1600s
CountryYearDays of mourningReasonNotes
Portugal16492Death of Duarte de Bragança, senhor de Vila do Conde
Portugal165330Death of Teodósio, Prince of Brazil
Portugal1656/8730Death of King John IV of Portugal2 years of mourning (1 year full mourning, 1 year half mourning).
Portugal1666/8730Death of Queen-consort Luisa de Guzmán2 years of mourning (1 year full mourning, 1 year half mourning).
Portugal1690/1365Death of Isabel Luísa, Princess of BeiraOne year of mourning (6 months full mourning, 6 months half mourning).
1700s
CountryYearDays of mourningReasonNotes
Portugal1706365Death of Catherine of Braganza, Queen-consort of England, Scotland and Ireland and Infanta of Portugal
Portugal1706/8730Death of King Peter II of Portugal2 years of mourning (1 year full mourning, 1 year half mourning).
Portugal1750/2730Death of King John V of Portugal2 years of mourning (1 year full mourning, 1 year half mourning).
Portugal1754/5180Death of Queen-consort Maria Anna of Austria
Portugal1777/8365Death of King Joseph I of Portugal1 year of mourning (6 months full mourning, 6 months half mourning).
Portugal1781180Death of Queen-consort Mariana Victoria of Spain6 months of mourning (3 months full mourning, 3 months half mourning).
Portugal1786/7365Death of King-consort Peter III of PortugalOne year of mourning (6 months full mourning, 6 months half mourning).
Portugal1788/9180Death of José, Prince of Brazil
1800s
CountryYearDays of mourningReasonNotes
Portugal1816/7365Death of Queen Maria I of PortugalOne year of mourning (6 months full mourning, 6 months half mourning).
Portugal1826/7365Death of King John VI of Portugal
Portugal1830180Death of Queen-consort Carlota Joaquina of Spain
Portugal1834/5180Death of King Peter IV of Portugal
Portugal1853/4180Death of Queen Maria II of Portugal6 months of mourning (3 months full mourning, 3 months half mourning).
Portugal1861/2180Death of King Peter V of Portugal6 months of mourning (3 months full mourning, 3 months half mourning).
United States18651Assassination of U.S. President Abraham LincolnA National Day of Mourning was held on June 1.
United States18811Death of U.S. President James A. Garfield
German Empire1888At least 1Death of German Emperor William I
Portugal1889/9090Death of King Luís I of Portugal3 months of mourning (1,5 month full mourning, 1,5 month half mourning).
Netherlands18901Death of King William III
1900s
CountryYearDays of mourningReasonNotes
United Kingdom190111Death of Queen Victoria
United States19011Assassination of U.S. President William McKinley
Portugal1908120Victims of the Lisbon Regicide4 months of mourning (2 months full mourning, 2 months half mourning).
1910s
CountryYearDays of mourningReasonNotes
Portugal191030Death of British King Edward VII15 days full mourning, 15 days half mourning.
1920s
CountryYearDays of mourningReasonNotes
Weimar Republic1922At least 1Assassination of German Foreign Minister Walther Rathenau
United States19231Death of U.S. President Warren G. Harding
Portugal19231Death of Guerra Junqueiro
Soviet Union19241Death of Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin
Portugal19241Death of Teófilo Braga
Second Polish Republic1924At least 1Death of former U.S. President Woodrow WilsonWilson called for an independent Polish state in his 1918 Fourteen Points statement.
Portugal19241Death of Sacadura Cabral
Weimar Republic1925At least 5Death of President Friedrich Ebert
Portugal19251Death of João Chagas
Weimar Republic1929At least 1Death of German Foreign Minister Gustav Stresemann
1930s
CountryYearDays of mourningReasonNotes
Netherlands19341Death of former Queen consort Emma
Second Polish Republic19341Assassination of Interior Minister Bronisław PierackiPublic shows, concerts, and games were suspended.
