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Finns: Famous & Historical Trivia

Finns: Famous & Historical Trivia Quizzes

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3 quizzes and 40 trivia questions.
1.
  Finish with the Finnish   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Let's look at some famous Finnish exports who have made a name for themselves.
Average, 10 Qns, George95, Mar 21 17
Average
George95 gold member
1383 plays
2.
  When the Finnish Rule the World    
Match Quiz
 10 Qns
Notable Finns
Here are ten notable Finns who've all made their mark on the world in some way, be it in sports, politics or the arts. Can you match each famous Finn with their chosen profession?
Average, 10 Qns, Kankurette, Dec 07 22
Average
Kankurette gold member
Dec 07 22
149 plays
3.
  Famous Finns    
Multiple Choice
 20 Qns
Some Finns have reached fame, even globally. In this quiz you will go through some of them.
Tough, 20 Qns, bigbro, Nov 21 12
Tough
bigbro
715 plays
trivia question Quick Question
Pertti Karppinen won three Olympic gold medals in rowing from 1976-1984. What kind of business did he start after his sporting career?

From Quiz "Famous Finns"




Related Topics
  Mixed Finland [General] (7 quizzes)

  Finland [Geography] (10 quizzes)


Finns: Famous & Historical Trivia Questions
1. Renny Harlin got his first large assignment in Hollywood as the director of an instalment in what horror franchise?

From Quiz Finish with the Finnish

Answer: Nightmare on Elm Street 4

Harlin worked as a commercial producer, film buyer and wrote his own screenplay before getting his big break. "A Nightmare on Elm Street 4" was released in 1988, and was the highest grossing movie in the series until the 2003 "Freddy vs Jason". Harlin has had successes and flops, most notably the 2009 "Cutthroat Island" which is considered one of the biggest flops in Hollywood history. "Cutthroat Island" was one of five movies in which Harlin was nominated for the satirical Razzie for Worst Director. Harlin is from Riihimäki, a railway town halfway between Helsinki and Tampere.

2. On which team did Saku Koivu play before joining the Montreal Canadiens?

From Quiz Famous Finns

Answer: TPS, Finland

Saku Koivu led TPS to the Finnish Championship in 1995 with Jere Lehtinen (Dallas Stars). In the same year Finland won its first ice hockey World Championship. The leading line of Team Finland was Saku, Jere and Ville Peltonen (former Nashville Predators).

3. Teemu Selanne set a National Hockey League rookie record when he scored 76 goals in his first season playing for what team?

From Quiz Finish with the Finnish

Answer: Winnipeg Jets

Selanne (from Helsinki) played 21 seasons in the NHL and won the Stanley Cup however is notably remembered for his rookie season in Winnipeg during the 1992-93 season. Selanne scored 76 goals and 132 points, and then added four goals and six points in six playoff games. For his work, he won the Calder Trophy as the league's best rookie. Selanne played in ten NHL all star games and won the Maurice Richard Award as well as the league's top goal scorer. Selanne represented Finland at the Olympics four times, winning a silver and three bronze. He was named Finnish ice hockey player of the year ten times as well.

4. Which President of Finland has ruled for the longest period of time?

From Quiz Famous Finns

Answer: Urho Kekkonen

Urho Kekkonen was President of Finland for 26 years from 1956 - 1982. He was elected five times in succession, however Presidents can now only rule for two periods (12 years).

5. How many times did Mika Hakkinen win the Formula 1 driving championship during his career which ended in 2001?

From Quiz Famous Finns

Answer: 2

Mika Hakkinen won two championships in a row (1998 and 1999) with McLaren-Mercedes. Hakkinen finished his career after the 2001 season to concentrate on family life with his wife, Erja, and son, Hugo.

6. Eero Saarinen's architectural career is evident by taking a look at the skyline of which American city?

From Quiz Finish with the Finnish

Answer: St. Louis, Missouri

Saarinen emigrated from his hometown of Kirkkonummi to Michigan with his family at the age of 13 in 1914. After graduating from the Yale School of Architecture, he returned to Michigan to work with his father at the Cranbrook Art Academy. His first success came from chair design where he developed the "tulip", "womb" and "grasshopper" chairs. In 1947, Saarinen designed the Gateway Arch as part of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial. Other buildings designed by Saarinen include the TWA Flight Center at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport, the main terminal at Washington's Dulles International Airport, and the Kresge Auditorium at MIT.

7. Jean Sibelius was a national composer of Finland. Which one of the following compositions was written by him?

From Quiz Famous Finns

Answer: Finlandia

Finlandia is the informal national song of Finland. It is also probably the best known composition of Sibelius.

