What happened on January 11? - January 11: A Day of Historic Mergers, Scientific Milestones and Cultural Shifts
January 11 marks a day of significant events across science, business, and culture. From groundbreaking discoveries to major corporate deals, the date has seen milestones spanning over a century. Births of influential figures and historic firsts also shape its legacy.
In 1911, the Kaiser Wilhelm Society for the Advancement of Science was established in Berlin. This organisation later became the renowned Max Planck Society, a cornerstone of German research.
Exactly 95 years later, in 2001, AOL and Time Warner completed their merger, creating AOL Time Warner Inc. At the time, it was the world’s largest media and internet company. That same year, Wanda Jean Allen made history for a far grimmer reason—she became the first Black woman executed in the U.S. in 46 years. Berlin also saw a political turning point in 1991. St. Nicholas Church hosted the first session of the city’s reunified parliament, ending over four decades of division. The date is tied to notable births and deaths in the arts and sciences. Swiss chemist Albert Hofmann, who discovered LSD, was born on January 11, 1906. A century later, in 1971, American singer Mary J. Blige entered the world. Meanwhile, Swiss sculptor Alberto Giacometti passed away on this day in 1966. Business deals have also left their mark. In 2016, ChemChina, a Chinese state-owned chemical giant, acquired Munich-based machinery manufacturer KraussMaffei for €925 million. The company remains under ChemChina’s ownership today. Sports and academia feature too. German-French footballer Leroy Sané, who has earned 72 caps for Germany, was born on this day in 1996. Sociologist Wolf Lepenies, former Rector of Berlin’s Institute for Advanced Study, celebrated his birth in 1941.
January 11 stands as a date of contrasts, from scientific progress to corporate mergers and tragic legal milestones. Its impact stretches from Berlin’s political reunification to global media and chemical industries. The day’s legacy continues through the lives and work of those born or remembered on it.
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