Netherlands19341Death of Duke Henry, prince consort
Nazi Germany1934At least 5Death of President Paul von Hindenburg
Kingdom of Yugoslavia1934180Assassination of King Alexander I of YugoslaviaThe general folk mourning lasted six months, the deepest until October 25, and the deep until November 21. A number of cultural and musical events were canceled as a sign of respect.
Second Polish Republic19353Death of Polish statesman Józef PiłsudskiPublic shows, concerts, and games were suspended.
United Kingdom19368Death of King George V
Czechoslovakia19377Death of former President Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk
Second Polish Republic1938At least 1Death of Armenian Catholic Archbishop of Lviv Józef Teodorowicz
Holy See19399Death of Pope Pius XI
Kingdom of Italy1On February 14, the day of the Pope's funeral declared a day of national mourning and a day off from work. Flags lowered to mid-mast on all government and public buildings. Schools, offices and theaters were closed.
IrelandThe Irish flag was flown at half-mast over government buildings, on other public buildings in the capital and throughout the country. Theatres were closed, dance postponet and cinemas shut down as a mark of respect.
1940s
CountryYearDays of mourningReasonNotes
Nazi Germany19433Collapse of the Battle of StalingradA period of three days’ national mourning was ordered, with places of entertainment closed and all wireless stations playing solemn music, yet the newspapers were forbidden black margins and no flags were to be flown at half mast.[page needed]
Polish government-in-exile194326Death of Polish Prime Minister-in-Exile Władysław SikorskiIt was the longest period of mourning in Poland's history.
Iran19441Death of former Shah of Iran Reza ShahJuly 31 declared a day of national mourning. All government and business offices closed.
Polish government-in-exile194415Collapse of the Warsaw Uprising
Mexico19453Death of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt
United States1April 14, the day of the president's funeral was a day of national mourning. Offices, theaters, cinemas, bars were closed and sporting events and concerts were canceled.
Portugal19453Death of Chancellor of Nazi Germany Adolf HitlerPortugal was the only country to declare national mourning for Hitler's death.
Kingdom of Greece194790Death of King George II of Greece
India194813Assassination of Mahatma GandhiEntertainment events canceled. Theaters, entertainment venues and bars were closed. Schools and public offices were closed on the day of the funeral.
Kingdom of Greece19495Death of Prime Minister of Greece Themistoklis Sofoulis
1950s
CountryYearDays of mourningReasonNotes
China19501Death of Secretary General of the Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party Ren BishiThe then Funeral Committee recommended that entertainment activities be stopped on the day of the memorial service on October 30 and the flag be lowered to half mast.
Portugal195115Death of President Óscar CarmonaNational mourning lasted from April 18 to May 2.
Portugal19511Death of former Queen-consort Amélie of Orléans
United Kingdom19529Death of King George VIAs the news of the King's death spread, all cinemas and theatres closed, and BBC programmes were cancelled except for news bulletins. Flags in every town were at half-mast, and sports fixtures were cancelled.
Australia1
CanadaFebruary 15 is the day of the official national mourning.
Costa Rica
India
New Zealand
Argentina195230Death of First Ladies Argentina Eva PerónMany theaters, cinemas, restaurants, and businesses were closed for days.
Netherlands19531Victims of the North Sea flood of 1953 (watersnoodramp)
Soviet Union19534Death of Soviet leader Joseph StalinThe television broadcast a program commemorating the deceased leader, and the radio broadcast the music of mourning. Theaters, cinemas and entertainment venues were closed, concerts and sports games were cancelled.
RomaniaTheaters, cinemas and entertainment venues closed.
BulgariaTheaters, cinemas and entertainment venues closed.
China3
Poland1Entertainment venues were closed.
CzechoslovakiaTheaters, cinemas and entertainment venues closed.
HungaryTheaters, cinemas and entertainment venues closed.
East Germany
Czechoslovakia19535Death of President Klement GottwaldTheater performances cancelled, entertainment venues closed, mourning music was played by radio stations.
