FREE! Click here to Join FunTrivia. Thousands of games, quizzes, and lots more!
Quiz about New York This is Shirer in Berlin
Quiz about New York This is Shirer in Berlin

New York, This is Shirer in Berlin Quiz


William Shirer was one of the first reporters to broadcast live from a war zone, yet most people associate him with his written works on World War II. He deserves more credit than he has been given!

A multiple-choice quiz by tinky65. Estimated time: 4 mins.
  1. Home
  2. »
  3. Quizzes
  4. »
  5. People Trivia
  6. »
  7. People Q-S

Author
tinky65
Time
4 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
190,334
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
7 / 10
Plays
260
- -
Question 1 of 10
1. William L. Shirer was born in what large mid-west city?

Answer: (Windy City)
Question 2 of 10
2. After Shirer lost his job with the Chicago Tribune in 1934, what radio network convinced him to write copy for live broadcasts from Europe? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. What famous reporter hired Shirer for CBS? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. What German city was Shirer's base? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. Shirer met his first wife, Tess, in Berlin. She was not a native German, but a citizen of what nation? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. With the birth of their first child, Eileen, the Shirers decided it was too dangerous in Berlin for Tess and the baby. Where did they decide to move the family home to? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. What event did Shirer report to the world, "scooping" everyone by a full two hours? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. When broadcasting during air raids in Berlin, what did the Germans install so that the sound of bombs would not be heard over the air. Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. What book, based on his diaries, became one of the definitive works on World War II, and won Shirer the National Book Award. Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. In December, 1940, Shirer left Berlin. Besides the worsening censorship, what was the main reason he left? Hint



(Optional) Create a Free FunTrivia ID to save the points you are about to earn:

arrow Select a User ID:
arrow Choose a Password:
arrow Your Email:




Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. William L. Shirer was born in what large mid-west city?

Answer: Chicago

He was born on February 23, 1904. His father died when he was 9 and his mother moved the family to Iowa. Shirer hated farm life, and moved back to Chicago as soon as he could.
2. After Shirer lost his job with the Chicago Tribune in 1934, what radio network convinced him to write copy for live broadcasts from Europe?

Answer: CBS

With the depression going strong, the Tribune made cuts in its overseas staff. Shirer bounced from several lower paying, and less gratifing jobs until he was offered the chance to write for on air broadcasting. He was already known with fellow writers in Europe as a very intelligent, and fair journalist who had a good understanding of the fast changing political scene in Europe.
3. What famous reporter hired Shirer for CBS?

Answer: Edward R. Murrow

Murrow heard of Shirer from other reporters. CBS was looking for someone to write from Continental Europe, and Shirer fitted the bill. Murrow, who was based in London, cabled Shirer, and the rest is history. They remained friends, as well as working partners, for many years.
4. What German city was Shirer's base?

Answer: Berlin

Berlin was the most obvious place to base Shirer. All his reports had to go through censorship, as well as the official German channels. Besides, Berlin had the best radio equipment in Germany. However, Shirer did not sit in Berlin the entire time. He travelled constantly throughout Germany, Spain, France ... Where the German Army went, so went Shirer.
5. Shirer met his first wife, Tess, in Berlin. She was not a native German, but a citizen of what nation?

Answer: Austria

Tess was very proud of her Austrian heritage. When the Shirers married in the 30s, a spouse did not gain automatic U.S. citizenship. This proved troublesome later. When Hitler gained control of Austria, all Austrians became German citizens. This required getting new German passports. Tess refused, and travelled with her expired Austrian one. Meanwhile, William had begun the process of getting Tess citizenship in the U.S., even though she had never been in the States. Eventually, the State Deptartment granted the request, and she became an American.
6. With the birth of their first child, Eileen, the Shirers decided it was too dangerous in Berlin for Tess and the baby. Where did they decide to move the family home to?

Answer: Geneva

William remained in Berlin. The political climate was changing so rapidly he dared not leave. He would visit Tess as often as possible, but these visits were far and between. When in Geneva, he often spoke to Murrow, and CBS in New York, without the threat of Germans listening in.

He was under such censorship that he described Geneva not as the place to relax with his family, but a place to report what he wanted, not the official Nazi party line.
7. What event did Shirer report to the world, "scooping" everyone by a full two hours?

Answer: French surrender to Germany

Shirer, through several high ranking German contacts, got wind of the June armistice in Compiegne, France. After the first few minutes of the official signing, the press pool was put on a plane with Goebbels to go to the official Nazi announcement in Berlin. Shirer managed to stay behind, and sat in the official German recording van, listening to the signing itself, while broadcasting to New York. Hitler was furious when he found out he had been beaten to the punch, and several of the regular German soldiers who assisted Shirer were punished for it.

In England and the U.S., the broadcast was met with disbelief. Churchill did not believe that this reporter had the news before his own people were telling him of it. It took several more hours for the world to believe that France had surrendered.
8. When broadcasting during air raids in Berlin, what did the Germans install so that the sound of bombs would not be heard over the air.

Answer: Lip microphone

During the first few bomb raids by the RAF, the thunderous noise of the exposions came over the air loud and clear. The Germans did not want the world, as well as their own citizens, to know exactly what was happening. So, they installed a lip microphone. Shirer was forced to place his lips directly on the device, which would not pick up any other sound. Shirer commented later that at times, the bombs were so close and loud he had to yell, and could not hear his own voice.
9. What book, based on his diaries, became one of the definitive works on World War II, and won Shirer the National Book Award.

Answer: The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich

Shirer used not only his great knowledge of the events leading up too, but his his own personal diaries to write "The Rise and Fall". The book is a masterpiece, a must read for anyone who wants to learn more about the terrible nightmare Europe endured under Hitler.
10. In December, 1940, Shirer left Berlin. Besides the worsening censorship, what was the main reason he left?

Answer: Gestapo watching him

Shirer had been warned by several Germans that the Gestapo was watching him, suspecting him of spying. Shirer was at his wits' end, anyway. Tess and Eileen had left a month before, the bombing raids were picking up, and the censorship was horrible. CBS sent a replacement, and Shirer left.

He continued for a year doing work for CBS, but eventually left to write. He wrote many books, had another daughter, and eventually divorced Tess. He retired to a small farm in New England, and married again. He died in 1993, at the age of 89.
Source: Author tinky65

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.
3/29/2024, Copyright 2024 FunTrivia, Inc. - Report an Error / Contact Us