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Quiz about Historic October Events
Quiz about Historic October Events

Historic October Events Trivia Quiz


This quiz looks back on some of the many events that took place in our world's history--all in the month of October.

A multiple-choice quiz by Ballykissangel. Estimated time: 5 mins.
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Time
5 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
96,184
Updated
Jun 26 23
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Tough
Avg Score
6 / 10
Plays
1041
- -
Question 1 of 10
1. October 1, 1946. A day of divine retribution. Twelve Nazi WWII criminals were found guilty of crimes against humanity at the International War Crimes Tribunal in Nuremberg, Germany, and were sentenced to death by hanging. The date of execution was set for October 16, 1946. One of the condemned men, Hermann Goering, escaped the hangman's noose by committing suicide hours before his execution. Newspaper clippings of the event state that "None stumbled as they walked to the gallows. Some were defiant; a few begged forgiveness." Which of the condemned men shouted "Heil Hitler" as he dropped to his death? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. The scene takes place in California on October 3, 1995. The end of another infamous trial. This time the lone defendant was acquitted of murdering his estranged wife and her friend despite a 'mountain of evidence' against him. Who was the defendant?

Answer: (Surname only)
Question 3 of 10
3. October 4, 1957 witnessed the beginning of the 'Space Age'. The Soviet Union stunned everyone with the successful launch of the world's first man-made satellite. This satellite was named 'Sputnik 1'. Sputnik is the Russian word for what? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. In October of 1974, American David Kunst completed the first round-the-world journey on foot. His journey began in his hometown of Waseca, Minnesota, crossed four continents and spanned 14,500 miles. How long did it take him to complete his trek? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. On October 9, 1974, German businessman Oskar Schindler passed away at the age of 66. Although he had been a member of the Nazi party, Schindler was sympathetic to the Jewish plight during WWII, and at great risk to himself and loss of wealth, he worked to save over 1200 Jews. Where is Oskar Schindler buried? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. In October of 1945, Private First Class Desmond Doss, a devoutly religious man received 'The Congressional Medal of Honor' for outstanding bravery as a medic during WWII. What was so unusual about Mr. Ross, was that he was a conscientious objector--he refused to kill another man or even to carry a weapon. What religious persuasion was he? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. On October 15, 1917, 41 year-old Margaretha Geertruida Zelle, a Dutch dancer, and reputed beauty, was executed by the French on charges of espionage. By what other name was she more commonly associated?

Answer: (First and last names or just last name)
Question 8 of 10
8. On October 17, San Francisco is the scene of an earthquake measuring 7.1 on the Richter scale. It was the deadliest earthquake to hit the area since the 'Great' earthquake of 1906. What was the year? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. On October 22, 1934, a notorious American outlaw, called 'the most dangerous man alive', was shot and killed on a farm in Ohio while fleeing from federal agents. Who was this infamous fugitive? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. In October of 1958 the Russian author, Boris Pasternak, was forced by the Soviet government to refuse the year's Nobel Prize for Literature. For which of his works is he best known? Hint



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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. October 1, 1946. A day of divine retribution. Twelve Nazi WWII criminals were found guilty of crimes against humanity at the International War Crimes Tribunal in Nuremberg, Germany, and were sentenced to death by hanging. The date of execution was set for October 16, 1946. One of the condemned men, Hermann Goering, escaped the hangman's noose by committing suicide hours before his execution. Newspaper clippings of the event state that "None stumbled as they walked to the gallows. Some were defiant; a few begged forgiveness." Which of the condemned men shouted "Heil Hitler" as he dropped to his death?

Answer: Julius Streicher

Those sentenced to death: Arthur Seyss-Inquart, Joachim von Ribbentrop, Hermann Goering, Wilhelm Frick, Martin Borman, Hans Frank, Julius Streicher, Fritz Sauckel, Alfred Rosenberg, Alfred Jodl, Ernst Kaltenbrunner, and Wilhelm Keitel. Life Imprisonment: Walter Funk, Ruldolf Hess, and Erich Raeder. 20 years imprisonment: Albert Speer, and Baldur von Schirach. 15 years: Konstantin von Neurath. 10 years: Karl Doenitz. Those acquitted: Hjalmar Schacht, Hans Fritzsche, and Franz von Papen.
2. The scene takes place in California on October 3, 1995. The end of another infamous trial. This time the lone defendant was acquitted of murdering his estranged wife and her friend despite a 'mountain of evidence' against him. Who was the defendant?

