On 29 July 1948, the day of the opening ceremony of the London Olympics, the neurologist Ludwig Guttmann organised an archery competition for 16 wheelchair-using patients, former servicemen and women with spinal injuries, on the lawn of the Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Buckinghamshire. Guttmann, a German-Jewish refugee who treated them there, used sport as part of rehabilitation. The Stoke Mandeville Games grew annually, with international competitors from 1952, and led to the first Paralympic Games in Rome in September 1960, with 400 athletes from 23 countries. The Paralympics now have more than 4,000 athletes.
Before and after
- from 23 June 1948 to 12 May 1949Berlin Blockade
- 5 July 1948The National Health Service begins in Britain
- 8 July 1948First flight of Ilyushin Il-28
- 26 July 1948Executive Order 9981
- 29 July 1948The Stoke Mandeville Games for disabled athletes
- 23 August 1948Founding of World Council of Churches
- 24 August 1948Birth of Sauli Niinistö
- 7 September 1948Birth of Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan
- from 13 September 1948 to 18 September 1948Operation Polo
More in Society, economy & sport
- 22 March 1945Founding of Arab League
- 27 December 1945Founding of World Bank
- 14 September 1960Founding of Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries
- 8 December 1991Founding of Commonwealth of Independent States
- 1 January 1995Founding of World Trade Organization
- 4 February 2004Founding of Facebook
The era
This moment belongs to the Contemporary world (1945 CE to today), the world since 1945. You can also browse everything in the 20th century.