German History Quiz

Nick22 · **Reply #360 on:** July 13, 2006, 12:38:30 PM

Rather vague question, but I'll give it a try. Was the dispatch misinterpreted by one side which caused the war?

Malte279 · **Reply #361 on:** July 24, 2006, 01:45:04 PM

Here is a hint. The dispatch caused one of the three wars which are sometimes refered to as the wars of German unification. So what was the name of the dispatch, which war did it cause and how did it?

Nick22 · **Reply #362 on:** July 26, 2006, 09:36:44 AM

Would that be the Ems Telegraph which started the Franco-german war?

Malte279 · **Reply #363 on:** July 26, 2006, 02:09:23 PM

The very same. Just tell us in which way it triggered the war and the floor is all yours

Nick22 · **Reply #364 on:** July 26, 2006, 02:14:19 PM

Bismarck edited the telegraph to make it appear that France was acting beligerently..

Malte279 · **Reply #365 on:** July 26, 2006, 03:02:39 PM

Yes, Bismarck shortened the text of the dispatch, sharpened its tone and did what he could to make France declare war on Germany. French king Napoleon III. swallowed the bait.
Your turn Nick.

Nick22 · **Reply #366 on:** July 26, 2006, 03:05:21 PM

I'll need a few minutes to think of one...

Nick22 · **Reply #367 on:** August 07, 2006, 04:57:39 PM

How was the Gestapo formed?

Malte279 · **Reply #368 on:** August 08, 2006, 05:11:16 AM

The Gestapo was established on April 26, 1933 in Prussia, from the existing organization of the Prussian Secret Police. The Gestapo was first simply a branch of the Prussian Police, known as Department 1A of the Prussian State Police.
However, it gained ever more power especially after new laws in 1936 enabled the Gestapo to operate without any control of other instances.

Is that what you were asking for?

Nick22 · **Reply #369 on:** August 08, 2006, 11:55:02 AM

Precisely...

Nick22 · **Reply #370 on:** August 15, 2006, 05:01:53 PM

Your turn Malte....

Malte279 · **Reply #371 on:** August 15, 2006, 06:05:26 PM

A more recent event:
Which very famous German author confessed to have belonged to which organization?
(The "confession" happened just some days ago so you may learn about it from news pages).

Nick22 · **Reply #372 on:** August 16, 2006, 10:39:23 AM

Gunter Grass? I believed he confessed that he joined the Nazis...

Malte279 · **Reply #373 on:** August 16, 2006, 11:54:05 AM

G¸nther Grass is correct, but it is not that he joined "the nazis". The huge majority of Germans, sad as it is, were nazis of the one or the other degree at that time. It was one organization he belonged to. Which organization?

Nick22 · **Reply #374 on:** August 16, 2006, 12:20:31 PM

was it the gestapo?

Malte279 · **Reply #375 on:** August 16, 2006, 12:31:56 PM

Nope.

Nick22 · **Reply #376 on:** August 16, 2006, 12:42:56 PM

The Army?

Malte279 · **Reply #377 on:** August 16, 2006, 12:54:06 PM

Nope. Just read a news article on the matter and you will know the answer.

Nick22 · **Reply #378 on:** August 17, 2006, 09:16:18 AM

Ohj, the Waffen SS..

Malte279 · **Reply #379 on:** August 17, 2006, 09:35:48 AM

Indeed. There is quite some debate going on about this as G¸nther Grass has always spoken up not to deny our past but deal with it properly, while he told that he had served at the Flak (Anti Aircraft Guns) to which almost every kid of his age was sent in the last year of the war.
Anyway, your turn.