All Hans On Deck! Trivia Quiz

Answer: Albert Einstein

Hans Albert Einstein was born in 1904 in Bern, Switzerland. He was the second child and first son of Albert Einstein. He gained his own notoriety as a professor of hydraulic engineering at Berkeley, California. He died in 1973 and was buried near Woods Hole, Massachusetts.

Answer: Sergeant Schultz

Portly John Banner portrayed the affable and easily duped German POW guard Sergeant Hans Georg Schultz. Even if he accidentally stumbled on one of Colonel Hogan's escapades, he would simply deny everything by exclaiming his catch phrase, "I hear nothing, I see nothing and ... I know NOTH-ing!" Klink's first name was Wilhelm, Burkhalter's was Albert and Hochstetter's was Wolfgang.

Answer: autism

Dr. Asperger (1906-80) identified some of the symptoms of this mental condition (which is considered a mild form of autism) as: having above average intelligence yet have difficulty with social skills and situations, lack of empathy towards others, preoccupation with one or very few interests, and becoming overstimulated by strong sensory stimulation such as bright lights or loud noises.

In the 1940s, Dr. Asperger opened a school for children exhibiting symptoms of this disorder, but it was destroyed by bombing during WWII along with many of the doctor's papers from his early research.

Answer: Moleman

His appearance is of a wizened old man with thick glasses despite his claim in an early episode that he was 31 years old at that time (his driver's license states his birthday is August 2, 1961). His character has been voiced by Dan Castellaneta, who also has done the voices for Krusty the Clown, Grandpa Simpson and of course, Homer Simpson.

Answer: beta particles and gamma rays

The Geiger Counter (a.k.a. the Geiger-Müller counter) measures ionizing radiation due to radioactive particle decay. Most detect beta particles and gamma rays, but some can also detect alpha particles (the heaviest of the particles). The principle is that when ionizing radiation passes through a tube in inert gas (usually neon or argon), it makes the gas temporarily conductive.

The tube amplifies the signal, converts it to an electric pulse which then registers on a meter and as an audible click.

Answer: being the villain in the movie "Die Hard"

SPOILER ALERT: Portrayed by Alan Rickman, Hans Gruber is an international terrorist who is plotting to steal bonds from the Nakatomi Corporation vault in the 1988 action/thriller movie. Of course, good triumphs over evil and after a two-hour cat and mouse game, Gruber is killed by falling out of a window.

It was Franz Gruber who wrote "Silent Night" and Max von Gruber who was the Austrian microbiologist. The bistro owner is a made-up answer.

Answer: Queen Elizabeth I

Holbein painted many figures from the court of King Henry VII, including Henry, some of his wives and his only son, Prince Edward. Holbein died in 1543 and Elizabeth was not declared queen until 1558, so he couldn't have painted Elizabeth when she was queen.

Answer: silver skates

Mrs. Dodge, who was a widow early in her life, wrote the novel "Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates" in 1864, after she published a collection of short stories entitled "The Irvington Stories". Mary died at her summer home in Tannersville, New York in 1905 at age 74.

Answer: Rumpelstiltskin

"Rumpelstiltskin" is credited to the German Grimm Brothers. Andersen's life story was made into a highly-fictionalized movie musical in 1952 starring Danny Kaye in the title role. The score was written by Frank Loesser.

Answer: John

This name has dozens of forms, even amongst the Germanic and Scandinavian cultures. However, it all boils down to the English name "John" meaning "God is merciful".