Podcasts about West Berlin

West-Berlin 1973, der 74-jährige Gereon Rath ist längst im Ruhestand und lebt im Seniorenheim. Dort wird er von Hans Singer besucht, der als Privatdozent und Historiker über die Arbeit der Berliner Polizei forscht. Rath ahnt, dass der junge Kollege ihm auf der Spur ist und Fragen stellen wird, die über das Forschungsinteresse hinausgehen. Wird Rath also reden über das, was sich 1953 zugetragen hat? Wird er den Zusammenhang herstellen zum Schauplatz Berlin, Anfang der dreißiger Jahre? Volker Kutscher hat mit "Westend" wieder einen atemberaubenden Roman vorgelegt, und weil er so besonders ist, hat Kat Menschik das Buch in ihre Reihe "Illustrierte Lieblingsbücher" aufgenommen. In NDR Kultur à la carte sind beide, Autor und Illustratorin, zu Gast und sprechen mit Katja Weise über das Verbrechen, Hintergründe und den Erfolg des Krimis.

Olli und Silvana haben sich wieder einen Gast dazu geholt - und zwar einen, den ihr schon kennt. Es handelt sich um Heiko, der im Januar schon über seine Zeit in Westberlin und seine Arbeit beim Waffenhändler und kuriose Begegnungen erzählt hat. Weil er noch so viele Geschichten auf Lager hat, und wir die Rückmeldung bekommen haben, dass ihr darauf Lust habt, hat sich Olli nochmal mit ihm zusammen gesetzt und über die Zeit kurz nach dem Mauerfall 1989 gesprochen. Denn das war ja im November vor genau 26 Jahren. Ihr wisst: Ihr könnt immer gern schreiben,⁠ per Instagram ⁠oder auch per Mail. Die Adresse findet Ihr auf der Internetseite ⁠heisseeisenberlin.de⁠Mit ⁠Merch-Kau⁠f unterstützt ihr Heisse Eisen und könnt ein Zeichen setzen, zu welcher Community Ihr gehört - Verband hin oder her.Und beim Twitchen seid ihr auch immer gern gesehen - folgt einfach ⁠https://www.twitch.tv/heisseeisenpodcast

Tassilo wächst in der DDR auf, er weiß schon früh, dass er Jungs liebt. Außerdem liebt er Musik, Bücher und seine Mutter. Aber als Teenager stößt er plötzlich an Grenzen, die die Diktatur um ihn herumzieht. Und er erlebt einen Verrat, der ihn fürs Leben prägt. “Zwei, drei blaue Augen” erzählt vom großen Freiheitsdrang eines jungen Mannes zwischen Popmusik, ersten Lieben, Ausflügen nach Ost-Berlin, Jugendpsychiatrie und StaSi-Verhören. 1986 kann Tassilo, der sich bald in Victor umbenennt, endlich nach West-Berlin ausreisen. Der international erfolgreiche Schauspieler Victor Schefé erzählt in seinem ersten Roman seine eigene Lebensgeschichte. Sein Buch ist eine Reise in ein untergegangenes Land, ein queerer Coming-Of-Age-Roman, ein Stück deutsch-deutsche Geschichte, die Story einer schmerzhaften Mutter-Sohn- Beziehung, und die rotzige, energiegeladene Erzählung eines Popmusikfans und schwulen Aktivisten. Das Buch Victor Schefé: "Zwei, drei blaue Augen", 470 Seiten, dtv. Nadine Kreuzahler empfiehlt Katerina Poladjan: "Goldstrand", 160 Seiten, S. Fischer. Victor Schefé empfiehlt Tilmann Lahme: "Thomas Mann. Ein Leben", 592 Seiten, dtv. Miku Sophie Kühmel: "Hannah", 304 Seiten, S. Fischer. Alles von James Baldwin, neu übersetzt von Miriam Mandelkow, dtv. Der Ort Spaziergang: Bahnhof Zoologischer Garten, S-Bahnsteig. Saturn im Europa Center. Schwuler Buchladen Prinz Eisenherz, Motzstraße 23, Berlin Schöneberg. Café Romeo und Romeo, Motzstraße 20. Der Autor Victor Schefé, 1967 in der DDR geboren, 1986 nach West-Berlin ausgereist. Erste Rollen als Schauspieler an Berliner Off-Theatern, bald danach Hauptrollen am Schauspielhaus Wien. Hat bisher in über achtzig Film- und TV-Produktionen mitgespielt, von "Tatort" bis "Bewegte Männer", auch international in "Bridge of Spies" unter der Regie von Steven Spielberg, im James-Bond-Film "Spectre" und in drei Staffeln "Borgia". "Zwei, drei blaue Augen" ist sein Romandebüt.

