What Happened in April 1941

Historical Events

Watch on the Rhine

Apr 1 Lillian Hellman's play "Watch on the Rhine" premieres in NYC

  • Apr 1 Nazis forbid Jewish access to cafés
  • Apr 1 Pro-German Rashid Ali al-Ghailani grabs power in Iraq
  • Apr 1 The Blockade Runner Badge for German Kriegsmarine is instituted.
  • Apr 1 US Navy takes over Treasure Island in San Francisco Bay
  • Apr 2 German occupier disallows Dutch scouting association

Churchill Warns Stalin

Apr 3 British Prime Minister Winston Churchill warns Soviet leader Joseph Stalin that a German invasion is imminent

  • Apr 3 Rasjid al-Gailani forms pro-German regime in Iraq
  • Apr 3 Walton's overture "Scapino" premieres in Chicago
  • Apr 4 German troops conquer Benghazi, Libya
  • Apr 5 San Francisco Castro & Fillmore streetcars replaced by buses

8th US Masters

Apr 6 8th US Masters Tournament, Augusta National GC: Craig Wood wins his first major title, 3 strokes ahead of runner-up Byron Nelson; Masters' first wire-to-wire champion

  • Apr 6 Beginning of operation Bestrafung - German bombers attack Belgrade (17,000 die)
  • Apr 6 British major general Michael Gambier-Parry captured in North Africa
  • Apr 6 German bombardment of Piraeus (munitions ship explodes)
  • Apr 6 Italian forces holding Addis Ababa surrender to British & Ethiopian forces
  • Apr 7 British generals O'Connor & Neame captured in North Africa

Louis vs Musto

Apr 8 In his 4th title defense in 9 weeks Joe Louis beats Tony Musto by TKO in the 9th round at the Arena, Saint Louis, Missouri to retain NYSAC heavyweight boxing crown

  • Apr 9 LPGA Titleholders Championship Women's Golf, Augusta CC: Dorothy Kirby wins comfortably by 16 strokes ahead of Helen Sigel
  • Apr 9 PGA establishes Golf Hall of Fame
  • Apr 10 German troops conquer Libyan county Cyrenaica

Croatia German Puppet Statete

Apr 10 Independent State of Croatia led by Ante Pavelić established as fascist German puppet state

  • Apr 11 Jewish Weekly newspaper taken control by Nazis
  • Apr 11 Nazi occupiers in Netherlands confiscate Jewish assets
  • Apr 12 Stanley Cup Final, Olympia Stadium, Detroit, MI: Boston Bruins defeat Detroit Red Wings, 3-1 for a 4-0 series sweep

Darlan Consults with Hitler

Apr 12 Vichy-France's head of government Admiral François Darlan consults with Adolf Hitler

  • Apr 13 Heavy German assault on Tobruk
  • Apr 13 Pact of neutrality between the USSR and Japan is signed.
  • Apr 14 1st massive German raid in Paris, 3,600 Jews rounded up
  • Apr 14 45th Boston Marathon won by Leslie Pawson in 2:30:38; his third victory in the event
  • Apr 14 King Peter leaves Yugoslavia
  • Apr 15 1st helicopter flight of 1 hr duration, Stratford, Ct
  • Apr 16 Little Theater at Adelphi Strand, London closes
  • Apr 17 British troop land in Iraq
  • Apr 17 Egyptian steamer SS Zamzam attacked and later scuttled by German cruiser Atlantis (all on board rescued)
  • Apr 17 US Office of Price Administration forms (handled rationing)
  • Apr 17 World War II: The Kingdom of Yugoslavia surrenders to Germany.

Mother Courage and her Children

Apr 19 Bertolt Brecht's play "Mother Courage and her Children" premieres in Zurich

  • Apr 19 Bulgarian troops invade Macedonia
  • Apr 19 Milk rationed in Holland
  • Apr 20 100 German bombers attack Athens
  • Apr 20 Dodgers start to wear liners in their caps
  • Apr 21 WWII: Greece surrenders to Nazi Germany
  • Apr 23 Greek Army surrenders to Germany; British RAF evacuates the Greek King George II to Egypt
  • Apr 24 British army begins evacuation of Greece
  • Apr 24 Dutch Prince Bernhard becomes an RAF pilot

