Deaths in History in 1956

  • Jan 3 Joseph Wirth, 5th Chancellor of the Weimar Republic (Germany) (b. 1876)
  • Jan 5 Jeanne F Bourgeois, French head mistress (Moulin Rouge), dies at 84
  • Jan 8 Jim Elliot, American Christian missionary, dies at 28
  • Jan 10 Henricus P Bremmer, Dutch art historian (Beeldende Kunst), dies at 84
  • Jan 10 Karl L Schmidt, German/Swiss theologist (Urchristentum), dies at 64
  • Jan 12 John Raedecker, Dutch sculptor (WW II Monument Amsterdam), dies at 70
  • Jan 14 Siegfried Frederick Nadel, Austrian-British anthropologist (Nuba), dies at 52
  • Jan 22 P A M Speet, Dutch broadcast CEO (KRO), dies

Person of interestH. L. Mencken

Jan 29 H[enry] L[ouis] Mencken, US essayist/critic (Smart Set), dies at 75

Journalist and Critic H. L. Mencken
Journalist and Critic
H. L. Mencken
  • Jan 30 Gerrit Mannoury, mathematician/philosopher, dies at 88

Person of interestA. A. Milne

Jan 31 A. A. Milne, English author of the Winnie-the-Pooh books, dies at 74

Author A. A. Milne
Author
A. A. Milne
  • Feb 2 Pyotr Konchalovsky, Russian painter (b. 1876)
  • Feb 3 Émile Borel, French mathematician (b. 1871)
  • Feb 4 Leendert Antonie Donker, Dutch Minister of Justice (PvdA), dies at 56
  • Feb 26 Herman Courtens, Belgian baron/painter, dies at 72
  • Feb 28 Emile Buisson, French murderer executed (b. 1902)

Person of interestElpidio Quirino

Feb 29 Elpidio Quirino, 6th President of Philippines (1949-53), dies at 65

6th President of the Philippines Elpidio Quirino
6th President of the Philippines
Elpidio Quirino
  • Mar 3 Willem Hendrik Keesom, Dutch physicist (Helium I/II), dies at 79

Person of interestIrene Joliot-Curie

Mar 17 Irene Joliot-Curie, French physicist (Nobel laureate 1935) and daughter of Marie Curie, dies at 58

Physicist/Chemist Irene Joliot-Curie
Physicist/Chemist
Irene Joliot-Curie
  • Mar 18 Friedrich Panzer, German germanist (Hilde-Gudrun), dies at 85
  • Mar 18 Louis Bromfield, writer, dies at 59
  • Mar 20 Wilhelm Miklas, Austrian politician and 3rd President of Austria (1928-38), dies at 83
  • Mar 22 George A L Sarton, Belgian/US historian, dies at 71
  • Mar 24 Edmund Taylor Whittaker, British mathematician (applied mathematics and the theory of special functions), dies at 82
  • Mar 27 Frans Beelaerts van Blokland, minister of Foreign affairs, dies at 84
  • Mar 29 Infante Alfonso of Spain (b. 1941)
  • Apr 2 Albert Marie Leon Adolphe de Bassompierre, Belgium ambassador to Tokyo (1921-39), dies at 82
  • Apr 2 Philippo de Pisis, Italian painter, dies at 59
  • Apr 3 T Kostov, Bulgarian vice-premier, executed
  • Apr 15 Emile Nolde [Hansen], German painter (Grablegung Christi), dies at 88
  • Apr 19 Ernst R Curtius, German literature historian, dies at 70
  • Apr 19 Leon N H Jungschlaeger, head milt intelligence Neth-Indies, dies at 52
  • Apr 21 Charles MacArthur, American writer (b. 1895)
  • Apr 24 Albrecht G Alt, German theologist (Small Schriften), dies at 72
  • Apr 30 Alben W Barkley, (VP-D-1949-53), dies at 78
  • May 5 Karel Rudolph Gallas, Dutch lexicographer (French Dictionary), dies at 88
  • May 11 Walter S Adams, US astronomer/director of Mount Wilson, dies at 79
  • May 12 Hendrik P Marchant, Dutch minister of Education, dies at 87
  • May 13 Aleksandr A Fadejev, Russ author (Young Guard), commits suicide at 54
  • May 15 Austin Osman Spare, English magician (b. 1886)
  • May 16 H. B. Reese, American inventor of Reese's, dies at 76

