ANSWERS

1. Dietrich von Choltitz

Hitler's question "Is Paris burning?" became the title of a book and film. Choltitz later claimed credit for saving the city, though historians debate how far he deliberately disobeyed orders.

2. Sir John Herschel

3. Venice

4. An opera ("La Muette de Portici" by Daniel Auber)

5. Matthew Webb

Webb set off from Dover on 24 August and landed near Calais on 25 August, after almost 22 hours in the water.

6. Yellowstone

7. The X-15

8. The Blitz

9. St. Louis (Missouri)

10. Tsar

Ivan was born on 25 August 1530 by the Julian calendar then used in Russia.

11. Milk

12. "Freiheit" (freedom)

13. Declan MacManus (Elvis Costello)

14. Claudia Schiffer

15. Charles de Gaulle (Frederick Forsyth)

16. "Private eye" (Allan Pinkerton)

This is the popular explanation. "Private eye" may also simply come from "private investigator", via "P.I.".

17. Thus Spoke Zarathustra (Also sprach Zarathustra) (Friedrich Nietzsche)

18. The Royal Institution (Michael Faraday)

19. Truman Capote

20. Kingsley Amis (Martin Amis)