European Politicians After 1945 Quiz

Answer: Wilhelm Pieck

Grotewohl (1894-1964)was co-President of the Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschlands (SED)with Wilhelm Pieck (1876-1960). Pieck became President of the G.D.R. in 1949. Walter Ulbricht (1893-1973) succeeded to Pieck as Head of State in 1960 but the title of President was abolished.

When Ulbricht died, Stoph (1914-1999) took over as Head of State. Stoph's career had begun in 1953 after the rebellion of 17th of June.

Answer: Kurt Waldheim

Waldheim was born in St. Andra-Woerden, Austria.(1918). He became Secretary-General of United Nations in 1971. Till 1981. In 1986 he became President of Austria. Till 1992. Kurt Georg Kiesinger was born in 1904 at Ebingen, Wuertemberg.Was a Member of NDSAP from 1933-1945.Chancellor of GFR from 1966 till 1969.Died in 1988. Willy Brandt was born in 1913 (Luebeck).Was Burgomaster of Berlin from 1957 till 1966. Chancellor of GFR from 1969-1974.Died in 1992.

Henry Kissinger was born at Fuerth in Germany 1923.

He became a U.S. citizen in 1943. Secretary of State from 1973 till 1977.

Answer: Aldo Moro

Fanfani (1908-99) was Secretary of Democrazia Cristiana from 1954 till 1959.Italian PM in {1954;1958-59;1960-63,1982-83;1987.} Alcide de Gasperi was the founder of the Democrazia Cristiana. PM of Italy in nine successive governments from 1845 till 1953. Giulio Andreotti (b.1919) was PM {1982-83;1987.} Was accused of protecting the Mafia. Aldo Moro (1916-78) was Premier in {'72-73';'76-'79:'89-'91.} Tried to bring about a rapprochement with the Communist Party.

Answer: In the USA Embassy at Budapest

Mindzenty(1892-1975) was arrested by the nazis for his episcopal letters in which he took up the defence of the Jews. In 1949 he was again arrested and imprisoned by the new Communist regime. Locked up in solitary confinement till he was released by the Hungarian Revolutionaries in 1956.

Answer: Georgios Papadopoulos

Giorgios Andreas Papandreou(1888-1968)was PM from 1944-45 after the downfall of such sympathizers with the nazis as General Metaxas who had closed Parliament in 1936. He became PM again in 1963 and also in 1963-64. Papagos was an important general during World War II. Became PM in 1952 until 1955.

He was succeeded to by Konstantinos Karamanlis (1907-1998)who stayed in power till 1963. In April 1967 Giorgios Papadopoulos came to power as the leader of a Junta of Colonels . Andreas Papandreou, son of Giorgios Andreas P.,the founder of Pasok, the Greek socialist party, was one of those who were imprisoned by the military junta.

After the fall of the 'Colonels' Karamanlis came to power again.(1974-1980). From 1980 till 1985 he was President of Greece.

In 1981 Andreas Papandreou took over the premiership and ruled till 1989. Was PM again in 1993. Had to give up his political role in 1996 because of illness.

Answer: Pierre Mendes France

Bidault was born at Moulins in Auvergne.1899. Played a role in French Resistance.Broke with de Gaulle over Algeria. Died in 1983. Guy Mollet(1905-1975), also active in Resistance. Burgomaster of Arras.Leading member of Socialist Party before Mitterand. Mitterand(1916-1996). Became President of France in May 1981. Pierre Mendes France was PM of France from 18th of June 1954 till 5th of February.

The battle at Dien Bien Phu had started on 13th March 1954 and lasted till 7th of May.

Answer: King Constantine II of Greece

Leopold III lost his throne when in spite of a referendum which he won with a small majority, part of the population refused to accept his return to power.

King Michael was born in 1921. When Michael was 6 years old, his father renounced the Romanian throne because of his relationship with Elena Lupescu. Michael became King in 1940 but his rule was overshadowed by the dictatorship of Marshall Antonescu. Stalin saw to it that Michael was removed from even any semblance of power in 1947. In 1948 he had to leave the country. Some people would wish him to be returned to the royal throne.

Juan Carlos of Spain, grandson of Alfonso XIII, was born in 1938. Married to Princess Sophia of Greece in 1962. Foiled a right-wing coup in 1981.

Constantine II of Greece(b.1940) was King from 1964 till 1967 when a military putsch brought him down. Failed to regain power and was formally deposed in 1973.

Answer: Marcello Caetano

Salazar (1889-1970)became Premier of Portugal in 1932. He established a style of government that was considered to be dictatorial. Though he supported Franco during the Spanish Civil War, he remained faithful to the traditional Portuguese alliance with Britain during World War Two.

After suffering a stroke in 1968, he entrusted power to his associate Marcello Caetano (1906-1980).On April 25 1974 the Movimento das Forcas Armadas brought Antonio Spinola to power. Spinola soon got in trouble with more leftist members of the Movement such as Vasco Goncalves, Otelo de Carvalho and others.He resigned in September 1974. Tried an anti-communist coup in March 1975, but failed.

A leftist countercoup failed also.It was only the elections of 1976 that brought back stability to the country. Caetano's life was spared by the revolutionaries on condition he went into exile, which he did: first to Madeira then to Brazil. The President of Portugal at the time of Caetano's premiership was Americo Tomas.

Answer: Elena

Nee Petrescu(1919-1989). She was minister of science and education.Various publications on chemistry were published under her name. Alas the falsifications were too transparent for her ever to win the Nobel Prize for science she had hoped for.

Answer: Jozef Pinkowski

Gomulka(1905-1982) came to power in October 1956. His slightly nationalistic views and his sympathy for Tito had been the reason why he had been arrested in 1951. His failure to get the country on the right economic tracks, brought Edvard Gierek(1913-2001) to power in 1970.

In 1980 Stanislaw Kania ( born in 1927) succeeded him as First Secretary of the Communist Party. It was however Jozef Pinkowski who was made Prime-Minister. Both had short-lived careers.