  • May 20 Max Beerbohm, English caricaturist, writer and parodist (Saturday Review), dies at 83
  • May 29 Albert H Edelkoort, theologist (Christusverwachting), dies at 65

Person of interestHiram Bingham

Jun 6 Hiram Bingham, American Archaeologist (Incan site of Machu Picchu), dies at 80

Archaeologist and Explorer Hiram Bingham
Archaeologist and Explorer
Hiram Bingham
  • Jun 7 Julien Benda, Fren philosopher/writer (La trahison des clercs), dies
  • Jun 8 Marie Laurencin, French painter, dies at 72
  • Jun 11 Corrado Alvaro, Italian writer (Poesie grigio-verdi), dies at 61
  • Jun 17 Paul Rostock, German doctor (b. 1892)
  • Jun 19 Lulu [Luise] Strauss und Torney, German poet/writer, dies at 82

Person of interestThomas J. Watson

Jun 19 Thomas J. Watson, Sr., American businessman (Chairman and CEO of IBM, 1914-1956), dies at 87

Businessman and Entrepreneur Thomas J. Watson
Businessman and Entrepreneur
Thomas J. Watson
  • Jun 23 Michael Arlen [Dikran Kouyoumdjian], British author and scriptwriter (An American Verdict), dies at 60
  • Jun 25 Ernest J King, US fleet admiral/Chief of Naval Operations, dies at 77
  • Jul 7 Gottfried Benn, German poet and essayist, dies at 70
  • Jul 8 Gerrit Jan van Heuven Goedhart, dutch min of Justice (Nobel 54), dies
  • Jul 8 Giovanni Papini, Italian author/poet (Un Uomo Finito), dies at 75
  • Jul 12 Maurice Lippens, Belgian governor of Congo (1921-23), dies at 80
  • Jul 18 Willem J A Kerncamp, Dut overseas minister (Islam & Woman), dies at 57
  • Jul 18 Willem Kernkamp, Dutch minister of Colonies (Islam & Woman), dies at 57
  • Jul 20 James Alexander Calder, Canadian politician (b. 1868)
  • Jul 28 Ludwig Klages, German philosopher/graphologist, dies at 83
  • Jul 29 Ludwig Klages, German philosopher (Study of Graves), dies at 83
  • Aug 2 Albert Woolson, last veteran US Union army, dies at 109

Person of interestJackson Pollock

Aug 11 Jackson Pollock, abstract artist, dies in auto accident (East Hampton)

Painter Jackson Pollock
Painter
Jackson Pollock
  • Aug 14 Freiherr Constantine von Neurath, German foreign min (1932-38), dies
  • Aug 14 Bertolt Brecht, German poet and playwright (Mother Courage), dies of a heart attack at 58
  • Aug 15 Constantine Freiherr von Neurath, German foreign minister, dies at 83
  • Aug 25 Alfred Kinsey, American entomologist and sexologist (Kinsey Report), dies from a heart ailment and pneumonia at 62
  • Aug 26 Alfred Wagenknecht, German-born American activist, dies at 75
  • Sep 8 Gerrit Bolkestein, Dutch minister of Education (1939-45), dies at 84
  • Sep 8 Vital Celen, Flemish writer ('t Pastoorke van Vossendonck), dies at 69

