About the day » Wednesday February 21, 1940Calender converter

• Jan Willem van Wagtendonk, Palo Alto, Santa Clara County (USA) († 2022)
• Hendrik Daniël Pfann, Hilversum, Noord-Holland, Nederland († 2006)
• Jobje (Jopie) Moret, Rotterdam
• Beatrix Fredrike Marianne Cauverien, Amsterdam († 1945)
• Hendrik Daniel Pfann, Hilversum, Noord-Holland, Netherlands († 2006)
• Bernardus Cornelis van DOORN, Hurwenen, Gelderland, Nederland
• Anne Siebes van der Ley, Akmarijp, Utingeradeel, Friesland, Nederland († 1940)
• Ivan Hendrix, Wijer, België († 2022)
• Adriaan Bonne, De Koog († 2003)
• Douwe Hilarius, Harlingen, Friesland, Nederland († 2011)

• Adolphus Washington Hallman (73), Dunn, Scurry, Texas, United States
• Derk Post (81), Heerlen
• Alfons Victor de WANDEL (74), Zele-Heikant
• Anna Maria Smits (74), Tilburg
• Antonie Jacob de Bruin (76), Utrecht, Utrecht, Nederland
• Anthonie Jacob de Bruin (75), Utrecht
• Anne Siebes van der Ley (0), Akmarijp, Utingeradeel, Friesland, Nederland
• Adriana Hendrika Mulckhuijse (62), Amersfoort
• Anna Maria Maes (79), Willebroek (B), België
• Arend Jan Brilman (64), Oldenzaal, Overijssel, Nederland

• 1936 » Barbara Jordan, American lawyer and politician († 1996)
• 1937 » Harald V of Norway
• 1937 » Ron Clarke, Australian runner and politician, Mayor of the Gold Coast († 2015)
• 1938 » Bobby Charles, American singer-songwriter († 2020)
• 1938 » Kel Tremain, New Zealand rugby player († 1992)
• 1940 » John Lewis, American activist and politician († 2020)
• 1940 » Peter Gethin, English race car driver († 2011)
• 1942 » Margarethe von Trotta, German actress, director, and screenwriter
• 1942 » Tony Martin, Trinidadian-American historian and academic († 2013)
• 1943 » David Geffen, American businessman, co-founded DreamWorks and Geffen Records

• 1919 » Kurt Eisner, German journalist and politician, Minister-President of Bavaria (b. 1867)
• 1926 » Heike Kamerlingh Onnes, Dutch physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1853)
• 1934 » Augusto César Sandino, Nicaraguan rebel leader (b. 1895)
• 1938 » George Ellery Hale, American astronomer and academic (b. 1868)
• 1941 » Frederick Banting, Canadian physician and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1891)
• 1944 » Ferenc Szisz, Hungarian-French race car driver (b. 1873)
• 1945 » Eric Liddell, Scottish rugby player and runner (b. 1902)
• 1946 » José Streel, Belgian journalist (b. 1911)
• 1958 » Duncan Edwards, English footballer (b. 1936)
• 1965 » Malcolm X, American minister and activist (b. 1925; assassinated)

1. Jan
2. Johannes
3. Cornelis
4. Hendrik
5. Willem
6. Gerrit
7. Pieter
8. Jacob
9. Robert
10. Adrianus
11. Petrus
12. Jacobus
13. Wilhelmus
14. Gerardus
15. Dirk
16. Johan

1. Maria
2. Johanna
3. Anna
4. Cornelia
5. Elisabeth
6. Wilhelmina
7. Hendrika
8. Adriana
9. Catharina
10. Petronella
11. Geertruida
12. Margaretha
13. Jacoba
14. Annie
15. Marie
16. Aaltje

• Koningin Wilhelmina (Huis van Oranje-Nassau) was from 1890 till 1948 sovereign of the Netherlands (also known as Koninkrijk der Nederlanden)
• In The Netherlands , there was from August 10, 1939 to September 3, 1940 the cabinet De Geer II, with Jonkheer mr. D.J. de Geer (CHU) as prime minister.
• In The Netherlands , there was from September 3, 1940 to July 27, 1941 the cabinet Gerbrandy I, with Prof. dr. P.S. Gerbrandy (ARP) as prime minister.
• The Netherlands had about 8.8 million citizens.
• February 16 » World War II: Altmark incident: The German tanker Altmark is boarded by sailors from the British destroyer HMSCossack. 299 British prisoners are freed.
• March 12 » Winter War: Finland signs the Moscow Peace Treaty with the Soviet Union, ceding almost all of Finnish Karelia.
• September 6 » King Carol II of Romania abdicates and is succeeded by his son Michael. General Ion Antonescu becomes the Conducător of Romania.
• November 7 » In Tacoma, Washington, the original Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapses in a windstorm, a mere four months after the bridge's completion.
• November 23 » World War II: Romania becomes a signatory of the Tripartite Pact, officially joining the Axis powers.
• November 25 » World War II: First flights of both the de Havilland Mosquito and Martin B-26 Marauder.

The temperature on February 21, 1940 was between -0.9 °C and 4.9 °C and averaged 1.5 °C. There was 1.8 hours of sunshine (17%). The average windspeed was 4 Bft (moderate breeze) and was prevailing from the south-southeast.