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 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 the death of Adolf Hitler, the first spacewalk and the making of the movie Jaws, to celebrity tortoise Lonesome George, the Kobe earthquake and the invention of superglue.
We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: Eva Peron 鈥� Argentina鈥檚 Evita; President Ronald Reagan and his famous 鈥榯ear down this wall鈥� speech; Thomas Keneally on why he wrote Schindler鈥檚 List; and Jacques Derrida, France鈥檚 鈥榬ock star鈥� philosopher.
You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the civil rights swimming protest; the disastrous D-Day rehearsal ; and the death of one of the world鈥檚 oldest languages.
Episodes to download
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Rudolf Nureyev defects
Tue 12 Jun 2012
It is over 50 years since the great Russian ballet dancer left the Soviet Union for good.
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The Pentagon Papers
Mon 11 Jun 2012
The man behind one of the most important security breaches in US history tells his story.
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Robert Kennedy's Funeral Train
Fri 8 Jun 2012
How Americans lined the route of Senator Robert Kennedy's funeral train in 1968.
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Pollard Spy Case
Thu 7 Jun 2012
It's 26 years since an American intelligence analyst admitted selling secrets to Israel.
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The Pompidou centre
Wed 6 Jun 2012
It is 35 years since the opening of the iconic modern art centre in Paris.
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The Rosenhan Experiment
Tue 5 Jun 2012
In 1969 an American psychologist called David Rosenhan put psychiatrists to the test.
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African Troops During WWII
Mon 4 Jun 2012
During World War II, African soldiers were a vital part of the Allied forces in Burma
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Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee: Punk rock and the Queen
Fri 1 Jun 2012
In 1977, The Sex Pistols punk rock band mocked Britain's Silver Jubilee celebrations.
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The Biafran war
Thu 31 May 2012
Between 1967 and 1970 there was a civil war in Nigeria over the formation of Biafra.
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The Lod airport massacre
Wed 30 May 2012
It is 40 years since gunmen attacked an Israeli airport. We hear from a survivor.
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La Penca bombing
Tue 29 May 2012
In May 1984 a bomber tried to kill an anti-Sandinista rebel leader in Nicaragua.
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The Dionne Quintuplets
Mon 28 May 2012
The story of the "miracle babies" who became global superstars in the 1930s.
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Dutch School Siege
Fri 25 May 2012
Thirty-five years ago, gunmen took 105 young children hostage in a school in Holland.
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The Hacienda nightclub
Thu 24 May 2012
How the legendary Manchester venue launched a dance music revolution.
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The murder of Giovanni Falcone
Wed 23 May 2012
Twenty years ago the anti-mafia judge was assassinated by a bomb under his car.
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Monkeys in Space
Tue 22 May 2012
The USA sent two monkeys into space and brought them back alive for the first time
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Star Wars - the film
Mon 21 May 2012
It is 35 years since one of the biggest movie franchises of all time hit cinema screens.
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Mount St Helens
Fri 18 May 2012
On May 18th 1980 there was a huge volcanic eruption in Washington state in the USA.
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The South Asia nuclear standoff
Thu 17 May 2012
In May 1998 a nuclear arms race began in South Asia.
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The execution of Anne Boleyn
Wed 16 May 2012
In May 1536 the Queen of England was executed on the orders of her husband Henry VIII.
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The Anschluss
Tue 15 May 2012
In March 1938 Austria was annexed by Nazi Germany - one Vienna resident remembers.
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Michael Apted and the 7 Up TV series
Mon 14 May 2012
In 1964, a TV documentary series introduced a group of seven-year-olds to British viewers
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The assassination of a Prime Minister
Fri 11 May 2012
On May 11th 1812, the British Prime Minister, Spencer Perceval, was killed.
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Paris 1968
Thu 10 May 2012
How student protests and workers' strikes threatened to bring down France's government.
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The Psychiatrist and Rudolf Hess
Wed 9 May 2012
How a British psychiatrist examined the deputy Nazi leader after his flight to Scotland.
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Attack on Fela Kuti
Tue 8 May 2012
The Nigerian military stormed the musician's compound in Lagos, Kalakuta Republic
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The trial of Charles Manson
Mon 7 May 2012
He was responsible for a series of gruesome murders in the Hollywood hills.
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The General Strike
Fri 4 May 2012
In May 1926 workers across Britain went on strike in support of coal miners.
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Suicide of gay footballer
Thu 3 May 2012
Justin Fashanu, Britain's first openly gay footballer, killed himself in May 1998.
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The Los Angeles Riots
Wed 2 May 2012
The people of South Central Los Angeles took to the streets in fury at police brutality
