November 20/history

[more] What else happened today

1787 — Johann Nikolaus von Dreyse was born in Sömmerda. He would go on to invent the "Needle gun" in 1836, which was eventually adopted by the Prussian army for service in 1841 as the Dreyse Zündnadelgewehr, or Prussian Model 1849. 1943 — Swiss target shooter and Olympic medalist Emil Kellenberger passed away in Walzenhausen, Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Switzerland at the age of 79. 2007 — The U.S. Supreme Court agrees to hear the case of District of Columbia v. Heller, after both the defendants and the plaintiffs petitioned the Court to hear the case.