Christopher & Jobst im Gespräch mit WestBam. Wir sprechen über den Traum Mittelstürmer zu sein, sein 19-jähriges Ich an die Wand spielen, mit Traditionen brechen, leichter gewordenes DJing, täglich durch den Tiergarten gehen, hin- und hergerissen zu Johnny Rotten sein, ein Lied mit Iggy Pop machen ist wie das 7 zu 1 gegen Brasilien, als junger New Waver ins legendäre Metropol, eine laufende Soundwelle, die Geheimkunst des Mixens, seit Anfang der 90er gen DJ tanzen, auf einer Seite mit Genesis P. Orridge, das Manifest "Was ist Record Art?", musikalischer Spätzünder sein, drei Jahre lang "Oh Mandy" hören, ein späterer Mr. Universum, andere Hardrocker unterhielten sich über Punk-Gesang, ein gutes Hardrock-Album mit komischen Vocals drüber, Gewürze in Hengelo kaufen, Spiky Hair statt lange Haare, Sicherheitsnadel durchs Ohr stechen, Hassliebe auf die Engländer, musikalische Erziehung durch BFBS & John Peel, das Album "Ein Produkt der Deutsch-Amerikanischen Freundschaft", frühe Fad Gadget, "Holidays in Cambodia", in den frühern Achtzigern hatten Bands den technischen Fortschritt mit drin, sich gegen die antiautoritären Eltern widersetzen, Krautrock roch nach Moschus, ein Harlem Globetrotters-Flipper im Odeon, das Hundehalsband von Sally, alles Scheiße in der Provinz, selbstgemacht Batik-Shirts mit Kaninchenfellmänteln und Gummistiefeln, Feuerlegen und Isetta-Fahren, "Wir gegen die Spießer", Kinder sind konservativer als Eltern, ab 11 Kampfsport machen, eisenharte Disziplin, abgefahrene Bilder vom Acid-Freak-Erzieher Peter, rauchend ohne Sicherheitsgurt im Auto, der frühe Tod des Vaters, Kunststudent mit Uniformjacke, Annabelle von Bow Wow Wow lieben, bei Annette Benjamin pennen, Crazy Colors & Bondage-Hosen, der Stern der DJ-Ära, nie im Sounds gewesen sein, "Wir Kinder vom Bahnhof Zoo", Döner in Shibuya, die beiden großen Berlin Smells Döner & U-Bahn, in die Music Hall am Walther-Schreiber-Platz pilgern, "Der Mussolini" & "Papa´s got a brand new pigback", David Bowier: Der schönste Mann im Westen, auf Punk-Urlaub von den Eltern weg, die Groschen sind alle, im Zeichen der Fische geboren, die D-Punks, die Chaos-Tage in Hannover, verfolgt von englischen Soldaten, schnorren für n Kebab, Norbert von VD, Highlander der Jugendkultur sein, für das Recht auf Ungemütlichkeit kämpfen, schon immer erwachsen sein wollen, vom Bassisten vom Stranglers mit ins Konzert genommen, Salomé & Die geilen Tiere, nichts üben aber gleich alles können, die Disco Riot-Reihe auf Low Spirit, Punk war der letzte Versuch von Rock´n´Roll sich gesund zu schrumpfen, Ende der 80er-Jahre im Tempo über DJing schreiben, der Beginn einer neuen Ära, als junger Punk in West-Berlin verliebt sein, das Buch "Schulhorror", der Ober-Punk von Berlin DJ Fetish, Bestellungen fürs World´s End aufgeben, "Temptation" von Heaven 17, Killing Joke im Odeon, zum Dom-Radio aus Münster nicht Nein sagen, religiöse Tiefen im Punk nicht so ausleben können, die Hiltrup-Punks wollten einen knattern, immer alles ausprobieren wollen, William und die Anzüge aus dem Korrekt, mit der Legende DJ Chris überworfen haben, bester Berliner DJ im Tip, von 1 bis 9 Uhr auflegen, 130 BpM High Energy, das Label Trax Records, eine Sehnsucht nach Werken haben, NDW ist nicht an Fräulein Menke gestorben, der sogenannten Ausverkauf, das erste Rave-Erlebnis mit Wick Vaporup & Ectasy, die Macht der Nacht, mit den Stereo MCs in der Werner-Seelenbiner-Halle, nur weil es klein ist ist es auch nicht immer ein gutes Publikum, viele Leute haben ein Dünkel, WestBams eigene Kultur-Theorie, Björk ist Geschmacks-Mittelschicht, der Gönner aller Schnorrer sein, gern mal für 700 Euro essen gehen, westfälisch klug wirtschaften, TikTok-DJs mit 180BpM, süchtig nach YouTube Shorts, der Untergang der Welt, uvm.Zwei Songs für die Playlist1) Ein Lieblings-Punk-Song von Westbam: WIRE - 12XU2) Ein Lied, das den Spirit des frühen Techno am besten vermittelt: DEAD OR ALIVE - You Spin Me Round

We all have our demons. Some of us more than others. This week we delve into two very different kinds of horror as Samm Deighan drops in to check out Demons (aka Shura) (1971) directed by Toshio Matsumoto, followed by Demons (1985) directed by Lamberto Bava. Samurai on the verge of psychotic breakdown and a West Berlin cinema full of badly dubbed weirdos take turns being overrun with demons both psychological and literal. Whichever way you look at it, this world is a sea of blood. It's not really possible to spoil Demons '85, but we will call out Spoiler Territory for Demons '71. If you want to skip ahead from that point, you can rejoin the conversation at the 1:21:31 mark to avoid spoilers. Want to get in touch? You can reach us on caliber9fromouterspace@gmail.com Theme music: "The Cold Light of Day" by HKM. Check out HKM on #SoundCloud or Bandcamp "Demons" by Spring King

Stellen Sie sich vor, Sie schreiben ein Buch und es landet auf den Bestsellerlisten. Und jetzt stellen Sie sich vor, Sie schrieben noch mehr Bücher, sagen wir mal an die 20, jedes Jahr eins, und quasi jedes dieser Bücher landet in den Bestsellerlisten. Und dort dann nicht auf Platz 19, was auch schon beachtlich wäre, sondern ganz weit vorne. Wie muss das sein? Wie denkt man über sein eigenes Gehirn, seine eigene Phantasie, wie sehr kann man sich da auf kreativen Nachschub verlassen? Das fragen wir ihn am besten selbst. Der Autor Sebastian Fitzek k am 1971 in West-Berlin zur Welt, studierte sehr kurz Tiermedizin und Jura bis zum 1. Staatsexamen, damit könnte man schon mal das nötige Besteck für's Thriller-Genre beisammen haben. Gut, dann wird er noch Autor, Unterhaltungschef und Chefredakteur beim Radio, bevor er zum Bestsellerautor wird, dessen Bücher millionenfach verkauft und in mehr als 20 Sprachen übersetzt werden. Playlist: Grace Jones - Slave to the Rhythm Bausa - Frühling im Viertel Silbermond - Milliarden Andreas Bourani - Ultraleicht Heroes del Silencio - Entre dos Tierras Prefab Sprout - Cars and Girls Das Lumpenpack - Universum Diese Podcast-Episode steht unter der Creative Commons Lizenz CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.

