Witness

After the Sino-Indian war in 1962, around 3,000 men, women and children were incarcerated in a disused World War Two prisoner of war camp. Indians of Chinese descent were sent there having fallen prey to government suspicion following the war which only lasted a few weeks. Joy Ma was born in the camp in Deoli, Rajasthan, and spent the first four years of her life there with her family. She speaks to Reena Stanton-Sharma about her family’s story. 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 football in Brazil, the history of the ‘Indian Titanic’ and the invention of air fryers, to Public Enemy’s Fight The Power, subway art and the political crisis in Georgia. We

Between September 1943 and June 1944 in World War Two, the Italian capital Rome was occupied by German soldiers.Italy had surrendered and thousands of Allied prisoners of war had escaped from internment camps in the country. An Irish priest, Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty, who was working for the neutral state of Vatican City set in the heart of Rome, did everything he could to help the escaped prisoners evade capture by the Nazis. Tim O’Callaghan has been speaking to his nephew – also named Hugh O’Flaherty about his uncle's life. 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 football in Brazil, the history of the ‘Indian Titanic’ and the invention of air fryers, to

In 1948, the foundation was laid for a “utopian” community of houses designed by a man described as America’s greatest ever architect.Frank Lloyd Wright had been approached by a group who wanted to create a social collective of affordable homes, on land an hour north of New York city.The group of 47 flat-roofed, open-plan homes became known as Usonia. Roland Reisley, now aged 100, is the last founding member of the community where he still lives.He reveals what it was like to be a client of the famous, but controversial, Frank Lloyd Wright, and explains why Usonia has been the backdrop to a long and happy life.This episode was produced in partnership with BBC Video, from an interview by Anna Bressanin, and presented by Jane Wilkinson.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, t

On 9 January 1992, astronomers Alex Wolszczan and Dale Frail announced they had discovered the first two exoplanets, or planets outside our solar system, while working at the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico. The two planets orbit a pulsar, a neutron star, 2,300 light-years away, in the constellation Virgo. We now know of the existence of nearly 6,000 exoplanets, but Poltergeist and Phobetor were the first to be confirmed. Rachel Naylor speaks to Alex Wolszczan.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 football in Brazil, the history of the ‘Indian Titanic’ and the invention of air fryers, to Public Enemy’s Fight The Power, subway art and the political cris

Carolina Maria de Jesus was a poor, single mother-of-three who lived in a derelict shack and spent her days scavenging for food.Her diary, written between 1955 and 1960, brought to life the harsh realities faced by thousands of poor Brazilians who arrived in cities like São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro looking for better opportunities. In 1960, her diary was published and became a bestseller, turning Carolina into a celebrity.Her daughter, Vera Eunice de Jesus Lima, spoke to Thomas Pappon in 2020 about how the book changed her family's life.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 football in Brazil, the history of the ‘Indian Titanic’ and the invention of air f

In 2000, nightclub owners and twins Frederik and Gerrit Braun went from the neon lights of a Hamburg nightclub to building the world’s largest model trainset. Miniatur Wunderland is now a top tourist destination and global attraction visited by millions, including celebrities like Adele and Sir Rod Stewart. Frederik and Gerrit Braun tell Megan Jones where this crazy idea came from.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 football in Brazil, the history of the ‘Indian Titanic’ and the invention of air fryers, to Public Enemy’s Fight The Power, subway art and the political crisis in Georgia. We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, sci

South Africa’s first feature film aimed at black audiences was released in 1949, launching Dolly Rathebe’s career. The actress and jazz musician was discovered by chance by two British film makers and with no previous acting experience, she was cast in Jim Comes to Jo’burg, also known as African Jim.She played Judy, a glamourous nightclub singer. Soon she was gracing magazine covers and proclaimed Africa’s first black female movie star.Reena Stanton-Sharma listens back to an archive interview of Dolly Rathebe speaking to film maker Peter Davis from Villon Films. 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 football in Brazil, the history of the ‘Indian Titanic’

On 1 June 1985, a convoy of New Age Travellers set off for the ancient stone circle of Stonehenge in the south of England. They were planning to hold a festival there for the summer solstice, but they were stopped by police blocking their access to the site. The authorities had heard the travellers were carrying chainsaws and petrol bombs. The police smashed the hippies’ vans and tents in what became known as the Battle of the Beanfield. It was a turning point for British alternative culture. Lucy Burns speaks to Helen Hatt who was one of more than 500 people arrested that day.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 football in Brazil, the history of the ‘I

On 31 May 2006, police launched one of the largest raids in Swedish history, seizing servers from The Pirate Bay - a hugely popular but highly controversial file-sharing website.Co-founder Peter Sunde managed to copy a backup meaning the site could relaunch just days later. He became a folk hero among internet users who relied on the platform for free access to pirated films and music. Sunde and his fellow founders were eventually jailed for assisting in the unauthorised distribution of copyrighted content.He’s been speaking to Maddy Savage about The Pirate Bay’s battle with Hollywood and the global music industry. A PodLit production. 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 explo

In 1958 Nigerian writer, Chinua Achebe, published his first book, Things Fall Apart. Set in pre-colonial rural Nigeria, it examines how the arrival of foreigners led to tensions within traditional Igbo society. The book revolutionised African writing, and began a whole new genre of world literature.In 2016, Rebecca Kesby spoke to Achebe's youngest daughter, Nwando Achebe.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 football in Brazil, the history of the ‘Indian Titanic’ and the invention of air fryers, to Public Enemy’s Fight The Power, subway art and the political crisis in Georgia. We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists an

