Soviet Soviet & Eastern Block Quiz - 2008

[NJB]

Hi Guys

After reading the above post's I would like to say please don't get disheartened about the quiz it is an excellent idea and a good learning tool for newcomers like myself,

Nick

ps I have only been interested in all things soviet for seven months, so it possibly shows what can be learned from knowledgable people like yourselves,

[Christophe]

Hi Ed and Nick,

Thanks for your interest in the Quiz!!!

Of course, I don't like this solution either... But, what to do ? The Quiz, normally should regulate by itself... I think we are enough members to make it perform, but in some other forums (Fora ? ), I have seen similar quiz disappear...

I would prefer the Quiz continue as it was in 2006-07...

Let's other Members express their opinion... And during the week-end, if nothing new, I'll post another question, to see whats' going on...

Cheers.

Ch;

[Christophe]

In fact, Nick, it would be YOUR turn, not mine...

Cheers.

Ch.

[Christian Zulus]

Here is what I can propose :

* When someone asks a question :

* Maximum of 2 days to give 1 hint. So 1 new hint every 2 days. After 1 week, the answer has to be given, and if not, the closest member (should be quite clear, even if not scientific..) has the right to ask for a new challenge.

* When someone has answered a question (has won):

* Now, it is after 2 (and not 3) days that the last winner who has not asked yet for a question, and has not transferred his"right" to another Member; will allow everyone else to do ask for the next question.

What do you think ?

Cheers.

Ch.

PS : You have 2 days to answer....

Dear Christophe,

that's an excellent proposal .

Best regards

Christian

[Christophe]

Hi Christian,

Many thanks for for your support... the support of one of the most eminent members of the Quiz...

Cheers.

Ch.

[NJB]

In fact, Nick, it would be YOUR turn, not mine...

Cheers.

Ch.

Thanks christophe,

The next easy question is ready to go,

just waiting for the go ahead,

regards to all,

Nick.

[Knarf]

Hi Frank,

You're right... Boring here..

Here is what I can propose :

* When someone asks a question :

* Maximum of 2 days to give 1 hint. So 1 new hint every 2 days. After 1 week, the answer has to be given, and if not, the closest member (should be quite clear, even if not scientific..) has the right to ask for a new challenge.

* When someone has answered a question (has won):

* Now, it is after 2 (and not 3) days that the last winner who has not asked yet for a question, and has not transferred his"right" to another Member; will allow everyone else to do ask for the next question.

What do you think ?

Cheers.

Ch.

PS : You have 2 days to answer....

Hello,

good solution. It will keep us going. The more questions the more we can learn.

Regards

Frank

[Christophe]

Thanks christophe,

The next easy question is ready to go,

just waiting for the go ahead,

regards to all,

Nick.

Nick,

Green light. Let's go!!!!

Cheers.

Ch.

[NJB]

Hi Christophe.

Thanks for the vote of confidence,

In the spirit of making the quiz more accessible to new members and my own limited knowledge this is an easy question.

In the novel " The people immortal " by Vasily Grossman the main character's death later caused Grossman some embarrassment so....

what is the main character's name and what caused the embarrassment.

Good luck,

Nick.

[Christian Zulus]

In the novel " The people immortal " by Vasily Grossman the main character's death later caused Grossman some embarrassment so....

what is the main character's name and what caused the embarrassment.

Dear Nick,

do you mean the novel Все течет of the year 1961 ("Forever Flowing") ?

Best regards

Christian

[Christian Zulus]

Народ бессмертен

Gentlemen,

I just found the novel in question:

The People Immortal (Народ бессмертен) was written by Grossman for the army newspaper RED STAR in 1943 and takes place in autumn 1941. Grossman won huge fame by that story. The novel had been nominated for the "Stalin Prize", but he didn't got the prize .

This seems to be a complete edition of Grossman's war novels:

Best regards

Christian

[Christophe]

Good, Christian, but I don't think you answered the question...

Cheers.

Ch.

[NJB]

Hi Guys,

Just to add, the answer is in the book pictured by Christian.

Nick

[Ferdinand]

In the novel " The people immortal " by Vasily Grossman the main character's death later caused Grossman some embarrassment so....

what is the main character's name and what caused the embarrassment.

His name is Arno Babadzhanyan. Grossman heard that he died in combat while defending a small piece of land with his 395th Rifle Regiment. Grossman wrote about him in The Immortal People, as in Grossman's opinion this event symbolized the heroism and steadfastness in the Red Army. A couple of years later Grossman met Babadzhanyan again, a tank brigade commander at that time, and was embarrassed as he had let Babadzhanyan die in his novel.

Auke

[Christophe]

Hey, seems good, Auke!!! Let's wait for Nick's judgement...

Cheers.

Ch.

[NJB]

Hi Guys,

we have a winner congratulations Auke for more info check http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamazasp_Babadzhanian

quite the hero by the looks of the awards and medals he received.

hope this was a decent question from a newbie like myself.

Cheers Guys.

Nick

[Ferdinand]

As Beevor gives his name as Arno Babadzhanyan I never realised this was the famous future Chief Marshal Amazasp Babadzhanyan! I keep learning here every day.

I will think of an interesting new question.

