Soviet Soviet & Eastern Block Quiz

[Knarf]

Hello Jim,

Tell me what you think!

A little hint which will help you cvertainly to find the answer.

Only Mr. Honecker and Mr Mielke were kept informed.

We needed nearly a Year to find out. (we had no Internet by that time)

Good luck

Give us the answer

Frank

[Ed_Haynes]

We needed nearly a Year to find out.

Hope it won't take us that long to answer this question.

[Knarf]

Hello,

to keep things going I will give you another hint.

Somethings did the job for what they were intended for. But in a very unexpected way.

Please do not let me down.

Frank

[JimZ]

So lets see.... The F 96 changed apparantly underwent a change in its route as part of it passed through the Soviet controlled area. However, this seems to have happenned in the Southern part of Berlin and I am not sure this is indeed the Brandenburg area. Otherwise I would have suspected that there was a discontinued tunnel that could have been used as an escape route that could have then been blocked up and bugged .... but why by plumbers and not Stasi or Soviet troops.

Brandenburg area is the kink in my red line and the the B96 Tunnel is within the black box. I have never been there so my concept of the distance is not the best. Neither do I have literature sufficient enough to back up my thoughts. But as Berlin was indeed one city, the odds are that it had one sewage system and that entrance into such system and a bit of elbow grease (not to mention $hit!!) could lead to tunnelling into the B 96 tunnel. That is of course if that part of the road esixted at the time.

Alternatively rather than try to escape, any such tunnel system leading from East to West could be dug up for the purposes of Bugging. But Why?? These seems to be nothing much in that area!

Finally, discovery of a common sewage system could have led to worry that such system could be used as an escape system. Hence the plumbers may have been brought in to block up and deviate sewage (or water drainage) systems that could have been used as a means for defecting from East to West.

Dire speculation of course.... but the proximity of the tunnel to the Brandenburg area and the thoughts of a common sewage system that could easily beat the wall could have indeed been a concern to the GSFG. And then... why else could you need a plumber?? I hate to think of alternatives!!!

Hope you at least find these potshots amusing!

Jim :cheer:

[Knarf]

Hello Jim

Very Interestig theory. But...

Let us see what we have got:

1. The exact date which is August 14th 1977

2. F 96 now B96

3. Brandenburg Area

So we have to find out which towns are near this road in the Brandenburg area.

Plumbers we need to produce things made of Zinc. What is made of Zinc?

When only Mr Honecker and Mr. Mielke are informed it means that not anybody else knew about it.) If somebody escaped the MfS or the Border Guards were involved.) It also means that something very big happened.

I hope this will make things easier.

Frank

[Knarf]

Hello, next and last hint:

The soviet army was holding a certain stock of coffins made of zinc. Because the had not enough the plumbers in the area of Dannenwalde had to produce some more.

regards

Frank

[JimZ]

And there goes confirmation of my initial thoughts that one makes coffins, or rather lines them with Zinc! I however thought it was too outrageous and irrelvant. I was wrong! But plumbers and coffins???

Jim

[Knarf]

In 1977 wooden coffins in GDR were made by carpenters. The only people who could handle zinc were plumbers. I don`t want to explain in the Forum why in certain cases you have to use coffins made of zinc instead of wood.

With this question I do not want to hurt anybody`s feelings. It is a very serious question. The incident

could have changed Europes history or even history of mankind.

regards

Frank

[JimZ]

Zinc for lining a tunnel/bunker? Right track?

[Knarf]

Nothing to do with a tunnel. Zinc used for coffins. Big BANG!!!!

regards Frank

[JimZ]

Anyone any idea? I've hit a zinc lined brick wall here and nobody else seems to be trying.....

[Christophe]

Hi,

Not an easy one...

I could guess that zinc coffins are used for damaged corpses remains? So, if this is correct, several options : they found corpses of German soldiers or civilians killed by the Soviets during WW2, or Nazi high rank dignitaries corpses... Or a inhabited flying soccer ?

Cheers.

Ch.

[Christophe]

I would just add : any nuclear aspect, here ?

Ch.

[Ed_Haynes]

A little later, and I'd guess Afghanistan. Lots of coffins these days need to be of metal, and welded shut. For the same reasons.

