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Witness History

Witness History is a short BBC World Service podcast about history that takes you inside big moments from the past through first-hand testimony and archive. Each weekday, in around nine minutes, we revisit one moment that helped shape the world and hear it through the voice of someone who was there. Scientists, artists, campaigners, soldiers, leaders and everyday people tell their true stories.

When you subscribe to Witness History, you’ll be taken inside turning points in world affairs, from West Africa’s fight back against Boko Haram in 2015, to the behind-closed-doors talks that led to the US-Cuba “thaw” and the surprise announcement of restored relations.

You’ll discover what it was like to experience disasters and how people recovered from them, including the Tabasco floods in Mexico, Portugal’s worst train disaster, and the huge clean-up after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster.

You’ll explore culture and ideas too: Sweden’s Expedition Robinson, often credited as the first modern reality TV game show; the friendship between The Beatles’ George Harrison and Indian sitarist Ravi Shankar; and the night a tiger attack brought Las Vegas superstars Siegfried and Roy’s show to a sudden end.

And if you’re curious about inventions, we’ll tell you how air fryers, BlackBerry, YouTube, Alexa, GPS, superglue, the shopping cart (shopping trolley) and bubble tea were created.

If you’re new to Witness History, the appeal is simple: real voices, one strong true story, and a fresh way to understand today through events from history – all in the time it takes to enjoy a cup of tea or a walk around the block. Join millions of BBC World Service podcast listeners around the globe and enjoy the insight, context and detail Witness History will bring you.

Copyright: © (C) BBC 2024

Latest Episodes:

La Haine: The film that shocked France Dec 04, 2023

Show notes

In 1993, film director Mathieu Kassovitz started work on what would become a cult cinema classic, La Haine.

La Haine would follow three friends from a poor immigrant neighbourhood in the Paris suburbs 24 hours after a riot.

The film was released in 1995 to huge critical acclaim and Mathieu won best director at the Cannes Film Festival.

It was heavily critical of policing in France and it caught the attention of high profile politicians in the country, including then Prime Minister, Alain Juppé.

Thirty years on, Mathieu has been sharing his memories of that time with Matt Pintus.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by 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 football in Brazil, the history of the ‘Indian Titanic’ and the invention of air fryers, to Public Enemy’s Fight The Power, subway art and the political crisis in Georgia. We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: visionary architect Antoni Gaudi and the design of the Sagrada Familia; Michael Jordan and his bespoke Nike trainers; Princess Diana at the Taj Mahal; and Görel Hanser, manager of legendary Swedish pop band Abba on the influence they’ve had on the music industry. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the time an Iraqi journalist hurled his shoes at the President of the United States in protest of America’s occupation of Iraq; the creation of the Hollywood commercial that changed advertising forever; and the ascent of the first Aboriginal MP.

(Photo: Vincent Cassel "Vinz" in La Haine. Credit: Studio Canal+)

World's first solar-heated home Dec 01, 2023

Show notes

In December 1948, a family of Hungarian refugees moved into the world's first home to be heated entirely by solar power.

What made the Dover Sun House, in Massachusetts, United States, even more special was that it had been created by three women at a time when men dominated the fields of science and engineering.

Heiress Amelia Peabody funded it, architect Eleanor Raymond designed it and biophysicist Maria Telkes created the heating system. Andrew Nemethy, who grew up in the house, tells Vicky Farncombe how it felt to live in an "elongated cheese wedge".

This programme has been updated since its original broadcast. It was edited on 6 December 2023.

(Photo: The Dover Sun House. Credit: Getty Images)

Tanzania adopts Swahili to unite the country Nov 30, 2023

Show notes

After Tanzania, then called Tanganyika, became independent from Britain in 1961, the country's leader, Julius Nyerere, made Swahili the national language to unite its people.

Walter Bgoya tells Ben Henderson about his conversations with Nyerere and how the policy changed Tanzania.

(Photo: Julius Nyerere. Credit: Keystone via Getty Images)

Cameroon’s mysterious lake deaths Nov 29, 2023

Show notes

On 21 August 1986, hundreds of villagers in a remote part of Cameroon mysteriously died overnight, along with 3,500 livestock.