Person of interestBilly Bishop

Sep 11 Billy Bishop, Canadian First World War flying ace, dies at 62

Canadian First World War Flying Ace Billy Bishop
Canadian First World War Flying Ace
Billy Bishop
  • Sep 12 Hans Carossa, German writer, dies at 77
  • Sep 12 Sándor Graf Festetics, Hungarian politician (b. 1882)
  • Sep 18 Adélard Godbout, Canadian politician (15th Premier of Quebec), dies at 63
  • Sep 21 Anastasio Somoza García [Tacho], General, dictator and President of Nicaragua (1937-56), assassinated by Roliberto Lopez at 60

Person of interestFrederick Soddy

Sep 22 Frederick Soddy, English chemist, Nobel Prize laureate, dies at 79

Nobel Laureate Chemist Frederick Soddy
Nobel Laureate Chemist
Frederick Soddy
  • Sep 26 Lucien Febvre, French historian (Un Destin, Martin Luther), dies at 78
  • Sep 27 Milburn Apt, in X-2 rocket plane reaches 3370 kph, but, dies in crash
  • Sep 28 William Boeing, American aviation pioneer who founded The Boeing Company, dies at 74
  • Oct 2 Paul de Backer, Belgian radiologist, dies at 73
  • Oct 6 Charles E. Merrill, American investment banker (Merrill Lynch), dies at 70

Person of interestClarence Birdseye

Oct 7 Clarence Birdseye, American inventor and founder of the modern frozen food industry (Birdseye), dies of a heart attack at 69

Inventor Clarence Birdseye
Inventor
Clarence Birdseye
  • Oct 8 Dirk Koster, literary (New noises), dies at 69
  • Oct 16 Jules Rimet, French football administrator (3rd President of FIFA 1921-54), dies at 83
  • Oct 24 Henry Nicholas Ridley, British botanist (Malay Peninsula rubber industry), dies at 100
  • Oct 25 Risto Ryti, Finnish minister/premier/president, dies at 67

Person of interestPío Baroja

Oct 30 Pío Baroja y Nessi, Spanish Basque writer, author of over 100 novels (The Struggle for Life, Zalacain the Adventurer), dies at 83

Spanish Writer Pío Baroja
Spanish Writer
Pío Baroja
  • Nov 1 Pietro Badoglio, 41st Prime Minister of Italy (1943-44) and Italian General (1922-43), dies at 85
  • Nov 2 Leo Baeck, President of World Union for Progressive Judaism, dies at 83
  • Nov 9 Aino Kallas, Finnish writer (White Ship, Estonian Tales), dies at 78

Person of interestHarry Ford Sinclair

Nov 10 Harry Ford Sinclair, founder of Sinclair Oil, dies at 80

Founder of Sinclair Oil Harry Ford Sinclair
Founder of Sinclair Oil
Harry Ford Sinclair
  • Nov 22 Vincent de Moro-Giafferi, French criminal attorney, dies at 77
  • Nov 23 Jeanne Cappe, Belgian author (Tres Grand Cardinal), dies at about 61
  • Dec 4 Alexander Rodchenko, Russian painter and photographer, dies at 64

Person of interestB.R. Ambedkar

Dec 6 B.R. Ambedkar [Baba Saheb], Indian politician, jurist (architect of the Constitution of India) and social reformer who inspired the Dalit Buddhist Movement, dies after suffering from diabetes at 65

Jurist and Social Reformer B.R. Ambedkar
Jurist and Social Reformer
B.R. Ambedkar
  • Dec 14 Juho Kusti Paasikivi, president of Finland (b. 1870)
  • Dec 16 Nina Hamnett, Welsh artist and writer, dies at 66
  • Dec 20 Ramon Carrillo, Argentine neuroscientist and Public Health minister (b. 1906)
  • Dec 21 Lewis M Terman, psychologist (Genetic studies of genius), dies at 79
  • Dec 25 Robert Walser, Swiss writer, dies at 78
  • Dec 27 Lambert McKenna, Irish editor and lexicographer, dies at 86
  • Dec 28 Roelof Kranenburg, Dutch social democratic chairman (1st Chamber), dies at 76
  • Dec 29 Martin Albertz, German theologist (Jesus Christ's Church) and resistance fighter against the Nazi regime, dies at 73