[JimZ]

I was also thinking chemical weapons as there were some plant around where N-Stoff (chlorine tri-fluoride), and Sarin were formarly produced by Nazi Germany (Falkenhagen on the Polish Border is one such site). Infact I also thought that the zinc could have been used to line containers of N-Stoff (or other chemicals)which apparantly could be stored at the borders and used as a first line of defence against the West. - What a first line of defence if that was the case - No 'pleasanties' of exchanging lead... Just death.

Jim

[Knarf]

Hello,

i did not expect that this Question causes so many problems.

The F 96 leads through the town of Gransee in Brandenburg. Near the town there was a large Soviet depot.

On 14. Aug.1977 there was a desaster in Dannenwalde. Probably caused by a thunderstorm because the Soviets had stored some nasty things in the wrong way. Some people said that it was sabotage. The reason for the desaster wii be kept secret untill 2017. We cannot wait until that date. The Quiz has to go on before that. Please answer my question before 2017 or better before tomorrow.

Regards Frank

I promise to stop asking more questions in the future

[Christophe]

Hi Frank,

The last hints helped a lot... And, please, DON'T STOP ASKING QUESTIONS !!!!!

What happened on 14th August 1977 ?

On 14th August 1977 in this woods of Dannenwalde, happened a catastrophic disaster. The Soviet Army stocked 'Katjusha' - rockets around here. In a thunderstorm these rockets became ignited and a huge explosion led to fatal destructions in the environment. Official reportings talked about one injured soldier but unofficial informations talk about up to 100 fatalities. Also Nukes should be stored here.

This day, the Soviet army has buried the "Katjuscha" rockets apparently n the earth to remove traces.

Here is an article of the Berliner Zeitung about this story :

http://www.berlinonline.de/berliner-zeitun...0062/index.html

"The inhabitants of the surrounding places still remember well 14th August, 1977. At that time at noon a thunderstorm had gathered about 1 o'clock, shortly after a flash went in the "Katjuscha" rockets stacked on the ground and let several rockets explode. R?diger Ungewiss, the mayor of Dannenwalde, still knows that " suddenly these rockets about us flew about that ". In the neighbouring place Gransee a rocket set on fire a house roof, in prince's mountain / Havel a "Katjuscha" got stuck in immediate nearness of the railway station in the earth. Nevertheless, there were neither dead people nor injured persons in the local population. The number of the killed Soviet soldiers is not determined till this day(so far). To remove the tracks(traces) of the misfortune(accident), the Sowiet Army buried all rockets - whether they were damaged or not - in the earth. The authorities informed the population on site, merely one material store has flown in the air."

Here why the zinc coffins were used...

Cheers.

Ch.

[Knarf]

Christophe,

Congratulations!!!

Perfect job.

As far as it is known today there were nukes in this area. So if... do`nt think about this.

Several days ago again some Katjushas were found. They were complete and still in working condition. Now I have to find out which place they were taken to and what will happen to them. I will try to get one or two of this beauties for my "heavy metall " collection.

Congratulations again

regards Frank

It it is estimated that between 50 and 300 soldiers were killed. Their bits and pices went back in the coffins made by the plumbers

[Christophe]

Thanks Frank for your congratulations !!! It was clearly not an easy one !!! And, please, don't stop asking more questions!!!

It will be my turn now... Time to think about the next challenge...

Cheers.

Ch.

[Christophe]

Time for a few stats...

This small game has now been launched more than 2 years ago (on 1 Nov. 2005), and since :

* 169 questions asked,

* with 2,120 answers,

* This quiz has been viewed more than 21,870 times.

* 36 Members of the Forum played, and 27 correctly answered at least 1 question :

Nb of good answers :

* 35 : Christian (Zulus)

* 31 : Christophe

* 12 : Frank (Knarf)

* 11 : Bryan (Soviet) & Jim (JimZ)

* 8 : Simon (Red Threat)

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

* 4 : Dan (Hauptman) & 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.

Now, let's continue to have fun with the 170th question... Mine!!!

Cheers.

Ch.

Edited December 15, 2007 by Christophe

[Christophe]

Hi,

Here is Question #170 :

Should be an easy one... Time to relax... , after Frank super challenge .

Question :

These names, dates, facts have all something in common, and are all specific :

* Christian Gaudian

* Chris Gueffroy

* 8 April 1989

* 16 April 1989

What is their common point ?

