Witness History Episodes Episode guide
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Israel Withdraws From Gaza
One woman's account of life on the front-line of Israel's occupation of Gaza.
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The Raising of the Mary Rose
King Henry VIII's favourite warship sank in a naval battle in 1545.
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The Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art
Shortly before the Islamic revolution in Iran, a very modern museum opened in the capital
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The Sudden Death of Pope John Paul I
Just 33 days into his reign, Pope John Paul I died unexpectedly in September 1978.
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A Bitter Divorce: When Guinea said "No" to France
How Guinea became the first French West African colony to declare independence in 1958.
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Walking the Great Wall of China
It took 508 days to complete the first expedition along the entire length of the wall.
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Britain's Land Girls
Thousands of women and girls worked on farms throughout WW2 to produce much needed food.
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Steve Biko: Black Consciousness Leader
The activist had died in South African police custody. He was buried on September 25 1977
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The Cross Border Horse Race
A showdown on the American/Mexican border on September 14th 1958.
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Roselle - The 9/11 Guide Dog
The inspiring story of how a Labrador led her blind master out of the World Trade Center.
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Australia's Rabbit Plague
Rabbits infested huge swathes of the Australian countryside in the 1940s and 1950s.
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Shark Attack Survivor
When Rodney Fox survived the jaws of a Great White Shark it inspired him to study them.
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The Transatlantic Locust Plague
Millions of African locusts invaded the Caribbean having flown 5,000 kilometres non-stop.
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Sabra and Shatila - A Massacre in Lebanon
A doctor working in Sabra and Shatila refugee camp in Lebanon recalls the massacre there
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The German Schoolboy Arrested for Writing a Letter
Karl-Heinz Borchardt was arrested at the age of 18 by East German secret police.
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The Hippydilly Squat
A group of hippies occupied a sixty-room mansion in central London in September 1969.
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The Collapse of Northern Rock
Panicked run on bank signals the start of the financial crisis in the UK
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Nok Terracottas: Nigeria's Ancient Treasure
When West African tin miners unearthed evidence of a lost civilization
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France's Last Guillotine
The last man to be executed by guillotine in France was a Tunisian, Hamida Djandoubi.
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BBC Proms: Audience Member Rescues Concert
When the principal singer collapsed, a member of the audience took over his role.
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Biosphere 2: Building A New World
Eight scientists sealed themselves inside a giant greenhouse for an ambitious experiment.
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The Fairy Photos
How two girls' photos convinced Sir Arthur Conan Doyle that fairies exist.
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Jamaica's Worst Train Accident
A survivor recalls the Kendal train crash in September 1957 when more than 200 died.
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The Funeral of Princess Diana
Diana's brother Earl Spencer remembers the emotional speech he made at her funeral.
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The Death of Princess Diana
Diana, Princess of Wales died in a car crash whilst being chased by paparazzi
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The Birth of eBay
The online auction site first went live in 1995.
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George Orwell and Animal Farm
Animal Farm was an allegory about the dangers of Soviet communism and of Joseph Stalin.
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The Revolutionary Head Scan
The summer of 1983 saw a major breakthrough in the treatment of facial deformities.
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Notting Hill Race Riot
The racial disturbances in west London which shocked Britain in 1958.
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The Rostock-Lichtenhagen Riots
A home for asylum seekers was set on fire in the German city of Rostock in August 1992