References are numbered in [brackets], which are listed here. A number after the dot gives the page in the source.

Last updated: 2008 June 28.

1938 January 3 Arthur Boon Flemish priest/philologist, dies at age 54. [1] January 10 Willem de Vreese Flemish linguist, dies at age 68. [1] January 16 William Pickering pioneer US stellar spectroscopist, dies. [1] January 17 William H Pickering astronomer (predicted Pluto), dies at age 79. [1] January 19 GM began mass production of diesel engines. [1] January 28 Bernd Rosemeyer German race car driver, dies at age 28. [1] John Sharp cricketer (England bat 1909, also soccer international), dies. [1] February 3 Armando Palacio Valdés Spanish writer (El Cuarto Poder), dies at age 84. [1] February 6 Marianne V von Werefkin Russian/German/Swiss house painter, dies at age 77. [1] February 9 Truby King pioneer of mothercraft, dies. [1] February 16 Otto zur Linde German author (Lieder of the Leids), dies at age 64. [1] February 18 Alida J Tartaud-Little actress (Rotterdam Stage), dies at age 64. [1] Edward Anseele Belgian minister of Rail, dies at age 81. [1] Louis de la Vallée-Poussin (The Way to Nirvana), dies at age 69. [1] February 21 Albert Huybrechts composer, dies at age 39. [1] George Ellery Hale astronomer, dies. [1] March 1 Gabrielle d'Annunzio Italian poet/fascist (Il fuoco), dies at age 74. [1] March 3 Arthur Koestler writer, dies at age 32. [1] March 9 Sydney Baynes composer, dies at age 59. [1] March 13 Clarence S Darrow Scopes Monkey Trial attorney, dies in Chicago at age 80. [1] March 15 Edmund Tylecote cricketer (England keeper in six Tests 1882-86), dies. [1] March 16 Egon Friedell writer, dies. [1] March 18 Cyril Rootham composer, dies at age 62. [1] March 21 Oscar Apfel actor (Inspiration), dies at age 60. [1] March 27 Louis William Stern German/US philosopher/psychologist, dies at age 66. [1] March 31 Willem J T Kloos Dutch poet/critic (New Guide), dies at age 78. [1] April 2 Alice Berend writer, dies. [1] April 4 Cyril Christiani cricket wicket keep (West Indies 1935), dies of malaria at age 24. [1] April 8 Harold Baumgartner cricketer (took 2-99 lefty in test for S Af), dies. [1] April 10 Nana Annor Adjaye Pan-Africanist, dies in West Nzima Ghana. [1] April 12 Feodor Chaliapine Russian author (Man and Mark), dies at age 65. [1] Serafín Alvarez Quintéro Spanish playwright (Piropos), dies at age 67. [1] April 15 César Vallejo Peru/French poet (Trilce, Russia and 1931), dies at age 46. [1] April 16 Bertram Wagstaff Mills circus proprietor, dies. [1] April 18 Richard Runciman Terry musicologist, dies. [1] April 19 Henry John Newbolt poet/author (Studies Green and Gray), dies at age 75. [1] Marie-Clémentine "Suzanne" Valadon French acrobat/model, dies at age 72. [1] April 21 Muhammad Iqbal Brt E Indies lawyer/Pakistan national hero, dies at age 65. [1] April 26 Edmund Husserl German philosopher (study of phenomenon), dies at age 79. [1] April 27 Edmond Rubbens Belgian minister to Colonies, dies at age 44. [1] May 4 Carl von Ossietzky German pacifist/writer (Nobel Prize 1935), dies at age 48. [1] May 10 Percy McAlister cricketer (8 Tests, punches Clem Hill in 1912), dies. [1] May 11 Alfonsina Storni Argentine poet (El dulce daño/suicide), dies at age 45. [1] Arnold Sauwen Flemish poet (Hours of Solitude), dies at age 81. [1] May 14 Jacobus C J "Jacques" Hermans actor (Ghetto), dies at age 81. [1] May 16 Stephen Fairbairn oarsman/coach, dies. [1] May 23 Philip Kleintjes republic leader, dies at age 70. [1] May 30 Raden Sutomo Indonesian freedom fighter, dies at age 49. [1] June 26 James Weldon Johnson dies of injuries received in car crash. [1] July 4 Suzanne Lenglen six time Wimbeldon champ, dies at age 39 of anemia. [1] September 23 Birth of Romy Schneider Vienna Austria, actress (Bloodline, Death Watch). [1] November 10 Kemal Atarok first President of Turkey, dies. [1] November 29 Flora Disney (Walt Disney's mother) dies of inhaling poison gas fumes from a defective water heater. [6] December 4 Dina Appeldoorn Dutch pianist/composer, dies at age 54. [1] December 5 Christina "Dina" Koudijs-van Appeldoorn pianist/composer, dies at age 54. [1] December 7 Harry Moses cricketer (6 Tests for Australia 1887-95), dies. [1] December 10 Mario Pilati composer, dies at age 35. [1] December 14 Marie Emmanuel French composer/musicologist (Salamine), dies at age 76. [1] December 23 Robert Herrick US writer (Chimes), dies at age 70. [1] December 25 Karel Capek Czechoslovakian author/antifascist (Bílá Nemoc), dies at age 48. [1] December 27 Emile Vandervelde Belgian Secretary of State (BWP), dies at age 72. [1] O Mandelstam writer, dies. [1] December 28 Florence Lawrence silent screen actress (Confidence), dies at age 48. [1] December 31 Richard N Roland Holst Dutch artist/painter, dies at age 