Operation Mercury

Apr 25 Operation Mercury: Adolf Hitler orders the conquest of the island of Crete, the first mainly airborne invasion in military history

  • Apr 26 A tradition begins, 1st organ at a baseball stadium (Chicago Cubs)
  • Apr 26 Potatoes rationed in Holland
  • Apr 27 German troops occupy Athens, Greece
  • Apr 28 Last British troops in Greece surrender
1941 History

Famous Birthdays

  • Apr 1 Ajit Wadekar, Indian cricket batsman and captain (37 Tests; top score 143; Bombay), born in Mumbai, India (d. 2018)
  • Apr 3 Carl Boenish, American father of BASE jumping, born in New Castle, Pennsylvania (d. 1984)
  • Apr 3 Eric Braeden, German-American actor (Victor Newman-Young & Restless, Colossus), born in Bredenbek, Germany
  • Apr 3 Jan Berry, American rock and roll vocalist (Jan and Dean - "Surf City"), born in Los Angeles, California (d. 2004)
  • Apr 3 Philippé Wynne, American soul singer ("I'll Be Around"), born in Cincinnati, Ohio (d. 1984)
  • Apr 4 Bill Tarmey, English actor (Coronation Street), born in Ardwick, Manchester (d. 2012)
  • Apr 5 Dave Swarbrick, British folk fiddler, and songwriter (Fairport Convention; Martin Carthy), born in New Malden, Surrey (d. 2016)
  • Apr 5 Michael Moriarty, American-Canadian actor (Bang the Drum Slowly, Q, Stuff), born in Detroit, Michigan
  • Apr 5 Viktor Kurentsov, Belarusian weightlifter (Olympic gold middleweight 1968; silver 1964; 5 x World C'ship gold middleweight), born in Tukhinka, Belarus (d. 2021)
  • Apr 6 (William) Louis Shelton, American session guitarist and music producer, born in Little Rock, Arkansas
  • Apr 6 Gheorghe Zamfir, Romanian pan lute player, born in Găești, Romania
  • Apr 6 Hans W Geissendorfer, Augsburg Germany, director (Sternsteinhof)
  • Apr 7 Cornelia Frances [Zulver], British-Australian actress (Home and Away), born in Liverpool, England (d. 2018)
  • Apr 7 Gorden Kaye, British actor (Allo Allo), born in Huddersfield, England (d. 2017)
  • Apr 8 Murray Khouri, New Zealand classical clarinet player (Australia Ensemble), writer, and broadcaster, born in Wellington, New Zealand (d. 2018)
  • Apr 8 Peggy Lennon, American singer (Lennon Sisters), born in Los Angeles, California

Vivienne Westwood (1941-2022)

Apr 8 English fashion designer (Vivienne Westwood), born in Tintwistle, England [1]

  • Apr 9 (Princetta) Kay Adams, American country singer ("I Cried At Your Wedding,"; "Little Pink Mack"), born in Knox City, Texas
  • Apr 9 Al Gafa, American jazz and session guitarist (Dizzy Gillespie; Susannah McCorkle), born in New York City
  • Apr 9 Chu Song-woong, South Korean stage actor, born in Goseong, South Gyeongsang, South Korea (d. 1985)
  • Apr 9 Hannah Gordon, British actress (Oh Alfie), born in Edinburgh, Scotland
  • Apr 10 Mike Stratton, American football linebacker (AFL C'ship 1964, 65; AFL All-Star 1963–68; Buffalo Bills; NFL: SD Chargers), born in Vonore, Tennessee (d. 2020)
  • Apr 10 Paul Theroux, American travel book writer and novelist (Mosquito Coast), born in Medford, Massachusetts
  • Apr 11 Ellen Goodman, American political columnist (Pulitzer 1980), born in Newton, Massachusetts
  • Apr 11 Frederick "Rick" Hauck, American astronaut (STS-7, STS 51-A, STS-26), born in Long Beach, California
  • Apr 12 Bobby Moore, English football defender (108 caps; captain World Cup 1966; West Ham United), born in Barking, Essex (d. 1993)
  • Apr 12 Julio Euson, Aruban-Dutch singer ("I Use The Soap"), born in Aruba
  • Apr 13 Michael Stuart Brown, American geneticist (Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1985), born in Brooklyn, New York
  • Apr 14 Bob McCammon, Canadian ice hockey coach (Philadelphia Fllyers 1978-84, Vancouver Canucks 1987-91), born in Kenora, Ontario (d. 2021)

