If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium Quiz

Answer: Jean-Claude Van Damme

Jean-Claude Van Damme was born with the surname Van Varenberg in a Brussels suburb in 1960. He started martial arts at the age of ten, and competed in various karate and kickboxing competitions until 1982. In that year, he decided to move to the USA and start an acting career. As his birth name is not quite evident for American usage, he adopted the alias "Jean-Claude Van Damme" - a typical Belgian name, quite easy to pronounce in English.
Van Damme's movie career includes several action titles in which he can demonstrate his martial arts. Let's name only a few of his movies: "Bloodsport", "Cyborg", "Kickboxer", "Double Impact", "Hard Target".
For the red herrings to this question, I've chosen three other actors from "The Expendables 2" who have been born in Europe. Schwarzenegger was born in Austria, Willis was born in Germany and Statham was born in England.

Answer: Antwerp

Antwerp has one of the largest ports in Europe, surpassed only by the Dutch port of Rotterdam. Worldwide the busiest ports are found in Asia, while both Rotterdam and Antwerp surpass any American ports in the category of container transport.
Ostend lies on the North Sea shore, while Bruges and Ypres are situated within 20 miles of the coast.

Answer: Auguste Beernaert

The Nobel Peace Prize in 1909 was awarded to the Belgian ex-prime minister Auguste Beernaert, and to the French lawyer Paul Henri d'Estelles de Constant. Beernaert was a valued leader of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, a meeting place for individual members of parliament from different countries.
Beernaert headed the Belgian government from 1884 until 1894.
Later Nobel Peace Prizes were awarded to the Belgian lawyer Henri La Fontaine (in 1913) and the Belgian missionary Georges Pire (in 1958).
Theodore Roosevelt, the former American president, received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1906.
The French lawyer Louis Renault shared the Nobel Peace Prize with the Italian Ernesto Moneta in 1907.
Bertha von Suttner, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1905, was an Austrian-Hungarian novelist known for her book "Die Waffen nieder!" (translated as "Lay Down Your Arms").

Answer: Beer

Jupiler is a lager distributed by the world's largest brewery concern, AB Inbev.
Duvel is a blonde strong ale produced by Moortgat Breweries.
Palm is an amber ale produced and distributed by the eponymous brewery.
If you're a bit adventurous, you might try and find some local special beers in Belgium. Some of my favourites include Orval (a bitter, dark Trappist ale), Boon Ancient Geuze (a tart, opaque lambic ale) and Rodenbach Grand Cru (a red Flemish ale, with tart and sweet flavours).
True adventurers might even try out some very original Belgian beers such as Oesterstout, Pannepot Riserva, Newton or Florisgaarden Chocolate.

Answer: Frans Snyders

Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) was a famous Baroque painter. He also headed a large workshop, in which Anthony Van Dyck and sometimes also Jacob Jordaens did work. For specific themes, Rubens contracted various other painters: Jan Brueghel the Elder specialised in flower themes, and Frans Snyders in paintings depicting (live or dead) animals.
Rops (1833-1898) was a Belgian painter best known for works that would get a "R" rating.
Emile Claus (1849-1924) was fascinated by the influence of sunlight. Some of his finest impressionist works are "The Picnic" and "Cows Crossing the Lys".
Memling (1430-1494) was a famous painter in Bruges. Some of his masterpieces are the Portinari Triptych and the Saint Ursula Shrine.

Answer: Pallieter

Timmermans (1886-1947) was a prolific author. He used to write in the local dialect. "Pallieter", published in 1916, tells us about an adolescent youth who doesn't quite fancy the strict rules on school. At the fair he falls in love with Marieken, whom he marries. A few years later, when Pallieter and Marieken have three young kids, Pallieter decides to leave home and travels through Flanders.
"Tijl Uilenspiegel" is the short title of a book by Charles De Coster (1827-1879), based on medieval folklore involving a young rogue.
"De Witte" was authored by Ernest Claes (1885-1968). Once again, the title character is a little rascal.
"Malpertuis" finally is a book by Jean Ray. It is named after a mansion, where allegedly the Gods from the Olympus would live.