Costa Rica1954At least 1Death of former President Julio Acosta García
Brazil19548Death of President Getúlio Vargas
Bolivia3National mourning on August 25–27. Flags lowered half-mast.
Kingdom of Greece19555Death of Prime Minister of Greece Alexandros Papagos
Poland19564Death of former President Bolesław BierutTheaters, cinemas and entertainment venues closed, radio stations played classical music.
Belgium19561Victims of the Marcinelle mining disaster
Philippines195730Death of President Philippines Ramon Magsaysay
Czechoslovakia19575Death of President Antonín Zápotocký
Spain195810Death of Pope Pius XII
Holy See9
Italy3Schools and places of entertainment were closed.
Cuba
Costa Rica19591Death of Rubén Odio Herrera
1960s
CountryYearDays of mourningReasonNotes
East Germany19603Death of President of East Germany Wilhelm Pieck
Netherlands19621Death of former Queen WilhelminaIt was decided that the flags should be hung in half mast, that theater and cinema performances and sports competitions should be canceled, that in public places music should only be heard softly and that it should come from one of the Dutch radio or television channels.
Costa Rica19621Death of Alfredo González Flores
Cuba19633Death of President Israel Yitzhak Ben-Zvi
Republic of the Congo
IsraelAt least 2Entertainment venues closed, cultural and entertainment events canceled. The radio played quiet and mournful music.
Argentina124 February day of national mourning.
Spain196310Death of Pope John XXIII
Holy See9
Philippines
Italy3Schools and places of entertainment were closed.
Paraguay
Guatemala
Republic of the Congo1
Cuba19633Victims of Hurricane Flora
Liberia196330Assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy
Argentina8
Ecuador
Nicaragua
Algeria7
Dahomey
Costa Rica5
San Marino3Public offices and schools were closed.
Kingdom of GreeceFlags on public buildings and ships will be flown at half-mast. The national mourning will end on the evening of 25 November. Following another decision by the Prime Minister, public offices, banks, the stock exchange, and other state offices have remained closed as of 11:00 hours this morning.
IsraelFrom all governmental buildings on all levels–national and local–flags flew at half-mast. The entertainment venues have closed.
PhilippinesDuring this period, flags of all government buildings and installations throughout the Philippines shall be flown at half-mast.
Indonesia
Brazil
Colombia
El Salvador
Venezuela
Honduras
Guatemala
Dominican Republic
MexicoAll kinds of entertainment and social functions have been suspended, witch the national flag at half-mast during the 23rd, 24th and 25 November of this month.
Gabon
MaliAt least 1
United States1Federal agencies and departments were closed. Following the official announcement of President Kennedy's death, all three commercial networks suspended their regular programming and commercials for the first time in the short history of television and ran coverage on a non-stop basis for four days. Many schools, offices, place of entertainment, stores, and factories in the US have closed. The ones that were open scheduled a minute of silence.
NetherlandsThe flag was hung in half mast on government buildings. Municipalities and provinces were called to do the same and to give up "public entertainment" and music in the streets.
IrelandBusinesses, shops and schools were closed.
Peru
Paraguay
Uruguay
MoroccoFlags are at half-mast on all public buildings, and artistic or cultural performances scheduled for today have been postponed. Cinemas and cabarets are also closed today.
Congo
Ivory Coast
Togo
Thailand196321Death of Prime Minister Thailand Sarit Thanarat
Kingdom of Greece196490Death of Paul of Greece
Bulgaria19643Death of head of state and chairman of the presidium of the national assembly of Bulgaria Dimitar Ganev
India196412Death of Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru
Egypt7
Uganda1
Poland19644Death of Polish head of state Aleksander Zawadzki
Philippines1964At least 1Death of Eulogio Rodriguez
United Kingdom19653Death of former Prime Minister Winston ChurchillAs of 2020, this was the last time official mourning was declared in the UK.
