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
-
![]()
The Impeachment of Bill Clinton
Wed 7 Jan 2015
The Senate chamber was turned into a court to put the president on trial, 7 January 1999
-
![]()
Evidence of the Big Bang
Tue 6 Jan 2015
The unexpected discovery which became the first proof of the Big Bang Theory
-
![]()
The Prague Spring
Mon 5 Jan 2015
In January 1968 the reformist Alexander Dubcek became leader of the Czech Communist party
-
![]()
WW1 Survivors Drowned on Way 蜜芽传媒
Fri 2 Jan 2015
In 1919, more than 200 sailors died metres from home, off a Scottish island
-
![]()
First Episode of Mr Bean
New Year's Day 2015
How did an almost completely silent comic character become such a hit?
-
![]()
The Biggest Rock Concert Ever
Wed 31 Dec 2014
Rod Stewart played to an audience of 4 million on Copacabana beach on New Year's Eve 1994
-
![]()
The Beginning of Reality TV
Tue 30 Dec 2014
A young Dutch man won the first ever Big Brother reality TV show in December 1999
-
![]()
The Casa Pia Scandal in Portugal
Mon 29 Dec 2014
How allegations of sexual abuse at a well-known children's home shocked Portugal
-
![]()
The Battle of the Bulge
Boxing Day 2014
The last major German attack on the Western Allies in World War II, Winter 1944
-
![]()
Radio Caroline
Christmas Day 2014
In 1964 a 'pirate' radio station began broadcasting from a ship off the coast of England
-
![]()
The Christmas Truce
Christmas Eve 2014
On Christmas Eve 1914, British and German soldiers exchanged gifts and sang carols
-
![]()
Two Years Living up a Tree
Tue 23 Dec 2014
Julia Butterfly Hill lived in an ancient redwood tree for 738 days to protect it
-
![]()
Nepal Peace Deal
Mon 22 Dec 2014
In 2006 the Nepalese government and Maoists signed a peace accord ending 10 years of war
-
![]()
The Disappearance of Glenn Miller
Fri 19 Dec 2014
American bandleader Glenn Miller went missing over the English Channel in December, 1944
-
![]()
The US Breaks Ties with Cuba
Thu 18 Dec 2014
President Eisenhower broke relations with Cuba and closed the American Embassy in 1961
-
![]()
Goan Independence
Wed 17 Dec 2014
In December 1961, Goa became the last part of India to break free of colonial rule
-
![]()
The Timisoara Uprising
Tue 16 Dec 2014
Protests which led to the collapse of communism in Romania began on 16 December 1989
-
![]()
Gone With The Wind
Mon 15 Dec 2014
The premiere of one of the most successful films ever made on 15 December 1939
-
![]()
Baboon Aids Experiment
Fri 12 Dec 2014
Aids patient Jeff Getty was given a bone marrow transplant from a baboon in December 1995
-
![]()
The Kyoto Protocol
Thu 11 Dec 2014
In December 1997, the first global treaty on greenhouse gas emissions was agreed in Kyoto
-
![]()
Miles Davis and Kind of Blue
Wed 10 Dec 2014
Drummer Jimmy Cobb recalls playing on Kind of Blue, the most successful jazz album ever
-
![]()
The Hunt for BRCA2
Tue 9 Dec 2014
The frantic search for one of the hereditary 'breast cancer genes'
-
![]()
The 'Execution' of Oliver Cromwell
Mon 8 Dec 2014
In 1661 the body of the British ruler Oliver Cromwell was dug up for ritual execution
-
![]()
The Holiday Inn in Beirut
Fri 5 Dec 2014
During the Lebanese civil war the hotel district in Beirut became a battlefield.
-
![]()
The Release of Terry Anderson
Thu 4 Dec 2014
Journalist Terry Anderson was freed after being held hostage in Beirut
-
![]()
Britain's First Woman MP
Wed 3 Dec 2014
On this day 100 years ago Lady Nancy Astor was elected to British parliament
-
![]()
The Berkeley Free Speech Movement
Tue 2 Dec 2014
How California students won the right to demonstrate on university property
-
![]()
The Hong Kong Riots of 1967
Mon 1 Dec 2014
Striking workers and students filled the streets calling for an end to British rule.
-
![]()
The Destruction of the Bridge at Mostar, Bosnia
Fri 28 Nov 2014
The famous landmark the old Ottoman bridge was destroyed in the Balkans War in 1993
-
![]()
Australia's Rabbit Plague
Thu 27 Nov 2014
The battle against billions of rabbits devastating the Australian countryside
