Witness History
BBC World Service
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 the death of Adolf Hitler, the first spacewalk and the making of the movie Jaws, to celebrity tortoise Lonesome George, the Kobe earthquake and the invention of superglue.
We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: Eva Peron – Argentina’s Evita; President Ronald Reagan and his famous ‘tear down this wall’ speech; Thomas Keneally on why he wrote Schindler’s List; and Jacques Derrida, France’s ‘rock star’ philosopher.
You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the civil rights swimming protest, the disastrous D-Day rehearsal, and the death of one of the world’s oldest languages.
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 the death of Adolf Hitler, the first spacewalk and the making of the movie Jaws, to celebrity tortoise Lonesome George, the Kobe earthquake and the invention of superglue.
We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: Eva Peron – Argentina’s Evita; President Ronald Reagan and his famous ‘tear down this wall’ speech; Thomas Keneally on why he wrote Schindler’s List; and Jacques Derrida, France’s ‘rock star’ philosopher.
You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the civil rights swimming protest, the disastrous D-Day rehearsal, and the death of one of the world’s oldest languages.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Sep 20, 2022 • 9min
Ancient fossils give new insight
In 1967, a major breakthrough was made in our understanding of the evolution of the world. A student discovered fossils at Mistaken Point in Newfoundland, Canada. The fossils give us a record of the oldest multi-cellular organisms to inhabit the earth. Catherine Harvey has been speaking to Dr Shiva Balak Misra about his ground-breaking find. A Made in Manchester production for BBC World Service.(Photo: Image of Newfoundland's shores. Credit: Getty Images)
Sep 19, 2022 • 10min
World War Two child evacuees in Britain
Kitty Baxter, a child evacuee during World War II, shares her poignant experiences as she was uprooted from London to rural Suffolk on her ninth birthday. She discusses the emotional turmoil of separation from her family and the mix of excitement and anxiety felt by children during the evacuation. Kitty reveals vivid memories of the challenges she faced, including the harsh realities of wartime life and the unwavering bond with her siblings, culminating in a heartwarming reunion with her sister amidst the chaos of conflict.
Sep 16, 2022 • 9min
The last days of Queen Victoria
Queen Victoria died on 22 January 1901. In this programme from 2010, Claire Bowes looks back on the monarch’s last days.She speaks to the author Tony Rennell and hears recollections from the BBC archive. (Photo: Queen Victoria. Credit: Press Association)
Sep 15, 2022 • 9min
When the Queen opened Buckingham Palace
Queen Elizabeth II first opened her London home to the paying public on 7 August 1993. Tourists were allowed to look round Buckingham Palace while the Royal family was staying elsewhere for the summer. In 2018, Ashley Byrne spoke to former royal press secretary Dickie Arbiter. This is a Made in Manchester production for BBC World Service. (Photo: Buckingham Palace. Credit: BBC)
Sep 14, 2022 • 9min
Windsor Castle fire
In November 1992, a fire devastated Windsor Castle - a symbol of the British monarchy and Queen Elizabeth II’s weekend home. Coming at the end of a year of family problems, the blaze upset the Queen deeply and led her to declare 1992 her ‘annus horribilis’. In 2012, Simon Watts spoke to Sir Hugh Roberts, one of Her Majesty’s art experts.(Photo: Windsor Castle on fire. Credit: Press Association)
Sep 13, 2022 • 9min
Queen Elizabeth II's Coronation Derby
A few days after Queen Elizabeth II was crowned, she had her best chance of owning the winner of the Derby, but first the horse would have to beat the British public’s favourite jockey. Peter O’Sullevan talked to Julian Bedford in this programme first broadcast in 2012.(Photo: Champion jockey Sir Gordon Richards being led in after winning the Coronation Derby on 'Pinza'. Credit: Fox Photos/Getty Images)
Sep 12, 2022 • 9min
The coronation of Queen Elizabeth II
In June 1953, the young Queen Elizabeth II was crowned at Westminster Abbey. Two of her Maids of Honour, Lady Anne Glenconner and Lady Jane Vane-Tempest-Stewart, share their memories of Coronation Day. This programme, presented by Claire Bowes, was first broadcast in 2013.(Photo: Queen Elizabeth II in a carriage during the Coronation. Credit: Getty Images)
Sep 10, 2022 • 10min
The car that charmed Brazil
Since its launch in the 1950s, the Brazilian version of the VW Beetle has had a special place in the nation's heart. Cheap, charismatic and virtually indestructible, it was many Brazilians' first car and is affectionately known as the Fusca. The Fusca played a key role in the development of Brazil's economically and politically vital national car industry. In 2014, Candace Piette spoke to two Fusca superfans, Silio Boccanera and Edivaldo Fernandes. (Photo: A Fusca in the colonial town of Paraty. Credit: Getty Images)
Sep 8, 2022 • 10min
The Candelaria child massacre
In 1993, eight homeless children were murdered outside the Candelaria church in Rio De Janeiro. The murders caused international outrage and put a spotlight on corrupt policing in Brazil. Matt Pintus has been speaking to Yvonne Bezerra de Mello, a social worker and teacher who had worked with the Candelaria children for years before the massacre.(Photo: Yvonne Bezerra de Mello with the Candelaria children, Credit: courtesy of Yvonne Bezerra de Mello)
Sep 7, 2022 • 9min
Building of Brasilia
In 1960, Brazil opened a new capital city in its remote central plains.The city was designed by modernist architect Oscar Niemeyer and was supposed to symbolise Brazil's future ambitions. In 2014, Claire Bowes spoke to Osorio Machado, an engineer who worked on the city's construction.(Photo: The building of Brasilia. Credit: Getty Images)
