Rotterdam History Timeline

• 1340-06-07 Rotterdam Netherlands founded
• 1699-09-22 People of Rotterdam strike over high cost of butter
• 1740-08-13 Hunger strike in Rotterdam

• 1816-05-10 British steamship "Defiance" arrives at Rotterdam harbor
• 1823-06-16 Dutch King William I opens the Fijenoord shipyard at Rotterdam
• 1844-01-01 1st edition of New Rotterdam's Daily (3x per week)
• 1847-05-31 Rotterdam-Hague Railway opens
• 1855-05-03 Antwerp-Rotterdam railway opens
• 1855-07-20 1st train from Rotterdam to Utrecht in Netherlands
• 1855-08-03 Rotterdam-Gouda railway opens
• 1864-02-15 Fire in Rotterdam damages Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen
• 1874-10-01 Rotterdam opens drinking water pipes
• 1878-04-02 1st issue of Rotterdam's Newspaper
• 1888-04-01 Students from Rotterdam, Netherlands establish a cricket club called Rotterdamsche Cricket & Football Club Sparta which evolves into Sparta Rotterdam
• 1902-07-23 Dutch Excelsior soccer club is established in Rotterdam (Eerste Divisie winners 1973-4, 78-79, 2005-06)
• 1905-09-18 Electric tramline opens in Rotterdam

• 1905-11-04 Dock strike against importing grain elevators in Rotterdam
• 1908-07-19 Dutch football club Feyenoord is established in Rotterdam as Wilhelmina; reverts to SC Feijenoord 1912; updated to SC Feyenoord 1974 and to Feyenoord Rotterdam 1978
• 1908-10-01 1st Dutch electric railway in use (Rotterdam-The Hague)
• 1920-02-12 -Apr 26] 14,000 Rotterdam/Amsterdam harbor workers strike
• 1920-09-01 New town hall of Rotterdam opens
• 1921-04-14 Prince Henry opens Rotterdam-Amsterdam-Bremen-Hamburg air route
• 1922-01-09 Rotterdam metalworkers strike ends
• 1922-10-07 Oud-burgem of Rotterdam Zimmerman becomes High Comm's of Austria
• 1928-05-01 Rotterdam soccer club Black White '28 is established (2000 Women's KNVB Cup); declared bankrupt 2004
• 1935-07-06 Rotterdam architect A van de Steurs Museum Boymans opens
• 1937-03-27 Feijenoord Stadion, home ground of Dutch football club Feyenoord Rotterdam and nicknamed De Kuip opens after 2 years in construction
• 1938-11-29 Mayor Oud of Rotterdam forbids soccer match between Netherlands and Germany
• 1940-05-14 Nazis bomb Rotterdam (600-900 dead), Netherlands surrenders to Germany
• 1942-02-14 Rotterdam's Maas tunnel opens
• 1942-07-19 German occupiers confiscate bicycles in Rotterdam and The Hague

• 1942-08-07 Dutch resistance bombs Rotterdam railway
• 1943-03-31 US errantly bombs Rotterdam, kills 326
• 1944-10-24 Rotterdam Passage fight frees 46 prisoners
• 1944-11-10 German riots in Rotterdam/Schiedam 52,000 men sent to Germany
• 1944-11-28 400 Rotterdammers attack coal warehouse

• 1946-04-16 Dutch Special Court of Justice sentences Frederik Müller, Socialist mayor of Rotterdam, to 10 years in jail for his wartime support of Germany
• 1946-05-13 Winston Churchill welcomed in Rotterdam
• 1946-07-02 Harbor workers end strike at Rotterdam and Amsterdam
• 1950-08-15 Rotterdam dock strike begins
• 1950-08-22 Rotterdam dock strike ends
• 1953-05-15 Osip Zadkine's monument to "The destroyed city" unveiled in Rotterdam
• 1956-10-01 Zestienhoven airport at Rotterdam official opens

• 1959-10-04 Netherlands equal best performance against neighbours Belgium; win, 9-1 in soccer friendly at De Kuip, Rotterdam; Piet van der Kuil & Faas Wilkes score 3 apiece
• 1960-02-27 Oil pipe line from Rotterdam to Ruhrgebied opens
• 1960-06-27 Oil pipe line from Rotterdam-Ruhrgebied opens

