October 1977

Saturday 01:

Brazilian soccer star Pelé retires.

Friday 07:

The adoption of the Fourth Soviet Constitution.

Thursday 13:

Four Palestinians hijack a Lufthansa Airlines flight to Somalia and demand release of 11 members of the Red Army Faction.

Tuesday 18:

German Autumn: a set of events revolving around the kidnapping of Hanns-Martin Schleyer and the hijacking of a Lufthansa flight by the Red Army Faction (RAF) comes to an end when Schleyer is executed and various RAF members commit suicide. The German government states that it would never again negotiate with terrorists.

Thursday 20:

A plane carrying Lynyrd Skynyrd crashes in Mississippi, killing several band members, including lead singer Ronnie Van Zant and guitarist Steve Gaines.

Friday 21:

The European Patent Institute is founded