Man's Inhumanity to Man Trivia Quiz

Answer: Anne's father, Otto

The mother died of starvation in a concentration camp. Anne and her sister died - probably of typhus. All three deaths occurred a relatively short time before the liberation of the camps. Anne's story is enormously well-known due to the publication of her diary - but there were so many, many others with equally terrible experiences at the hands of Hitler's evil lunatics.

Answer: Hans Frank

All four were Nuremberg defendants. It was Frank's program of mass extermination that earned him the nickname. (Cracow is in Poland.)

Answer: John Chivington

The American Indian often received a raw deal and brutal treatment. Col. Chivington - by no means a pacifist or a negotiator where Indians were concerned - ruthlessly annihilated the Cheyenne under Black Kettle at Sand Creek (Colorado) in 1864. Most casulaties were Indian women and children. (James Forsyth was blamed for the equally horrendous massacre at Wounded Knee, South Dakota in 1890. Ruthless - or a tragic blunder? Forsyth was exonerated by a military court.)

Answer: Atahualpa

Pizarro's agenda called for money, conquest and glory - but there wasn't a hell of a lot of room left for concern with the fate of the Inca (or its chief). The Aztec leader, Montezuma, was treated with equal disdain by a similarly motivated Cortez in Mexico. Neither chief survived the encounter with the conquistadores.

Answer: Japanese

Keith was a writer who was taken prisoner by by the Japanese while living with her family in the Pacific. (Borneo). (The movie of her experience starred Claudette Colbert; it was well-done.) The lives of the prisoners were tough - to put it mildly.

Answer: 7

Anastasia, her two parents, her three sisters and her brother were apparently all victims. It was often claimed that Anastasia escaped the slaughter, but without any decisive proof. Then, in 2007, a burned skeleton was discovered buried near Yekaterinburg, and DNA testing established beyond doubt that it belonged to Anastasia.

Answer: 18

Her precise age is unclear, but she is believed to have been either 18 or 19. The young girl who heard voices and led/inspired the French forces may have been divinely connected or may have been psychologically disturbed - both points have been advocated. Joan, however, didn't enjoy the life of a hero for long: she fell into the hands of her enemies (who had their own agendas).

The trial was a travesty; the outcome a foregone conclusion. Joan was burned at the stake - a convenient target and symbol.

Answer: Trotsky

Stalin rose to power via an "iron fist" approach. His cruelty and brutality were not exceeded by anyone - even Hitler. In addition to his infamous "pogroms", Stalin disposed of his enemies (and those who could be potential threats to him). Trotsky was a potential threat and rival; he paid with his life.

Answer: 1400s

Torquemada's life spanned the 15th century. His cruelty and sadism occurred during the latter part of the century. Today, the word "inquisition" is synonymous with images of torture and sadism. In approximately the same time period, it is believed that Richard (or someone else) may have moved against the young princes - no one is certain of who, what, or when. Shakespeare's story of Richard III is perhaps the best known description of Richard's character - but it is only one version of the story.

Answer: Death on the guillotine

This may well be a classic example of "he who lives by the sword", etc. The French Revolution was a turbulent time; Robespierre's accession to power resulted in countless deaths by his favorite method of execution. When his power waned he found that the shoe was on the other foot. (He probably didn't appreciate the irony.)