January 2 » American statesman and diplomat John Hay announces the Open Door Policy to promote trade with China.
January 24 » Second Boer War: Boers stop a British attempt to break the Siege of Ladysmith in the Battle of Spion Kop.
March 7 » The German liner SSKaiser Wilhelm der Grosse becomes the first ship to send wireless signals to shore.
September 17 » Philippine–American War: Filipinos under Juan Cailles defeat Americans under Colonel Benjamin F. Cheatham Jr. at Mabitac.
October 19 » Max Planck discovers Planck's law of black-body radiation.
November 7 » Second Boer War: Battle of Leliefontein, a battle during which the Royal Canadian Dragoons win three Victoria Crosses.
Day of death December 24, 1978
The temperature on December 24, 1978 was between -1.6 °C and 5.8 °C and averaged 1.4 °C. There was 9.8 mm of rain during 8.4 hours. The almost completely overcast was. The average windspeed was 4 Bft (moderate breeze) and was prevailing from the south east. Source: KNMI
In The Netherlands , there was from Monday, December 19, 1977 to Friday, September 11, 1981 the cabinet Van Agt I, with Mr. A.A.M. van Agt (CDA/KVP) as prime minister.
February 17 » The Troubles: The Provisional IRA detonates an incendiary bomb at the La Mon restaurant, near Belfast, killing 12 and seriously injuring 30 others, all Protestants.
April 7 » Development of the neutron bomb is canceled by President Jimmy Carter.
September 15 » Muhammad Ali outpointed Leon Spinks in a rematch to become the first boxer to win the world heavyweight title three times at the Superdome in New Orleans.
September 19 » The Solomon Islands join the United Nations.
November 23 » The Geneva Frequency Plan of 1975 goes into effect, realigning many of Europe's longwave and mediumwave broadcasting frequencies.
December 15 » U.S. President Jimmy Carter announces that the United States will recognize the People's Republic of China and sever diplomatic relations with Taiwan.
When copying data from this family tree, please include a reference to the origin: Hendrik Dreyer, "Dreyer Tree", database, Genealogy Online (https://www.genealogieonline.nl/dreyer-tree/I21431.php : accessed February 5, 2026), "Martha Johanna du Preez (1900-1978)".
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