The free quiz

Running order

Before you start

• Read every question twice. The second time slower than you think you need to.
• Always name the source with the answer. That saves you one argument per round.
• Pass the answer sheets to the next table along after each round.
• Keep the pace up: a round that overruns costs you the room, not the points.

1. 1.1

   Which sea lies between the Netherlands and the United Kingdom?

   AnswerThe North Sea

   Also accept: north sea, noordzeeDo not accept: baltic sea, irish sea, english channel

   It is shallow enough that much of it was dry land when Britain and the continent were still joined.

   Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Sea — “The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Denmark, Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France.”

2. 1.2

   How many provinces did the Netherlands have before Flevoland was created in 1986?

   AnswerEleven

   Also accept: eleven, 11Do not accept: twelve, 12, ten, 10

   Flevoland became the twelfth province on 1 January 1986, three decades after the land was drained.

   Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flevoland — “Flevoland is the twelfth and newest province of the Netherlands, established in 1986, when the southern and eastern Flevopolders, together with the Noordoostpolder, were merged into one provincial entity.”

3. 1.3

   Which animal is the fastest on land?

   AnswerThe cheetah

   Also accept: cheetah, cheetaDo not accept: leopard, panther, antelope, gazelle

   A cheetah passes 100 km/h but can only hold it for about twenty seconds.

   Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheetah — “The cheetah is a pursuit predator and the fastest land animal, capable of running at 93–104 km/h (58–65 mph)”

4. 1.4

   In which Dutch city can you see Girl with a Pearl Earring?

   AnswerThe Hague

   Also accept: the hague, den haag, s gravenhageDo not accept: delft, amsterdam, rotterdam

   In the Mauritshuis. Vermeer worked in Delft, which is why half the room shouts Delft.

   Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girl_with_a_Pearl_Earring — “The work has been in the collection of the Mauritshuis in The Hague since 1902”

5. 1.5

   Which planet in our solar system has the most moons?

   AnswerSaturn

   Also accept: saturn, saturnusDo not accept: jupiter, neptune, uranus

   Saturn overtook Jupiter in 2023 and now stands at 285 confirmed moons against Jupiter's 101.

   Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moons_of_Saturn — “Saturn has 293 moons with confirmed orbits as of June 2026, the most of any planet in the Solar System.”

6. 1.6

   Which country does goulash originally come from?

   AnswerHungary

   Also accept: hungary, hongarijeDo not accept: austria, czechia, romania

   The name comes from gulyás, Hungarian for herdsman: it started as food for shepherds on the plains.

   Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goulash — “Originating in Hungary, goulash is a common meal predominantly eaten in Central Europe but also in other parts of Europe.”

7. 1.7

   How many players from one team are in the water at once in water polo?

   AnswerSeven

   Also accept: seven, 7Do not accept: six, 6, eight, 8, five, 5

   Six outfield players and a goalkeeper.

   Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_polo — “Water polo is a competitive team sport played in water between two teams of seven players each.”

8. 1.8

   What is the highest point of the Netherlands?

   AnswerMount Scenery, on Saba

   Also accept: mount scenery, scenery, saba, mt sceneryDo not accept: vaalserberg, vaals, three country point

   The Vaalserberg (322 m) is only the highest point of the European Netherlands. Saba has been part of the country since 2010, and Mount Scenery is about 870 metres.

   Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Scenery — “At an elevation of 870 m (2,854 ft), it is the highest point in both the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and, since the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles on 10 October 2010, the highest point in the Netherlands proper.”

9. 1.9

   Which chemical element has the symbol W?

   AnswerTungsten

   Also accept: tungsten, wolfram, wolfraamDo not accept: hydrogen, tin, tungsten carbide

   The symbol comes from its German name, Wolfram. The English name is Swedish: tung sten, heavy stone.

   Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tungsten — “Tungsten is a chemical element; it has symbol W and atomic number 74.”

10. 1.10

    Who was the first Dutch Nobel laureate?

    AnswerJacobus van 't Hoff

    Also accept: van t hoff, vant hoff, hoff, jacobus van t hoffDo not accept: lorentz, zeeman, einstein, kamerlingh onnes

    He won the very first Nobel Prize in Chemistry ever awarded, in 1901. Lorentz and Zeeman followed a year later in Physics.

    Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacobus_Henricus_van_%27t_Hoff — “A highly influential theoretical chemist, in 1901 Van 't Hoff won the first Nobel Prize in Chemistry”

1. 2.1

   In which film is Tom Hanks stranded on an island with a volleyball named Wilson?

   1. A Cast Away
   2. B The Terminal
   3. C Forrest Gump
   4. D Philadelphia

   AnswerCast Away

   Also accept: cast awayDo not accept: the terminal, forrest gump, philadelphia

   The volleyball was not planned product placement; Wilson only became an icon afterwards.

   Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cast_Away — “Hanks plays a FedEx troubleshooter who is stranded on a deserted island after his plane crashes in the South Pacific”

2. 2.2

   Which was the first Dutch feature film to win the Oscar for best foreign film?

   1. A The Assault
   2. B Antonia's Line
   3. C Character
   4. D Turkish Delight

   AnswerThe Assault

   Also accept: the assaultDo not accept: antonia's line, character, turkish delight

   The Netherlands has won three times: The Assault, Antonia's Line and Character. Turkish Delight was nominated but did not win.

   Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Assault_(1986_film) — “The film won the 1986 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, the Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film and the Golden Space Needle of the Seattle International Film Festival.”

3. 2.3

   In which fictional town is Stranger Things set?

   1. A Hawkins
   2. B Riverdale
   3. C Twin Peaks
   4. D Derry

   AnswerHawkins

   Also accept: hawkinsDo not accept: riverdale, twin peaks, derry

   Hawkins, Indiana. Derry is Stephen King's, Twin Peaks is David Lynch's: both real fictional towns, both wrong.

   Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stranger_Things — “Set in the 1980s, the series centers on the residents of the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana”

4. 2.4

   How many Oscars did The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King win?

   1. A Eleven
   2. B Nine
   3. C Thirteen
   4. D Seven

   AnswerEleven

   Also accept: elevenDo not accept: nine, thirteen, seven

   Eleven nominations, eleven wins: a clean sweep, a record it shares with Ben-Hur and Titanic.

   Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lord_of_the_Rings:_The_Return_of_the_King — “at the 76th Academy Awards, it won all 11 awards for which it was nominated, including Best Picture”

5. 2.5

   Which Dutch director made Turkish Delight, Soldier of Orange and RoboCop?

   1. A Paul Verhoeven
   2. B Dick Maas
   3. C Jan de Bont
   4. D Alex van Warmerdam

   AnswerPaul Verhoeven

   Also accept: paul verhoevenDo not accept: dick maas, jan de bont, alex van warmerdam

   Jan de Bont shot both Dutch films for him and later directed Speed himself.

   Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Verhoeven — “In 1985, Verhoeven made his first Hollywood film Flesh and Blood and later had a successful career in the United States, directing science fiction films such as RoboCop (1987), Total Recall (1990), Starship Troopers (1997) and Hollow Man (2000), as well as the erotic thriller Basic Instinct (1992).”

6. 2.6

   What is the name of the nightclub that serves as headquarters in The Sopranos?

   1. A Bada Bing
   2. B Satriale's
   3. C Vesuvio
   4. D The Copa

   AnswerBada Bing

   Also accept: bada bingDo not accept: satriale's, vesuvio, the copa

   Satriale's is the pork store and Vesuvio the restaurant. All three exist in the show, but the club is the Bing.

   Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bada_Bing — “Bada Bing! (often shortened to The Bing) is a fictional strip club from the HBO drama television series The Sopranos.”

7. 2.7

   Which film opens with the words 'I believe in America'?

   1. A The Godfather
   2. B Goodfellas
   3. C Scarface
   4. D Casino

   AnswerThe Godfather

   Also accept: the godfatherDo not accept: goodfellas, scarface, casino

   Spoken by the undertaker Bonasera, in the dark, before the first image.

   Source: en.wikiquote.org/wiki/The_Godfather — “Bonasera: I believe in America.”

8. 2.8

   Which actor has won the most Oscars for Best Actor?

   1. A Daniel Day-Lewis
   2. B Jack Nicholson
   3. C Marlon Brando
   4. D Tom Hanks

   AnswerDaniel Day-Lewis

   Also accept: daniel day-lewisDo not accept: jack nicholson, marlon brando, tom hanks

   Three for Best Actor. Nicholson also has three Oscars, but one is for a supporting role, which is exactly the trap.

   Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Day-Lewis — “He is the recipient of numerous accolades, including a record three Academy Awards for Best Actor”

9. 2.9

   In which year did The Simpsons begin as a half-hour series?