Brazil
UruguayAt least 1
Romania19655Death of General Secretary of the Romanian Communist Party and President of the State Council Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej
Costa Rica1967At least 1Victims of the Tragedy in Choluteca
West Germany19673Death of former Chancellor of Germany Konrad Adenauer
Belgium19671Victims of the L'Innovation Department Store fire
Cuba19673Death of Che Guevara
Soviet Union19681Death of Soviet cosmonaut Yuri GagarinThis was the 1st time in Soviet history that a day of mourning was declared for someone who was not a head of state.
United States19681Assassination of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.
United States19681Assassination of U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy
Israel19692Death of Prime Minister Levi EshkolFlags across the country were brought to half mast and all places of entertainment were closed.
United States19691Death of former U.S. President Dwight D. EisenhowerFederal agencies and departments were closed.
Republic of the Congo (Léopoldville)19691Death of former President Democratic Republic of the Congo Joseph Kasa-VubuThe day of the funeral was a day of national mourning. Cinemas, shops, restaurants, factories and offices were closed.
India196913Death of President India Zakir Husain
Kenya19697Assassination of Minister of Justice Tom Mboya
Vietnam19698Death of Vietnam leader Ho Chi Minh
1970s
CountryYearDays of mourningReasonNotes
Portugal19704Death of Dictator António de Oliveira SalazarThe national mourning days were from 27 to 30 July. Closing all public institutions on the day of the funeral, except for services which, by their nature, cannot be interrupted and suspension of public screening on the date of publication of this decree and on the day of the funeral.
Egypt197040Death of President Egypt Gamal Abdel NasserWhen the news of President Nasser's death came, all TV and radio stations interrupted their programming and broadcast Koran recitations and mourning songs. Theaters, cinemas, shops, schools and offices closed until the funeral on October 1.
India3
Cuba
AlgeriaAt least 3
East Germany1October 1 was the day of national mourning.
Yugoslavia
France19701Death of former President of France Charles de GaulleAs part of the national mourning, radio and television stations abandoned their regular programs in favor of those with a solemn cast. On Thursday, the day of the funeral, cinemas, theaters, schools and public offices were closed.
Philippines197130Death of former President Carlos P. Garcia
Guinea19723Death of former President of Ghana Kwame Nkrumah
Nicaragua19723Victims of the 1972 Nicaragua earthquake
Costa RicaAt least 1
United States19721Death of former U.S. President Harry S. TrumanFederal agencies and departments were closed.
United States19731Death of former U.S. President Lyndon B. JohnsonFederal agencies and departments were closed.
East Germany19731Death of Chairman of the State Council Walter Ulbricht
North Vietnam19731Death of President Chile Salvador AllendeChilean President Allende was killed in a coup d'état. The day was declared a national day of mourning, and all entertainments were stopped.
Ethiopia19731Death of Abebe Bikila
Spain19733Assassination of Prime Minister Spain Luis Carrero BlancoAll public buildings are closed.
France19741Death of President of France Georges PompidouOn Saturday, April 6, it was a day of national mourning. On this day, theaters, cinemas, concert halls and schools were closed.
Argentina19743Death of President Argentina Juan Perón
Spain
Yugoslavia19741Victims of the Zagreb train disaster
Ireland19741Death of President Ireland Erskine Hamilton ChildersThursday, November 21, is the official day of national mourning.
Taiwan197530Death of President Taiwan Chiang Kai-shekAll entertainment venues and clubs have closed.
Ireland19751Death of former Taoiseach and President Ireland Éamon de ValeraNormal programs were canceled in favor of somber funeral music and programs relating to Mr. de Valera's life. Irish television also carried special programs.
Spain197520Death Caudillo of Spain Francisco FrancoFlags went to half staff on public buildings, radio and television stations broadcast religious or classical music and all theaters closed until Monday.
Cuba3The revolutionary government of Cuba ordered official mourning for three days. Since Thursday, flags have flown with half of the staff across Cuba.
