Witness History Podcast
History as told by the people who were there.
Episodes to download
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Winifred Atwell: The honky-tonk star who was Sir Elton John鈥檚 hero
Thu 14 Mar 2024
The forgotten story of Winifred Atwell, the pianist from Trinidad who broke sales records
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Paraguay adopts its second language
Wed 13 Mar 2024
How Guarani was officially recognised in Paraguay鈥檚 new constitution
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Finding the longest set of footprints left by the first vertebrate
Tue 12 Mar 2024
In 1992 a student found a set of fossilised footprints from the earliest vertebrate
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11M: The day Madrid was bombed
Mon 11 Mar 2024
Nearly 200 died when Spanish commuter trains were bombed in 2004
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MH370: The plane that vanished
Fri 8 Mar 2024
Ghyslain Wattrelos' wife and two children were on MH370, the plane that disappeared.
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Rehabilitating Kony's child soldiers in Uganda
Thu 7 Mar 2024
In 2002, a nun was sent to northern Uganda to help those suffering from a bloody conflict
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The Carnation Revolution in Portugal
Wed 6 Mar 2024
In 1974, a 41-year regime was overthrown in a day
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French child evacuees of World War Two
Tue 5 Mar 2024
In World War Two, tens of thousands of children left Paris to escape the threat of bombs
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Uruguay v the tobacco giant
Mon 4 Mar 2024
In 2010, Uruguay was taken to court by a tobacco company for its trailblazing smoking ban
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The Whisky War: Denmark v Canada
Fri 1 Mar 2024
Beginning in 1984, a dispute over an island was marked by geniality, and bottles of booze
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The discovery of the Lord of Sipan in Peru
Thu 29 Feb 2024
In 1987, the looting of an ancient pyramid led to an extraordinary golden discovery
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The lost Czech scrolls
Wed 28 Feb 2024
The Torah scrolls stolen by the Nazis, rescued by an London Jewish community.
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Whistler: Creating one of the world鈥檚 biggest ski resorts
Fri 23 Feb 2024
In 2003, Whistler Blackcomb won its bid to host the Winter Olympics
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Columbus Lighthouse
Thu 22 Feb 2024
A memorial for the ashes of Christopher Columbus opened in the Dominican Republic in 1992
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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 鈥楲ittle Brazil鈥�
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鈥檚 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
