Major Events of December 1938: 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 December 1938 and discover how they influenced the world both then and now.

Major Events of December 1938: Key Historical Moments from the Month

01 Dec 1938 Slovakia Gains Autonomous Status: Slovakia was granted the status of an autonomous state under the leadership of Catholic priest Fr. Joseph Tiso, marking a significant political transformation in Central European geopolitics during the pre-World War II era.
02 Dec 1938 First Kindertransport Arrives in England: On December 2, 1938, the first group of 200 Jewish children arrived in England as part of the Kindertransport rescue effort. This humanitarian initiative was a critical response to the escalating persecution of Jews in Nazi Germany, allowing unaccompanied children aged between 3 and 17 to escape the growing threat of the Holocaust. The children were primarily from Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia, and Poland, and were placed with foster families, hostels, and schools across the United Kingdom. Between 1938 and 1939, approximately 10,000 children were saved through this program, though most would never see their parents again, who were later murdered in concentration camps.
03 Dec 1938 Nazi Germany's Day of Solidarity with Discriminatory Measures: Nazi Germany conducted a nationwide 'Day of Solidarity' fundraising event for the Winterhilfswerk welfare program, simultaneously implementing severe discriminatory actions. Heinrich Himmler ordered Jews to be confined indoors between noon and 8 p.m. and invalidated all driver's licenses held by Jewish citizens, symbolizing systematic exclusion and persecution.
04 Dec 1938 Anti-Italian Riots in Tunis: On December 4, 1938, tensions escalated in Tunis as anti-Italian riots erupted in response to Italy's territorial demands on France regarding Tunisia. Demonstrators targeted Italian establishments, smashing windows of a tourist office, newspaper, and bookstore. Local police quickly mobilized reinforcement units to prevent further attacks, particularly protecting the Italian consulate. Fifteen individuals were arrested during the unrest, highlighting the significant diplomatic tensions between Italy and France during the pre-World War II period.
05 Dec 1938 Nazi Economic Restrictions Against Jews: On December 5, 1938, the Reich Economic Ministry issued discriminatory decrees that severely restricted Jewish economic participation. These regulations prohibited Jews from buying real estate, selling securities such as stocks and bonds, or trading jewelry. All existing Jewish-owned securities were mandated to be transferred to a special foreign exchange bank, with access strictly controlled by government permission. These measures were part of the systematic economic marginalization and persecution of Jewish citizens in Nazi Germany during the lead-up to World War II.
06 Dec 1938 Ribbentrop-Bonnet Pact Signed: France and Germany signed the Ribbentrop-Bonnet Non-Aggression Pact in Paris, with foreign ministers Joachim von Ribbentrop and Georges Bonnet formally disclaiming territorial designs and agreeing to peaceful relations. This diplomatic agreement was an attempt to reduce tensions between the two nations in the lead-up to World War II.
07 Dec 1938 Kristallnacht: Nazi Pogrom Against Jewish Population: On the night of November 9-10, 1938, Nazi-led mobs conducted a systematic and horrific pogrom against Jewish communities in Germany and Austria. During this event, known as Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass), violent rioters destroyed over 1,000 synagogues and Jewish-owned shops, arrested approximately 30,000 Jewish citizens, and murdered nearly 40 people. This event marked a significant escalation of state-sponsored antisemitism and was a critical precursor to the Holocaust.
08 Dec 1938 Nazi Decree Targeting Roma Population: Heinrich Himmler issued a discriminatory decree mandating the registration of all Roma people over six years old with local police, a critical early step in the Nazi regime's systematic persecution of the Romani population.
09 Dec 1938 8th Pan American Conference in Lima: The 8th Pan American Conference convened in Lima, Peru, bringing together diplomatic representatives from various nations in the Americas to discuss regional cooperation, political strategies, and continental solidarity during the pre-World War II era.
