December 22

    What happened on December 22 in history

    7 events fall on December 22, from 1808 to 1989. Read them below, then try to place a historical scene yourself — guess where in the world it happened and in what year.

    Events on December 22

    1. 1808

      Beethoven's marathon concert

      The Fifth and Sixth symphonies premiere in a freezing Vienna theatre.

      Play the 19th century round

    2. 1849

      Dostoevsky's mock execution

      He is reprieved on the scaffold and sent to Siberia.

      Read about The Great Exhibition at Crystal Palace, LondonPlay the 19th century round

    3. 1894

      The Dreyfus verdict

      A French officer is wrongly convicted of treason and sent to Devil's Island.

      Read about First Modern Olympic Games, AthensPlay the 19th century round

    4. 1894

      Dreyfus is convicted

      The French officer is sentenced for treason on forged evidence.

      Read about First Modern Olympic Games, AthensPlay the 19th century round

    5. 1938

      A coelacanth is caught

      A fish thought extinct for millions of years is landed in South Africa.

      Play the 20th century round

    6. 1989

      The Brandenburg Gate reopens

      Germans cross freely at the gate for the first time in decades.

      Play the 20th century round

    7. 1989

      Ceausescu flees

      The Romanian leader escapes by helicopter as Bucharest rises.

      Play the 20th century round

    Guess where and when

    Explore a 360° historical scene and place it on the map and the timeline. Free, no sign-up.

    Play today's challenge