Events on August 17 in history

Killing of Peter Fechter (August 17, 1962)

Peter Fechter is shot and bleeds to death while trying to cross the new Berlin Wall.

Peter Fechter (14 January 1944 – 17 August 1962) was a German bricklayer who became the twenty-seventh known person to die at the Berlin Wall. Fechter was 18 years old when he was shot and killed by East German border guards while trying to cross over to West Berlin.

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Events on 1962

5 Feb

Charles de Gaulle
French President Charles de Gaulle calls for Algeria to be granted independence.
5 Aug

Nelson Mandela
Apartheid in South Africa: Nelson Mandela is jailed. He would not be released until 1990.
15 Sep

Cuban Missile Crisis
The Soviet ship Poltava heads toward Cuba, one of the events that sets into motion the Cuban Missile Crisis.
18 Sep

Jamaica
Burundi, Jamaica, Rwanda and Trinidad and Tobago are admitted to the United Nations.
6 Nov

Apartheid
The United Nations General Assembly passes a resolution condemning South Africa's apartheid policies and calls for all UN member states to cease military and economic relations with the nation.

Events on August 17 in history

Killing of Peter Fechter (August 17, 1962)

References

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Events on 1962

Charles de Gaulle

Nelson Mandela

Cuban Missile Crisis

Jamaica

Apartheid