In the weeks-long investigation that followed, scientists tried to work out what had happened. How had hundreds died, but hundreds of others survived?

In 2011, scientists Peter Baxter and George Kling told Tim Mansel how they cracked the case.

(Photo: Dead cattle by the shore of Lake Nyos, Cameroon. Credit: Eric Bouvet/Gamma-Rapho/Getty Images)

The bird that defied extinction Nov 28, 2023

Show notes

In 1969, a Peruvian farmer called Gustavo Del Solar received an unusual assignment - finding a bird called the white-winged guan that had been regarded as extinct for a century.

After years of searching, he found the bird deep in Peru’s wilderness in 1977. He then made it his life’s mission to save the species, setting up a zoo in his family home.

Thanks to Gustavo's discovery, the Peruvian government protected the white-winged guan and its population continued to grow. His son, Rafael Del Solar, tells Ben Henderson about his dad's love for the 'chicken-sized' birds.

(Photo: Gustavo Del Solar with a white-winged guan. Credit: Rafael Del Solar/El Comercio)

Cabbage Patch Kids Nov 27, 2023

Show notes

In 1983, all hell broke loose when a new toy hit stores in the United States.

Cabbage Patch Kids were so popular that people were getting injured when they tried to buy them.

But Martha Nelson Thomas, whose original design she said inspired the dolls, received little credit.

She watched on as sales of the toys generated hundreds of millions of dollars.

Martha’s close friend, Meredith Ludwig, told Madeleine Drury the story of how the strange-looking dolls became such a sensation.

This programme has been updated since it was first broadcast.

(Photo: Martha Nelson Thomas with her doll babies. Credit: Guy Mendes)

The Mumbai attacks Nov 24, 2023

Show notes

On 26 November 2008, 10 gunmen from the Pakistan-based militant group Lashkar-e-Tayyiba carried out coordinated attacks on Mumbai's busiest hotspots including the Taj and Oberoi hotels, a train station, hospital, and Jewish community centre.

One hundred and sixty-six people were murdered in the attacks, which lasted for three days. The city was locked down as police searched for the gunmen.

Only one, Mohammed Ajmal Kasab, was captured alive by police. He was sentenced to death and executed in 2012.

Dan Hardoon speaks to Devika Rotawan and Arun Jadhav, who came face to face with the militants.

(Photo: Buildings under attack. Credit:Getty Images)

The Paris heatwave Nov 23, 2023

Show notes

In August 2003 Europe was hit by the hottest heatwave for hundreds of years. Tens of thousands of people died.

Not built to withstand two weeks of extreme heat, Paris turned into a death trap for its most vulnerable citizens.

The temperature reached 40C. Many elderly people died in their apartments alone.

The government was criticised for its handling of the crisis. The head of the national health authority resigned shortly after the end of the heatwave.

Emergency doctor, Patrick Pelloux, who was working at St Antoine Hospital in Paris, tells George Crafer what he encountered.

(Photo: Paris looking hot. Credit: Getty Images)

Kennedy’s nail-biter election victory Nov 22, 2023

Show notes

On 22 November 1963, United States President John F Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas.

Lucy Williamson looks back to 8 November 1960, when Richard Nixon and JFK went toe to toe at the polls in a battle to become the next president. The narrow success made Kennedy the youngest man ever elected to the role.

Close aide and speechwriter Ted Sorensen was with the politician on the night of the election. This programme was first broadcast in 2010.

(Photo: US President-elect John F Kennedy shortly after his election in 1960. Credit: AFP/Getty Images)

The invention of bubble tea Nov 21, 2023

Show notes

In 1987, a tea shop in Taiwan named Chun Shui Tang began selling pearl milk tea, or bubble tea, as it’s often called.

It would revolutionise the tea-drinking world.

Ben Henderson speaks to Liu Han-Chieh, the shop owner, and Lin Xiuhu, who first added the drink’s signature tapioca balls.

(Photo: Bubble tea. Credit: Chun Shui Tang)

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