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 and curious about 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 how the Excel spreadsheet was developed, the creation of cartoon rabbit Miffy and how the sound barrier was broken.
We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: the moment Reagan and Gorbachev met in Geneva, Haitian singer Emerante de Pradines’ life and Omar Sharif’s legendary movie entrance in Lawrence of Arabia.
You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, like the invention of a stent which has saved lives around the world; the birth of the G7; and the meeting of Maldives’ ministers underwater. We cover everything from World War Two and Cold War stories to Black History Month and our journeys into space.
Episodes to download
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Trans murder in Honduras
Wed 21 Feb 2024
The 2009 murder of Vicky Hernandez forced recognition of transgender rights in Honduras
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Icelandic women's strike
Tue 20 Feb 2024
In 1975, 90% of all women in Iceland took part in a massive nationwide protest
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The Soviet scientist who made two-headed dogs
Mon 19 Feb 2024
Soviet scientist Vladimir Demikhov shocked the world with his two-headed dog experiments
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Supermalt: The malt drink created after the Nigerian civil war
Fri 16 Feb 2024
In 1972, a Danish brewery created Supermalt
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The small Irish town known as ‘Little Brazil’
Thu 15 Feb 2024
How Gort in the west of Ireland became home to so many Brazilians
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The Juliet letters
Wed 14 Feb 2024
Since the 1990s the Juliet Club has answered letters to the Shakespearian heroine
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Patty Hearst: Rebel heiress
Tue 13 Feb 2024
In 1974, a kidnapped socialite joined forces with her captors
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The WW2 escape line that fooled the Nazis
Mon 12 Feb 2024
In 1940 a rescue operation helped Allied servicemen escape from Nazi-occupied France
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The Battle of Versailles: Catwalk clash of American and French fashion
Fri 9 Feb 2024
In 1973 a fashion show was held in France which the media dubbed the Battle of Versailles
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How Rosa Parks took a stand against racism
Thu 8 Feb 2024
Rosa Parks' refusal to give up her bus seat helped end segregation in the United States
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Lucha Reyes: Peruvian music star
Wed 7 Feb 2024
She overcame poverty, health problems and racism to become one of Peru’s greatest singers
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A young mother saved from death by stoning
Tue 6 Feb 2024
In 2003, human rights lawyer Hauwa Ibrahim defended Amina Lawal from death by stoning
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Queen of the 'fro
Mon 5 Feb 2024
In 1986, Charlotte Mensah went to work in the UK's first luxury Afro-Caribbean hair salon
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First internet cafe
Thu 1 Feb 2024
Cyberia, billed as the World's first internet cafe opened in London in 1994
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The Arctic’s doomsday seed vault
Wed 31 Jan 2024
In 2008, seeds began arriving at a frozen vault designed to save the world’s food supply
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Brazil's Landless Workers Movement
Tue 30 Jan 2024
In 1980, poor rural workers occupied land owned by the rich and violent clashes followed
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Silenced by the Vatican
Mon 29 Jan 2024
How Brazilian priest Leonardo Boff was punished for his writing on liberation theology
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Jack Strong aka Ryszard Kukliński: Cold War traitor or hero?
Fri 26 Jan 2024
During the Cold War a high-ranking Polish colonel passed Soviet secrets to the CIA
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The Hungarian footballer executed for love
Thu 25 Jan 2024
Sándor Szűcs was hanged for trying to escape communist Hungary with his lover
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Wang Jingwei: China’s traitor or protector?
Wed 24 Jan 2024
The national hero was branded a traitor for collaborating with Japan during World War Two
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Axis Sally: World War II traitor who broadcast for the Nazis
Tue 23 Jan 2024
Mildred Gillars became the first woman in American history to be convicted of treason.
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Vidkun Quisling: Norway's traitor
Mon 22 Jan 2024
In 1939, Vidkun Quisling asked Hitler to invade Norway.
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Jamuna Tudu: The real life 'Lady Tarzan'
Fri 19 Jan 2024
In the early 2000s, a woman known as ‘Lady Tarzan’ fought India’s so called timber mafia
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Ibadan Zoo
Thu 18 Jan 2024
Bob Golding turned Ibadan Zoo into one of Nigeria's biggest attractions in the 1970s
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Tortured in Iran's Evin Prison
Wed 17 Jan 2024
Protests after Iran's 2009 election caused one man to be interrogated for 118 days
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The Green March: Moroccans take over the Sahara
Tue 16 Jan 2024
In 1975, unarmed Moroccans faced off against gun-carrying Spanish soldiers
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The hunger-striking Bolivian president
Mon 15 Jan 2024
In 1984, President Zuazo went on hunger strike, in an attempt to stabilise Bolivia
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Gürtel scandal: Spain's Watergate
Fri 12 Jan 2024
How one man's secret recordings revealed one of Spain's biggest corruption scandals
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The first World Laughter Day
Thu 11 Jan 2024
The first World Laughter Day took place in Mumbai, India in January 1998
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Russian ballerina defects to the west
Wed 10 Jan 2024
The Russian ballerina who defected to the west