Witness History Episodes Available now

The rise and fall of BlackBerry
In the early 2000s, BlackBerry was the phone that ruled the world

The book that changed Norway’s view of immigrants
Maria Amelie's 2010 book triggered a change to Norway's immigration regulations

One man’s escape from McCarthyism
In 1951, a US soldier defected to the Soviet Union during the anti-communist crackdown

Spot the Dog
In 1978, British artist Eric Hill designed a book about a puppy for his two-year-old son

Pramoedya Ananta Toer: The banned author of Indonesia
Indonesian writer, Pramoedya Ananta Toer wrote novels whilst imprisoned on an island

Jakarta’s ban on dancing monkeys
In 2013, Jakarta's governor banned the use of dancing monkeys in Indonesia's capital

Discovery of the 'Hobbit'
In 2003, archaeologists in Indonesia discovered the skeleton of a new species of human

Borobudur Temple
Borobudur Temple in Indonesia reopened in 1983, following a restoration project

The Santa Cruz Massacre
In 1991, Indonesian troops opened fire on independence activists in East Timor's capital

1965 Singaporean independence
The 60th anniversary of Singaporean independence