Answer: La petite bande

Sigiswald Kuijken (born 1944) is a violinist and violist. He and his brothers Barthold (playing the flute and the recorder) and Wieland (playing gamba and cello) attempt to bring baroque music on authentic instruments.
In 1992, Sigiswald founded La petite bande, with his two brothers and Gustav Leonhardt. The name for this ensemble was chosen as a tribute to the group of 21 string players performing Rameau's operas during the 17th Century.
The repertoire brought by La petite bande is quite impressive: French opera (Lully, Rameau, Campra), Italian string concerti (Corelli, Vivaldi), German cantatas (Bach, Buxtehude), Austrian music (Mozart, Haydn)... During their first forty years, La petite bande has published on average about two full CDs a year.
The Huelgas ensemble was founded by Paul Van Nevel in 1971. It concentrates on polyphonic and renaissance music.
Collegium Vocale is a choir founded by Philippe Herreweghe in 1970. It interprets polyphonic music, Bach cantatas, romantic music and even classical music form the twentieth century.
Contrary to the other groups mentioned in this question, the English concert is not a Belgian music ensemble. It is a British Baroque orchestra founded in 1972 by harpsichordist Trevor Pynnock.

Answer: Saint Joseph

Saint Joseph, the foster father of Jesus, was active as a carpenter. That's why he's patron saint of carpenters, cabinet makers and labourers in general. He is also one of the patron saints of many countries: Austria, Belgium, Korea, Vietnam, Canada and Peru. Saint Joseph has his name day on March 19th, which is also considered Father's Day in the Belgian province of Antwerp.
Besides Saint Joseph, Belgium venerates the following patron saints: Our Lady of Banneux, Our Lady of Beauraing (both are Marian apparitions), and Saint Columbanus of Ghent - one of the saints native to Belgium.
Saint Patrick, venerated on March 17, is the patron saint of Ireland.
Saint Andrew the Apostle (celebrated on November 30th) is the patron saint of Scotland, Greece and Russia.
Saint Francis is a very popular saint name. I refer here to Saint Francis of Assisi, who is of course one of the patron saints of Italy (his home country). His name day is October 4th.

Answer: Leo Baekeland

Leo Baekeland (1863-1944) was born near Ghent and studied chemistry at the Ghent university. In 1889 Baekeland moved to the US to work with a photographic company for two years. In 1891, he quit the company and started working alone.
He invented photographic paper (brand name Velox) in 1893, and sold the formula for 1,000,000 dollars to George Eastman - the founder of the Kodak company.
Next on his to do list was a product that could bind asbestos. Combining phenol and formaldehyde, he created the plastic scientifically known as polyoxybenzylmethylenglycolanhydride. Of course this name is too complicated for every-day use, so this product was commonly named Bakelite - after its inventor.
Solvay (1838-1922) was a Belgian chemist, inventor of the ammonia-soda process. His eponymous company is still one of the most important producers of soda products.
Gramme (1826-1901) was a Belgian electric engineer. He invented the first DC dynamo, but it was his German colleague Werner von Siemens (1816-1892) who commercialised these and other electric equipment.
Jean-Joseph Merlin (1735-1803) was an engineer from Huy, which is nowadays a Belgian provincial town. He constructed music instruments, complicated horologes, and perfected the in-line roller skates.

Answer: Eddy Merckx

Eddy Merckx the cyclist was born in 1945. He started a career of professional cycling in 1965. His list of awards and titles would take more than a few pages, so I'll just mention the most striking achievements : five times winner of the Tour de France, five times winner of the Giro d'Italia, three times world champion.
Eddy Merckx the billiards player was born in 1968. He won twice the three-cushion World Championship. One of his most remarkable achievements is that he was the first to make 50 three-cushion caroms in only six innings in a league game.
Rik Van Steenbergen (1924-2003) was a Belgian cyclist, three times World Champion.
Raymond Ceulemans (born 1937) is a fabulous Belgian billiards player. He won 23 World Championships in three-cushion carom, and 12 world titles in other carom disciplines.
Philippe Le Jeune (born 1960) is a Belgian equestrian athlete. He won a gold medal on the World Championships Jumping in 2010.