8. Keke Rosberg, Mika Hakkinen and Kimi Raikkonen are Finnish athletes who won what?

From Quiz Finish with the Finnish

Answer: Formula One Drivers Championship

Rosberg was the first Finn to win the title in 1982, and his son Nico (German-born) also became an F1 champion himself in 2016. Hakkinen won back-to-back F1 crowns in 1998 and 1999 driving for McLaren. Kimi Raikkonen won the 2007 F1 championship in his first season racing for the famed Ferrari team. Keke Rosberg was born in Sweden, but grew up in Oulu. Hakkinen and Raikkonen hail from the Helsinki suburbs of Vantaa and Espoo respectively.

9. Paavo Nurmi (1897-1973) was probably the best long-distance runner in 1920's, at least in Finland. How many world records did he hold?

From Quiz Famous Finns

Answer: 25

He set 25 world records at distances from 1,500 metres to 20,000 metres in a career that lasted at the highest level of athletics for some twelve years.

10. Tarja Halonen became the first female head of state when she was elected Finnish President in what year?

From Quiz Finish with the Finnish

Answer: 2000

Halonen served as a Member of Parliament for 21 years, 17 of which was done while concurrently a member of Helsinki city council. She was born in Kallio, a neighbourhood close to Helsinki's city centre. In office, Halonen saw her approval ratings reach as high as 88% in 2003, and she was re-elected in 2006 for a second term (Finland has six year terms and a two term limit). Halonen was a strong defender of rights for women and the LGBTQ community. At two points during Halonen's tenure, she served alongside female prime ministers: Anneli Jäätteenmäki in 2003 and Mari Kiviniemi from 2010 to 2011.

11. Jari Litmanen was the first Finnish soccer player who reached the top level in Europe. How many goals did he score in the Champions' League in the 1995-1996 season?

From Quiz Famous Finns

Answer: 9

Litmanen was the top scorer in Champions' League in the 1995-1996 season. He scored 9 goals against Ajax Amsterdam, his record, at least to year 2002.

12. Alexi Laiho is considered one of the greatest guitarists of all-time. He plays as well as adds the lead vocals for what Finnish death metal band?

From Quiz Finish with the Finnish

Answer: Children of Bodom

Laiho's band Children of Bodom formed in 1993 with drummer Jaska Raatikainen, keyboardist Janne Wirman, rhythmic guitarist Daniel Freyberg, and bassist Henkka Seppälä. Laiho has received international acclaim for his guitar playing, being listed amongst the 100 Greatest Guitarists of all-time by Guitar World magazine, and ranked number one in a fan vote for the greatest death metal guitarist. ESP Guitars launched the "Alexi Laiho Signature Models" guitar series in 2003. He has the nickname Wild Child, which is also the name of Laiho's clothing line. He is originally from Espoo.

13. Renny Harlin directed the movie 'Driven'. What was the year?

From Quiz Famous Finns

Answer: 2001

'Driven' had its premiere in 2001, starring Sylvester Stallone, Burt Reynolds and Estella Warren.

14. Paavo Nurmi, the "Flying Finn", ran competitively for 14 years but never lost a competitive race at what distance?

From Quiz Finish with the Finnish

Answer: 10,000 meters

Nurmi's records are astonishing. 22 world records, 9 Olympic gold medals and a perfect record in the 17 10,000 meter races he ran through his career. Nurmi also had a perfect 23/23 record in cross country races. It took until 1960 for Nurmi's record Olympic medal count to fall, and until Michael Phelps in 2008 to break Nurmi's 9 golds. Nurmi routinely ran with a stopwatch and was the first to establish a race pace and saving energy for later in races. His career came to an unfortunate end after he was suspended weeks before the 1932 Olympics after his amateur status was questioned. Nurmi lit the Olympic cauldron when Helsinki hosted the 1952 Summer Olympics. Nurmi hailed from Turku.

15. What well-respected award did Karita Mattila win in 1998?

From Quiz Famous Finns

Answer: Grammy

She won the best operatic recording Grammy. She sang on Wagners 'Die Meistersinger Von Nurnberg'. Conductor on recording was Sir Georg Solti (died on 1997). Other leading parts were sung by Ben Heppner and Herbert Lippert.

16. Jean Sibelius is credited with developing Finland's national identity, partially through his collection of symphonies. How many make up this collection?

From Quiz Finish with the Finnish

Answer: 7

Sibelius initially was heading towards a legal career before transitioning to music. He first made a name for himself with the Kullervo Symphony in 1892, one of many works he was inspired to write based on Kalevala, a Finnish folk tale. The first of Sibelius' seven symphonies "Symphony No. 1 in E Minor" was released in 1899, and the seventh in 1924. His poem Finlandia, written in 1900, was a historical depiction of Finnish history and a protest song to the ruling Russian Empire. Despite being a national icon in Finland and with a global following, Siberius went quiet after that for the remaining thirty years of his life. The lull was referred to as "The Silence of Järvenpää". Sibelius was born in Hämeenlinna.