In 2015, rockstar and Canadian icon Gord Downie was given months to live, after doctors found he had a terminal brain tumour. But instead of quietly exiting the stage, Gord and his band, the Tragically Hip, came up with a plan to play 15 shows across 10 of Canada’s major cities. Megan Lawton speaks to lead guitarist Rob Baker about the tour and the remarkable final gig that was watched by millions across the country.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 football in Brazil, the history of the ‘Indian Titanic’ and the invention of air fryers, to Public Enemy’s Fight The Power, subway art and the political crisis in Georgia. We look at the lives of some of t

In 1992, European football was at a turning point. The European Cup was going to be replaced with a new format: The Champions League. European football’s governing body, Uefa wanted a classical theme to accompany the new competition, in an attempt to try and fix the image of football which was mired by hooliganism at the time. Tony Britten was the man tasked with writing such a piece of music. He tells Tim O’Callaghan how he did it. 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 football in Brazil, the history of the ‘Indian Titanic’ and the invention of air fryers, to Public Enemy’s Fight The Power, subway art and the political crisis in Georgia. We look at the

It is only since Vivian Maier's death in 2009 that the 150,000 photographs she rarely showed to anyone have come to light. Working as a nanny in the suburbs of Chicago in the United States in the 1950s and 1960s, she captured extraordinary street scenes on a Rolleiflex camera. But she did not always develop the photos. With no permanent home of her own, she paid for storage units where her life’s work was kept. The archives were auctioned when she died and she is now considered one of the best street photographers of the 20th century. Josephine McDermott presents accounts from the BBC archive from the people who found themselves in Vivian Maier’s orbit.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. Rece

In the aftermath of World War Two, a group of famous photographers brought their individual styles into one powerful collaboration, over a celebratory bottle of champagne. On 22 May 1947 the agency, Magnum Photos was founded, going on to represent some of the world’s best photographers. In 2017, Louise Hidalgo spoke to Jinx Rodger, the widow of one of the founders, and Inge Bondi one of the very first staff members.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 football in Brazil, the history of the ‘Indian Titanic’ and the invention of air fryers, to Public Enemy’s Fight The Power, subway art and the political crisis in Georgia. We look at the lives of some of th

Martín Chambi is regarded as one of the most important indigenous Peruvian photographers of the 20th century. Famous for his black and white images of local Andean people and the surrounding countryside, Chambi’s work challenged preconceptions of Peruvian culture and traditions. In 1924 he was among the first to photograph Machu Picchu – his work helping to shape the way Peru is seen around the world. His photography was declared part of the Cultural Heritage of the Nation by Peru’s government in 2019. Jacqueline Paine speaks to his grandson Roberto Chambi.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 football in Brazil, the history of the ‘Indian Titanic’ and th

J. D. 'Okhai Ojeikere, who was known as Nigeria’s top photographer, started documenting women’s hairstyles in 1968. He built up a portfolio of around 2,000 negatives revealing the elaborate ways African women styled their hair through his series of black and white photos. A selection of his 'Hairstyles' prints was displayed at the Venice Biennale in 2013. Reena Stanton-Sharma speaks to his son Amaize Ojeikere, also a photographer, about his father’s work. 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 football in Brazil, the history of the ‘Indian Titanic’ and the invention of air fryers, to Public Enemy’s Fight The Power, subway art and the political crisis in Ge

In 1932, a photo was taken showing 11 New York ironworkers casually eating their lunch while sitting on a steel beam at the top of a skyscraper. No safety harnesses, no helmets. Their legs dangle freely over the death-defying drop.'Lunch atop a Skyscraper' is now one of the most famous pictures in the world but it's an image surrounded in mystery. For years, the identity of its photographer and the 11 men have been unknown.Christine Roussel, archivist at the Rockefeller Center, tells Vicky Farncombe about her mission to uncover the photo’s secrets.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 football in Brazil, the history of the ‘Indian Titanic’ and the inventi

In the 1940s, some vulnerable Swedish hospital patients were fed large amounts of sugary sweets as part of an experiment to see what it would do to their teeth. Researchers considered the study a success as it led to new recommendations for children to eat sweets just once a week. In the 1990s, the unethical aspects of the experiment emerged when Elin Bommenel became the first researcher to gain access to the original documents from the experiments. Sweden's government has never formally apologised for what happened, although it has greatly improved care for vulnerable children and adults.Elin tells Frida Anund about the revelations. A PodLit production. 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. Re

In 2013, Mexico’s government approved a tax on sugary soft drinks. The country has one of the highest rates of fizzy drink consumption in the world. Some rural homes do not have access to safe drinking water and a third of schools do not have drinking water. Consequently, carbonated drinks would be sold in schools across the country. Grace Livingstone speaks to Dr Simon Barquera, director of health and nutrition research at Mexico’s Institute of public health. He faced intimidation and spying attempts for advocating the tax.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 football in Brazil, the history of the ‘Indian Titanic’ and the invention of air fryers, to Pub

On 14 May 1955, the leader of the Soviet Union and leaders from seven European countries met to sign the Warsaw Pact. In the years following World War Two, the Soviet Union and the United States started the worldwide Cold War. While Western powers feared the spread of communism, the Soviets worried about US atomic bombs. What resulted was the formation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) in 1949. The Warsaw Pact was signed six years later in response to West Germany joining NATO. Natasha Fernandes uses archive of East Germany’s leader Otto Grotewohl to tell the story.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 football in Brazil, the history of the