- 325 20 May Roman emperor Constantine calls the Council of Nicaea, the first ecumenical Christian council.
- 1940 20 May A concentration camp is established at Auschwitz, Poland, under SS commandant Rudolf Hoess.
- 2002 20 May East Timor gains its independence from Indonesia, becoming the first new country of the 21st century.
World War One Centenary
- Find out more about how the BBC is covering the World War One Centenary, and see the latest programmes and online content
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