Major Events of February 1935: Key Historical Moments from the Month

Each month is marked by defining moments that shape the course of history. Whether through political shifts, cultural movements, or world-changing events, these periods leave a lasting impression. Dive into the most important events from February 1935 and discover how they influenced the world both then and now.

Major Events of February 1935: Key Historical Moments from the Month

01 Feb 1935 Anglo-French Discussions on German Rearmament: French and British representatives convened in London to discuss Germany's emerging plans for military rearmament, a critical diplomatic moment preceding World War II.
02 Feb 1935 First Polygraph Machine Test: Leonard Keeler conducted the pioneering experiment of testing the polygraph machine in Portage, Wisconsin, marking a significant milestone in forensic science and criminal investigation techniques. This groundbreaking test would eventually lead to the development of more sophisticated lie detection methods used in legal and investigative settings.
03 Feb 1935 Anglo-French Proposal on German Armaments and Air Defense: In a significant diplomatic move, Britain and France jointly proposed a framework to legalize German armaments and establish a mutual defense pact against potential aerial aggression. The proposal aimed to create a collaborative security mechanism that would allow Germany limited military rearmament while providing a collective defense strategy in the event of unprovoked air attacks.
04 Feb 1935 Arms Embargo Against Bolivia Lifted: Great Britain, France, and Sweden officially informed the League of Nations of their decision to lift the arms embargo against Bolivia, signaling a potential shift in diplomatic and military relations in South America during the mid-1930s.
05 Feb 1935 BBC Announces First Public Television Service: The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) announced its groundbreaking plan to launch the world's first public television service by the end of 1935, heralding a new era of mass media communication.
06 Feb 1935 Women's Suffrage in Turkey: In a landmark moment for democratic rights, Turkey held its first national election in which women were legally permitted to vote and stand for parliamentary positions, marking a significant milestone in gender equality and political representation.
07 Feb 1935 Monopoly Board Game Invented: Charles Darrow creates the iconic board game Monopoly, featuring the now-famous mascot Rich Uncle Pennybags. The game would go on to become one of the most popular board games in history, teaching players about real estate trading and economic strategy.
08 Feb 1935 Turkish Elections Grant Women Voting Rights: On February 8, 1935, Turkey held groundbreaking general elections that marked a significant milestone in women's political participation. These were the first Turkish elections in which women were granted the right to vote, representing a major step forward in gender equality and democratic representation in the country.
09 Feb 1935 Sonja Henie Wins World Figure Skating Championship: Norwegian figure skating legend Sonja Henie achieved a remarkable milestone by winning the ladies' competition of the World Figure Skating Championships in Vienna, Austria. This victory marked her ninth consecutive world championship title, solidifying her status as one of the most dominant figure skaters in history.
10 Feb 1935 Cardinal von Faulhaber Protests Nazi Interference with Church Communications: During a religious service in Munich, Cardinal Michael von Faulhaber publicly denounced the Nazi regime's recent actions of intercepting and confiscating church correspondence to Catholic parents. This bold protest represented an early and significant instance of religious resistance against Nazi oppression.
11 Feb 1935 Abyssinia Crisis Escalation: On February 11, 1935, Benito Mussolini dramatically escalated tensions in the Abyssinian conflict by mobilizing 250,000 soldiers and dispatching 50 planes to Eritrea, signaling Italy's aggressive imperial ambitions in East Africa.
12 Feb 1935 USS Macon Airship Disaster: The USS Macon, one of the two largest helium-filled airships in history, crashed and sank into the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California during a storm near Point Sur. Despite the catastrophic accident, only two crew members lost their lives, which was significantly fewer casualties compared to previous airship disasters like the Akron and Shenandoah.
13 Feb 1935 Bruno Hauptmann Convicted of Lindbergh Baby Murder: In a landmark criminal trial on February 13, 1935, a jury in Flemington, New Jersey found Bruno Hauptmann guilty of the 1932 kidnapping and murder of Charles Lindbergh's infant son, a case that had captivated and horrified the American public. Hauptmann was convicted of a crime that shocked the nation and became one of the most infamous criminal cases of the early 20th century.
14 Feb 1935 Germany Responds to Anglo-French Armaments Proposal: On February 14, 1935, Germany submitted its diplomatic response to the Anglo-French proposal concerning German rearmament. While the German note expressed willingness to engage in discussions, it remained deliberately vague and non-committal, reflecting the complex diplomatic tensions preceding World War II.