Answer: Simpson

After a 252 day trial, O.J. Simpson, popular athlete and TV personality, was found not guilty of murdering Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman on June 12, 1994. A jury of 9 African Americans, 2 Caucasians, and 1 Hispanic took only 4 hours to reach this verdict.
3. October 4, 1957 witnessed the beginning of the 'Space Age'. The Soviet Union stunned everyone with the successful launch of the world's first man-made satellite. This satellite was named 'Sputnik 1'. Sputnik is the Russian word for what?

Answer: satellite

"Sputnik" literally means "fellow traveller". Sputnik 1 was launched at 10:29 p.m. Moscow time from the Kazakh Republic. It had a diameter of 22 inches and weighed 184 pounds. Travelling at 18,000 miles per hour, it would circle the earth once every hour and 36 minutes. In January of 1958, Sputnik's orbit deteriorated and it burned up in the atmosphere.
4. In October of 1974, American David Kunst completed the first round-the-world journey on foot. His journey began in his hometown of Waseca, Minnesota, crossed four continents and spanned 14,500 miles. How long did it take him to complete his trek?

Answer: 4 years

He started out in June, 1970. When asked why he took on such an adventure he was quoted as saying, "I was tired of Waseca, tired of my job, tired of a lot of little people who don't want to think, and tired of my wife."
5. On October 9, 1974, German businessman Oskar Schindler passed away at the age of 66. Although he had been a member of the Nazi party, Schindler was sympathetic to the Jewish plight during WWII, and at great risk to himself and loss of wealth, he worked to save over 1200 Jews. Where is Oskar Schindler buried?

Answer: Israel

Declared a 'Righteous Gentile' in 1962, Schindler was buried, at his own request, at the Mount Zion Cemetery in Israel.
6. In October of 1945, Private First Class Desmond Doss, a devoutly religious man received 'The Congressional Medal of Honor' for outstanding bravery as a medic during WWII. What was so unusual about Mr. Ross, was that he was a conscientious objector--he refused to kill another man or even to carry a weapon. What religious persuasion was he?

Answer: Seventh-Day Adventist

Mr. Doss was a devout Seventh-Day Adventist, who trained to save lives and not take them, was a conscientious objector and the first of such ever to receive the nation's highest military award. Sent to the Pacific, he fought in the battle for Okinawa, risking his life to save dozens of others.
7. On October 15, 1917, 41 year-old Margaretha Geertruida Zelle, a Dutch dancer, and reputed beauty, was executed by the French on charges of espionage. By what other name was she more commonly associated?

Answer: Mata Hari

While she was working as a dancer in Paris, Mata Hari joined the German Secret Service in 1907. She betrayed many important military secrets confided to her by Allied officers with whom she was intimate. After her court martial, she was imprisioned at St. Lazaire prision where she awaited her execution which took place at Vincennes.
8. On October 17, San Francisco is the scene of an earthquake measuring 7.1 on the Richter scale. It was the deadliest earthquake to hit the area since the 'Great' earthquake of 1906. What was the year?

Answer: 1989

It was at 5:04 local time that the earthquake struck lasting for 15 seconds - long enough to kill 63 people, injure 3000 and cause damage to 100,000 buildings!
9. On October 22, 1934, a notorious American outlaw, called 'the most dangerous man alive', was shot and killed on a farm in Ohio while fleeing from federal agents. Who was this infamous fugitive?

Answer: Charles 'Pretty Boy' Floyd

Officer Charles Purvis shouted "Halt!" But Floyd bolted for a wooden structure. Shots were fired and Floyd fell, mortally wounded. He died 15 minutes later. So ended a 'career' that began with auto theft but graduated to robbery and murder.
10. In October of 1958 the Russian author, Boris Pasternak, was forced by the Soviet government to refuse the year's Nobel Prize for Literature. For which of his works is he best known?

Answer: Doctor Zhivago

"Dr. Zhivago", a great Russian epic novel, was written about the life of physician and poet Yuri Zhivagoand and is basically a love story upholding Christian morals. His novel offended Soviet authorities as it criticized Soviet ideals. It was denied publication in the USSR and was first published in Italy in 1957.
Source: Author Ballykissangel

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
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