1. Neuschwanstein Castle (New Swanstone Castle) is a 19th century castle in Bavaria in southwest Germany. It was commissioned in 1869 by King Ludwig II as a retreat in honour of German composer Richard Wagner. The castle has Romanesque shapes such as cuboids and semi-circular arches, Gothic shapes (upward-pointing lines, slim towers) and Byzantine architecture. This was the inspiration for a castle built in California in 1955. This second castle now has an iconic status as the symbol of a powerful entertainment company. Whose castle was inspired by Neuschwanstein and where would you see it most often?
2. Kölnisch Wasser (water from X, which is a city in Germany) was a product made by Johann Maria Farina in 1709. It had a base of dilute ethanol and contained citrus oils, lavender, olive and neroli. Originally called ‘aqua mirabilis’ (miracle water), he marketed it as a cure-all medicine. Napoleon loved it and once ordered 162 bottles. Soon people started referring to it as just ‘X’ and in contemporary English the term has become a generic word for any such product. What is X?
3. In 2008, in a cave in Ach Valley, archaeologists found evidence of Paleolithic music. They discovered four musical instruments which were about 22 cm long and 8 mm round. The material used was from an animal that had naturally hollow bones and lived in the area. They were found to be around 35,000 years old and could be played even now. What instruments were these and which animal’s parts were used to make it?
4. Urban myth has it that what this person wanted to say was “I am a citizen of ____,” but unfortunately he said “I am a jam doughnut,” due to the inclusion of an indefinite article in German. However, it has been argued that this is also correct as citizens of that city rarely referred to doughnuts by that name; they prefer calling it ‘Pfannkuchen’. The speech though has been hailed as one of the most memorable anti-communist moments in Cold war history. Whose words were those and in which city did he say them?
5. The Historic ____ Kitchen of Regensburg is a restaurant in Regensburg, Germany. It is possibly the oldest continuously open public restaurant in the world. It started in 1146 AD and catered to sailors and staff of the St. Peters Cathedral nearby. From the 12th century till today it has been serving a particular dish in portions of 6, 8 or 10. This dish has versions known as ‘Frankfurters’ or ‘Weiners’, which are named after two cities. What item is this that has been sold for the last 870 years?
6. This is the second largest city in Germany and gets its name from the German word for ‘a bend in the river’ and the word for ‘fortified settlement’. The name for a resident of the place is also given to a popular fast food item. This has its origins in the 12th century when Mongolian and Turkish warriors wedged pieces of beef between their saddles and horses’ backs, softening the meat until it was tender enough to be eaten raw. What is the name of the city and the food item?
7. After World War II, due to a trade embargo that prevented the import of Coca-Cola syrup into Germany, the head of Coca-Cola GmbH decided to create a domestic product for the market using available ‘leftover’ products like whey and apple pomace. This became the second oldest brand of the Coca-Cola Company and its second most popular drink. When brainstorming, the team was asked to use their imagination and one salesman gave the German word for ‘Imagination’, which stuck. What drink was thus born?
8. Germany has fake bus stops for people who escape from nursing homes and who are suffering from a particular neurological disorder. This is because the patients tend to wander to the nearest bus stop so they can go home. When nurses find them, they tell them the bus will be late and have them sit inside. Soon the incident is forgotten and the patients are safe. What particular disorder do these fake bus stops cater to?
9. In the 1920s, German brothers Adolf and Rudolf Dassler together launched a shoe company in their mother’s laundry room. Their business boomed after their shoes adorned the feet of gold-medal-winning Olympians in the 1930s. Legend has it after a bombing they had a miscommunication and the brothers had a falling out. They went on to form two rival companies who made their fortunes in football shoes. What are these two companies?
10. The first instance of this was actually a wedding celebration for Prince Ludwig of Bavaria on October 12, 1810. The citizens of Munich were invited to attend the festivities held on the fields in front of the city gates to celebrate the happy royal event. There was a horse race as a grand finale and the event overall was such a huge success that the decision was made to hold it every subsequent year. Today it is the largest volksfestival in the world with over six million visitors every year. Which festival is this known for its prodigious amounts of beer?
Answers
1. Sleeping Beauty’s castle, Walt Disney Company symbol
2. Cologne
3. Flutes from Griffon Vulture bones
4. John F. Kennedy in Berlin
5. Sausages
6. Hamburg, Hamburger
7. Fanta. German word is ‘Fantasie’
8. Alzheimer’s disease
9. Adidas and Puma (Rudolph tried with ‘Ruda’ but changed it later)
10. Oktoberfest
A molecular biologist from Madurai, our quizmaster enjoys trivia and music, and is working on a rock ballad called ‘Coffee is a Drink, Kaapi is an Emotion’. @bertyashley