China19767Death of Premier of the People's Republic of China Zhou EnlaiAll entertainment and music activities are suspended and theaters are closed.
North Korea19769Death of Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party Mao ZedongAll entertainment, music and dancing are forbidden. Theaters and other venues are closed.
Sri Lanka
Tanzania
Sierra Leone
China7All entertainment and music activities are suspended and theaters are closed.
Cambodia
Pakistan
Albania3
Venezuela
Republic of the Congo1September 13 was declared a day of national mourning.
RomaniaSeptember 18, the day of the funeral – the day of national mourning.
Jordan19777Death of Queen Alia of Jordan
India197713Death of President India Fakhruddin Ali AhmedSchools and offices closed.
Cyprus19773Death of President Cyprus and Archbishop of Cyprus Makarios III
Portugal19773Victims of the crash of TAP Air Portugal Flight 425
Kuwait197840Death of Emir Sabah Al-Salim Al-Sabah
Holy See19789Death of Pope Paul VI
Syria
Egypt7
Spain4
Brazil3
Italy
Philippines127 November day of mourning
Kenya197830Death of President Kenya Jomo Kenyatta
Holy See19789Death of Pope John Paul I
Spain3
Zaire
Lebanon
Algeria197840Death of President Algeria Houari BoumédièneRadio stations began to play mourning songs at the time of the president's death.
Costa Rica1979At least 1Death of former Vice President Raúl Blanco Cervantes
Mauritania197940Death of Prime Minister Ahmed Ould Bouceif in a plane crash
Angola197945Death of first President Angola Agostinho NetoThe Angolan government has called for a 45-day period of mourning for its lost leader, during which all festivals, cultural events and sports are to be banned.
Czechoslovakia19793Death of Former President Ludvík Svoboda
1980s
CountryYearDays of mourningReasonNotes
Portugal19803Victims of 1980 Azores Islands earthquake
Yugoslavia19807Death of President of Yugoslavia Josip Broz TitoSports competitions, concerts were canceled, theaters, cinemas, places of entertainment and clubs were closed, television broadcast programs commemorating the deceased leader and the radio played funeral music
North Korea
Egypt
Algeria
Tanzania
Burma
Norway5
Pakistan4The Pakistani government announced a nationwide mourning from May 5 to 8. All flags were lowered half-mast due to the death of Comrade Tito. Radio and TV stations only broadcast classical and spiritual music.
CyprusFlags on government buildings and many homes have been lowered to mid-mast, and classical music is broadcast by radio stations. President Tito's funeral day was a day of general mourning, and no work was done on that day in Cyprus.
Ghana
Jordan3
India
Iraq
Cuba
Guinea
ZambiaAt least 3Zambia's President Kenneth Kaunda announced a national mourning for several days after President Tito's death. During the mourning, all cultural and entertainment events were suspended, and only classical and spiritual music was broadcast on radio and television stations. The national flag of Zambia was lowered to half mast across the country.
Angola2In Angola, a two-day national mourning was announced after the death of President Tito. Across the country, flags were lowered to mid-mast, and all cultural, sporting and other entertainment events were canceled.
Costa RicaAt least 1
Sri Lanka
Portugal19805Death of Prime Minister Francisco de Sá Carneiro and Minister Adelino Amaro da CostaOn December 6, all public establishments were closed, except for services which, due to their nature, must continue to operate.
Ecuador19818Death of President Jaime Roldós AguileraPresident killed of plane crash. Television and radio stations suspended regular programs and appealed to Ecuadoreans to remain calm, stay in hour homes during this difficult hour of testing for our nation.
Costa RicaAt least 1
Poland19814Death of Primate of Poland Stefan WyszyńskiThe Government declared a period of national mourning through Saturday, with flags at half-staff, theaters and movie houses closed, and subdued programming on radio and television.