15 Feb 1935 First Broadly Effective Antibacterial Drug Prontosil Documented: Gerhard Domagk published groundbreaking research in the Deutsche Medizinische Wochenschrift detailing the discovery and clinical development of Prontosil, a revolutionary antibacterial drug that marked a significant milestone in medical treatment. This sulfanilamide-based medication represented a major breakthrough in combating bacterial infections, potentially saving countless lives by providing the first widely effective antibacterial treatment.
16 Feb 1935 Italian Troops Prepare for African Campaign: The first contingent of Italian troops departed for Africa under the directive of Benito Mussolini, who urged the nation to be prepared for 'any eventuality'. This movement was a significant precursor to Italy's colonial ambitions and eventual invasion of Ethiopia.
17 Feb 1935 Karl Schäfer Wins World Figure Skating Championships: Karl Schäfer, a renowned Austrian figure skater, secured victory in the men's competition of the World Figure Skating Championships held in Budapest, Hungary. His performance demonstrated exceptional skill and technical prowess, solidifying his status as a top athlete in the competitive world of figure skating during the mid-1930s.
18 Feb 1935 Gold Clause Cases Supreme Court Decision: The U.S. Supreme Court decided the Gold Clause Cases, upholding the Roosevelt Administration's policy on gold ownership in a narrow 5-4 vote. This landmark decision significantly impacted the nation's monetary policy during the Great Depression, with the New York Stock Exchange responding positively to the ruling.
19 Feb 1935 Italy Rejects Ethiopian Border Neutrality Proposal: In a diplomatic tension preceding the Second Italo-Ethiopian War, Italy declined Ethiopia's proposal to establish a neutral demilitarized zone along the borders of Italian Somaliland. This rejection signaled Italy's aggressive territorial intentions and growing imperial ambitions in the Horn of Africa.
20 Feb 1935 Roosevelt Seeks NRA Extension: U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt requested Congress to extend the National Recovery Administration (NRA) for two additional years beyond its scheduled June 16 expiration, demonstrating his commitment to economic recovery efforts during the Great Depression.
21 Feb 1935 Nazi Germany Prohibits Martin Buber from Lecturing: On February 21, 1935, the Nazi regime escalated its systematic persecution of Jewish intellectuals by officially prohibiting Martin Buber, a prominent Jewish philosopher and scholar, from delivering lectures to Jewish organizations. This action was part of the broader Nazi strategy to marginalize and suppress Jewish cultural and academic contributions, reflecting the regime's growing antisemitic policies in the lead-up to the Holocaust.
22 Feb 1935 First Roman Persecution of Christians: Emperor Diocletian issues the first official Roman edict for systematic persecution of Christians in Nicomedia, ordering the closure of all churches and the burning of Christian scriptures, marking a significant moment of religious oppression in the Roman Empire.
23 Feb 1935 Uneventful Day in 1935: While no specific major historical events were documented for February 23, 1935, this period was part of the mid-1930s, a complex era marked by global economic recovery from the Great Depression and rising international tensions preceding World War II. The absence of a notable event does not diminish the historical significance of the broader context.
24 Feb 1935 Hitler Commemorates Nazi Party Anniversary with Provocative Speech: Adolf Hitler marked the 15th anniversary of the founding of the Nazi Party with a significant speech in Munich. In this address, he served notice to the world that Germany would not sign any document that would compromise the country's perceived honor and national equality, signaling growing tensions in pre-World War II Europe.
25 Feb 1935 Nazi Regime Establishes Hitler's Birthday as National Holiday: German Interior Minister Wilhelm Frick officially decreed that April 20, Adolf Hitler's birthday, would be recognized as a significant national holiday throughout Nazi Germany. This proclamation was part of the broader Nazi strategy to elevate Hitler's cult of personality and strengthen the regime's ideological control over public life.
26 Feb 1935 First Successful RADAR Demonstration in the United Kingdom: Robert Watson-Watt conducted a groundbreaking demonstration near Daventry that directly led to the development of Radio Detection and Ranging (RADAR) technology, marking a pivotal moment in early electronic detection systems.
27 Feb 1935 7th Academy Awards Ceremony: The 7th Academy Awards ceremony was a landmark event in Hollywood history, held at the prestigious Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles. Hosted by the renowned humorist Irvin S. Cobb, the event celebrated the cinematic achievements of 1934. Frank Capra's romantic comedy 'It Happened One Night' made history by winning an unprecedented sweep of the top five Oscar categories: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (Clark Gable), Best Actress (Claudette Colbert), and Best Screenplay. This achievement was unprecedented and remains a rare accomplishment in Academy Awards history, highlighting the film's exceptional quality and widespread appeal.
28 Feb 1935 Nylon Invention by Dr. Wallace H. Carothers: Dr. Wallace H. Carothers, a pioneering chemist at DuPont, successfully synthesized nylon, a groundbreaking synthetic polymer that would revolutionize the textile and manufacturing industries. This invention marked a significant milestone in materials science, creating a versatile, strong, and lightweight material with numerous applications.