istoryworld
Events relating to europe
British biochemist Max Perutz begins the analysis of haemoglobin
William Coldstream and Victor Pasmore open a school of art with a distinctive style, known from its location as the Euston Road School
De Valera introduces a new constitution, changing the name of the Irish Free State to Eire (Gaelic for Ireland)
De Valera's new constitution for Eire lays claim to the six counties of northern Ireland
George Orwell reveals the harsh realities of contemporary British life in The Road to Wigan Pier
Finnish designer Alvar Aalto develops a bent plywood three-legged stool, specifically designed for stacking
Leading British artists Barbara Hepworth and Ben Nicholson marry
Gloucestershire batsman Wally Hammond becomes captain of the England Test team
British author Evelyn Waugh publishes a classic Fleet Street novel, Scoop, introducing Lord Copper, proprietor of The Beast
French writer Jean-Paul Sartre succeeds with his first novel, La Nausée ('Nausea')
In Homage to Catalonia George Orwell describes his experiences fighting for the International Brigade in the Spanish Civil War
Yorkshire batsman Len Hutton scores a record 364 in a Test match against Australia at the Oval
British author Graham Greene publishes Brighton Rock, a novel following 17-year-old Pinkie in the criminal underworld of the seaside town
Maxim de Winter's house, Manderley, holds dark secrets in Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca
Russian film-maker Sergei Eisenstein directs Alexander Nevsky, with music by Prokofiev
Irish author Samuel Beckett publishes his first novel, Murphy
Lord Nuffield donates to Commonwealth hospitals 'iron lungs', built at his Morris Oxford factory,
Lavrenty Beria is appointed head of Stalin's state security organization, the NKVD
The first of many ballets to Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet score is premiered in Czechoslovakia
Neville Chamberlain makes the first of three flights to Germany, this time to negotiate with Adolf Hitler at Berchtesgaden
Neville Chamberlain returns to Britain from Munich claiming to have achieved 'peace for our time... peace with honour'
Adolf Hitler makes unacceptable demands upon Poland, including the transfer of the free port of Danzig to Germany
Adolf Hitler demands a strip of territory through the Polish corridor to reunite Germany with East Prussia
The new German technique of blitzkrieg ('lightning war') is demonstrated with devastating effect against Poland
On the very first day of the war a U-boat sinks a British liner, the Athenia, with the loss of 112 civilian lives