   1. A 1989
   2. B 1987
   3. C 1991
   4. D 1993

   Answer1989

   Also accept: 1989Do not accept: 1987, 1991, 1993

   The shorts started on The Tracey Ullman Show in 1987, but the series proper began in December 1989.

   Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Simpsons — “Since its debut on December 17, 1989”

10. 2.10

    Which 2014 film is edited to look like one continuous take and won Best Picture?

    1. A Birdman
    2. B 1917
    3. C Whiplash
    4. D Boyhood

    AnswerBirdman

    Also accept: birdmanDo not accept: 1917, whiplash, boyhood

    1917 uses the same trick but did not win Best Picture; that year it went to Parasite.

    Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birdman_(film) — “With a brief exception, Birdman is presented as though it was filmed in one continuous take, an idea Iñárritu had from the film's conception.”

1. 3.1

   Which country's flag is this?

   Show the crop first. Every zoom-out costs the table a point.

   1. A Japan
   2. B Bangladesh
   3. C Palau
   4. D South Korea

   AnswerJapan

   Also accept: japanDo not accept: bangladesh, palau, south korea

   A red sun on white. Bangladesh puts its red circle on green and Palau a yellow moon on blue, so the surrounding colour gives it away.

   Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Japan — “The national flag of Japan is a rectangular white banner with a red circle at its center.”

2. 3.2

   Which country's flag is this?

   Show the crop first. Every zoom-out costs the table a point.

   1. A Ireland
   2. B Italy
   3. C Ivory Coast
   4. D India

   AnswerIreland

   Also accept: irelandDo not accept: italy, ivory coast, india

   Green, white, orange. Italy ends in red, and Ivory Coast has the same colours the other way round, with orange at the hoist.

   Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Ireland — “The national flag of Ireland, frequently referred to in Ireland as "the tricolour" and elsewhere as the Irish tricolour, is a vertical tricolour of green, white and orange.”

3. 3.3

   Which country's flag is this?

   Show the crop first. Every zoom-out costs the table a point.

   1. A Switzerland
   2. B Denmark
   3. C Austria
   4. D Turkey

   AnswerSwitzerland

   Also accept: switzerlandDo not accept: denmark, austria, turkey

   A white cross on red, and square. Switzerland and Vatican City are the only countries with square flags.

   Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Switzerland — “The national flag of Switzerland displays a white Greek cross in the centre of a red field.”

4. 3.4

   Which country's flag is this?

   Show the crop first. Every zoom-out costs the table a point.

   1. A Denmark
   2. B Norway
   3. C Switzerland
   4. D England

   AnswerDenmark

   Also accept: denmarkDo not accept: norway, switzerland, england

   The Nordic cross sits left of centre. Norway has a blue cross inside the white one, and the Swiss flag is square.

   Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Denmark — “The flag is red with a white Nordic cross, which means that the cross extends to the edges of the flag and that the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side.”

5. 3.5

   Which country's flag is this?

   Show the crop first. Every zoom-out costs the table a point.

   1. A Sweden
   2. B Finland
   3. C Norway
   4. D Ukraine

   AnswerSweden

   Also accept: swedenDo not accept: finland, norway, ukraine

   A yellow cross on blue. Finland uses the same cross in blue on white.

   Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Sweden — “The national flag of Sweden consists of a yellow or gold Nordic cross on a field of light blue.”

6. 3.6

   Which country's flag is this?

   Show the crop first. Every zoom-out costs the table a point.

   1. A Czechia
   2. B Philippines
   3. C Slovakia
   4. D Russia

   AnswerCzechia

   Also accept: czechiaDo not accept: philippines, slovakia, russia

   A white and a red band with a blue triangle reaching halfway. On the Philippine flag that triangle is white.

   Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_the_Czech_Republic — “The national flag of the Czech Republic is the same as the flag of the former Czechoslovakia.”

7. 3.7

   Which country's flag is this?

   Show the crop first. Every zoom-out costs the table a point.

   1. A Greece
   2. B Uruguay
   3. C Israel
   4. D Cyprus

   AnswerGreece

   Also accept: greeceDo not accept: uruguay, israel, cyprus

   Nine stripes and a cross in the canton. Uruguay also has blue and white stripes, but with a sun instead of a cross.

   Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Greece — “The national flag of Greece, popularly referred to as the Blue-and-White or the Cyan-and-White, is officially recognised by Greece as one of its national symbols and has 9 horizontal stripes of alternating blue and white.”

8. 3.8

   Which country's flag is this?

   Show the crop first. Every zoom-out costs the table a point.

   1. A Jamaica
   2. B South Africa
   3. C Congo-Brazzaville
   4. D Tanzania

   AnswerJamaica

   Also accept: jamaicaDo not accept: south africa, congo-brazzaville, tanzania

   A gold saltire with green and black triangles. Jamaica's is the only national flag with no red, white or blue in it.

   Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Jamaica — “Jamaica's national flag is also sometimes referred to as "The Cross" or as the "Black, Green, and Gold" due to its form and colours.”

1. 4.1

   Which song is this?

   James Lord Pierpont, 1857. Play the melody twice, with a pause in between.

   1. A Jingle Bells
   2. B Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
   3. C Deck the Halls
   4. D Last Christmas

   AnswerJingle Bells

   Also accept: jingle bellsDo not accept: rudolph the red-nosed reindeer, deck the halls, last christmas

   Written in 1857 by James Lord Pierpont, originally for Thanksgiving rather than Christmas.

   Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jingle_Bells — “"Jingle Bells" is an American song and one of the most commonly sung Christmas songs in the world.”

2. 4.2

   Which song is this?

   Patty en Mildred Hill, 1893. Play the melody twice, with a pause in between.

   1. A Happy Birthday to You
   2. B For He's a Jolly Good Fellow
   3. C Auld Lang Syne
   4. D The Birthday Song

   AnswerHappy Birthday to You

   Also accept: happy birthday to youDo not accept: for he's a jolly good fellow, auld lang syne, the birthday song

   The melody comes from Good Morning to All, 1893. Since 2016 it has been settled that the song is in the public domain.

   Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happy_Birthday_to_You — “The melody of "Happy Birthday to You" comes from the song "Good Morning to All"”

3. 4.3

   Which nursery rhyme is this?

   traditioneel, bewerkt door Mozart, 1781. Play the melody twice, with a pause in between.

   1. A Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
   2. B Row, Row, Row Your Boat
   3. C Frère Jacques
   4. D Baa, Baa, Black Sheep

   AnswerTwinkle, Twinkle, Little Star

   Also accept: twinkle, twinkle, little starDo not accept: row, row, row your boat, frère jacques, baa, baa, black sheep

   The same melody is Ah! vous dirai-je, maman in France, and Mozart wrote a set of variations on it.

   Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twinkle,_Twinkle,_Little_Star — “It is now sung to the tune of the French melody "Ah! vous dirai-je, maman", which was first published in 1761”

4. 4.4

   Which nursery rhyme is this?

   traditioneel, 18e eeuw. Play the melody twice, with a pause in between.

   1. A Frère Jacques
   2. B London Bridge
   3. C Three Blind Mice
   4. D Oranges and Lemons

   AnswerFrère Jacques

   Also accept: frère jacquesDo not accept: london bridge, three blind mice, oranges and lemons

   An eighteenth-century French round, sung in dozens of languages.

   Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fr%C3%A8re_Jacques — “"Frère Jacques", also known in English as "Brother John", is a nursery rhyme of French origin.”

5. 4.5

   Which anthem is this?

   Ludwig van Beethoven, 1824. Play the melody twice, with a pause in between.

   1. A The Anthem of Europe
   2. B Wilhelmus
   3. C La Marseillaise
   4. D Olympic Hymn

   AnswerThe Anthem of Europe

   Also accept: the anthem of europeDo not accept: wilhelmus, la marseillaise, olympic hymn

   Ode to Joy from Beethoven's Ninth. The Council of Europe adopted it in 1972 and the European Community followed in 1985.

   Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthem_of_Europe — “The European Anthem or Anthem of Europe, also known as Ode to Joy, is a piece of instrumental music adapted from the prelude of the final movement of Beethoven's 9th Symphony composed in 1823”

6. 4.6

   Which piece is this?

   Ludwig van Beethoven, 1810. Play the melody twice, with a pause in between.

   1. A Für Elise
   2. B Moonlight Sonata
   3. C Rondo alla Turca
   4. D Clair de Lune

   AnswerFür Elise

   Also accept: für eliseDo not accept: moonlight sonata, rondo alla turca, clair de lune

   Beethoven wrote it around 1810. It was only published forty years after his death, and nobody is certain who Elise was.

   Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F%C3%BCr_Elise — “commonly known as "Für Elise", is one of Ludwig van Beethoven's most popular compositions”

7. 4.7

   Which piece is this from?

   Edvard Grieg, 1875. Play the melody twice, with a pause in between.

   1. A In the Hall of the Mountain King
   2. B The Four Seasons
   3. C Swan Lake
   4. D Boléro

   AnswerIn the Hall of the Mountain King

   Also accept: in the hall of the mountain kingDo not accept: the four seasons, swan lake, boléro

   Grieg wrote it in 1875 for Henrik Ibsen's play Peer Gynt.

   Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_the_Hall_of_the_Mountain_King — “"In the Hall of the Mountain King" is a piece of orchestral music composed by Edvard Grieg in 1875 as incidental music for the sixth scene of act 2 in Henrik Ibsen's 1867 play Peer Gynt.”

8. 4.8

   Which opera is this from?

   Georges Bizet, 1875. Play the melody twice, with a pause in between.

   1. A Carmen
   2. B La Traviata
   3. C The Magic Flute
   4. D Aida

   AnswerCarmen

   Also accept: carmenDo not accept: la traviata, the magic flute, aida

   The Habanera from Bizet's Carmen, 1875. Bizet borrowed the melody from a habanera by Sebastián Yradier.

   Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carmen — “Carmen is an opera in four acts by the French composer Georges Bizet.”

1. 5.1

   What's the link?

   1. Clue 1 Doesburg 5 pt
   2. Clue 2 Zutphen 4 pt
   3. Clue 3 Deventer 3 pt
   4. Clue 4 Kampen 2 pt
   5. Clue 5 Zwolle 1 pt

   AnswerHanseatic towns on the IJssel

   Also accept: hanseatic, hanseatic towns, hanseatic league, hanze, ijsselDo not accept: provincial capitals, fortified towns

   When Amsterdam and Rotterdam were still villages, these were already powerful trading towns.

   Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanseatic_League — “The Hanseatic League, commonly called The Hansa, was a medieval commercial and defensive network of merchant guilds and market towns in Central and Northern Europe.”

2. 5.2

   What's the link?

   1. Clue 1 Sarphati 5 pt
   2. Clue 2 Beatrix 4 pt
   3. Clue 3 Rembrandt 3 pt
   4. Clue 4 Wester 2 pt
   5. Clue 5 Vondel 1 pt

   AnswerParks in Amsterdam

   Also accept: parks in amsterdam, amsterdam parks, parksDo not accept: amsterdam streets, canals

   Sarphatipark is the hard one: named after the physician and city developer Samuel Sarphati.

   Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vondelpark — “The Vondelpark is a public urban park of 47 hectares in Amsterdam, Netherlands.”

3. 5.3

   What's the link?

   1. Clue 1 Leerdam 5 pt
   2. Clue 2 Maasdam 4 pt
   3. Clue 3 Edam 3 pt
   4. Clue 4 Leiden 2 pt
   5. Clue 5 Gouda 1 pt

   AnswerDutch places that are also cheeses

   Also accept: cheese, cheeses, dutch cheese, types of cheese, cheese townsDo not accept: glass, cities, dams

   Most people know Leerdam as a glass town, which is why it makes the best opening clue.

   Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gouda_cheese — “Gouda cheese is a family of yellow cow's milk cheeses originally from the Netherlands.”

4. 5.4

   What's the link?

   1. Clue 1 Jasmine 5 pt
   2. Clue 2 Lotus 4 pt
   3. Clue 3 Iris 3 pt
   4. Clue 4 Daisy 2 pt
   5. Clue 5 Rose 1 pt

   AnswerFlowers that are also girls' names

   Also accept: flowers, girls names, flowers and names, flower namesDo not accept: plants, colours, perfumes

   Iris is a flower, a girl's name, part of the eye and a Greek goddess: four meanings in four letters.

   Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iris_(given_name) — “Iris is a feminine name.”

5. 5.5

   What's the link?

   1. Clue 1 Molière 5 pt
   2. Clue 2 Voltaire 4 pt
   3. Clue 3 Lewis Carroll 3 pt
   4. Clue 4 Mark Twain 2 pt
   5. Clue 5 George Orwell 1 pt

   AnswerPen names

   Also accept: pen names, pseudonyms, pen name, aliasesDo not accept: writers, novelists, playwrights

   Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, François-Marie Arouet, Charles Dodgson, Samuel Clemens and Eric Blair.

   Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pen_name — “A pen name or nom-de-plume is a pseudonym adopted by an author and printed on the title page or by-line of their works in place of their real name.”

6. 5.6

   What's the link?

   1. Clue 1 Witte de With 5 pt
   2. Clue 2 Van Speijk 4 pt
   3. Clue 3 Maarten Tromp 3 pt
   4. Clue 4 Piet Hein 2 pt
   5. Clue 5 Michiel de Ruyter 1 pt

   AnswerDutch naval heroes

   Also accept: naval heroes, admirals, dutch admirals, sea heroesDo not accept: streets in rotterdam, ships

   Van Speijk is the odd one out: not an admiral but a lieutenant, famous for blowing up his own gunboat rather than surrendering it.

   Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_van_Speijk — “Van Speijk is regarded as a naval hero in the Netherlands.”

1. 6.1

   The Titanic sinks on her maiden voyage

   Answer1912

   On the night of 14 to 15 April, four days after leaving Southampton.

   Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titanic — “RMS Titanic was a British ocean liner that sank in the early hours of 15 April 1912 after striking an iceberg on her maiden voyage from Southampton, England, to New York City.”

2. 6.2

   The first human sets foot on the Moon

   Answer1969

   Neil Armstrong, 20 July 1969, followed by Buzz Aldrin.

   Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_Armstrong — “Neil Alden Armstrong was an American astronaut and aeronautical engineer who, as the commander of the 1969 Apollo 11 mission, became the first person to walk on the Moon.”

3. 6.3

   The North Sea flood devastates the Dutch province of Zeeland

   Answer1953

   1,836 people died. The disaster led directly to the Delta Works.

   Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1953_North_Sea_flood — “The North Sea flood of 1953, also known as the Big Flood or East Coast Flood or as the Flood Disaster, was a flood caused by a heavy storm surge in the North Sea that struck low-lying coastal areas of the Netherlands, Belgium, and the United Kingdom.”

4. 6.4

   The Netherlands win the European Football Championship

   Answer1988

   In Munich, with Van Basten's volley in the final against the Soviet Union.

   Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Euro_1988 — “The Netherlands won the tournament, which was their first European championship title.”

5. 6.5

   The Berlin Wall falls

   Answer1989

   9 November, after a press conference in which a spokesman got the start date wrong.

   Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fall_of_the_Berlin_Wall — “The Berlin Wall fell on 9 November 1989 during the Peaceful Revolution, marking the beginning of the destruction of the figurative Iron Curtain, as East Berlin transit restrictions were overwhelmed and discarded.”

6. 6.6

   Euro notes and coins enter circulation

   Answer2002

   The currency had existed since 1999 on paper; the cash arrived on 1 January 2002.

   Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euro — “Physical euro coins and banknotes entered into circulation on 1 January 2002, making it the day-to-day operating currency of its original members, and by March 2002 it had completely replaced the former currencies.”

7. 6.7

   The first iPhone is unveiled

   Answer2007

   Announced on 9 January 2007 and only on sale that June.

   Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPhone_(1st_generation) — “After years of rumors and speculation, it was officially announced on January 9, 2007, and was released in the United States on June 29, 2007.”

8. 6.8

   The Oosterschelde storm surge barrier officially opens

   Answer1986

   Opened by Queen Beatrix, who called it the crown on the Delta Works.

   Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oosterscheldekering — “On 4 October 1986, Queen Beatrix officially opened the dam for use by saying the well-known words:”

9. 6.9

   The first train in the Netherlands runs from Amsterdam to Haarlem

   Answer1839

   20 September 1839, taking about half an hour.

   Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_rail_transport_in_the_Netherlands — “On September 20, 1839, a train pulled by the locomotives De Arend (and De Snelheid as a backup) left Amsterdam, arriving in a (then) recordbreaking 30 minutes later in Haarlem.”

10. 6.10

    The Peace of Münster ends the Eighty Years' War

    Answer1648

    Part of the Peace of Westphalia, in which Spain recognised the Dutch Republic as independent.

    Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peace_of_M%C3%BCnster — “The Peace of Münster, signed on 30 January 1648, was a treaty between Philip IV of Spain and the Lords States General of the Dutch Republic.”