government of framing Alfred Dreyfus for sabotage
Famous Birthdays
- Jan 1 Viktor Ullmann, Austrian pianist, conductor, and composer (Der Kaiser von Atlantis), born in Teschen, Silesia (now Poland) (d. 1944)
- Jan 4 Roger Vuataz, Swiss composer and musician, born in Geneva, Switzerland (d. 1988)
- Jan 6 Charles E. Pont, French-born Swiss-American artist, born in Saint-Julien-en-Genevois, France (d. 1971)
- Jan 6 Jan Filip Boon, Flemish journalist and editor (De Standaard 1929-39), born in Halle, Belgium (d. 1960)
- Jan 7 Al Bowlly, South African-British dance band vocalist ("Midnight, The Stars, And You"), and bandleader, born in Lourenço Marques, Portuguese Mozambique (now Maputo, Mozambique) (d. 1941)
- Jan 7 Art Baker, American TV host (You Asked For It), born in New York City (d. 1966)
- Jan 7 Gerónimo Baqueiro Foster, Mexican woodwind player, composer, and music teacher, born in Hopelchén, Campeche (d. 1967)
- Jan 9 Gracie Fields, English music hall/vaudeville performer and actress (Queen of Hearts), born in Rochdale, England (d. 1979)
- Jan 9 Vilma Bánky, Austrian silent screen actress (The Eagle, Rebel), born in Nagydorog, Austria-Hungary (d. 1991)
- Jan 9 Wally Baker, American supercentenarian, born in New Castle, Delaware (d. 2009)
- Jan 10 Waldo Semon, American chemist and inventor of PVC, born in Demopolis, Alabama (d. 1999) [1]
- Jan 11 Hans Kirk, Danish writer (The Fishermen), born in Hadsund, Denmark (d. 1962)
- Jan 12 Jose Forns y Cuadras, Spanish composer and teacher, born in Madrid, Spain (d. 1952)
- Jan 13 Carlo Tagliabue, Italian operatic baritone, (La Scala, 1930-55), born in Mariano Comense, Italy (d. 1978)
- Jan 13 Kai Munk, Danish playwright and Lutheran pastor, martyr (d. 1944)
- Jan 14 Helen Flint, American actress (Sea Devils, Married Before Breakfast), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 1967)
- Jan 15 Dutch Meyer, American College Football Hall of Fame coach (National C'ship 1935, 38; TCU), born in Ellinger, Texas (d. 1982)
- Jan 16 Irving Rapper, UK-US film director (d. 1999)
- Jan 16 Margaret Booth, American film editor (d. 2002)
- Jan 20 U Razak, Burmese politician (d. 1947)
- Jan 21 Avery Claflin, American banker and composer ("Lament for April 15" - income tax form instructions set to music), born in Keene, New Hampshire (d. 1979) [1]
- Jan 21 John George [Tufei Fatella], Syrian actor (Black Orchids, Don Juan, Adventures of Fu Manchu), born in Aleppo, Syria (d. 1968)
- Jan 22 Alexander Abramsky, Russian-Soviet composer, born in Lutsk, Ukraine, Russian Empire (d. 1985)
- Jan 22 Ben van Eysselsteijn, Dutch writer and playwright (Arid Earth) (d. 1973)
- Jan 22 Gustaf Paulson, Swedish organist and composer (The Resurrection Symphony), born in Hälsingborg, Sweden (d. 1966)
- Jan 22 Hans van Werveke, Belgian historian (Diocese Terwaan) (d. 1974)
- Jan 22 Ross Barnett, American lawyer and politician (Gov-D-Mississippi 1960-64), born in Standing Pine, Mississippi (d. 1987)
- Jan 22 Sergei Eisenstein, Russian director (Battleship Potemkin), born in Riga, Latvia [NS] (d. 1948)
- Jan 23 Freda Utley, British scholar and author, born in London (d. 1978)
- Jan 23 Randolph Scott, American actor (Ride the High Country, Last of the Mohicans, Western Union), born in Orange County, Virginia (d. 1987)
- Jan 24 Cliff Heathcote, American baseball player (d. 1939)
- Jan 25 Joachim Wach, German religious scholar (Understanding), born in Chemnitz, Germany (d. 1955)
- Jan 28 Vittorio Rieti, Jewish Italian-American composer, born in Alexandria, Egypt (d. 1994)
- Jan 28 Wies Moens, Flemish writer and historian, born in Sint-Gillis-bij-Dendermonde, Belgium (d. 1982)
- Jan 29 Fernand Quinet, Belgian cellist, composer and conductor (La Guerre), born in Charleroi, Belgium (d. 1971)
- Jan 29 Karl Bjarnhof, Danish blind journalist and writer (The Stars Grow Pale), born in Vejle, Denmark (d. 1980)
- Jan 31 Fred Rich, Polish-American jazz pianist and dance band bandleader ("I'm Tickled Pink with a Blue-Eyed Baby"; The Abbott and Costello Show), born in Warsaw, Poland (d. 1956)
Famous Weddings
Henri Matisse
Jan 10 Painter Henri Matisse (28) weds Amélie Noellie Parayre
Famous Deaths
- Jan 3 James Wimshurst, British designer and inventor (electrostatic generator), dies at 70
- Jan 4 Frantisek Pivoda, Czech composer, dies at 73
- Jan 4 Johnson Hagood, American politician (Governor of South Carolina 1880-82) and Brigadier General (Confederate Army), dies at 68
- Jan 11 Gaetano Capocci, Italian organist and composer (Responsori), dies at 86
