Witness History Podcast
History told by the people who were there. For nine minutes every weekday, Witness History takes you back to moments which have shaped our world.
Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by and curious about the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there.
For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more.
Recent episodes explore everything from how the Excel spreadsheet was developed, the creation of cartoon rabbit Miffy and how the sound barrier was broken.
We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: the moment Reagan and Gorbachev met in Geneva, Haitian singer Emerante de Pradines鈥� life and Omar Sharif鈥檚 legendary movie entrance in Lawrence of Arabia.
You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, like the invention of a stent which has saved lives around the world; the birth of the G7; and the meeting of Maldives鈥� ministers underwater. We cover everything from World War Two and Cold War stories to Black History Month and our journeys into space.
Episodes to download
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Willy Brandt's Spy Scandal
Mon 12 May 2014
In May 1974, the West German chancellor resigned after an aide was revealed as a spy
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Abba Win Eurovision
Fri 9 May 2014
The Swedish group made it to international pop stardom with their song Waterloo in 1974
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The Execution of Habib Elghanian
Thu 8 May 2014
The shooting of a prominent Jewish businessman in post-revolution Iran on 9 May 1979
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Paul Robeson's Comeback Concert
Wed 7 May 2014
In May 1958 the great African-American singer performed at Carnegie Hall
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Once I was President of Crimea
Tue 6 May 2014
Yuri Meshkov, who was once the president of Crimea, remembers his removal from office
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The Crow
Mon 5 May 2014
In 1994, 'The Crow' was released, despite lead actor Brandon Lee dying during filming.
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The Sinking of the Belgrano
Fri 2 May 2014
In May 1982 the Argentine cruiser the General Belgrano was sunk by British torpedoes
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Mao's Long March
Thu 1 May 2014
In 1934 Mao Zedong led tens of thousands of his followers on an epic march across China
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Abuse at Abu Ghraib
Wed 30 Apr 2014
In April 2004, photographs emerged showing American soldiers abusing Iraqi prisoners
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The Death of Mussolini
Tue 29 Apr 2014
The fascist dictator Benito Mussolini is killed and his body strung up in a Milan square
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The Port Arthur Massacre
Mon 28 Apr 2014
In April 1996, a lone gunman killed 35 people in the Australian town of Port Arthur.
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The Frontier Gandhi
Fri 25 Apr 2014
A British officer's description of the Qissa Khwani Bazaar massacre
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The Carnation Revolution in Portugal
Thu 24 Apr 2014
How a coup by rebel army officers led the way to democracy in Portugal on 25 April, 1974
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Mugabe Becomes Zimbabwe's Leader
Wed 23 Apr 2014
In April 1980, Robert Mugabe became the first prime minister of Zimbabwe
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The Fall of Senator McCarthy
Tue 22 Apr 2014
In April 1954, anti-communist US Senator McCarthy was investigated by the government
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The Greek Military Coup
Mon 21 Apr 2014
In April 1967, seven years of military dictatorship began in Greece.
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Bay of Pigs Invasion
Fri 18 Apr 2014
Cuban exiles backed by the US government tried to overthrow Fidel Castro in April 1961
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Easter in the USSR
Thu 17 Apr 2014
Memories of celebrating Easter in the USSR where religious freedoms were suppressed
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The Legalisation of Solidarity
Wed 16 Apr 2014
The Polish trade union Solidarity was legalised once again in April 1989
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North Korea Train Explosion
Tue 15 Apr 2014
The explosion at a station in North Korea that killed around 170 people in April 2004
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Segregation in California
Mon 14 Apr 2014
How one family helped overturn racial segregation in schools in California.
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Polio Vaccine Discovered
Fri 11 Apr 2014
American scientists announced they had an effective vaccine against polio in April 1955
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The Fall of Idi Amin 1979
Thu 10 Apr 2014
In April 1979 the brutal Ugandan ruler, Idi Amin, was ousted by invading Tanzanian forces
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Georgia's Struggle for Independence
Wed 9 Apr 2014
Soviet troops crushed a mass demonstration in Georgia's capital Tbilisi on 9 April,1989
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Marian Anderson Sings at the Lincoln Memorial
Tue 8 Apr 2014
The great American contralto sings to a huge crowd in Washington DC on 9 April, 1939
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The Rwandan Genocide
Mon 7 Apr 2014
The mass killing of minority ethnic Tutsis in Rwanda began on 7 April,1994
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The Quit India Movement
Fri 4 Apr 2014
Gandhi's call to all Indians to rise up in non-violent resistance to British rule in 1942
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The Windsors In Exile
Thu 3 Apr 2014
Life in Paris for Duke and Duchess of Windsor, formerly Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson
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The Kidnap and Murder of Axel Blumberg
Wed 2 Apr 2014
In April 2004 the death of a 23-year-old student provoked a wave of protests in Argentina
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The 麻豆社 Spaghetti Hoax
Tue 1 Apr 2014
In 1957 the 麻豆社 played an April Fool's joke on the British public.