Pete Rose (82 years old)

Apr 14 American baseball utility (17 × MLB All-Star; NL MVP 1973; World Series 1975 [MVP], 76 Cincinnati Reds, 1980 Philadelphia Phillies) and manager (Cincinnati Reds 1984-89), banned for gambling, born in Cincinnati, Ohio

  • Apr 15 Howard Berman, American attorney and politician (Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California), born in Los Angeles, California
  • Apr 15 Josep Maria Fusté, Spanish soccer midfielder (8 caps; FC Barcelona), born in Linyola, Spain (d. 2023)
  • Apr 15 Roman Balayan, Ukrainian-Armenian director (Filer, Biryuk), born in Nerkin Horatagh, Nagorno-Karabakh AO, Azerbaijan
  • Apr 16 Cliff Stearns, American businessman and politician (Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida), born in Washington, D.C.
  • Apr 17 Adolphus Hailstork, American composer (EarthRise (A Song of Healing); Ghosts in Grey and Blue), and educator, born in Rochester, New York
  • Apr 17 Max Stafford-Clark, English artistic director (Royal Court Theatre), born in Cambridge, England
  • Apr 18 Michael D. Higgins, Irish politician (9th President of Ireland 2011-), born in Limerick, Ireland
  • Apr 18 Walt Sweeney, American football offensive lineman (9 × Pro Bowl; First-team All-Pro 1967, 68; San Diego Chargers), born in Cohasset, Massachusetts (d. 2013)
  • Apr 19 Michel Roux, French chef and restaurateur (Le Gavroche, 1st Michelin three-starred restaurant in Britain), born in Charolles, Saône-et-Loire, Vichy France (d. 2020)
  • Apr 19 Roberto Carlos, Brazilian singer and songwriter (Louco por você), born in Cachoeiro de Itapemirim, Brazil
  • Apr 20 Grace Coddington, Welsh born fashion editor and model (American Vogue), born on Anglesey, Wales
  • Apr 20 Joni Evans, American publisher (Simon & Schuster, Random House), born in New York City
  • Apr 20 Mustafa Hasanagić, Serbian soccer striker (5 caps Yugoslavia; Partizan, Servette FC, FC La Chaux-de-Fonds) and manager (MKE Ankaragücü), born in Priboj, Serbia (d. 2023)
  • Apr 20 Ryan O'Neal, American actor (Love Story; Paper Moon; What's Up, Doc?), born in Los Angeles, California (d. 2023) [1]
  • Apr 21 David Lyle Boren, American politician, Governor and Senator from Oklahoma, born in Washington, D.C.
  • Apr 21 [Alfred] "Pee Wee" Ellis, American jazz, funk, and rock saxophonist, arranger (James Brown; Van Morrison; Gotham; Maceo Parker), and songwriter ("The Chicken; "Cold Sweat"), born in Bradenton, Florida (d. 2021)
  • Apr 23 Ed Stewart, British DJ and broadcaster (Crackerjack), born in Exmouth, Devon (d. 2016)
  • Apr 23 Hal Daub, American lawyer and politician, (US Representative from Nebraska, 1981-89; Mayor of Omaha. 1995-2001), born in Fort Bragg, North Carolina
  • Apr 23 Jacqueline Boyer [Eliane Ducos], French pop singer ("Tom Pillibi"), born in Paris
  • Apr 23 Michael Lynne, American film producer (The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones), born in Brooklyn, New York
  • Apr 23 Paavo Lipponen, Prime Minister of Finland (1995-2003), born in Turtola, Finland
  • Apr 23 Ray Tomlinson, American computer programmer (invented email and the @ sign), born in Amsterdam, New York (d. 2016)
  • Apr 24 John Williams, Australian classical guitarist, born in Melbourne, Victoria
  • Apr 24 Richard Holbrooke, American diplomat (Assistant Secretary of State, UN Ambassador) and author, born in New York City (d. 2010)
  • Apr 25 Bertrand Tavernier, French actor (Capt Conan, L627, Daddy Nostalgie), born in Lyon, France
  • Apr 25 Lawrence J. Smith, American politician, U.S. House of Representatives from Florida (1983-93), born in Brooklyn, New York
  • Apr 25 Princess Muna al-Hussein, mother of King Abdullah II of Jordan, born in Chelmondiston, Suffolk, England
  • Apr 26 John Mitchell, American classical composer, organist, church music director, and opera coach, born in Hollywood, California
  • Apr 27 Friedrich Goldmann, German composer and conductor, born in Siegmar-Schönau, Germany (d. 2009)
  • Apr 27 Jennings Michael Burch, American writer (They Cage the Animals at Night), born in Manhattan, New York (d. 2013)
  • Apr 27 Judith Blegen, American opera singer (The Magic Flute - "Papagena"), born in Lexington, Kentucky
  • Apr 27 Lee Roy Jordan, American College Football HOF linebacker (Uni of Alabama; Super Bowl 1971; First-team All-Pro 1969; 5 × Pro Bowl; Dallas Cowboys), born in Excel, Alabama
  • Apr 28 Ann-Margret, Swedish-American actress (Bye Bye Birdie, Tommy), born in Valsjöbyn, Sweden
  • Apr 28 Iryna Zhylenko, Ukrainian poet (An Evening Party in an Old Winery), born in Kyiv, Ukraine
  • Apr 28 K. Barry Sharpless, American chemist (Nobel 2001 - developing the first chiral catalysts, Nobel 2022 - click chemistry), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  • Apr 28 Lucien Aimar, French cyclist (won 53rd Tour de France 1966), born in Hyères, France
  • Apr 29 Jonah Barrington, British World champion squash player (1966-73)
  • Apr 30 Johnny Farina, American rocker (Santo & Johnny), born in Brooklyn, New York
  • Apr 30 Joseph "Coke" Escovedo, Mexican-American percussionist (Santana; Malo; Azteca), born in Los Angeles, California (d. 1986)
  • Apr 30 Wilfried Jentzsh, German composer, born in Dresden, Germany
Born in 1941