• 1963-05-15 Tottenham Hotspur of England win 3rd European Cup winner's Cup against Atlético Madrid of Spain 5-1 at Rotterdam
• 1965-02-01 Dutch Queen Juliana opens Brienenoord Bridge in Rotterdam
• 1968-02-09 Rotterdam metro opened by Princess Beatrix
• 1968-05-23 AC Milan of Italy win 8th European Cup Winner's Cup against Hamburger SV of West Germany 2-0 in Rotterdam
• 1970-09-15 Rotterdam dock strikes end
• 1972-05-31 16th European Cup: Ajax beats Internazionale 2-0 at Rotterdam
• 1974-05-08 FC Magdenburg of East Germany win 14th European Cup Winner's Cup against AC Milan of Italy 2-0 in Rotterdam
• 1974-10-18 Andre van de Louw appointed Mayor of Rotterdam
• 1977-02-28 Dock strike in Rotterdam/Amsterdam ends

• 1982-05-26 26th European Cup: Aston Villa beats Bayern Munich 1-0 at Rotterdam
• 1985-05-15 Everton of England wins 25th European Cup Winner's Cup against Rapid Wien of Austria 3-1 in Rotterdam
• 1987-08-25 Madonna sings in Rotterdam
• 1991-04-02 Rotterdam Daily Newspaper begins publishing
• 1991-05-15 Manchester United of England win 31th European Cup Winner's Cup against FC Barcelona 2-1 in Rotterdam
• 1994-09-15 "Sound of Motown" premieres in Rotterdam
• 1997-05-14 FC Barcelona of Spain win 37th European Cup Winner's Cup against Paris Saint-Germain of France 1-0 in Rotterdam
• 2000-07-02 UEFA European Championship Final, Feijenoord Stadion, Rotterdam, Netherlands: David Trezeguet scores in extra time to give France a 2-1 win over Italy
• 2009-10-23 The United Nations "Rotterdam Rules" convention regulating international maritime carriage of goods is ratified with its twentieth signature.
• 2018-08-16 World's first floating dairy farm opens in Merwehaven harbour, Rotterdam, the Netherlands, with 40 cows milked by robots

Birthdays 1 - 100 of 116

• 1615-03-28 Pieter de Groot, Dutch regent and diplomat (First Stadtholderless Period of the Dutch Republic), born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1678)
• 1619-11-03 Willem Kalf, Dutch painter (still lifes), born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1693)
• 1626-04-13 Aert Jansse van Nes, Dutch naval commander, born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1693)
• 1629-09-09 Cornelis Tromp, Dutch naval officer and son of Maarten Tromp, born in Rotterdam, Dutch Republic (d. 1691)
• 1629-12-20 Pieter de Hoogh, Dutch Golden Age painter, born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1684)
• 1648-04-04 Grinling Gibbons, Dutch-born British sculptor and woodcarver, born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1721)

