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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The world's first labradoodle
Tue 18 Apr 2023
In 1989, Wally Conron created the world's first labradoodle
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Richard Dimbleby describes Belsen
Fri 14 Apr 2023
Richard Dimbleby was the first broadcaster to report from Belsen concentration camp
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I led the hunt for the Boston Marathon bombers
Thu 13 Apr 2023
On 15 April 2013, two brothers set off bombs at the Boston Marathon
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Mass grave at Sernyky
Wed 12 Apr 2023
An archaeologist travels to Ukraine to excavate a mass grave from World War Two
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The universal recycling symbol
Tue 11 Apr 2023
In 1970, American student Gary Anderson designed a logo for recycled paper products
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Emperor Tewodros II
Mon 10 Apr 2023
In 1868, Tewodros II of Ethiopia prepared to make a last stand against the British army
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The Good Friday Agreement referendum
Fri 7 Apr 2023
In 1998, a referendum was held in Northern Ireland and Ireland on the Belfast Agreement
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Beto Perez: 'I created Zumba by accident'
Thu 6 Apr 2023
In 2001, Colombian born choreographer Beto Perez created Zumba and it was all by accident
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Awaji Kannon: One of the world's tallest statues
Wed 5 Apr 2023
In 1982, a Japanese businessman unveiled the World Peace Giant Kannon in Japan
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Pan-European picnic
Tue 4 Apr 2023
In 1989, a picnic was held as demonstration for European integration
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Escaping national service in Eritrea
Mon 3 Apr 2023
The story of one young Eritrean woman鈥檚 attempt to escape compulsory national service
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A Brief History of Time
Fri 31 Mar 2023
A Brief History of Time, written by Prof Stephen Hawking, was published in March 1988
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The first photo sent from a phone
Thu 30 Mar 2023
In 1997, French engineer Philippe Kahn shared the first ever photo from a mobile phone
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Godfather of manicures
Wed 29 Mar 2023
In 1975, Minh Nguyen left behind his macho military life and re-trained as a manicurist
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How Bengaluru became India鈥檚 Silicon Valley
Tue 28 Mar 2023
Narayana Murthy, founder of Infosys, describes the city's technology revolution
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The windmill that revolutionised wind power
Mon 27 Mar 2023
In 1978, a group of volunteers in Denmark built their own wind turbine to power a school
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Keiko: Freeing 'Free Willy'
Fri 24 Mar 2023
In 1998, Keiko the Hollywood killer whale was released back into the wild
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The man who lived in an airport
Thu 23 Mar 2023
From 1988, Mehran Karimi Nasseri, from Iran, spent 18 years living in a Paris airport
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DDLJ: India鈥檚 longest running movie
Wed 22 Mar 2023
The longest running film in India was released in 1995
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Alcatraz: The strangest escape
Tue 21 Mar 2023
Three prisoners escaped from the maximum security US jail, Alcatraz in June 1962
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Kieu Chinh: A real Hollywood story
Mon 20 Mar 2023
In 1974, actress Kieu Chinh found herself on a farm cleaning up after chicken
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Iraq War: US security guards killed my son
Fri 17 Mar 2023
In 2007, private US Blackwater security guards opened fire on Iraqi civilians
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Iraq War: The capture of Saddam Hussein
Thu 16 Mar 2023
On 13 December 2003, Saddam Hussein was captured by United States forces
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Iraq War: 'Most wanted' playing cards
Wed 15 Mar 2023
In April 2003, playing cards were given to US troops to help them identify Iraqi targets
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Iraq War: Refugees escaping
Tue 14 Mar 2023
In March 2003, millions of citizens tried to flee Iraq after the US invasion began
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Iraq War: The beginning
Mon 13 Mar 2023
In March 2003, the Iraq War began as the United States bombed the capital, Baghdad
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Monica McWilliams鈥� role in the Northern Ireland peace process
Thu 9 Mar 2023
Monica McWilliams played a pivotal role in the Northern Ireland peace process
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First all-women peacekeeping unit
Wed 8 Mar 2023
In 2007, the UN deployed its first all-female contingent of peacekeepers in Liberia
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