The year in history
1926
Someone born in 1926 turns 100 in 2026
1926 (MCMXXVI) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar, the 1926th year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations, the 926th year of the 2nd millennium, the 26th year of the 20th century, and the 7th year of the 1920s decade.
What happened in 1926
Theodoros Pangalos declares himself dictator in Greece.
The Irish minister for Justice, Kevin O'Higgins, appoints the Committee on Evil Literature.
Greek dictator Theodoros Pangalos wins the presidential election, with 93.3% of the vote; turnout is light, as the result is considered a foregone conclusion.
The French navy bombards Damascus, because of Druze riots.
The first Lebanese constitution is established.
The Kuomintang begins the Northern Expedition, a military unification campaign in northern China.
In New York, the Warner Brothers' Vitaphone system is experienced by audiences for the first time, in the movie Don Juan, starring John Barrymore.
The Locarno Treaties of 1925 are ratified in Geneva, and come into effect.
Henry Ford announces the 8-hour, 5-day work week.
A decree in Italy bans women from holding public office.
Sri Aurobindo withdraws into seclusion following a spiritual realisation, entrusting the supervision of the Sri Aurobindo Ashram to "The Mother".
1926 Lithuanian coup d'état: A democratically elected government is overthrown in Lithuania; Antanas Smetona assumes power.
Famous people born in 1926
Blanca Rodríguez
First Lady of Venezuela during the 1970s-1990s (d. 2020)
January 1 →
Salah Zulfikar
Egyptian actor and film producer (d. 1993)
January 18 →
Vladimir Zamansky
Soviet and Russian stage and film actor
February 6 →
Bob Richards
American track and field athlete (d. 2023)
February 20 →
Syed Mansoor Ahmad Shah
Pakistani fighter pilot (d. 2013)
March 11 →
Peter Marshall
American singer, television host (Hollywood Squares) (d. 2024)
March 30 →
Frank Daniel
Czech-born writer, producer, director, and teacher (d. 1996)
April 14 →
Christian Mohn
Norwegian ski jumper and sports official (d. 2019)
April 30 →
Stanley Baxter
Scottish actor and screenwriter (d. 2025)
May 24 →
Lionel Jeffries
British film director and actor (d. 2010)
June 10 →
Magda Herzberger
Romanian author, poet and composer, survivor of the Holocaust (d. 2021)
June 23 →
Galina Vecherkovskaya
Russian rower
June 27 →
Éliane Vogel-Polsky
Belgian lawyer and feminist (d. 2015)
July 5 →
Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali
spouse of Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad
July 12 →
Bryan Forbes
English film director (d. 2013)
July 22 →
Shun-ichi Iwasaki
Japanese engineer (d. 2025)
August 3 →
John Derek
American actor and film director (d. 1998)
August 12 →
Jiang Zemin
former General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (paramount leader) and President of China (d. 2022)
August 17 →
Claus van Amsberg
German born Prince Consort of the Netherlands (d. 2002)
September 6 →
Heng Freylinger
Luxembourgish wrestler (d. 2017)
September 23 →
Michel Foucault
French philosopher (d. 1984)
October 15 →
Richard Hu – Singaporean politician
Minister for Finance (d. 2023)
October 30 →
Jeane Kirkpatrick
American ambassador (d. 2006)
November 19 →
Lorenzo Wright
American athlete (d. 1972)
December 9 →