Stellen Sie sich vor, Sie schreiben ein Buch und es landet auf den Bestsellerlisten. Und jetzt stellen Sie sich vor, Sie schrieben noch mehr Bücher, sagen wir mal an die 20, jedes Jahr eins, und quasi jedes dieser Bücher landet in den Bestsellerlisten. Und dort dann nicht auf Platz 19, was auch schon beachtlich wäre, sondern ganz weit vorne. Wie muss das sein? Wie denkt man über sein eigenes Gehirn, seine eigene Phantasie, wie sehr kann man sich da auf kreativen Nachschub verlassen? Das fragen wir ihn am besten selbst. Der Autor Sebastian Fitzek k am 1971 in West-Berlin zur Welt, studierte sehr kurz Tiermedizin und Jura bis zum 1. Staatsexamen, damit könnte man schon mal das nötige Besteck für's Thriller-Genre beisammen haben. Gut, dann wird er noch Autor, Unterhaltungschef und Chefredakteur beim Radio, bevor er zum Bestsellerautor wird, dessen Bücher millionenfach verkauft und in mehr als 20 Sprachen übersetzt werden. Playlist: Grace Jones - Slave to the Rhythm Bausa - Frühling im Viertel Silbermond - Milliarden Andreas Bourani - Ultraleicht Heroes del Silencio - Entre dos Tierras Prefab Sprout - Cars and Girls Das Lumpenpack - Universum Diese Podcast-Episode steht unter der Creative Commons Lizenz CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.

In this NBN episode, host Hollay Ghadery speaks with author Kasia Jaronczyk about her novel, Voices in the Air (Palimpsest Press, 2025).  What would drive women to risk the lives of their children and innocent people to leave their mother country forever? On April 30, 1982, two women and their families hijack a Polish passenger plane flying from Breslau to Warsaw in a bold attempt to escape Martial Law in Communist Poland and find safety in West Berlin. Among the hijackers are a cotton spinner whose husband wants to avoid a long prison sentence, a schoolteacher with a sick daughter, a pregnant fourteen-year-old who has visions of the Virgin Mary, and an ambitious young filmmaker. Inspired by real events, Voices in the Air is told from the point of view of these four women and a stewardess in love with the married pilot. Will they find happiness beyond the Iron Curtain or was the hijacking not worth the risk? Told using traditional narrative and documentary film-style interviews, Voices in the Air follows the main characters' lives before and after the hijacking, and through real-life events as the fall of the Berlin Wall, the fight for women's rights in modern Poland, the Covid pandemic and the refugee crisis on the Polish-Belarus border. A must-read novel exploring ambiguous moral choice, censorship, emigration, fate and regret. Kasia Jaronczyk is a Polish-Canadian writer, artist and microbiologist. She immigrated to Canada at the age of 14. Her debut short story collection Lemons was published in 2017 by Mansfield Press. She is a co-editor of the only anthology of Polish-Canadian short stories Polish(ed): Poland Rooted in Canadian Fiction (Guernica Editions, 2017). Her stories were short-listed for the Bristol Prize 2016 and long-listed for CBC Short Story Prize 2010. She has published in Canadian literary magazines such as TNQ, Room, Prairie Journal, Carousel, The Nashwaak Review, Postscripts to Darkness, and in anthologies Wherever I Find Myself. Essays by Canadian Immigrant Women (Miriam Matejova, Ed. Caitlin Press, April 2017) and The Bristol Short Story Prize Anthology (2016. Vol 9.). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

In this NBN episode, host Hollay Ghadery speaks with author Kasia Jaronczyk about her novel, Voices in the Air (Palimpsest Press, 2025).  What would drive women to risk the lives of their children and innocent people to leave their mother country forever? On April 30, 1982, two women and their families hijack a Polish passenger plane flying from Breslau to Warsaw in a bold attempt to escape Martial Law in Communist Poland and find safety in West Berlin. Among the hijackers are a cotton spinner whose husband wants to avoid a long prison sentence, a schoolteacher with a sick daughter, a pregnant fourteen-year-old who has visions of the Virgin Mary, and an ambitious young filmmaker. Inspired by real events, Voices in the Air is told from the point of view of these four women and a stewardess in love with the married pilot. Will they find happiness beyond the Iron Curtain or was the hijacking not worth the risk? Told using traditional narrative and documentary film-style interviews, Voices in the Air follows the main characters' lives before and after the hijacking, and through real-life events as the fall of the Berlin Wall, the fight for women's rights in modern Poland, the Covid pandemic and the refugee crisis on the Polish-Belarus border. A must-read novel exploring ambiguous moral choice, censorship, emigration, fate and regret. Kasia Jaronczyk is a Polish-Canadian writer, artist and microbiologist. She immigrated to Canada at the age of 14. Her debut short story collection Lemons was published in 2017 by Mansfield Press. She is a co-editor of the only anthology of Polish-Canadian short stories Polish(ed): Poland Rooted in Canadian Fiction (Guernica Editions, 2017). Her stories were short-listed for the Bristol Prize 2016 and long-listed for CBC Short Story Prize 2010. She has published in Canadian literary magazines such as TNQ, Room, Prairie Journal, Carousel, The Nashwaak Review, Postscripts to Darkness, and in anthologies Wherever I Find Myself. Essays by Canadian Immigrant Women (Miriam Matejova, Ed. Caitlin Press, April 2017) and The Bristol Short Story Prize Anthology (2016. Vol 9.). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/literature

