Witness History
BBC World Service
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
Mentioned books
Apr 11, 2024 • 9min
St Teresa of Avila's severed hand
After winning the Spanish Civil War in 1939, Franco's dictatorship began. During the war, he acquired St Teresa of Avila's severed hand and kept it for spiritual guidance, it was returned when he died in 1975.The hand was initially stolen by General Franco's opposition from a convent in Ronda, but Franco’s nationalist soldiers took it for themselves when they won the Battle of Malaga.Sister Jennifer is the Mother Superior of the Church of Our Lady of Mercy, Ronda, where the hand is kept on display for people to see.She tells Johnny I’Anson who St Teresa was, why her hand was cut off, and what made the relic special.(Photo: Monument of Saint Teresa of Avila, Spain. Credit: Digicomphoto/Getty Images)
Apr 10, 2024 • 9min
The Scream: A stolen masterpiece
When Edvard Munch’s painting The Scream was stolen in 1994, an undercover operation was launched to get it back.Thirty years on from its recovery, hear from the art detective at the centre of the story.In 2013, Charley Hill told Lucy Burns how his task saw him take on a fake identity, rub shoulders with criminals and encounter the Thai kickboxing champion of Scandinavia.(Photo: The Scream on display in Oslo in 2008, after being stolen for a second time. Credit: Scanpix Norway/AFP/Getty Images)
Apr 9, 2024 • 9min
How Lake Karla in Greece was drained
Lake Karla supported hundreds of families in Thessaly, providing fish for all of the region and beyond. Christos and Ioanna Kotsikas grew up on the shores of the wetland and have mixed memories of the lake. They too lived off its fish, but they were also victims of its floods. The lake was drained by the Greek Government in 1962, destroying a vital ecosystem. In 2023, when torrential rain poured over Thessaly, the lake was restored – but the region was devastated.Christos and Ioanna Kotsikas speak to Maria Margaronis.(Photo: Lake Karla. Credit: Maria Margaronis)Music: “Platani apo to Metsovo,” used by permission of ERT, the Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation.
Apr 8, 2024 • 9min
The 2010 Kampala bombings
In July 2010, two bombs went off at a rugby club in Uganda's capital Kampala. It was where hundreds had gathered to watch the football World Cup final.The attack killed 74 people and injured 85 others.The militant Islamist group al-Shabab staged the attack, as revenge for Uganda's efforts to fight it in Somalia.Kuddzu Isaac, who witnessed the explosions, tells George Crafer the graphic details of what he saw.(Photo: The moment after the blasts, survivors look on in shock. Credit: AFP/Getty Images)
Apr 6, 2024 • 33min
Bonus: The Black 14
A bonus episode from the Amazing Sport Stories podcast – The Black 14. Sport, racism and protests are about to change the lives of “the Black 14” American footballers. It’s 1969 in the United States. They’ve arrived on scholarships at the University of Wyoming to play for its Cowboys American football team. It was a predominantly white college. The team is treated like a second religion. Then, the players make a decision to take a stand against racism in a game against another university.
This is episode one of a four-part season from the Amazing Sport Stories podcast.
Content warning: This episode contains lived experiences which involve the use of strong racist language
Apr 5, 2024 • 10min
Sweden's Cinnamon Bun Day
Sweden’s most beloved pastry is the cinnamon bun and every year on 4 October, locals celebrate the sweet, spiced snacks.The country’s first official Cinnamon Bun Day (or Kanelbullens dag in Swedish) took place in 1999.The woman behind the idea, Kaeth Gardestedt, tells Maddy Savage how the Swedish public embraced the event and turned it into a huge annual tradition.A PodLit production for BBC World Service(Photo: Traditional Swedish cinnamon buns. Credit: Natasha Breen/Getty Images)
Apr 4, 2024 • 10min
The Bluetooth story
Sven Mattison, one of the brains behind Bluetooth technology, shares the story of how Bluetooth got its name after drinks at a conference. The podcast explores the birth, advantages, and impact of Bluetooth technology in the 1990s, its Viking-inspired name, and its evolution connecting accessories wirelessly to devices. The episode also touches on historical ties to a Danish king and a Swedish city, with reflections on the development journey and surprising anecdotes.
Apr 3, 2024 • 10min
Sweden's pioneering paternity leave
Fifty years ago Sweden became the first country in the world to offer paid parental leave that was gender neutral.The state granted mothers and fathers 180 days that they could divide between them however they saw fit.The pioneering policy was designed to promote gender equality, but it wasn’t an instant success.Later governments decided to increase the number of leave days available and ring-fenced some specifically for each parent.Maddy Savage went to meet Per Edlund who was one of the first fathers in his town, Katrineholm, to embrace the new benefit.A Bespoken Media production for the BBC World Service.(Photo: Per Edlund with his youngest daughter Märta Edlund. Credit: Maddy Savage)
Apr 2, 2024 • 9min
The man who invented the seat belt
In 1958, the late Swedish engineer Nils Bohlin invented the three-point safety belt for cars. It's estimated to have saved more than one million lives around the world.In 2022, Nils's stepson Gunnar Ornmark told Rachel Naylor about the inventor’s legacy.(Photo: Nils Bohlin modelling his invention. Credit: Volvo Cars Group)
Mar 31, 2024 • 9min
Fifty years of Abba
It's 50 years since Swedish pop group Abba won the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest.The victory provided a platform for the band to become one of the most popular and successful musical groups of all time.Abba's current manager, Görel Hanser, has been with them every step of the way. In a rare interview, she speaks to Matt Pintus about the band's meteoric rise to stardom.She also talks about Abba's break-up, the rumour that they were offered $1 billion to get back together and whether Abba Voyage will move to a new country. (Photo: ABBA pictured in 1974. Credit: Getty Images)
