About the day » Saturday December 21, 1940Calender converter

• Emmanuella (Noëlla) Vanstraelen, Nieuwerkerken, België († 2014)
• Jacobus Kalf, Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands († 2001)
• Adriana Jacoba Goedbloed, Goes, Zeeland, Nederland († 1940)
• Geurt Pieper, ......... († 2012)
• Jannetje Krijgsman († 1999)
• Gré Droog, Heerhugowaard († 2006)
• Jan Cornelis Sneep, Dinteloord en Prinsenland, Nederland († 2011)
• Cornelis Johannes Sebel, Leidschendam († 2024)
• Jan Steenbergen, Zwartsluis, Overijssel, Nederland († 2014)
• Antoon de Wit, Bergschenhoek († 1944)

• Alida Hendrike Brouwers (67), Groningen
• Anna Burger (75), Hellevoetsluis
• "Josina" Judoca Florijn (84), Nijmegen, Gelderland, Nederland
• Abraham Van Oosten (41), Leiden,, Zuid-Holland, Nederland
• Aagje Schong (79), Egmond aan Zee, prov. Noord Holland
• Alida Henderika BROUWERS (67), Groningen Groningen Netherlands
• Agnes Gijsberta Post (75), Amsterdam
• Anna Hartgers (76), Rheden, Gelderland, Nederland
• Ada McDonald (84), Jackson, Hinds, Mississippi, United States
• Abraham van Oosten (41), Leiden

• 1935 » John G. Avildsen, American director, producer, and cinematographer († 2017)
• 1937 » Jane Fonda, American actress, producer, and activist
• 1939 » Lloyd Axworthy, Canadian academic and politician, 2nd Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs
• 1939 » Wafic Saïd, Syrian-Saudi Arabian financier, businessman and philanthropist
• 1940 » Frank Zappa, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer († 1993)
• 1942 » Hu Jintao, Chinese engineer and politician, 5th Paramount leader of China
• 1943 » Albert Lee, English guitarist and songwriter
• 1943 » Walter Spanghero, French rugby player
• 1944 » Michael Tilson Thomas, American pianist, composer, and conductor
• 1944 » Zheng Xiaoyu, Chinese diplomat († 2007)

• 1929 » I. L. Patterson, American politician, 18th Governor of Oregon (b. 1859)
• 1933 » Knud Rasmussen, Greenlandic anthropologist and explorer (b. 1879)
• 1935 » Kurt Tucholsky, German-Swedish journalist and author (b. 1890)
• 1935 » Ted Birnie, English footballer and manager (b. 1878)
• 1937 » Frank B. Kellogg, American lawyer and politician, 45th United States Secretary of State, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1856)
• 1937 » Ted Healy, American comedian and actor (b. 1896)
• 1937 » Violette Neatley Anderson, American judge (b. 1882)
• 1940 » F. Scott Fitzgerald, American novelist and short story writer (b. 1896)
• 1945 » George S. Patton, American general (b. 1885)
• 1948 » Władysław Witwicki, Polish psychologist, philosopher, translator, historian (of philosophy and art) and artist (b. 1878)

• 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 29 » 12th Academy Awards: For her performance as "Mammy" in Gone with the Wind, Hattie McDaniel becomes the first African American to win an Academy Award.
• April 25 » Merkið, the flag of the Faroe Islands is approved by the British occupation government.
• May 14 » World War II: Rotterdam, Netherlands is bombed by the Luftwaffe of Nazi Germany despite a ceasefire, killing about 900 people and destroying the historic city center.
• June 14 » The Soviet Union presents an ultimatum to Lithuania resulting in Lithuanian loss of independence.
• July 19 » World War II: Army order 112 forms the Intelligence Corps of the British Army.
• July 23 » The United States' Under Secretary of State Sumner Welles issues a declaration on the U.S. non-recognition policy of the Soviet annexation and incorporation of three Baltic states: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

The temperature on December 21, 1940 was between -7.3 °C and -1.4 °C and averaged -5.3 °C. There was 6.7 hours of sunshine (87%). The average windspeed was 4 Bft (moderate breeze) and was prevailing from the east-northeast.