This week on Curmudgeon's Corner, we head down to Baldwin County, Alabama, to meet a man who lives by three simple words: Clean. Preserve. Protect. John Weber — owner and operator of Guardian Automotive Detailing — isn't your average detailer. By day he works fiber optics for what he calls “the Death Star,” and by night he's restoring cars, faith, and balance along the Gulf Coast. John's built a reputation for precision, professionalism, and heart — the kind that reminds us that detailing isn't just about cars, it's about people. We talk shop, family, and faith, and get honest about mental health, resilience, and the power of purpose. Then we lighten things up with the Curmudgeon's Vodka Flight — a taste-test showdown that proves even the cleanest hands can get a little dirty. So grab your drink of choice, settle in, and join us for an episode that's equal parts grit, gratitude, and good conversation.

Dies ist der zweite Teil des Gesprächs. Wenn ihr den ersten Teil noch nicht gehört habt, fangt am besten dort an!++++ Hier könnt ihr Mitglied im Klub Reflektor werden, Jans Reflektor-Mitgliederbereich mit vielen Extras ++++In dieser Doppelfolge zu Gast: der Schauspieler Lars Eidinger.Lars wurde 1976 in West-Berlin geboren. Er zählt zu den bekanntesten deutschen Theater- und Filmschauspielern der Gegenwart.Er arbeitete an der Berliner Schaubühne und dem Deutschen Theater und spielte in Filmen wie z.B. „Alle anderen“, „25 km/h“ oder „Sterben“ mit. Außerdem machte er als Darsteller in Fernsehserien wie zum Beispiel „Babylon Berlin“ oder auch als Akteur in Videoclips auf sich aufmerksam.Nach Charlie Hübner und Robert Stadlober ist Lars Eidinger bereits der dritte Schauspieler, der bei Reflektor zu Gast ist. Wie seine beiden Kollegen ist auch Lars musikaffin. Neben seiner Schauspielarbeit ist Lars seit Jahrzehnten leidenschaftlicher DJ. Zudem hat er bereits im Jahr 1998 ein Album mit elektronischer Musik auf dem Hamburger Label K7 veröffentlicht.Lars erzählt Jan, wie er in den 1990er Jahren im Keller seines Elternhauses am Computer saß und sich mit Samples beschäftigt hat. Er berichtet von Begegnungen mit Tricky in Paris und der Band CocoRosie in Klagenfurt. Weiterhin sprechen Jan und Lars über vermeintliche Omnipräsenz und Neid. Und darüber, was es bedeutet, sich einem künstlerischen Prozess auszusetzen. Sowohl vor Publikum als auch im Studio. In der Folge geht es um interdisziplinäre künstlerische Verbindungen und, was passiert, wenn sich Sprachkunst und Musik miteinander verbinden. Gleich zu Beginn des Gesprächs diskutieren Jan und Lars am Beispiel von Kanye West darüber, ob Musik von maximal problematischen Künstlern dennoch produktive Impulse geben können. Und selbstverständlich spricht Jan mit Lars anhand seiner Filme und Theaterstücke auch über dessen Arbeit als Schauspieler.Wir wünschen euch viel Spaß bei zweieinhalb Stunden Reflektor mit Lars Eidinger!Die in dieser Folge angesprochenen Musiktitel findet ihr in der Reflektor-Streaming-Playlist.Hier findet ihr Reflektor bei Instagram. Und hier findet ihr Jan bei Instagram.Schreibt uns gerne unter reflektor@cloudshill.com.Hier geht es zum Clouds Hill Bandcamp-Shop.Viel Spaß beim Hören und danke für eure Unterstützung! ++++++++Ob Pop, Rock, Rap, Punk oder Klassik – Musik ist immer einzigartig. So wie die Künstler:innen, die sie erschaffen. Was macht einen guten Song aus? Wie politisch darf oder sollte Pop sein? Und wie geht man mit plötzlichem Ruhm oder dem unvermeidlichen Absturz um?In Reflektor + Subline sucht Jan Müller, selbst Musiker und seit nahezu 30 Jahren Bassist der Band Tocotronic, authentische Gespräche mit jenen, die es am besten wissen müssen: den Musiker:innen selbst. Ob Olli Schulz, Jan Delay, Feine Sahne Fischfilet, Alli Neumann, Joy Denalane oder Doro – geprägt von gegenseitigem Interesse und Respekt spricht er mit seinen Gästen über ihre Karriere, ihre größten Hits und die schmerzhaftesten Rückschläge. Immer auf Augenhöhe, immer überraschend. Neue Episoden von Reflektor erscheinen wöchentlich, immer freitags – also hört unbedingt rein und abonniert den Podcast, um keine Folge mehr zu verpassen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hannah Murray will start by looking at the bestseller lists on Amazon.co.uk and The Sunday Times, the oldest and most influential book sales chart in the UK, and seeing what new entries there are. Amy McCulloch is the author of Breathless, an international bestseller and Waterstones Thriller of the Month selection. She has climbed two of the world's highest mountains, completed an ultra-marathon in the Sahara Desert, and visited all seven continents. Her latest thriller 'Runner 13' is set during the ultimate test of endurance: two-hundred-and-fifty miles in the brutal heat of the Sahara, with only the supplies you can carry on your back. There's a killer stalking the hot sand...and the problem with running faster than everyone else, is that you're miles ahead of anyone who can save you... Katie Da Cunha Lewin is a writer based in London, currently lecturing in 20th and 21st Century Literature at Coventry University. Her latest book 'The Writer's Room: The Hidden Worlds that Shape the Books we Love' is a blend of cultural critique, with the personal and historical, taking reader's on a fascinating journey into the places where writers work and live Anni Holliday is obsessed with books and reading, and has written since she was a child. After graduating in English Literature and Language at Reading University, and pursuing a career in Financial Services, she has finally been able to fulfill her life-long dream of writing and publishing a book. 'Windows' is a celebration of the High Street, community and Scottish small-town life, as well as family, childhood, books, and the beauty of the Scottish landscape.  ... Kasia Jaronczyk is a Polish-Canadian writer, artist and microbiologist. She immigrated to Canada at the age of 14. Her novel 'Voices in the Air' asks what would drive women to risk the lives of their children and innocent people to leave their mother country forever? It's set in 1982 when two women and their families hijack a Polish passenger plane flying from Breslau to Warsaw in a bold attempt to escape Martial Law in Communist Poland and find safety in West Berlin.  Dr Martyn Pritchard is currently moving towards retirement following on from a 35 year long career in drug discovery research, focusing on neuroscience as well as novel medicines to treat pain. 'A Painkiller to Die For' is about a Cambridge scientist's search for a solution to the deadly opioid-abuse epidemic  Jo O'Neill's book explore resilience in the face of the darker side of human nature. 'More Than Us' is a supernatural thriller that unpacks cultural misogyny, showing how the unspeakable can hide in plain sight.  Aamir Hussain was born into a family of strong women in Pakistan, grew up in Saudi Arabia, and moved to Canada when he was fifteen years old. His debut novel 'Under the Full and Crescent Moon' is a re-imagining of Islamic History