• 1740-10-14 Joannes Siberg, Dutch Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies (1801-05), born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1817)
• 1751-09-13 Henry Kobell, Dutch painter and cartoonist, born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1779)
• 1753-07-06 John H. Midderigh, Dutch Rotterdam patriot, baptized (d. 1800)
• 1756-11-04 Anthony van Hoboken, Dutch merchant and ship owner, born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1850)
• 1762-04-13 Johanna Cornelia Wattier-Ziesenis, Dutch actress (Phaedra, Lady Macbeth), born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1827)
• 1762-10-27 Gijsbert Karel van Hogendorp, Dutch count and Minister of Foreign affairs (1813-14), born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1834)
• 1763-07-17 Johannes Hendricus van der Palm, Dutch theologist and Minister of Education, born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1840)
• 1807-05-24 Cornelis Eliza van Koetsveld, Dutch writer and preacher, born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1893)
• 1828-05-22 Bartel Wilton, Dutch ship builder, born in Rotterdam (d. 1898)
• 1830-03-26 Eliza Laurillard, Dutch vicar, poet and writer, born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1908)
• 1838-12-17 Berthold Tours, Dutch-English composer, born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1897)
• 1841-07-11 Daniël de Lange, Dutch composer, born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1918)
• 1852-02-02 Teunis Stoel, Dutch actor and director (Small Theater), born in Rotterdam (d. 1914)
• 1852-08-30 Jacobus Henricus van't Hoff, Dutch physical chemist (Nobel 1901), born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1911)
• 1853-07-29 Esther de Boer-van Rijk, Dutch actress (Kniertje-Hope of Blessing), born in Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands (d. 1937)
• 1857-09-12 George H. Breitner, Dutch impressionist painter, born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1923)
• 1861-07-23 Alexander Willem Frederik Idenburg, Dutch politician of the Anti Revolutionary Party and Governor-General of Dutch Indies (1909-16), born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1935)
• 1864-08-08 Henri de Vries [Hendricus Van Walterop], Dutch actor (Cleopatra, White Cargo), born in Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands (d. 1949)
• 1864-12-03 Herman Heijermans, Dutch writer (Kamertjeszonde, Diamond City), born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1924)
• 1866-11-28 Johan Bakker Sr, Dutch actor and husband of Truus Soete, born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1928)
• 1868-12-10 Louis Victor Saar, Dutch-American composer, born in Rotterdam (d. 1937)
• 1871-06-14 Theo Frenkel, Dutch actor (Footlights, Hague's Comedy), born in Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands (d. 1956)
• 1871-11-25 Cornelis J "Cor" van Ast, Dutch actor and director (Ghost Hotel, Two Boys), born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1939)
• 1872-04-04 Pauline de Haan-Manifarges, Dutch concert and opera contralto singer, born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1954)
• 1873-03-14 Johannes Aengenent, Bishop of Haarlem (1928-35), born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1935)
• 1873-04-29 Alida Tartaud-Klein, Dutch actress and performance artist (Rotterdam Stage), born in Amsterdam, Netherlands (d. 1938)
• 1879-04-11 Leendert Round, Dutch sculptor (entrance Rotterdam Zoo) (d. 1942)
• 1880-11-01 Karel Paul van der Mandele, Dutch financier and director (Rotterdam Bank), born in Delft, Netherlands (d. 1975)
• 1880-11-06 Chris van Abkoude, Dutch-American writer and novelist (Pietje Bell, Kruimeltje), born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1959)
• 1880-11-28 Marinus van Meel, Dutch aviator and aircraft manufacturer, born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1958)
• 1882-01-14 Hendrik Willem van Loon, Dutch-American historian and writer (Story of America), born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1944)
• 1883-06-20 Jules Verstraete [Julien Gustave de Graef], Flemish actor (rubber, The Three Wishes), born in Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands (d. 1951)
• 1884-02-26 Dina Appeldoorn, Dutch pianist and composer, born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1938)
• 1884-07-06 Willem Dudok, Dutch architect (town hall Hilversum/Beehive Rotterdam), born in Amsterdam (d. 1974)
• 1885-06-26 Anna Maria Franciska van Wageningen-Salomons, Dutch author (Girl Student), born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1980)
• 1886-12-05 Pieter Oud, Dutch politician and Mayor of Rotterdam (1945-52), born in Purmerend, Netherlands (d. 1968)
• 1887-08-18 Nico J. Polak, Dutch economist, born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1948)
• 1889-02-18 Sybold van Ravesteyn, Dutch architect (Blijdorp, CS Rotterdam, Utrecht), born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1983)
• 1892-07-29 Ernst van Raalte, Dutch journalist (Seen, heard... wrote), born in Rotterdam, South Holland (d. 1975)
• 1893-10-30 Jan Romein, Dutch historian and author (Low Countries by the Sea; Erflaters - both written with his wife Annie), born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1962)
• 1894-01-18 Wilhelm H. C. Tenhaeff, Dutch parapsychologist, born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1981)
• 1894-07-26 Lodewijk Rogier, Dutch historian (Henric van Veldeken), born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1974)
• 1894-09-19 Kees Rijnsdorp, Dutch writer (Kings Children), born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1982)
• 1898-10-25 Sidney James van den Bergh, Dutch businessman and politician, born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1977)
• 1901-11-26 Philip Idenburg, Dutch statistician, born in Hillegersberg, Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1995)
• 1902-04-17 Anton Beuving, Dutch lyricist (Ketelbinkie), born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1977)
