What happened on Thursday, December 17, 1981?

Here's what happened on December 17, 1981:

• Red Brigades kidnap Brigadier General James L. Dozier On December 17, 1981, the Red Brigades, an Italian terrorist group, kidnapped Brigadier General James L. Dozier in Verona, Italy. The general was held captive for 42 days before being rescued by Italian authorities in a police operation. This incident highlighted the ongoing conflict between the Italian government and leftist extremist groups during that period. source: britannica.com
• Brigadier General James L. Dozier kidnapped by Red Brigades in Verona, Italy On December 17, 1981, four members of the Italian terrorist group Red Brigades, disguised as plumbers, abducted U.S. Brigadier General James L. Dozier from his apartment in Verona. The terrorists overpowered Dozier and his wife, leaving her bound and gagged, and transported him away in a cardboard box. The Red Brigades claimed responsibility for the kidnapping shortly after the incident. source: washingtonpost.com
• Mehmet Shehu, Prime Minister of Albania, dies at 68 Mehmet Shehu, who served as Prime Minister of Albania from 1954 to 1981, died on December 17, 1981. Official reports stated that he committed suicide during a nervous crisis. However, some contemporaries and historians have questioned this account, suggesting the possibility of assassination. After his death, Shehu's family faced arrest and imprisonment, and he was posthumously denounced as a traitor. source: washingtonpost.com
• Senegambia Confederation agreement signed On December 17, 1981, Senegal and The Gambia signed an agreement to form the Senegambia Confederation, which officially came into existence on February 1, 1982. The confederation aimed to promote cooperation between the two countries by integrating their military and security forces, forming an economic and monetary union, coordinating foreign policies, and establishing confederal institutions. Despite these efforts, the confederation was dissolved on September 30, 1989, due to growing concerns over autonomy and diverging interests between the two nations. source: britannica.com
• Formation of Martens V Government in Belgium On December 17, 1981, Wilfried Martens was appointed Prime Minister of Belgium, leading the Martens V Government. This coalition comprised the Dutch- and French-speaking wings of the Christian Social and Liberal parties. The government was formed after the resignation of Prime Minister Mark Eyskens, who had served from April 6, 1981, to December 17, 1981. Martens' government was notable for its longevity, surviving several serious political challenges, including the implementation of an unpopular economic austerity program in 1983 and the deployment by NATO of nuclear cruise missiles in March. source: csmonitor.com

Events in 1981

December 17, 1981: What were the magazines covers and newspapers that day?

LIFE magazines from December 1981

Newspapers from Dec. 17, 1981

December 17, 1981 was a Thursday and it was the 351st day of the year 1981 in the Gregorian calendar.

December 17, 1981 can also be written as 12/17/1981 in the US and as 17/12/1981 in UK and Europe.

December 17, 1981 in December 1981 calendar

Famous people born on December 17, 1981:

• Krysten Ritter

  American actress, producer, and writer best known for her roles in 'Breaking Bad', 'Jessica Jones', and 'Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment...

• Jerry Hsu

  Renowned professional skateboarder and photographer known for his innovative skateboarding style and artistic photography in the...

• Tim Wiese

  Professional German footballer who played as a goalkeeper for Werder Bremen and the German national team, later transitioning to...

Famous people born in 1981

Famous people born on December 17th

Famous people died on December 17, 1981:

• Edwin Erich Dwinger

Famous people who died in 1981

Famous people who died on December 17th

December 17, 1981: What was the number 1 song in the USA on that day?

The number 1 song in the USA on December 17, 1981 was Physical by Olivia Newton-John, according to the music chart for the week December 14th and December 20th.

1. Olivia Newton-John - Physical
2. Foreigner - Waiting For A Girl Like You
3. Earth, Wind & Fire - Let's Groove
4. Commodores - Oh No
5. Rod Stewart - Young Turks

December 17, 1981: What was the number 1 song in the UK on that day?

The number 1 song in the UK on December 17, 1981 was Don't You Want Me by The Human League, according to the music chart for the week December 14th and December 20th.

1. The Human League - Don't You Want Me
2. Cliff Richard - Daddy's Home
3. Julio Iglesias - Begin The Beguine (Volver A Empezar)
4. Abba - One Of Us
5. Diana Ross - Why Do Fools Fall In Love?

December 17, 1981: What was the number 1 R&B song on that day?

The number 1 R&B song on December 17, 1981 was Let's Groove by Earth, Wind & Fire, according to the music chart for the week December 14th and December 20th.

1. Earth, Wind & Fire - Let's Groove
2. Kool & The Gang - Take My Heart (You Can Have It If You Want It)
3. George Benson - Turn Your Love Around
4. Prince - Controversy
5. Commodores - Oh No

The Zodiac and Astrological sign for December 17th is Sagittarius.

Discover the zodiac sign and horoscope for any day in the past.

Sagittarius is the 9th sign in the Western Zodiac. People born between November 22nd and December 21st belong to the Sagittarius sign: discover Sagittarius personality and who should a Sagittarius marry.

Babies born in December are either Sagittarius or Capricorn. People born before December 21st are Sagittarius, while people born from December 22nd have the sign of Capricorn.

Discover the personality of December born.

Unlock the Mysteries of December 17, 1981! Claim Your Free Numerology Report!

December 17, 1981: What is the Chinese Zodiac Sign for that day?

The Chinese Zodiac sign for December 17, 1981 is Rooster and the associated element is Metal.

Discover the Rooster personality and how the Metal Element might affect a person's traits and compatibility with other signs according to the Chinese zodiac.

Moon phase

The moon phase on December 17, 1981 was Waning gibbous.

The moon phase refers to the appearance of the Moon in the night sky on December 17, 1981 and is determined by the portion of the Moon's illuminated surface that is visible from Earth.

An observer located in New York City on December 17, 1981 at 10pm, would see the moon, being 45% full, rising at 10:36 pm and setting at 12:35 pm.

The previous full moon was on Dec 11, 1981 while the next full moon would come on Jan 09, 1982.

Unveil Your Inner Self: Discover Your Moon Sign Now!

Explore Moon Phases in December 1981

Your place in the Universe on December 17, 1981

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Someone born on December 17, 1981 is:

44 years 7 months old,

or 535 months and 18 days old,

or 2328 weeks and 5 days old,

or 16301 days old,

Enjoy a trip down memory lane: discover what the world looked like when you turned 18 years old, 30 years old, 40 years old

Use our How old am I? Calculator to know the age of a person today or use the Age Calculator to determine the interval between two dates.

How many days until your next birthday if you were born on December 17, 1981?

There are 136 days until your next birthday, which will occur on Thursday December 17th 2026.

Try out our Countdown calculator to find out are many days are left until your special moments.

What generation do you belong to if you were born on December 17, 1981?

You belong to the Millennial Generation if you were born on December 17, 1981.

Discover what generation people belong to with our generation calculator.