"My composition, titled “Berliner Mauer,” draws inspiration from ambisonics recordings made by Anders Vinjar at the Berlin Wall. "The Berlin Wall, officially known as the Anti-Fascist Protection Rampart, was a fortified concrete barrier that encircled West Berlin from 1961 to 1989. It physically separated West Berlin from East Berlin and the German Democratic Republic (East Germany). Construction of the Berlin Wall began on August 13, 1961, by the government of the GDR. The wall featured guard towers along large concrete walls and a wide area known as the “death strip,” which contained anti-vehicle trenches, beds of nails, and other defensive measures. The primary purpose of the Wall was to prevent East German citizens from fleeing to the West. "The intricate history of the Berlin Wall captivated me. Its origin as a tangible symbol of the Cold War division holds immense power. It embodies various aspects, including the brutal suppression of East Germans and their families, its unintended symbolic significance for freedom, and the challenging socio-economic adjustments that followed its unexpected fall in 1989. These events led to German reunification and broader movements for Eastern European liberation. "Anders Vinjar's field recordings captured fragments of everyday life at the Berlin Wall, and these sounds carry an intangible weight. The post-fall complications in the area continue to impact everything and everyone around it in subtle ways. My intention was to convey this multifaceted and complex reality within my composition, leaving listeners with a potential sense of optimism for the future. By utilizing field recordings, synthesizers, and tape loops, I hope to unveil these hidden layers and inspire others to envision a better future." Berlin Wall soundscape reimagined by Jeff Dungfelder.

In seinem ersten Roman schreibt der Schauspieler über seine Kindheit und Jugend in der DDR und über seine Ausreise nach West-Berlin.