• 1902-04-21 Ben Stroman, Dutch writer (Jomtof & Blue Beard), born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1985)
• 1902-06-26 Antonia Brico, Dutch-American conductor and pianist, born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1989)
• 1902-09-08 Nico Donkersloot, Dutch literary and writer, born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1965)
• 1904-04-24 Willem De Kooning, Dutch artist (North Atlantic Light), born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1997)
• 1904-06-17 Coenraad van Emde Boas, Dutch sexologist, born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1981)
• 1905-08-29 Martinus A. Jansen, Bishop of Rotterdam (1956-70), born in Amsterdam (d. 1983)
• 1907-09-26 Bep [Lambertus] van Klaveren, Dutch boxing champ (Olympic gold 1928), born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1992)
• 1908-03-27 Jacques [Izaak] den Haan, Dutch writer (Dangerous Book), born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1982)
• 1909-12-14 Phia Berghout, Dutch harpist, born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1993)
• 1911-08-28 Joseph Luns, Dutch Foreign Minister and Secretary General (NATO), born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 2002)
• 1912-05-02 Marten Toonder, Dutch comic writer and cartoonist (Tom Puss), born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 2005)
• 1912-08-13 Metten Koornstra, Dutch painter and graphic artist, born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1978)
• 1913-01-28 Jan Masseus, Dutch composer, born in Rotterdam (d. 1999)
• 1913-03-09 Gerarda Brautigam, Dutch journalist and politician (Partij van de Arbeid), born in Rotterdam (d. 1982)
• 1914-06-28 Charles Urbanus, Dutch baseball player, born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1980)
• 1916-07-18 Isaäc Arend Diepenhorst, Dutch lawyer and Minister of Education, born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 2004)
• 1916-10-27 Bob de Lange [Jacob Bernard de Lange], Dutch actor and director (Daniel), born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1978)
• 1917-04-19 Johnny Hoes, Dutch musician and producer (Wished I'd stayed with my Mom), born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 2011)
• 1918-01-01 Willy den Ouden, Dutch swimmer (WR 100m freestyle, 1:04.06 1933-56; Olympic gold 4×100m freestyle 1936), born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1997)
• 1918-01-15 André Donner, Dutch jurist (constitutional law), born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1992)
• 1919-02-26 Rie Mastenbroek, Dutch swimmer (3 x Olympic gold 100m freestyle, 4x100m freestyle relay, 400m freestyle 1936; silver 100m backstroke 1936), born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 2003)
• 1920-08-23 Aart Verstegen, Dutch ballet dancer and choreographer (Jolly Joker's Last Joke), born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1998)
• 1920-08-28 Frits Bernard, American clinical psychologist and pedophile activist, born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 2006)
• 1920-12-30 Aad de Haas, Dutch religious painter, graphic artist and cartoonist, born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1972)
• 1923-10-13 Faas Wilkes, Dutch soccer star (Xerxes, Fortuna, Inter Milan), born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 2006)
• 1924-10-24 Piet Roozenburg, Dutch World champion checker player (1948, 51, 52, 55), born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 2003)
• 1924-12-21 Rita Reys [Maria Reijs], Dutch jazz singer, born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 2013)
• 1926-11-16 Ton de Leeuw, Dutch composer, born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1996)
• 1929-03-23 Gerrit den Braber, Dutch songwriter and lyricist (Ring-dinge-ding; I See a Star), born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1997)
• 1930-03-27 Bob den Uyl, Dutch journalist and writer (Bird Watching), born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1992)
• 1931-04-16 Piet de Visser, Dutch politician (PvdA), born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 2012)
• 1931-05-07 Nel Ginjaar-Maas, Dutch under-secretary of Education (VVD), born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 2012)
• 1931-07-25 (Cornelis) "Kees" van Dijk, Dutch civil servant and politician (Member of Senate, 1991-99; Minister of the Interior, 1986-89), born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 2008)
• 1931-12-03 Ellen Blazer [Esther Clara Blazer], Dutch TV director (Sonja), born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 2013)
• 1932-05-07 Hans Boskamp [Johannes Hendricus Gerardus Hoelscher], Dutch actor and producer (Oh My Papa), born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 2011)
• 1932-10-15 Riekus Waskowsky, Dutch poet, born in Rotterdam (d. 1977)
• 1935-10-11 Jan van Vlijmen, Dutch composer, born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 2004)
• 1935-10-13 Philippine Aeckerlin, Dutch actress (Oh Venus, Daddy Longlegs), born in Schiebroek, Rotterdam, Netherlands
• 1936-09-28 Robert Wolders, Dutch actor (Erik Hunter-Laredo), born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 2018)
• 1938-11-08 Pleuni Touw, Dutch actress (Bride Flight, Dokter Deen), born in Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands
• 1939-05-07 Ruud Lubbers, Dutch politician, Prime Minister of the Netherlands (1982-94), born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 2018)
• 1941-07-19 Neelie Kroes, Dutch politician (VVD) (European Commissioner, 2004-14; Minister of Transport, 1982-89; House of Representatives, 1971-78, 1981-82, 1986) , born in Rotterdam, Netherlands-
• 1942-08-02 Leo Beenhakker, Dutch soccer trainer, born in Rotterdam, Netherlands
• 1943-04-23 Bob van Toll, Dutch actor and director (Pastorale 1943), born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 2005)
• 1944-01-07 Ad Nijhuis, Dutch politician (VVD), born in Rotterdam, Netherlands
• 1944-08-28 Marianne Heemskerk, Dutch swimmer, born in Rotterdam, Netherlands

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