Discover 15 historical moments on December 13 — 5 events, 5 birthdays, and 5 notable deaths spanning centuries of human history.
Hero image inspired by: The Troubles
The Provisional Irish Republican Army engaged in a fierce firefight with the King's Own Scottish Borderers at a vehicle checkpoint complex in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. This incident was part of The Troubles.
The Croatian Army retreated after the failure of Operation Whirlwind, destroying their tanks to avoid their capture. This marked a significant setback in the Croatian War of Independence.
A man threw grenades and fired a rifle at crowds in Liège, Belgium, causing 6 deaths and injuring more than 120 others, before killing himself.
Beyoncé released her fifth studio album without any prior announcement or promotion. It sold 2.3 million copies before the end of the year.
Jo Swinson steps down as Leader of the Liberal Democrats after losing her seat in the 2019 general election. Her tenure became the shortest in the party's history.
Alan Thicke, a Canadian actor, songwriter, and host, has died. He was born in 1947.
Noah Klieger, a Holocaust survivor and award-winning Israeli journalist, has died. He was born in 1926.
Stephen "tWitch" Boss, an American dancer and media personality, has died. He was born in 1982.
Lorraine O'Grady, an American artist, has died. She was born in 1934.
Mexican actor Juan José Zerboni died. He was born in 1953.
December 13 is home to 15 recorded historical entries in our collection, including 5 notable events, 5 famous birthdays, and 5 deaths. This date has witnessed momentous occasions spanning from 1989 to the present day.
Among the most notable events on December 13: IRA firefight in County Fermanagh (1989), Croatian War of Independence Operation Whirlwind failure (1991), Liège attack (2011). View all events →
Notable figures born on December 13 include Marina Bassols Ribera, Simona Waltert, Jayden Goodwin. View all birthdays →
Remembered figures who died on December 13 include Alan Thicke, Noah Klieger, Stephen "tWitch" Boss. View all →
Browse what happened on December 12 or December 14, explore the full month of December, or discover a random historical fact.
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