20th Century Events and People Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Which German newsmagazine editor-in-chief was sent to prison for 3 months in 1962, after publishing critical articles about Konrad Adenauer's Government's defence policies?

Answer: Rudolf Augstein of "Der Spiegel"

"Der Spiegel" is one of the most widely circulated newsmagazines in Europe and has been published in Hamburg since 1947. In 1962, after revealing the financial problems of the German armed forces, the editor, Rudolf Augstein was arrested and detained for 104 days.

2. In which of these European countries did it take till 1971 before women were given the vote?

Answer: Switzerland

In Britain the Representation of the People Act had established voting equality for men and women already in 1928 ...

3. Of which famous Leningrad ballet company was Rudolf Hametovich Nureyev the star dancer when he defected to the West in 1961 ?

Answer: Kirov

Nureyev (�1938 Irkutsk - 1993 Paris) was an outstanding but rebellious student at the Leningrad Ballet School. He refused to join the Komsomol. Learned English privately. While in Paris with the Kirov Ballet, Nurejev eluded Soviet security men at the airport and requested asylum in France. He became well-known as Dame Margot Fonteyn's favourite partner.

4. The assassin of Swedish Prime Minister Olav Palme (1986) claimed his act was inspired by the reading of J.D.Salinger's "Catcher in the Rye" ?

Answer: False

Olav Palme was Prime Minister of Sweden (from 1969 till 1976 and from 1982 till 1986). Nobody claimed anything as to the inspiration for his assassination in 1986 as the gunman was never found.
It was the assassin of John Lennon who linked his act with the reading of Salinger's story about Holden Caulfield.

5. In which of these European cities did Soviet tanks have to quell a rebellion in 1953?

Answer: East Berlin

After Stalin's death on March 5, 1953 power was nominally divided between Georgy Malenkov and Nikita Krushchev. The announcement by East German leaders that some aberrations of the past would be rectified and some of the hardships of life alleviated, led to a a rise in the hopes of the East Berliners.

As they did not get what they had hoped for fast enough, there was a sudden uprising in the streets of Berlin. It had to be quelled with the use of Soviet armed forces.

6. What was the real profession of Wilhelm Voigt, the "Hauptmann von K�penick", who on 16th of October, 1906 donned an old captain's uniform, picked up a few soldiers, marched them to the local town-hall, arrested the burgomaster and confiscated the city treasury containing over 400,000 Marks?

Answer: cobbler

Carl Zuckmayer wrote a comedy based on the incident of "The Captain of K�penick" in 1932. Because of the repercussions his satire on Prussian militarism might have among the military in Nazi Germany, he felt it safer to first emigrate to Austria and later to flee to the United States. In 1956 a film was made on this subject with Heinz R�hmann as the leading actor.

7. What forced the Spanish King Alfonso XIII to leave the country and give up his throne in 1931?

Answer: an election victory of the Republicans

Primo de Rivera, as dictator of Spain from September 1923 to January 1930 founded an authoritarian and nationalistic regime that attempted to unify the nation around the motto "Country, Religion, Monarchy". By authorising the dictatorship, the Spanish King Alfonso XIII indirectly caused his own downfall. Primo de Rivera fell from power in January 1930. Municipal elections were held in April 1931.

They resulted in a landslide victory for the Republican and Socialist parties. The new political situation forced the King to leave the country.

8. What was the name of the Spanish admiral who in 1931 had cancelled the Parliamentary Elections because he feared a victory of his political opponents?

Answer: Aznar

In February 1931 General Berenguer who had succeeded to Primo de Rivera was replaced by Admiral Aznar. In an attempt to avoid Parliamentary elections, Aznar decided to organise municipal elections. In the major towns of Spain this turned out into a catastrophe for the monarchists.

9. Which Italian poet launched the "Futuristic Manifesto" in 1909, calling for the destruction of libraries and museums, and also later co-founded the first "assault groups" of Mussolini's fascist party ?

Answer: Filippo Marinetti

Filippo Tommaso Marinetti (1876-1944) was born and educated in Alexandria, Egypt. He had his schooling in Paris, studied law in Pavia and Genoa. He wanted to liberate poetry and literature from the constraints of traditional punctuation and syntax. In the "Foundation and Manifesto of Futurism" he glorified danger, war, violence, speed, and the wonders of the machine age.

They also supported the movement for the recovery by Italy of "Italia irredenta": Trentino;Trieste; Istria; Fiume. For that reason they advocated Italy's joining the Entente countries in their war against Germany and Austria. Later Mussolini became their idol.

10. On Monday 21st of August 1911 a famous art robbery took place. What was stolen from where?

Answer: da Vinci's "Mona Lisa" from the Louvre in Paris

The thief, Vincenzo Perugia, wanted to restore the painting to the country where it belonged. He had let himself be locked up in the museum on Sunday 20th, walked out of it on Monday 21st. The 22nd the theft was discovered. The painting stayed hidden for a while at a mile from the Louvre. On December the 10th, 1913, the thief presented it to Alfredo Geri, an antique-dealer in Florence.

The thief explained he did not want to ask a high price for it as his intention had merely been to give back to Italy what was Italian. Perugia was arrested, the painting - after making a tour of Italy - was returned to France and the thief was given a very light punishment.

After all his motivation had been purely patriotic.

Source: Author flem-ish

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

This quiz is about events and people that made the headlines between 1900 and 1999, "somewhere in Europe".

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