1939

1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday in the Gregorian calendar.  World War II started in this year.

 Events 
 May 15 – Nazi Germany opens Ravensbruück concentration camp, the largest Nazi concentration camp for women
 September 1 – The Second World War begins when Nazi Germany invades Poland
 September 17 – The Soviet Union invades Poland
 October 6 – Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union divide and take over Poland
 November 30 – The Winter War begins

 Births 
 February 6 – Mike Farrell
 February 14 – John Conn (Scottish-Australian writer)
 March 13 - Neil Sedaka, American singer-songwriter and musician (The Tokens)
 April 2 – Marvin Gaye
 July 1 - Karen Black (d. 2013)
 July 30 - Peter Bogdanovich
 August 3 – Wes Craven
 August 19 - Ginger Baker, English drummer (Cream) (d. 2019)
 September 5 – George Lazenby
 September 18 – Frankie Avalon
 October 27 – John Cleese
 November 13 – Will Ryan (American actor)

 Deaths 
 September - Khan Sahib Abdul Majid Khan Tarin, OBE,  British Indian judge and legislator (b. 1877)
 November 12 -Norman Bethune

 Movies released 
 Dodge City starring Errol Flynn
 Gone with the Wind starring Clark Gable
 Goodbye, Mr. Chips (Best Picture Academy Award)
 The Hunchback of Notre Dame starring Charles Laughton
 The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex
 Stagecoach starring John Wayne
 The Wizard of Oz starring Judy Garland

 New books 
 Finnegans Wake by James Joyce

 Hit songs 
 "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" – by E.Y. Harburg and Harold Arlen, from the movieThe Wizard of Oz; won the Academy Award for the best song.
 "If I Didn't Care - by The Ink Spots


nv:1901 – 1950