10 Dec 1938 1938 Nobel Prize Awards Ceremony: The prestigious Nobel Prize awards ceremony took place in Stockholm and Oslo, honoring outstanding achievements across multiple disciplines. Notable recipients included Enrico Fermi (Physics), Richard Kuhn (Chemistry), Corneille Heymans (Physiology or Medicine), Pearl S. Buck (Literature), and the Nansen International Office for Refugees (Peace Prize).
11 Dec 1938 New York Giants Win NFL Championship: On December 11, 1938, the New York Giants secured their NFL championship victory, demonstrating their football prowess during the late 1930s. This win solidified the team's reputation as a dominant force in professional American football during that era.
12 Dec 1938 Missouri ex rel. Gaines v. Canada Supreme Court Case: The U.S. Supreme Court decided the landmark civil rights case Missouri ex rel. Gaines v. Canada, which was a significant early legal challenge to racial segregation in higher education.
13 Dec 1938 Establishment of Neuengamme Concentration Camp: On December 13, 1938, the Neuengamme concentration camp was established in the Bergedorf district of Hamburg, Germany. This camp was part of the Nazi regime's systematic persecution and imprisonment of targeted groups during the Holocaust. Initially a satellite camp of Sachsenhausen, Neuengamme would become one of the largest concentration camps in northern Germany, where thousands of prisoners were subjected to forced labor, brutal conditions, and immense human suffering.
14 Dec 1938 Nazi Germany's Anti-Semitic Economic Policy: Nazi Germany escalated its systematic economic persecution of Jewish businesses by cancelling all state contracts with Jewish-owned firms, further marginalizing the Jewish population and intensifying economic discrimination.
15 Dec 1938 Nazi Expansion Rhetoric: During the opening ceremony of a new Autobahn section in Rangsdorf, Joseph Goebbels delivered a provocative speech, asserting that the territories occupied by the Third Reich were insufficient to meet Germany's 'vital needs', hinting at future expansionist ambitions.
16 Dec 1938 Joseph Kennedy's European Peace Assessment: U.S. Ambassador to Great Britain, Joseph Kennedy, met with President Franklin D. Roosevelt at the White House and reported a significant shift in his perspective regarding the prospects for peace in Europe, signaling growing international tensions.
17 Dec 1938 Nuclear Fission Discovery by Otto Hahn: Otto Hahn, a renowned German chemist, discovered nuclear fission of uranium at the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute in Berlin, marking a groundbreaking moment in scientific history. This discovery provided the fundamental scientific and technological basis for nuclear energy, fundamentally transforming our understanding of atomic physics and setting the stage for both nuclear power and nuclear weapons.
18 Dec 1938 Inauguration of Carbonia: A New Sardinian Coal Town: On December 18, 1938, Italian dictator Benito Mussolini officially inaugurated Carbonia, a newly constructed coal mining town in Sardinia, Italy. This event was part of the Fascist regime's industrial development and self-sufficiency strategy, aiming to reduce Italy's dependence on foreign coal imports. The town was meticulously planned as a model industrial settlement, reflecting the architectural and social engineering principles of the Fascist era.
19 Dec 1938 Herschel Grynszpan's Trial in Paris: On December 19, 1938, Herschel Grynszpan appeared before a magistrate in Paris to explain the circumstances surrounding his shooting of German diplomat Ernst vom Rath. Grynszpan, a young Polish-Jewish refugee, testified that his actions were not intended to kill vom Rath, but rather to draw international attention to the brutal treatment of Jewish families, including his own, by Nazi German authorities. His act of protest would later be seen as a pivotal moment preceding the escalation of anti-Jewish violence in Nazi Germany.
20 Dec 1938 Hitler Named Time's 'Man of the Year': In a controversial decision, Time magazine names Adolf Hitler as their 'Man of the Year' for 1938, recognizing his significant geopolitical influence despite his increasingly aggressive and destructive actions in Europe. This selection highlighted Hitler's growing power and the mounting tensions preceding World War II, not as an endorsement but as a recognition of his impact on world events.
