December 22

December 22: This Day in History

• 1808— Ludwig van Beethoven premiered his Fifth and Sixth symphonies at the Theater an der Wien in Vienna.
• 1849— Fyodor Dostoevsky was moments from execution before receiving a last-minute reprieve and commutation to imprisonment in Siberia.
• 1894— French army officer Alfred Dreyfus was convicted of treason in a trial widely recognized as a miscarriage of justice driven by antisemitism.
• 1944— U.S. Brigadier General Anthony McAuliffe famously replied 'Nuts!' to a German demand for surrender at the Battle of the Bulge.
• 1989— The Brandenburg Gate in Berlin was opened after 28 years, symbolizing the reunification of Germany.

Famous Birthdays on December 22

• Ralph Fiennes (1962) — british actor
• Meghan Trainor (1993) — singer-songwriter
• Giacomo Puccini (1858) — italian opera composer
• Steve Guttenberg (1958) — actor
• Hector Berlioz (1803) — french romantic composer

What Happens on December 22?

Did You Know? December 22 Fun Facts

• General McAuliffe's one-word reply 'Nuts!' on December 22, 1944 — dismissing the German surrender ultimatum — became one of history's most memorable military retorts.
• Beethoven's December 22, 1808 concert in Vienna was over four hours long and included the premieres of both the Fifth and Sixth symphonies in freezing cold conditions.