On This Day for 10/3 - John Heisman and St. Francis of Assisi die, Germany is reunified, and more

Don't miss an issue of On This Day! Simply add [customerservice@eb.com]( to your address book. On This Day October 3 Discover the Fastest Route to Britannica - [EB.com]( Biography of the Day [St. Francis of Assisi with another Franciscan friar, painting by the Master of Hoogstraten.]( [Saint Francis of Assisi]( [St. Francis of Assisi]( who died this day in 1226, founded the [Franciscan]( order and stressed the need to imitate the life of [Jesus]( drawing followers with his evangelical zeal, consecration to poverty, charity, and charisma. Who else was born today? Find out with the newest version of [our best-selling software! >>]( On This Day [The Brandenburg Gate, Berlin.]( 1990: Germany reunified After four decades of [Cold War]( division and with pressure from the German chancellor [Helmut Kohl]( Soviet leader [Mikhail Gorbachev]( agreed to a unified [Germany]( within [NATO]( leading to Germany's reunification this day in 1990. Explore more key moments in history for just $39.95 [Learn more >>]( [Sign up now]( for our monthly newsletter, showcasing articles hand-picked by our editors! More Events On This Day 2004: American actress [Janet Leigh]( was best remembered for her performance in [Alfred Hitchcock]( [Psycho]( (1960), in which her character suffered one of cinema's most memorable and shocking deaths—died at the age of 77. 1995: One of the most sensational trials in U.S. history ended as a jury found [O.J. Simpson]( not guilty of murdering his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman. 1969: [Gwen Stefani]( singer and songwriter [Gwen Stefani]( who came to fame in the 1990s as the lead singer for the [rock]( band No Doubt before starting a solo career, was born. 1960: [Ron Howard, Frances Bavier, and Andy Griffith in a scene from The Andy Griffith Show]( Andy Griffith Show]( debuted on American television and was an immediate success. 1952: The first British [atomic weapons]( test, called Hurricane, was successfully conducted aboard the frigate HMS Plym. 1945: [the U.S. Capitol building]( May-Johnson bill, keeping the [atomic bomb]( a secret and establishing security regulations, was introduced into the U.S. Congress. 1936: American collegiate [gridiron football]( coach [John Heisman]( who was considered one of the greatest innovators of the game, died. 1935: [Emilio De Bono]( forces led by [Emilio De Bono]( under orders from [Benito Mussolini]( [invaded Abyssinia]( (Ethiopia) in hopes of building a “new Roman Empire.” 1918: [Maximilian]( [Maximilian]( of Baden, internationally known for his moderation and honourability, was appointed chancellor of Germany. 1889: [Carl von Ossietzky, 1935.]( journalist and [pacifist]( [Carl von Ossietzky]( recipient of the [Nobel Prize]( for Peace in 1935, was born in Hamburg, Germany. 1866: [Napoleon III]( the mediation of [Napoleon III]( Italy obtained [Venetia]( in the Treaty of Vienna. 1862: [Battle of Corinth, Mississippi, October 3-4, 1862; colour lithograph.]( [Battle of Corinth]( an [American Civil War]( conflict that ended in a decisive Union victory over Confederate forces in northeastern Mississippi, began. A Great Gift Idea from The Britannica Store [1768 Encyclopaedia Britannica Replica Set]( The handsome three-volume reproduction is so beautifully executed that it's almost indistinguishable from the 1768 original, right down to the natural age spots and watermarks on the pages. A must-have for collectors of history or vintage books, the set lends an unmistakable air of prestige to any home or office. [Get yours today]( Our Best-Selling Software! the world's most trusted and authoritative information for [only $39.95](. Britannica on Facebook a fan]( on Facebook and get updated Britannica content in your news feed! Britannica on Twitter @Britannica]( and enjoy daily tweets relating to the news stories of the day! [Home]( [Advocacy for Animals]( [Newsletters]( [Feedback]( [Help]( Please note that if you do not open or click on any On This Day email during any consecutive 14-day period, we reserve the right to remove your address from the active mailing list. This policy does not apply to RSS feeds. Share: Was this message forwarded to you? [Click here]( and we'll start sending you the On This Day newsletters. This message has been sent to {EMAIL}. To unsubscribe [click here](. To unsubscribe by postal mail, send your request to: Encyclopaedia Britannica 325 N. LaSalle St. - Suite 200 Chicago, IL 60654 US ATTN: Customer Service - On This Day © 2017 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. [Privacy Policy]( — [Help](