On the Fourth of September... Trivia Quiz

Answer: 1989

Born in Liege, France, Georges Simenon wrote approximately 450 novels and short stories. He is probably best remembered for his detective series featuring Inspector Maigret. His personal life was a far cry from that of his famous character - he was a sex addict who claimed to require nooky three times a day. He died of a brain tumour while in Lausanne in 1986.

Answer: Shenandoah

The Akron and Macon were built to carry Navy aircraft, and each held up to three Sparrowhawk scout biplanes.

The Los Angeles was built by Luftschiffbau Zeppelin in 1924 and remained in service to the Navy until 1932.

The Shenandoah was lost in a storm on September 3, 1925 somewhere over Ohio. Some of the crew survived by using the detached bow section as a balloon to slow their fall.

Answer: True

It was the treaty resulting from this conference which absolved Japan of responsibility for its war crimes, damages, reparations and restoration of plundered goods and money.

Answer: Edsel

After a contest brought forward over 8000 suggestions for a name, later pared down to 6000, the Ford executives were getting desperate to name their new vehicle. At the November 1956 Executive Committee meeting, Ford's Chairman, Ernest Breech, suggested calling the car the Edsel, after the first Henry Ford's son. All three of Edsel Ford's sons objected, but the name stuck.

Answer: 4x100m medley relay, men

The next day, at 4.30 in the morning, 11 Israeli athletes were taken captive and then murdered by the Palestinian terrorist group, Black September. Spitz, who is Jewish, was hastily flown back to the States.

Answer: Romulus Augustus

Romulus Augustus was proclaimed emperor on 31 October 475 AD after his father, Orestes, deposed the previous emperor, Julius Nepos. After being deposed, he was allowed to live with relatives and even given a pension. He is believed to have died in 511 AD.

Olybrius became emperor in April or May of 472 and died in late October or early November from dropsy. His reign was so short, almost nothing is known of his accomplishments.

Theodosius II reigned from 408 - 450 CE. He was the son of the emperor Arcadius, and his birth was a matter of great joy to the people of Constantinople, as his parents had produced three daughters but no sons until then. His reign was notable for the work he did in codifying the law and in February of 438, the Codex Theodosianus was published and presented to the Senates in Rome and Constantinople. In July, 450, he fell from his horse and died shortly afterwards.

Caecilius Bassus of Tyre became the leader of Syria after murdering Sextus Caesar around 47 BCE.

Answer: Anton Bruckner

Bruckner was so proficient on the organ, that he became assistant organist at his church at the age of 10. His Symphony #4, the Romantic Symphony, is particularly haunting with its use of brass and repetition.

Mahler was a student of Bruckner's at Vienna University. His works include 10 symphonies. He was born in 1860 and died in 1911.

Frranz Liszt (1811-1886) was a virtuoso pianist and composer whose Hungarian Rhapsodies are beloved by everyone who ever watched cartoons!

Richard Wagner was born in 1813 and studied music at the University of Leipzig. He is best known for his operatic Ring Cycle, as well for the famous Bridal March from the opera Lohengrin. He died in 1883.

Answer: 1843, 1907

Much of Grieg's work was inspired by Norwegian folk music. Scraping the bottom of my memory, sometime in the 1950s his music was set to words and used for a musical, The Song of Norway (I may be the only person to still have the soundtrack on a 33!) Other famous works are the Piano Concerto in A Minor and the Holberg Suite.

Answer: Mary Renault

Her real name was Mary Challans. Born in London, she later emigrated to South Africa, where she became an activist against apartheid. Many of her books were set in ancient times, and are still wonderful books to read.

Answer: False

It did happen, but in 1940. America was still neutral at the time.