++++ Hier könnt ihr Mitglied im Klub Reflektor werden, Jans Reflektor-Mitgliederbereich mit vielen Extras ++++In dieser Doppelfolge zu Gast: der Schauspieler Lars Eidinger.Lars wurde 1976 in West-Berlin geboren. Er zählt zu den bekanntesten deutschen Theater- und Filmschauspielern der Gegenwart.Er arbeitete an der Berliner Schaubühne und dem Deutschen Theater und spielte in Filmen wie z.B. „Alle anderen“, „25 km/h“ oder „Sterben“ mit. Außerdem machte er als Darsteller in Fernsehserien wie zum Beispiel „Babylon Berlin“ oder auch als Akteur in Videoclips auf sich aufmerksam.Nach Charlie Hübner und Robert Stadlober ist Lars Eidinger bereits der dritte Schauspieler, der bei Reflektor zu Gast ist. Wie seine beiden Kollegen ist auch Lars musikaffin. Neben seiner Schauspielarbeit ist Lars seit Jahrzehnten leidenschaftlicher DJ. Zudem hat er bereits im Jahr 1998 ein Album mit elektronischer Musik auf dem Hamburger Label K7 veröffentlicht.Lars erzählt Jan, wie er in den 1990er Jahren im Keller seines Elternhauses am Computer saß und sich mit Samples beschäftigt hat. Er berichtet von Begegnungen mit Tricky in Paris und der Band CocoRosie in Klagenfurt. Weiterhin sprechen Jan und Lars über vermeintliche Omnipräsenz und Neid. Und darüber, was es bedeutet, sich einem künstlerischen Prozess auszusetzen. Sowohl vor Publikum als auch im Studio. In der Folge geht es um interdisziplinäre künstlerische Verbindungen und, was passiert, wenn sich Sprachkunst und Musik miteinander verbinden. Gleich zu Beginn des Gesprächs diskutieren Jan und Lars am Beispiel von Kanye West darüber, ob Musik von maximal problematischen Künstlern dennoch produktive Impulse geben können. Und selbstverständlich spricht Jan mit Lars anhand seiner Filme und Theaterstücke auch über dessen Arbeit als Schauspieler.Wir wünschen euch viel Spaß bei zweieinhalb Stunden Reflektor mit Lars Eidinger!Die in dieser Folge angesprochenen Musiktitel findet ihr in der Reflektor-Streaming-Playlist.Hier findet ihr Reflektor bei Instagram. Und hier findet ihr Jan bei Instagram.Schreibt uns gerne unter reflektor@cloudshill.com.Hier geht es zum Clouds Hill Bandcamp-Shop.Viel Spaß beim Hören und danke für eure Unterstützung! ++++++++Ob Pop, Rock, Rap, Punk oder Klassik – Musik ist immer einzigartig. So wie die Künstler:innen, die sie erschaffen. Was macht einen guten Song aus? Wie politisch darf oder sollte Pop sein? Und wie geht man mit plötzlichem Ruhm oder dem unvermeidlichen Absturz um?In Reflektor + Subline sucht Jan Müller, selbst Musiker und seit nahezu 30 Jahren Bassist der Band Tocotronic, authentische Gespräche mit jenen, die es am besten wissen müssen: den Musiker:innen selbst. Ob Olli Schulz, Jan Delay, Feine Sahne Fischfilet, Alli Neumann, Joy Denalane oder Doro – geprägt von gegenseitigem Interesse und Respekt spricht er mit seinen Gästen über ihre Karriere, ihre größten Hits und die schmerzhaftesten Rückschläge. Immer auf Augenhöhe, immer überraschend. Neue Episoden von Reflektor erscheinen wöchentlich, immer freitags – also hört unbedingt rein und abonniert den Podcast, um keine Folge mehr zu verpassen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In der heutigen Folge von “Ein Glas mit Lars” führt OZ-Chefredakteur Lars Reckermann ein bewegendes Gespräch mit Michael Bradler, der als junger Mann in der DDR inhaftiert wurde und heute Besucher durch die Gedenkstätte Hohenschönhausen führt. Er berichtet von seiner Kindheit in Ostberlin, den Gründen für seinen Ausreiseantrag, den Erfahrungen in Stasi-Haft und dem Neuanfang in Westberlin. Ein persönlicher Einblick in die Geschichte der deutschen Teilung und ihre Folgen.

A special episode: Anna chats with author and Tony-award winning Broadway producer Eric Schnall about his debut novel I MAKE ENVY ON YOUR DISCO.   Sam Singer flies to Berlin for an art gallery opening, needing a break from his partner in New York. He meets enigmatic hotel receptionist Magda and ex-pat Jeremy, goes clubbing, and discovers the 2000s nostalgia for East and West Berlin. Named a GQ Editor's Pick and winner of the Barbara DiBernard Prize in Fiction, we loved this novel and recommend the audiobook read by Charlie Carver.   Eric tells us some of the surprising reactions to Disco, a great game for book clubs, why Jennifer Egan is his literary hero, how to receive writing advice from Joan Didion, and his recommendations for books set in Berlin.   Eric recommends the podcast Tracks of Our Queers and the TV show Somebody Somewhere.   Coming up: SEED with author Bri Lee. Follow us! Email: Booksonthegopodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @abailliekaras / @ericschnall Substack: Books On The Go Credits Artwork: Sascha Wilkosz

Am 8. Oktober wird er 90 Jahre alt - aber schon heute gibt es ein neues Buch von Hans Joachim Schädlich, das er sich gewissermaßen selbst zum Geburtstag schenkt. "Bruchstücke" heißt es und gibt Einblicke in sein Leben als Schriftsteller, der in der DDR nicht veröffentlichen durfte und 1977, nach der Biermann-Ausbürgerung, nach Westberlin übersiedelte. Im Westen wurde er dann berühmt als Schriftsteller, der sich immer wieder mit dem Stalinismus und jenseits davon mit Macht und Opportunismus auseinandergesetzt hat. Jetzt also "Bruchstücke" - Jörg Magenau hat das neue Buch gelesen.

Am 30. August 1980 fand im damaligen West-Berlin vor dem Reichstagsgebäude ein ikonisches Konzert statt. Die Band Barclay James Harvest spielte ihr Konzert "Berlin (A Concert For The People)". Rund 175.000 Menschen kamen zu diesem ikonischen Open-Air-Konzert. Das Ereignis wurde nicht nur verfilmt, sondern 1982 auch als Livealbum veröffentlicht. Das Album erreichte in Deutschland die Spitze der Charts und durfte laut Meilensteine-Host Frank König damals in keiner Teenager-Plattensammlung fehlen. Zum Zeitpunkt des Konzerts war Berlin noch eine geteilte Stadt. West-Berlin entwickelte sich in den 1960ern und besonders in den 70ern zu einer musikalischen Brutstätte. Bekannte Künstler wie David Bowie und Iggy Pop hielten sich zu dieser Zeit in diesem Teil der Stadt auf. Im Ostteil sah es bekanntlich ganz anders aus. Westliche Musik war für den Osten unerreichbar und es durfte nur das gehört werden, was systemkonform war. Als mit Barclay James Harvest eine der erfolgreichsten Bands der Welt ein Konzert direkt an der Berliner Mauer spielte, war das deshalb ein sehr besonderer und symbolträchtiger Moment. Direkt vor dem Reichstagsgebäude spielten Barclay James Harvest Lieder wie "Berlin" und "In Memory Of The Martyrs". "In Memory Of The Martyrs" erinnert an die vielen Menschen, die bei ihrer Flucht über die Mauer ihr Leben verloren, während "Berlin" die Atmosphäre und das Lebensgefühl der geteilten Stadt einfängt. __________ Über diese Songs vom Album "Berlin (A Concert For The People)" wird im Podcast gesprochen: (05:04) – "Berlin"(09:49) – "In Memory Of The Martyrs"(15:50) – "Mockingbird" (1980 Berlin Live Version)(23:41) – "Life Is For Living"(26:03) – "Loving Is Easy"(29:30) – "Child Of The Universe"(35:00) – "Hymn"__________ Alle Shownotes und weiterführenden Links zur Folge: https://1.ard.de/barclay-james-harvest-berlin-a-concert-for-the-people __________ Ihr wollt mehr Podcasts wie diesen? Abonniert "Meilensteine – Alben, die Geschichte machten"! Fragen, Kritik, Anregungen? Meldet euch gerne per WhatsApp-Sprachnachricht an die (06131) 92 93 94 95 oder schreibt uns an meilensteine@swr.de