17. Magnus Enckell was a central figure in the Golden Age of Finnish what?

From Quiz Finish with the Finnish

Answer: Art

Enckell's work can be best defined as Post-Impressionist, with emphasis on strong colours. His break from traditional painting at the time attracted like-minded artists, and Enckell formed the Septum group of like-minded painters. Another trend in Enckell's work is that of the human body, displayed in some of his popular paintings such as Boys on the Shore (1910). Enckell painted the tapestry for the Tampere Cathedral in 1907. When Enckell passed in 1925, his funeral was a national event in Finland. He was from Hamina.

18. Jari Kurri is one of the most respected hockey-players ever in the NHL. With Wayne Gretzky they were the most effective pair in the League in the 1980's. Who did he play for during the season 1990-1991?

From Quiz Famous Finns

Answer: Milano, Italy

He played one season in Milan, Italy collecting 27 goals, 48 assists and 6 penalty minutes in 30 games. At the end of the 1990-1991 season he returned to the NHL, making a total of 601 goals and 797 assists in 1251 games during his career.

19. Frans Emil Sillanpää was the first Finnish Nobel Prize Winner in 1939. Another was A.I.Virtanen, who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1945. What was Sillanpää's winning category?

From Quiz Famous Finns

Answer: Literature

Sillanpää was awarded the 1939 Nobel Prize in Literature. It was his 8th nomination since 1930.

20. Jarno Saarinen, "The Flying Finn", won a motorcycle championship in 1972. He died in an accident in 1973. What was the legendary track where it happened?

From Quiz Famous Finns

Answer: Monza

He died in Monza 20th May 1973 under slightly unclear weather conditions.

21. Tommi Mäkinen is the only World Rally Championship driver who has won the championship title four times in succession before the 2003 season. What were those years?

From Quiz Famous Finns

Answer: 1996-1999

Tommi won his championships in 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999 with Mitsubishi. Juha Kankkunen also won four championships, but those weren't in a row.

22. Aki Kaurismäki was awarded the Grand Prix of the 2002 Cannes Film Festival in May 2002 for 'Man Without Past (Mies vailla menneisyyttä)'. The film also gained another award in Cannes. It was:

From Quiz Famous Finns

Answer: the Film Prize of the Ecumenical Jury

'Man Without Past (Mies vailla menneisyyttä)' was also awarded the Film Prize of the Ecumenical Jury (Le Jury Oecuménique). Kati Outinen received the award for the best performance by an actress for her leading role in the film.

23. Akseli Gallen-Kallela (1865-1931) was a famous painter who painted a series of pictures about a Finnish national epic. What is the name of this book?

From Quiz Famous Finns

Answer: Kalevala

Akseli Gallen-Kallela (1865 - 1931) is well known for his illustrations of the 'Kalevala', the Finnish national epic. The first edition of the 'Kalevala' appeared in 1835, compiled and edited by Elias Lönnrot (1802-1884) on the basis of the epic folk poems he had collected in Finland and Karelia. The meter Henry Wadsworth Longfellow used in Hiawatha was based on a 'Kalevala'. Also J.R.R.Tolkien did his study among 'Kalevala' when he created the lyrical tongue of Middle-earth's elves.

24. Pertti Karppinen won three Olympic gold medals in rowing from 1976-1984. What kind of business did he start after his sporting career?

From Quiz Famous Finns

Answer: Sports masseur

Pertti has a business, which offers massage treatment, in the business district of his hometown, Raisio.

25. AE Nordenskiöld (1832-1901), a famous explorer, was born in Finland. Which passage was found by him?

From Quiz Famous Finns

Answer: North-east passage

Nordenskiöld made his most famous expedition in 1878-1880. He navigated the 'North-east passage' on the 'Vega' from northern Norway to the Bering Strait. In the 1860s Nordenskiöld also made further expeditions - in 1861, 1864 and 1868, during which time he became convinced that it was not possible to reach the North Pole by ship.

26. Harri Holkeri, known for his efforts to achieve peace in Northern Ireland, also held another well-respected post in U.N. during the years 2000-2001. Which one was that?

From Quiz Famous Finns

Answer: General Assembly President

He was named President of the 55th General Assembly of the United Nations, the first Finn to preside over the body.

27. Linus Torvalds is one of the main creators of free software called Linux. What is his middle name?

From Quiz Famous Finns

Answer: Benedict

A few people claim it ought to be Eric. But in fact his middle name is `Benedict'. He doesn't use it much. Linus thinks making Linux freely available is the single best decision he has ever made. Linus Torvalds was born Dec 28, 1969 in Helsinki, Finland. In 1997 Linus moved from Finland to California to startup 'Transmeta' in order to experience the "extreme other side" of computer programming. Linus is married and has two daughters.

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