Famous Weddings

Doris Day

Apr 17 American actress Doris Day (19) weds trombonist Albert Jorden

  • Apr 19 Youngest Mitford sister Deborah Mitford marries Andrew Cavendish, son of the Duke of Devonshire in London

Famous Deaths

  • Apr 1 Hippolyte Delehaye, Flemish historian and hagiographer, dies at 81
  • Apr 2 Pál Teleki, prime minister of the Kingdom of Hungary (1920-1 and 1939-41), dies at 61
  • Apr 3 Pal Teleki-von Szek, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Hungary (1920-21, 39-41), committed suicide at 61
  • Apr 5 Sir Nigel Gresley, Steam locomotive engineer (b. 1876)

Annie Jump Cannon (1863-1941)

Apr 13 American astronomer (Henry Draper catalogues), dies at 77

  • Apr 14 Guillermo Kahlo, German-Mexican photographer and father of Frida Kahlo, dies at 69
  • Apr 14 Jack Edmonson, Australian corporal in Tobruk (Victoria Cross), dies
  • Apr 16 Josiah Stamp, 1st Baron Stamp, British civil servant, industrialist, economist, statistician and banker, dies at 60
  • Apr 17 Al Bowlly, South African-British dance band vocalist ("Midnight, The Stars, And You"), and bandleader, dies in a German bombing raid of London at 43
  • Apr 18 Alexandros Koryzis, Prime Minister of Greece in 1941, commits suicide at about 65 as German troops closed in on Athens
  • Apr 19 Johanna Muller-Hermann, composer, dies at 63
  • Apr 20 Barend ter Haar, Dutch lawyer. Indonesian Adat justice, and educator, dies in Buchenwald concentration camp at 49
  • Apr 22 (Arthur) "Dooley" Briscoe MC, South African cricket batsman (2 Tests; Transvaal) and soldier (Military Cross, 1941), dies in action in Ethiopia at 30
  • Apr 24 Karin Boye, Swedish writer (Kallocain) commits suicide at 40
  • Apr 26 Jean Demoor, Belgian physician and physiologist, dies at 74
  • Apr 27 Penelope Delta, Greek author, dies at 67
  • Apr 30 Edwin S. Porter, American film pioneer and producer (Jack and the Beanstalk), dies at 71