Auke

[Christophe]

(...)

hope this was a decent question from a newbie like myself.

Cheers Guys.

Nick

Hi Nick, this was a decent question!!! Congrats!!!

And congrats too to Auke for his new victory!!!!

Cheers.

Ch.

[Christophe]

Time again for a few stats, two months after the New Quiz has been launched...

Quiz 2008 :

* 9 questions asked,

* with 192 answers,

* and viewed more than 1,500 times.

Nb of good answers for the Quiz 2008 :

* 4 : Marc (Lapa)

* 2 : Auke (Ferdinand)

* 1 : Christophe & Knarf (Frank).

Complete statistics give since this Quiz has been launched (on 1 Nov. 2005) :

* 180 questions asked,

* with 2,337 answers,

* This quiz has been viewed more than 24,000 times.

* 38 Members of the Forum played, and 28 correctly answered at least 1 question :

Nb of good answers :

* 35 : Christian (Zulus)

* 32 : Christophe

* 13 : Frank (Knarf)

* 12 : Jim (JimZ)

* 11 : Bryan (Soviet)

* 8 : Auke (Ferdinand) & Simon (Red Threat)

* 6 : Belaruski, Carol I & Ed (Haynes)

* 5 : Dan (Hauptman)

* 4 : Marc (Lapa) & Wild Card.

* 3 : Andreas (Alfred), Ivan (Piramida) & Kim (Kimj).

* 2 : Chuck (in Oregon), Gerd (Becker), Jan (vatjan) & Order of Victory.

* 1 : Charles (Hunyadi), Darrell, Daredevil, Dave (Navy FCO), Dudeman, Filip (Drugo), Rick (Stogieman) & Steen (Ammentorp).

This is a great achievement. Thanks to all for your participation in this Quiz.

Now, let's have fun with the 181st question, Auke's !!!!

Cheers.

Ch.

[Christophe]

Of course, we are still waiting for Marc to give the answer to the question he asked (179th). I will add Nick (NJB)'s victory if so...

Ch.

[Christian Zulus]

Dear Auke,

congratulations to your victory .

Dear Christophe,

Good, Christian, but I don't think you answered the question...

I don't have Beevor's book right now in my bookshelf and I wanted to give a sort of help to my comrades at GMIC .

It's interesting, that Hamazasp Babadzhanian got a rather low numbered HSU with s/n. 2077 end of april 1944, despite the fact, that there had been the mass awardings of thousends of HSUs for the Dnepr-crossing before .

Best regards

Christian

[Christophe]

(...)

I don't have Beevor's book right now in my bookshelf and I wanted to give a sort of help to my comrades at GMIC .

(...)

Christian

Great, Christian!!!

Auke, your turn, now...

Cheers.

Ch.

[Christophe]

Hi to all,

Here is an updated version of the Summary.

Summary #1

Here are all the topics dealt through our questions and answers of this little Quiz.

Are shown below :

* Subject / question dealt - Number of the post where has been asked the question.

Awards / Orders & Medals

* USSR - The two latest Soviet awards instituted by the USSR - #149

Personalities (Identification)

* USSR - Rozalia Samoilovna Zemlyachka - #52

Historical events

* 1942-43 - Battle of Nevsky Pyatachok - #100

* 1960 - Gary power's U2 - #12

* 1981 - Plane crash of Admiral Psotnikov and entire commanding staff of the Pacific Fleet - #30

Other topics

* Chief Marshal Amazasp Babadzhanyan and Vasily Grossman - #184

* The Berliner train in DDR - #79

* Soviet People's Commissariats during GPW - #71

Ch.

[Ferdinand]

OK, this question shouldn't be difficult either.

I was born in 1904. When the GPW started, I was a Lieutenant-Colonel and commander of a bomber regiment. In 1941 I commanded a bomber division, which bombed Berlin, K?nigsberg, Danzig and Ploesti. My career was really successful; During the war I was promoted to a higher rank six times. Among my received awards are three Orders of Suvorov 1st Class.

Who am I? And what were my rank and position at the end of the war?

[Christophe]

I am Alexander Yevgeniyevich Golovanov (1904-1975).

At the end of the war, my rank and position were : Chief Marshal of the Air Force.

Here is Golovanov bio in Wikipedia :

"Alexander Yevgeniyevich Golovanov (1904-1975) was a Soviet pilot. In 1943 he became Marshal of the Air Force (Chief Marshal) (the second after Alexander Novikov) and on 19 August 1944 he was promoted to Chief Marshal of the Air Force.

From the start of the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945), he was the commander of an air regiment, then commander of a long-range bombers' division, subordinated to the Supreme Command Headquarters. The division led by him bombed, with his personal participation, enemy military facilities in Berlin, K?nigsberg, Gdańsk, Ploieşti and other cities. From February 1942 he was the commander of the long-range air force transformed into the 18th Air Army in December, 1944. The army's units delivered air strikes against the Axis' deep rear, supported ground forces during the East Prussian, Vienna and Berlin operations and fulfilled tasks to help the Partisans of Yugoslavia."

Golovanov remained Chief marshal of the Air Force from 19 August 1944 to 11 March 1955.

Ch.