21 Dec 1938 British Air-Raid Shelter Proposal: Sir John Anderson, a prominent British politician, presented a comprehensive government plan to the House of Commons for constructing steel air-raid shelters nationwide. This strategic initiative was a critical preparatory measure in anticipation of potential aerial bombardment during the rising tensions of pre-World War II Europe. The shelters, which would later become known as 'Anderson shelters', were designed to protect civilian populations from potential German bombing campaigns.
22 Dec 1938 Japanese Prime Minister Proclaims New Order in East Asia: On December 22, 1938, Japanese Prime Minister Fumimaro Konoye delivered a significant speech outlining Japan's geopolitical vision for a 'New Order' in East Asia. In this landmark address, Konoye articulated a strategic framework that would encompass Japan, the puppet state of Manchukuo, and China, effectively signaling Japan's imperial ambitions and intent to reshape the regional power dynamics during the lead-up to World War II.
23 Dec 1938 Nationalists' Catalonia Offensive: During the Spanish Civil War, the Nationalist forces launched a significant offensive in Catalonia, a strategic military campaign aimed at gaining territorial control and weakening Republican resistance.
24 Dec 1938 Lima Declaration of Inter-American Solidarity: On December 24, 1938, representatives from 21 countries across the Americas convened in Lima, Peru, to sign the Lima Declaration. This pivotal diplomatic gathering affirmed the collective sovereignty of Latin American states and demonstrated a united front against potential foreign interventions. The declaration was a significant moment of regional solidarity during a period of increasing global tensions, with many nations seeking to protect their political autonomy in the lead-up to World War II.
25 Dec 1938 Karel Čapek, Prominent Czech Writer, Dies: Karel Čapek, a renowned Czechoslovakian author and notable anti-fascist playwright, passed away at the age of 48. Known for his critically acclaimed play 'Bílá Nemoc' (The White Disease), which was a powerful critique of fascism and totalitarianism, Čapek was an influential intellectual who used his literary works to challenge the rising tide of authoritarianism in pre-World War II Europe.
26 Dec 1938 Donald Bradman's Cricket Performance: Donald Bradman, the legendary Australian cricketer, scored an impressive 225 runs in a match between South Australia and Queensland, demonstrating his exceptional batting skills before being dismissed.
27 Dec 1938 Deadly Avalanche in Kurobe, Japan: On December 27, 1938, a catastrophic avalanche struck a construction worker dormitory in Kurobe, Japan, resulting in the tragic loss of 87 lives. The massive snow slide overwhelmed the workers' living quarters, causing significant loss of life and highlighting the extreme dangers faced by workers in mountainous regions during winter construction projects.
28 Dec 1938 Soviet Labor Decree Imposes Strict Worker Regulations: The Soviet Union issued a comprehensive labor decree targeting workplace productivity and discipline. The new law imposed severe penalties on executives who did not take stringent action against workers deemed unproductive or frequently absent. Key provisions included reducing maternity leave and implementing a strict vacation policy that prevented workers from taking time off until they had completed at least one year of continuous employment.
29 Dec 1938 Lake Washington Floating Bridge Construction Begins: The construction of the innovative Lake Washington Floating Bridge commenced in Seattle, Washington. This groundbreaking infrastructure project would become a significant engineering achievement, connecting communities across Lake Washington and representing a milestone in transportation infrastructure design.
30 Dec 1938 Hitler Named Time's Man of the Year: Adolf Hitler is controversially selected as Time magazine's 'Man of the Year', recognizing his significant but deeply problematic influence on global politics in 1938.
31 Dec 1938 European Geopolitical Warning by Dr. Gerhard Schacher: Dr. Gerhard Schacher, a former economic adviser to the German Reichsbank, issued a critical geopolitical warning about potential European tensions. He predicted that a significant crisis would emerge on January 11 when British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain meets with Italian Premier Benito Mussolini. Schacher suggested that if Mussolini were permitted territorial demands, Adolf Hitler would subsequently claim Alsace-Lorraine and potentially invade Soviet Ukraine, risking a broader conflict involving France and the Soviet Union.