49-year-old driver Pierre Levegh struck a protective dirt berm at 200 km/h, disintegrating and igniting his car, throwing him onto the track where he was instantly killed and sending large pieces of flaming debris including the engine block and hood cartwheeling over the berm and into the packed grandstand. The momentum of the heaviest components of the car – the engine, radiator and front suspension – hurtled straight on into the crowd for almost 100 metres, crushing all in their path. The bonnet lid scythed through the air, decapitating tightly jammed spectators like a guillotine. (11 June 1955)
There are 3377 births, 3944 deaths, 1122 murders, 498 disasters and 2083 other events about 5734 people in 6443 places until today.
Birth(+)Fact(x)Death(-) Calendar is an ongoing project since 1985 by DDV.
Monday 27th of February 1854 (x) — Romantic composer Robert Schumann tries to commit suicide by throwing himself from a bridge into the Rhine River. Schumann was rescued by boatmen and taken home, he asked to be taken to an asylum for the insane.