Each of them represents something similar linked to this common factor. For each of them, what is it ?

The winner is the first one able to answer these two questions, with the detailed specificity of each 4 points.

Good hunt and good luck !!

Cheers.

Ch.

Edited December 16, 2007 by Christophe

[Hauptmann]

Hi,

Here is Question #170 :

Should be an easy one... Time to relax... , after Frank super challenge .

Question :

These names, dates, facts have all something in common, and are all specific :

* Christian Gaudian

* Chris Gueffroy

* 8 April 1989

* 16 April 1989

What is their common point ?

Each of them represents something similar linked to this common factor. For each of them, what is it ?

The winner is the first one able to answer these two questions, with the detailed specificity of each 4 points.

Good hunt and good luck !!

Cheers.

Ch.

Hi Christophe,

I've only been able to get this far:

On February 6, 1989 Chris Gueffroy and his friend Christian Gaudian attempted to escape the DDR as they were under the mistaken impression that the border guards would no longer shoot those trying to escape. They were spotted by the DDR border guards who rushed in from both sides, shouted warnings, fired warning shots and finally took aimed shots killing Chris Gueffroy (who was the last person to be killed trying to escape the DDR) and his friend was wounded, taken into custody and sentenced on May 24, 1989 to three years in prison by the Pankow District Court for attempted illegal border crossing of the first degree. In September of 1989 he was freed on bail by the East German government and on October 17, 1989 was transferred to West Berlin.

On April 8, 1989 the last escape attempt from the DDR was made at Checkpoint Chausseestrasse when the escape of two teenagers was prevented by the gunfire of the DDR border guards.

Sadly I cannot find anything I can see connecting all this on April 16, 1989.

Here is a picture of Chris Gueffory on a memorial at Checkpoint Charlie:

From: http://www.lilano.de/catalog/product_info....products_id/139

And the monument set up in 2003 at the Britz District Canal in Berlin's Treptow-Kopenick Borough:

Assuming this is all correct then I'll keep trying on April 16th and see what I can come up with... but someone else may beat me to it.

Dan

From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Gueffroy

[Christophe]

Dan,

Congrats, well done !!!

You made the link and answered quite correctly to nearly all the questions.

Here are the answers :

Question :

These names, dates, facts have all something in common, and are all specific :

* Christian Gaudian

* Chris Gueffroy

* 8 April 1989

* 16 April 1989

What is their common point ?

Their common factor is obviously the Berlin Wall.

And they are all the last ... (something) of the Berlin Wall.

Each of them represents something similar linked to this common factor. For each of them, what is it ?

Here are the answers :

* Christian Gaudian was the last man wounded by fire shots.

* Chris Gueffroy was the last man dead, victim of bullets at the Wall.

* 8 April 1989 was the date of the last shots fired at the wall, when two youths tried to escape through the Chausseestrasse checkpoint.

* 16 April 1989 was the date when an unknown man (about 18) drowned, trying to escape. He is the last dead of the Wall.

This information I have found only in one book : Christopher Hilton - The Wall, the people's story. I frankly did not have time to check in the 40 something books I have on the Berlin Wall if it was mantioned in others. Cross checking sources...

So, we can consider that Dan has perfectly well answered this question.

Dan, congrats !!!!

Your turn, now...

Cheers.

Ch.

Edited December 16, 2007 by Christophe

[Hauptmann]

Hi Christophe,

Well, didn't expect that but many thanks my friend! I worked on this after finishing up two of my jobs last night and was not at the top of my form. Plus I simply could not find that last one... but sounds like it is indeed a bit obscure... at least nothing was mentioned on the web that I could find, or in any of my meagre supply of references. Definitely a good question!

If it's okay I may need a little time to come up with something this time. I'm working again in just a few hours and still need to catch up on sleep. I'm only up to take Kim over to work. I'm only on till 9 p.m. (cst) tonight and then I'm off for two days from one of my jobs... the other two don't take up too much of my time so I'll have more time to figure out what the next question will be. If I can't come up with it at some point tomorrow then I'll be happy to pass it along to someone else.

Again many thanks!!!!

Dan

[Christophe]

Hi Dan,

No pb. We can wait for your question. The Quiz has not been so busy these last weeks that we can't wait a little and take some rest...

Take the time you need.

Cheers.

Ch.