Bangladesh198140Assassination of President Bangladesh Ziaur Rahman
China19811Death of Soong Ching-lingOn the day of the funeral ceremony, which took place on June 3, the national flag was abandoned to mourning, and entertainment activities were suspended for one day.
Iran19815Victims of the 1981 Iranian Prime Minister's office bombingPresident of Iran Mohammad-Ali Rajai, Prime Minister of Iran Mohammad-Javad Bahonar and other killed of bombing. Afterwards, the interim presidential council announced five national days of mourning.
Egypt198140Assassination of President Anwar Sadat
Portugal3
Costa RicaAt least 1
Egypt198214Death of King Khalid of Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia3Shops and offices closed for three days of mourning.
Syria19827Death of Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev
Soviet Union5All sporting events have been canceled through Monday, when the mourning period ends. Schools will be closed on the day of the funeral and artillery salvoes are to be fired here and in other major cities. The television broadcast a program commemorating the deceased leader, and the radio broadcast the music of mourning.
North Korea4
Laos
India3
Vietnam
People's Republic of Kampuchea
Afghanistan
Czechoslovakia1
United States19831Victims of the shootdown of Korean Air Lines Flight 007 over the Sea of Japan
Costa Rica
Costa Rica1983At least 1Death of Lic Raúl Hess Estrada
Costa Rica1983At least 1Death of former King Leopold III of Belgium
Cuba19835Cuban victims of United States invasion of Grenada
Syria19847Death of Soviet leader Yuri Andropov
Soviet Union4Theaters, cinemas and entertainment venues were closed. Schools were closed on the day of the funeral
Bulgaria2
North Korea
Zimbabwe
Costa Rica1
Czechoslovakia
Guinea198440Death of President Ahmed Sékou Touré
India198413Assassination of Prime Minister Indira GandhiNational mourning from October 31 to November 11. In times of mourning, flags were flown at half-mast on all government, state, and public buildings, and all entertainment and cultural events were canceled. Public offices have been closed.
Pakistan3
Bulgaria1
Soviet Union19853Death of Soviet leader Konstantin ChernenkoMonday, Tuesday and Wednesday were declared official days of mourning for the dead leader, entertainment venues and theaters closed, with all elementary and secondary schools closed on Wednesday, the day of the funeral.
India
Iraq
Syria
East Germany1
Czechoslovakia
Albania19857Death of Albanian leader Enver HoxhaCinemas, theaters and places of entertainment were closed, the radio was playing funeral music.
Brazil19858Death of President-elect of Brazil Tancredo Neves
Guyana198514Death of President Guyana Forbes BurnhamAll government functions will be canceled. Many stores, restaurants and theaters have remained closed since government radio announced Burnhan's death.
Portugal19853Victims of Moimenta-Alcafache train crash
Cuba19863Assassination of Prime Minister of Sweden Olof Palme
Nicaragua
Sweden2The day after the murder on March 1 and the funeral day on March 15 are days of unofficial mourning, but these days, flags flew at half staff around the country, church bells pealed, theatres canceled performances and television and radio statiaons recast their programs.
India1
Vietnam19865Death of General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Lê Duẩn
Mozambique198660Victims of the 1986 Mozambican Tupolev Tu-134 crashNine passengers and one crew member survived the crash, but President Samora Machel and 33 others died, including ministers and officials of the Mozambican government.
Nicaragua3
Portugal
Philippines198710Death of Senator Jose Diokno
United States19871Victims of the USS Stark incident
India19874Death of former Prime Minister Choudhary Charan Singh
Philippines198712Assassination of Jaime Ferrer
Taiwan198830Death of President Taiwan Chiang Ching-kuoAll entertainment venues and clubs have closed.
Pakistan198810Death of President Pakistan Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq
Egypt7
Cuba3National mourning on August 19–21.
Soviet Union19881Victims of the 1988 Armenian earthquakeThis was the 1st time in Soviet history that a day of mourning was declared for a disaster.
