On This Day: February 2

Updated February 1, 2012, 1:28 pm

On Feb. 2, 1943, the remainder of Nazi forces from the Battle of Stalingrad surrendered in a major victory for the Soviets in World War II.

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On Feb. 2, 1882, James Joyce, the Irish author of “Ulysses”, was born. Following his death on Jan. 13 , 1941, his obituary appeared in The Times.

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On This Date

By The Associated Press

1536	The Argentine city of Buenos Aires was founded.
1653	New Amsterdam – now New York City – was incorporated.
1848	The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed, ending the Mexican War.
1876	The National League of Professional Base Ball Clubs was formed in New York.
1882	Novelist James Joyce was born near Dublin.
1887	Punxsutawney, Pa., held its first Groundhog Day festival.
1971	Idi Amin assumed power in Uganda following a coup.
1979	Punk rock musician Sid Vicious of the Sex Pistols died of a drug overdose at age 21.
1990	South African President F.W. de Klerk lifted a ban on the African National Congress and promised to free Nelson Mandela.
2007	The world’s leading climate scientists said global warming has begun, is “very likely” caused by humans and will be unstoppable for centuries.
2008	French President Nicolas Sarkozy and former supermodel Carla Bruni were married at the presidential Elysee Palace.
2009	Hillary Rodham Clinton was sworn in as U.S. secretary of state.
2011	Supporters of President Hosni Mubarak charged into Cairo’s central square on horses and camels brandishing whips while others rained firebombs from rooftops in what appeared to be an orchestrated assault against protesters trying to topple Egypt’s leader of 30 years.

Current Birthdays

By The Associated Press

Rock singer-musician Graham Nash (Crosby, Stills and Nash) turns 70 years old today.

AP Photo/Charles Sykes

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, turns 60 years old today.

AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite

1925	Elaine Stritch, Actress, turns 87
1937	Tom Smothers, Comedian, turns 75
1942	Barry Diller, TV-film executive, turns 70
1949	Ross Valory, Rock musician (Journey), turns 63
1954	Christie Brinkley, Model, turns 58
1955	Kim Zimmer, Actress (“Guiding Light”), turns 57
1970	Jennifer Westfeldt, Actress, turns 42
1973	Marissa Jaret Winokur, Actress, turns 39
1977	Shakira, Singer, turns 35

Historic Birthdays

James Joyce 2/2/1882 – 1/13/1941 Irish novelist.Go to obituary »

43	Lodovico Ferrari 2/2/1522 – 10/5/1565 Italian mathematician
37	Nell Gwyn 2/2/1650 – 11/14/1687 English actress
84	Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand 2/2/1754 – 5/17/1838 French statesman/diplomat
59	Albert Sidney Johnston 2/2/1803 – 4/6/1862 American Confederate general in Civil War
80	Havelock Ellis 2/2/1859 – 7/8/1939 English essayist/physician
86	Fritz Kreisler 2/2/1875 – 1/29/1962 Austrian-born violinist
62	Jean de Lattre de Tassigny 2/2/1889 – 1/11/1952 French army officer
88	George Stanley Halas 2/2/1895 – 10/31/1983 American founder/owner of Chicago Bears
86	Jascha Heifetz 2/2/1901 – 12/10/1987 Russian-born American violinist
77	Ayn Rand 2/2/1905 – 3/6/1982 Russian-born American writer/philosopher
49	Jussi Bjorling 2/2/1911 – 9/9/1960 Swedish tenor
73	James Dickey 2/2/1923 – 1/19/1997 American author