Tuesday, 20th March 1956 in Berlin
Welcome to your daily snapshot of Berlin! It's International Day of Happiness and World Sparrow Day and World Storytelling Day. Explore 48 historical events, birthdays, deaths, and milestones that shaped this day in Berlin. From remarkable moments in local and world history to the people who left their mark — find out what makes today special. Today's weather in Berlin brings cloudy with temperatures between -2°C and 6°C. Tonight's moon is in its waning gibbous phase, and the zodiac sign of the day is Pisces. If you're curious about the history of a day — this page brings together everything worth knowing about this Tuesday, 20th March in Berlin, DE.
On 20 March 1956, Berlin experienced cloudy conditions as the city entered the zodiac period of Pisces during a waning gibbous moon phase. Berlin, divided between East and West following World War II, remained a focal point of Cold War tensions during this period, with the western sectors governed by American, British, and French authorities whilst the Soviet Union controlled the eastern zone.
Looking back through history on this date reveals significant moments that shaped Europe and the world. In 1939, Germany issued an ultimatum to Lithuania demanding the return of the Klaipėda Region under threat of invasion, an aggressive action that foreshadowed the broader territorial ambitions that would lead to World War II. Nearly a century earlier, in 1890, Emperor Wilhelm II dismissed Otto von Bismarck as chancellor of the German Empire, a pivotal moment in German political history that marked a shift in the nation's leadership during a transformative period.
The date has also witnessed more recent developments with global implications. In 2010, volcanic activity at Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland initiated a series of events that would later disrupt air travel across Europe, demonstrating how natural phenomena can have far-reaching consequences for international transportation networks. These historical moments, spanning from political upheaval to natural disasters, underscore the significance of this particular date across centuries.
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What the Weather Had in Store for Berlin on 20th March 1956
Obstacles bend the light but cannot block it.
Fortune of the Day
20th March in the Stars – Star Sign Pisces
Personality Profile
Personality Those born on March 20 blend Neptune's spiritual depth with lunar emotional sensitivity and intuitive wisdom. They navigate between dreams and reality, driven by the number 5's thirst for change and freedom. Their boundless imagination makes them captivating companions with an almost magnetic presence.
Strengths & Weaknesses March 20 Pisces possess extraordinary creativity, empathy, and artistic gifts that inspire others profoundly. However, they struggle with scattered focus, emotional overwhelm, and difficulty staying grounded in the material world. Their yearning to escape can lead to avoidance if they don't actively anchor themselves.
Love Those born on this day love intensely and unconditionally, seeking emotional depth over surface connection. They tend to idealize partners and lose themselves in relationships, needing grounding influences. With stable, understanding partners, they find beautiful balance between dreams and mutual care.
Caree & Finance Their talents flourish in creative, artistic, or helping fields—music, design, therapy, spirituality, counseling. Financial discipline doesn't come naturally; practical guidance helps them manage money wisely. Structure prevents their visionary ideas from remaining perpetually unrealized.
Health Sensitive systems make these individuals vulnerable to psychological stress and physical symptoms tied to emotions. Meditation, creative expression, and consistent movement stabilize their emotional equilibrium effectively. Setting boundaries with others protects their permeable nature from depletion.
That night, the moon was in its waning gibbous phase.
Chinese year of the Monkey (Fire).
Fun Facts About 20th March
Name Days in Your Language: Dillan, Dillion, Dillon, Drew, Dru, Dylan, Dylon
Someone born on this day in 1956 would be 70 years old today — just 25,580 days into life, which is roughly 613,920 hours, 36,835,222 minutes, or 2,210,113,346 seconds spent on Earth so far.
It's the 80. day of the year.
As this is a leap year, there are 286 days still to come.
We’re currently in Week 12 — the year marches on.
Famous Birthdays on 20th March
- Dave Beasant, English footballer and coach (1959)
- Mary Roach, American author (1959)
- Sting, American wrestler (1959)
- Peter Truscott, Baron Truscott, British Labour Party politician and peer (1959)
- Rickey Jackson, American football player (1958)
- David Foster, Australian woodchopper (1957)
- Spike Lee, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter (1957)
- Chris Wedge, American animator, producer, screenwriter, and voice actor (1957)
- Catherine Ashton, English politician, Vice-President of the European Commission (1956)
- Anne Donahue, American lawyer and politician (1956)
Lives Remembered on 20th March
- Nicholas Brendon, American actor, (born 1971) (2026)
- Robert Mueller, American attorney, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (born 1944) (2026)
- Eddie Jordan, Irish businessman, television personality and motorsport team owner (born 1948) (2025)
- John Sattler, Australian rugby league player (born 1942) (2023)
- Kyle White, Australian rugby league player (born 1970) (2023)
- Amadeo Carrizo, Argentine footballer (born 1926) (2020)
- Kenny Rogers, American singer (born 1938) (2020)
- Mary Warnock, English philosopher and writer (born 1924) (2019)
- C. K. Mann, Ghanaian Highlife musician and producer (born 1936) (2018)
- David Rockefeller, American billionaire and philanthropist (born 1915) (2017)
Celebrations & Special Days Worldwide on 20th March
- Christian feast day: Alexandra
- Christian feast day: Blessed John of Parma
- Christian feast day: Clement of Ireland
- Christian feast day: Cuthbert of Lindisfarne
- Christian feast day: Herbert of Derwentwater
- Christian feast day: John of Nepomuk
- Christian feast day: Józef Bilczewski
- Christian feast day: María Josefa Sancho de Guerra
- Christian feast day: Martin of Braga
- Christian feast day: Michele Carcano
- Christian feast day: Wulfram
- Christian feast day: March 20 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
- Great American MeatOut (United States)
- Independence Day, celebrates the independence of Tunisia from France in 1956.
- International Day of Happiness (United Nations)
- International Francophonie Day (Organisation internationale de la Francophonie), and its related observances: UN French Language Day (United Nations)
- National Native HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (United States)
- World Sparrow Day
What Happened on 20th March?
- La Plume noire, an anarchist bookstore in Lyon, is targeted by an attack of the far-right, provoking a shock in Lyon's far-left circles. (2021)
- Kassym-Jomart Tokayev is sworn in as acting president of Kazakhstan, following the resignation of long-time president Nursultan Nazarbayev. (2019)
- A solar eclipse, equinox, and a supermoon all occur on the same day. (2015)
- Syrian civil war: The Siege of Kobanî is broken by the People's Protection Units (YPG) and Free Syrian Army (FSA), marking a turning point in the Rojava–Islamist conflict. (2015)
- Four suspected Taliban members attack the Kabul Serena Hotel, killing at least nine people. (2014)
- At least 52 people are killed and more than 250 injured in a wave of terror attacks across ten cities in Iraq. (2012)
- Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland begins eruptions that would last for three months, heavily disrupting air travel in Europe. (2010)
- Over 150 Chadian soldiers are killed in eastern Chad by members of the rebel UFDC. The rebel movement sought to overthrow Chadian president Idriss Déby. (2006)
- Iraq War: The United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Poland begin an invasion of Iraq. (2003)
- Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin, a former Black Panther once known as H. Rap Brown, is captured after murdering Georgia sheriff's deputy Ricky Kinchen and critically wounding Deputy Aldranon English. (2000)