70. [1] 1939 January 6 Albert Ward cricketer (England batsman in 7 Tests 1893-95), dies. [1] January 9 Johann Strauss Austrian conductor/Royal ball director, dies at age 72. [1] January 10 Jameson Thomas actor (Piccadilly, Farmer's Wife), dies at age 50. [1] Julius Bittner Austria composer (Missa Austriaca, Little Violet), dies at age 64. [1] January 13 Jacob Ruppert CEO (New York Yankees, 1915-39), dies. [1] January 16 Albert Fish mass murderer, executed. [1] January 23 Matthias Sindelar Austria soccer star, commits suicide. [1] January 26 Professor Cristescu Romania's iron guard leader, murdered. [1] January 28 William Butler Yeats Irish poet (Nobel), dies in France at age 73. [1] January 31 George Thornton cricketer (one Test for South Africa 1902, 1* and 1-20), dies. [1] February 4 Edward Sapir US linguist/cultural anthropologist (Indian), dies at age 55. [1] Henri W A Deterding Dutch oil magnate (Royal Oil, Shell), dies at age 72. [1] February 10 Pius XI [Ambrogio D A Ratti], Italian Pope (1922-39), dies at age 81. [1] February 11 Franz Schmidt Austrian composer, dies at age 64. [1] February 15 Foppe G Scheltema Dutch lawyer, dies at age 47. [1] Henri Jaspar premier of Belgium (1926-31), dies at age 68. [1] February 16 Jura Soyfer writer, dies at age 26. [1] February 18 Ludwig Bonvin composer, dies at age 89. [1] February 26 E Fernandez Arbós Spanish violinist/conductor/composer, dies at age 75. [1] February 27 Nadezjda K Krupskaya Russian revolutionary/wife of Lenin, dies at age 70. [1] February 28 Birth of John Fahey singer (Transfiguration of Blind Joe Death). [1] March 2 Howard Carter British archaeologist/Egyptologist (King Tut), dies at age 65. [1] March 6 [Carl L] Ferdinand von Lindemann German mathematician, dies at age 86. [1] March 7 Amadeo Roldan composer, dies at age 38. [1] March 21 Evald Aav composer, dies at age 39. [1] March 27 Constance Lindsay Skinner author (Rivers of America), dies at age 57. [1] March 31 Indrið Einarsson Iceland playwright (Skipið Sekkur), dies at age 87. [1] April 4 Ghazi I King of Iraq, dies in car accident. [1] April 5 William Cooper cricketer (two Tests for Australia 1882-84), dies. [1] April 6 Robert Courtneidge British theater producer, dies. [1] April 9 Emilio Serrano y Ruiz composer, dies at age 89. [1] April 10 Alfredo Panzini Italian author (Il Bacio de Lesba), dies at age 75. [1] April 11 SS Van Dine [William Huntingdon Wright] detective writer, dies at age 50. [1] April 18 Theo Mann actress (Pink Bernd, Hedda Gabler), dies at age 88. [1] April 21 Herman Finck composer, dies at age 66. [1] April 24 John Foulds composer, dies at age 58. [1] May 1 Wilhelm Normann German chemist (harden van oliën), dies. [1] May 3 [Karl Eduard] Wilhelm Groener German general, dies at age 71. [1] May 20 Joe Carr NFL hall of famer/NFL president (1921-39), dies at age 59. [1] May 22 Ernst Toller writer, dies at age 45. [1] Willem de Mérode poet (Precious Blood), dies at age 51. [1] May 26 Charles H Mayo US surgeon/co-founder (Mayo Clinic), dies at age 74. [1] Cornelis J Cutters supreme commander of Navy (1910-18), dies. [1] May 27 Joseph Roth Austria, journalist (Fluctuate ohne Ende), dies at age 44. [1] June 19 Grace Abbott social worker (US Children Bureau), dies at age 60. [1] July 7 James Deacon White ball player jumped teams in 1876 (Chicago), dies at age 91. [1] September 6 Arthur Racham artist, dies at age 71. [1] September 21 (1330 hours) In Bucharest, Rumania, six Iron Guards assassinate Prime Minister Armand Calinescu. This is intended as a prelude to a Nazi uprising, but is quickly stopped by police. Nine men are captured and executed before midnight. [10] September 23 Sigmund Freud created psychoanalysis, dies at age 83. [1] November 26 James Naismith Basketball inventor, dies. [1] November 28 James A Naismith creator of basketball, dies at age 78. [1] December 1 Max Fiedler composer, dies at age 79. [1] December 8 Ernest Schelling composer, dies at age 63. [1] December 10 Wilhelm Grosz composer, dies at age 45. [1] December 12 Douglas Fairbanks actor (Zorro, Three Musketeers, Robin Hood), dies at age 56. [1] December 14 Helene Kröller-Müller Dutch museum founder, dies at age 70. [1] December 15 Tom McKibbin cricketer (5 Tests for Australia 1895-1898, 17 wickets), dies. [1] December 18 Matthew Brown Journalist, dies at age 51. [1] December 19 Eric Fogg composer, dies at age 36. [1] Karl Wagenfeld Low German writer (Lucifer, Death and Devil), dies at age 70. [1] Willem Benoy Flemish actor/director (The White), dies at age 57. [1] December 20 Hans Langsdorff, German captain (Admiral Graf Spee), commits suicide. [1] [10] December 22 Ma Rainey "Mother of the Blues", US blues singer/composer, dies at age 53. [1] December 23 Anthony H G Fokker Dutch airplane builder (Spider), dies at age 49. [1]