On this day

22 December in history.

5 moments from 1808 to 1989: discovery, creativity and courage, each with a source to read more.

5 moments

Beethoven with the manuscript of the Missa solemnis

1808

Beethoven premieres his Fifth and Sixth Symphonies. In one long concert in Vienna, Ludwig van Beethoven premiered both his Fifth and Sixth Symphonies.

Wikipedia: Symphony No. 5 (Beethoven)

Photo: Joseph Karl Stieler / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)

More from 22 December

  1. Asteroid

    1891

    An asteroid found by photography

    Asteroid 323 Brucia became the first asteroid discovered using photography.

    Wikipedia: 323 BruciaWikipedia: Asteroid

    Photo: 243_ida.jpg : NASA/JPL derivative work: Chzz ► / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)

  2. Autochrome: "France , Boulogne , Portraits , Rabindranath Tagore"

    1921

    Tagore's university opens

    Visva-Bharati, the college founded by poet Rabindranath Tagore at Santiniketan, opened. It is now Visva-Bharati University.

    Wikipedia: Visva-Bharati UniversityWikipedia: Rabindranath Tagore

    Photo: Georges Chevalier / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0)

  3. Médecins Sans Frontières

    1971

    Doctors Without Borders is founded

    The aid organisation Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières) was founded in Paris by doctors and journalists.

    Wikipedia: Médecins Sans Frontières

    Photo: Doctors Without Borders / MSF-USA / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)

  4. The Brandenburg Gate in Berlin , Germany

    1989

    The Brandenburg Gate reopens

    Berlin's Brandenburg Gate reopened after nearly 30 years, a symbol of the end of the division between East and West Germany.

    Wikipedia: Brandenburg GateWikipedia: German reunification

    Photo: Thomas Wolf , www.foto-tw.de / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Moments chosen for discovery, creativity and courage. Each one links to a source where you can read more; photos are credited to their owners.