Witness History Podcast
History as told by the people who were there.
Episodes to download
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Lithuania's 'wolf children'
Today
In the aftermath of World War Two, children fled East Prussia in order to survive
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The Baltic chain protest
Yesterday
On 23 August 1989, approximately two million people joined hands to form a human chain
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The Milltown Cemetery attack
Monday
In 1988, during the Troubles in Northern Ireland, three people were killed at a funeral
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The launch of Windows 95
Friday
In 1995 Microsoft released a new operating system after a $300 million marketing campaign
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Replacing the Panchen Lama
Last Thursday
On 29 November 1995, China exerted its influence over Tibetan Buddhism's leadership
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The murder of Maurizio Gucci
Last Wednesday
On 27 March 1995, the former head of the fashion house was shot dead in Milan, Italy
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Sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway
Last Tuesday
In 1995, the doomsday cult, Aum Shinrikyo, launched a chemical attack on the Tokyo metro
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Hunting the Unabomber
Mon 20 Jan 2025
In September 1995, US newspapers controversially published a terrorist's manifesto
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Drum: Africa鈥檚 revolutionary magazine
Fri 17 Jan 2025
The first African lifestyle magazine Drum, was first printed in 1951
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'I wrote Schindler's List'
Thu 16 Jan 2025
Thomas Keneally stumbled across the story of Oskar Schindler while buying a briefcase
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Kobe earthquake
Wed 15 Jan 2025
On 17 January 1995, an earthquake devastated the city of Kobe, in Japan
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Confronting Betty Ford鈥檚 addiction
Tue 14 Jan 2025
In 1978, former first lady Betty Ford sought help for addiction
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Franklin D Roosevelt鈥檚 New Deal
Mon 13 Jan 2025
In 1933, President Roosevelt enacted the New Deal to drag the US out of depression
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The Bosphorus boat spotter tracking Russian military trucks
Fri 10 Jan 2025
In 2015, ship spotter Y枚r眉k I艧谋k saw Russian military trucks on a ship going to Syria
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The mystery of Raoul Wallenberg
Thu 9 Jan 2025
The Swedish diplomat saved thousands of Hungarian Jews during World War Two
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The invention of the hotel key card
Wed 8 Jan 2025
In the 1970s, Norwegian Tor Sornes invented the hotel key card
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Charlie Hebdo attack
Tue 7 Jan 2025
On 7 January 2015, 12 people were shot dead at a satirical magazine in France
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Creating Alexa
Fri 3 Jan 2025
In 2000, two Polish students started creating a smart speaker which sounded human
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Klaus Fuchs: Oppenheimer鈥檚 atomic spy
Thu 2 Jan 2025
In 1950, Klaus Fuchs admitted passing top secret nuclear secrets to the Soviet Union
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Robert Ripley and the 鈥楤elieve It or Not鈥� empire
New Year's Day 2025
During the Great Depression, cartoonist Robert Ripley made millions from freaky facts
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Indian Ocean tsunami - Aceh
Tue 31 Dec 2024
In 2004, a deadly tsunami swept away entire communities around the Indian Ocean
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Indian Ocean tsunami - Tamil Nadu
Mon 30 Dec 2024
On 26 December 2004, communities around the Indian Ocean were swept away by a tsunami
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Dinner for One: How an English comedy became a German tradition
Fri 27 Dec 2024
The sitcom Dinner for One, recorded in 1963, has become a German New Year's Eve tradition
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'Kimchi war'
Boxing Day 2024
In the 1990s, a diplomatic dispute broke out between Japan and South Korea over kimchi
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Chef to five presidents
Christmas Day 2024
Cristeta Comerford was the first woman and person of colour to the White House's top chef
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'I created MasterChef'
Mon 23 Dec 2024
In 1990, the cookery programme MasterChef launched on 麻豆官网首页入口 TV
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Australian republic referendum
Fri 20 Dec 2024
On 6 November 1999, voters in Australia were asked if they wanted to become a republic
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Poland's bleak Christmas
Thu 19 Dec 2024
In 1981, the communist government of Poland declared martial law to suppress civil unrest
