World Events in 1937
Hindenburg Disaster
On 6 May, the German airship Hindenburg burst into flames while attempting to dock at Lakehurst, New Jersey, killing 36 people. Radio reporter Herbert Morrison's anguished cry of 'Oh, the humanity!' became one of the most famous broadcasts in history, and the disaster effectively ended the era of passenger airships.
Bombing of Guernica
On 26 April, German and Italian warplanes supporting Franco's forces bombed the Basque town of Guernica, killing hundreds of civilians. The attack, one of the first deliberate terror bombings of civilians, inspired Pablo Picasso's monumental anti-war painting.
Japan Invades China — Second Sino-Japanese War
In July, a clash at the Marco Polo Bridge near Beijing escalated into full-scale war between Japan and China. The conflict included the horrific Nanjing Massacre in December, in which Japanese troops killed an estimated 200,000-300,000 Chinese civilians.
Coronation of King George VI
On 12 May, George VI was crowned at Westminster Abbey, the first coronation to be covered by BBC television cameras. The new King, who had never expected to reign, faced the task of restoring public confidence in the monarchy after the abdication crisis.
Amelia Earhart Disappears
On 2 July, Amelia Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan vanished over the central Pacific Ocean while attempting to circumnavigate the globe. Despite an extensive search by the US Navy, no trace of them or their aircraft was found. The mystery remains unsolved.
Music in 1937
"The Coronation Waltz"
Mantovani and His Orchestra
Mantovani's sweeping orchestral piece capitalised on the coronation fever surrounding George VI's crowning. It became one of the most popular recordings in Britain that year.
"Whistle While You Work"
From Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Disney's first feature-length animated film produced several hit songs, with this cheerful work tune becoming one of the most popular of 1937. The film's soundtrack album was also the first commercially released film soundtrack in history.
#1 Film of 1937
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Box Office: $8 million (initial release)
Walt Disney's first feature-length animated film, nicknamed 'Disney's Folly' during production, became the highest-grossing sound film up to that point. It proved animation could sustain a full narrative and established Disney as a major studio.
Born in 1937
Jack Nicholson
Actor — One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, The Shining, As Good as It Gets; three Oscars
Morgan Freeman
Actor — The Shawshank Redemption, Million Dollar Baby; Oscar winner
Saddam Hussein
President of Iraq (1979-2003); overthrown in the 2003 US invasion
Valentina Tereshkova
Soviet cosmonaut — first woman in space (1963)
Tom Stoppard
Playwright — Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, Arcadia
Lost in 1937
George Gershwin
Composer — Rhapsody in Blue, Porgy and Bess, An American in Paris
Age 38
Guglielmo Marconi
Pioneer of radio communication; Nobel Prize in Physics 1909
Age 63
Jean Harlow
Hollywood actress — the original 'Blonde Bombshell' of 1930s cinema
Age 26
H. P. Lovecraft
Author of cosmic horror fiction — The Call of Cthulhu, At the Mountains of Madness
Age 46
Technology in 1937
The jet engine age began with Frank Whittle's first successful test run. Television was becoming a reality in Britain, with the BBC covering the coronation. The Golden Gate Bridge opened, and commercial pressurised aircraft cabins were being developed. Nylon was patented by DuPont.
- ● Frank Whittle successfully tests the first jet engine at Rugby, England
- ● The Golden Gate Bridge opens in San Francisco after four years of construction
- ● DuPont patents nylon, the first fully synthetic commercial fibre
- ● The BBC televises the coronation procession of King George VI
Cost of Living in 1937
| Item | UK | US |
|---|---|---|
| Average house price | £560 | $4,200 |
| Average salary | £195 | $1,268 |
| Pint of milk | 2d | $0.06 |
| Loaf of bread | 4d | $0.09 |
| Dozen eggs | 1s | $0.34 |
| Pint of beer | 5d | $0.15 |
| Cinema ticket | 7d | $0.25 |
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The Zeitgeist of 1937
A sense of gathering storm pervaded 1937: Japan's invasion of China, the bombing of Guernica, and the Hindenburg disaster all pointed toward a darker future. Yet everyday life carried on — swing music filled dance halls, the BBC televised the coronation of George VI, and Disney's Snow White proved animation could be high art. The economy showed fragile recovery before a sharp recession hit late in the year.
In the News in 1937
The Hindenburg airship exploded in New Jersey. Japan invaded China. Guernica was bombed by the German Luftwaffe. Amelia Earhart disappeared over the Pacific.