Witness History: Archive 2011

Sixty years ago a young art historian got to know the greatest painter in the world.John Richardson met Picasso in the S... Read more

He was one of the great pioneers of electrical power. In November 1915 the New York Times announced that he and his riva... Read more

When a nuclear reactor at the Three Mile Island power plant in Pennsylvania malfunctioned - Victor Galinsky was one of t... Read more

During the 1930s the people of the US faced widespread economic hardship. We hear from two people who remember that time... Read more

In 1993, around 80 people died in the fire that ended the siege at the headquarters of a Christian cult in Waco, Texas.S... Read more

"The idea that you could take a pill, that meant that you wouldn't get pregnant and you could enjoy sex. That had a magi... Read more

The Red Army took control of the German capital Berlin, in May 1945.The Soviet soldiers had a terrifying reputation and ... Read more

How a jazz concert organised by a 17-year old turned into a bestselling album.And how it almost didn't happen.Vera Brand... Read more

In 1980, more than 100,000 Cubans left the island in a boatlift from Mariel harbour.Witness speaks to the writer, Mirta ... Read more

When Leningrad was cut off from the rest of Russia by German troops during World War Two, one third of its population di... Read more

In November 1999 police battled with anti-globalisation protestors for control of the streets of Seattle.The demonstrato... Read more

A British soldier tells us of one extraordinary day on the beaches of 1940 Dunkirk during World War II. We hear of how h... Read more

How a Soviet agent managed to fool the British intelligence service for years.Even after he'd been identified as a spy b... Read more

A frontline Soviet officer tells of what he saw the night that Hitler ordered Operation Barbarossa - Germany's invasion ... Read more

President Tito of Yugoslavia was one of the great characters of post-war Europe.Although a communist, he refused to toe ... Read more

To mark World Aids Day Louise Hidalgo reports on the story of Ryan White.He was a haemophiliac who was banned from schoo... Read more

On May 8 1945, Winston Churchill announced the end of the war in Europe.It meant defeat for Germany, but great rejoicing... Read more

Bill Clinton's press secretary at the time of the impeachment trial was Joe Lockhart. He talks to Witness about the pol... Read more

When the son of aviator Charles Lindbergh disappeared it was assumed he had been kidnapped. Two months later on 12 May t... Read more

It's 30 years since the HIV virus was first identified by medical experts.In the early days, carriers of the virus were ... Read more