The Berlin Airlift stands as one of the most significant events in Cold War history, a testament to the resilience and determination of the Allies in the face of Soviet adversity. I speak with 98 year old veteran Ralph Dionne, who played a crucial role in this monumental operation. Ralph details the story of the Berlin Airlift and shares his journey from basic training to becoming a flight engineer during the Airlift. His insights provide a unique perspective on the challenges faced by military personnel tasked with delivering food, coal, and other supplies under the threat of Soviet control. The airlift was not just a logistical operation; it was a lifeline for the people of West Berlin, showcasing the unity and resolve of the Western Allies. One of the most touching aspects of Ralph's story is the kindness shown by airmen who dropped candy to children in Berlin, a gesture that became known as Operation Little Vittles. This act of humanity amidst war served to strengthen the bond between the Allies and the citizens of Berlin, fostering hope during a dark time. Throughout the episode, Ralph reflects on the broader implications of the Berlin Airlift, emphasizing how its success prevented the spread of Soviet influence in Western Europe. As we listen to his experiences, we are reminded of the importance of remembering our history and the lessons it holds for the present and future. Episode extras https://coldwarconversations.com/episode417/ The fight to preserve Cold War history continues and via a simple monthly donation, you will give me the ammunition to continue to preserve Cold War history. You'll become part of our community, get ad-free episodes, and get a sought-after CWC coaster as a thank you and you'll bask in the warm glow of knowing you are helping to preserve Cold War history. Just go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ If a monthly contribution is not your cup of tea, we welcome one-off donations via the same link. Find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in your life! Just go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://coldwarconversations.com/store/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on BlueSky ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/coldwarpod.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on Threads ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.threads.net/@coldwarconversations⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on Twitter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/ColdWarPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Youtube ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/@ColdWarConversations⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Love history? Join Intohistory ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://intohistory.com/coldwarpod⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This Day in Legal History: East German Border SealedOn August 13, 1961, the East German government abruptly sealed the border between East and West Berlin, cutting off one of the last open crossings between the Eastern Bloc and the West. Overnight, streets were blocked, barbed wire unrolled, and armed guards posted, turning neighbors into strangers by force. For years after World War II, Berlin had been a divided city within a divided Germany, but its open border allowed thousands of East Germans to flee to the West. By 1961, East Germany's leadership, with Soviet backing, viewed the steady exodus as both an economic drain and a political embarrassment. The border closure was quickly followed by the construction of the Berlin Wall — initially a rudimentary barricade, later reinforced into a heavily guarded concrete barrier. Families were split, jobs lost, and daily life in the city transformed, as movement between the two halves became nearly impossible. West Berlin became an isolated enclave of democracy surrounded by a communist state, symbolizing Cold War tensions. The Wall also became a stage for daring escape attempts, some successful, others tragically fatal. Its legal underpinning rested on East Germany's assertion of sovereignty and border control, which the West rejected as illegitimate. International condemnation followed, but geopolitical realities left the Wall in place for nearly three decades. The border closure and Wall construction intensified the East–West standoff, influencing Cold War diplomacy, military posturing, and propaganda. The Wall finally fell on November 9, 1989, marking the beginning of German reunification. The events of August 13, 1961, remain a stark reminder of how governments can physically enforce political divisions.The American Bar Association has voted to eliminate its longstanding rule that reserved five Board of Governors seats specifically for women, racial minorities, LGBTQ+ members, and people with disabilities — what can only be described as a stunning kowtowing to authoritarianism. Instead, those positions will now be open to anyone who can demonstrate a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, regardless of personal demographic background. The change was approved by the ABA's House of Delegates during its annual meeting in Toronto, where members also considered, but rejected, proposals to shrink the size of both the House and the Board. Advocates for the shift argued that broadening eligibility could help the ABA sidestep potential lawsuits, while critics noted it follows years of political pressure from the Trump administration and conservative legal groups. That pressure has included threats to strip the ABA of its law school accreditation role and formal complaints alleging its diversity programs discriminate against non-minorities. The ABA has already paused its law school diversity accreditation requirement until at least 2026. Membership in the association has also sharply declined over the past decade, falling from nearly 400,000 in 2015 to about 227,000 in 2024, with leadership citing the elimination of free and low-cost memberships as one factor. Previously, eligibility for the diversity-designated seats was based strictly on identity, but the new rules rely on factors such as lived experience, involvement in relevant initiatives, and resilience in the face of obstacles. While the ABA did not cite political motives, the timing and surrounding context suggest a strategic retreat in the face of escalating ideological confrontation.ABA ends diversity requirements for governing board seats | ReutersAT&T has reached a settlement with Headwater Research, ending a wireless patent infringement lawsuit just days before trial in a Texas federal court. Headwater, founded by scientist Gregory Raleigh, claimed AT&T used its patented technology for reducing data usage and easing network congestion without permission, allegedly copying the inventions after a 2009 meeting with company employees. The suit, filed in 2023, targeted AT&T's cellular networks and devices, with the telecom giant denying infringement and challenging the patents' validity. The case was set for trial Thursday, but both parties asked the court to pause proceedings due to the settlement. Headwater has had recent success in the same court, winning $279 million from Samsung and $175 million from Verizon in separate wireless technology disputes earlier this year. Terms of the AT&T settlement were not disclosed.AT&T settles US wireless patent case before trial | ReutersA federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to restore part of the $584 million in federal grants it recently froze for UCLA, finding the move violated a prior court injunction. Judge Rita Lin, ruling from San Francisco, said the National Science Foundation's suspension of funds breached her June order that blocked the termination of multiple University of California grants. The decision affects more than a third of the frozen amount, which had been halted amid President Trump's threats to cut funding to universities over pro-Palestinian campus protests. The administration has accused UCLA and other schools of allowing antisemitism during demonstrations, while protesters — including some Jewish groups — argue the government is conflating criticism of Israel's actions in Gaza with bigotry. The funding freeze comes as UCLA faces a proposed $1 billion settlement demand from the administration, a figure the university says would be financially devastating. Critics, including California Governor Gavin Newsom, have labeled the offer as extortion, raising broader concerns about free speech and academic freedom. UCLA has already settled a separate antisemitism lawsuit for over $6 million and faces litigation tied to a 2024 mob attack on pro-Palestinian demonstrators. The administration has reached settlements with other universities, including Columbia and Brown, while talks with Harvard continue.Judge orders Trump administration to restore part of UCLA's suspended funding | ReutersA federal appeals court has upheld Arkansas's ban on gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors, reversing a lower court's ruling that found the law unconstitutional. In an 8-2 decision, the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals cited the U.S. Supreme Court's recent approval of a similar Tennessee law, concluding that Arkansas's restrictions do not violate the Equal Protection Clause. The majority also rejected claims that the ban infringes on parents' constitutional rights to seek medical treatment for their children, finding no historical precedent for such a right when the state deems the care inappropriate. The dissent argued the law lacked evidence to support its stated goal of protecting children and would harm transgender youth and their families. Arkansas passed the first statewide ban of its kind in 2021, overriding a veto from then-Governor Asa Hutchinson, and it has since been followed by similar laws in 25 states. The ruling represents a significant victory for Republican-led efforts to restrict gender-affirming care and comes amid a wave of federal and state litigation over such policies.US appeals court upholds Arkansas law banning youth transgender care | Reuters This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe

Rolf Brendel in conversation with David Eastaugh https://rolfbrendel.de/ The band was formed in 1981 when vocalist Gabriele Kerner (Nena) came to West Berlin with drummer Rolf Brendel, her boyfriend at the time.  The band wrote all of their songs themselves, typically working in pairs. They became overnight sensations in Germany when they performed their debut single "Nur geträumt" on German TV in August 1982 The single reached number 2 in the German charts, a position it occupied for 6 weeks, and also climbed high in the Austrian, Belgian, Dutch and Swiss charts.[ In early 1983 the follow-up single "99 Luftballons" spent a further 7 weeks at number 2 before finally reaching the top slot, a position the debut album matched.  

In this episode of the HODGEPOD, Rob Fredette welcomes U.S. Foreign policy expert Ronald Bee to discuss pressing global issues. Ronald Bee, with his extensive background in international relations and national security, shares his insights on the Ukraine-Russia conflict, the historical impact of the Cold War, and the complexities of the Middle East crisis. Listeners gain a deep understanding of how past events shape current international dynamics and the ongoing efforts to maintain peace. Tune in to learn from Ronald's rich experiences and expertise in navigating the intricate landscape of global affairs. Ronald has worked as a public affairs analyst at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA, Vienna, Austria), as a foreign policy analyst at the Library of Congress Congressional Research Service (CRS, DC), as a Special Assistant for National Security Affairs at Palomar Corporation, with projects conducted for the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Department of Energy, the DoD Office of International Security Affairs, and the Presidential Commission on Chemical Warfare Review (DC), as a Robert Bosch Foundation Fellow for American Leadership working for the Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the German Parliament (Bonn) and the Governing Mayor of West Berlin the year before the Berlin Wall fell. In addition he served in fellowships at the Princeton Center for Energy and Environmental Studies, the Aspen Institute, Berlin, and the Salzburg Seminar in Salzburg, Austria. RECORDED JULY 29, 2025 Thank you for listening to HODGEPOD which can be heard on APPLE, SPOTIFY, IHEART, AUDACY, TUNEIN and the PODBEAN APP

In this episode of the HODGEPOD, Rob Fredette welcomes U.S. Foreign policy expert Ronald Bee to discuss pressing global issues. Ronald Bee, with his extensive background in international relations and national security, shares his insights on the Ukraine-Russia conflict, the historical impact of the Cold War, and the complexities of the Middle East crisis. Listeners gain a deep understanding of how past events shape current international dynamics and the ongoing efforts to maintain peace. Tune in to learn from Ronald's rich experiences and expertise in navigating the intricate landscape of global affairs. Ronald has worked as a public affairs analyst at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA, Vienna, Austria), as a foreign policy analyst at the Library of Congress Congressional Research Service (CRS, DC), as a Special Assistant for National Security Affairs at Palomar Corporation, with projects conducted for the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Department of Energy, the DoD Office of International Security Affairs, and the Presidential Commission on Chemical Warfare Review (DC), as a Robert Bosch Foundation Fellow for American Leadership working for the Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the German Parliament (Bonn) and the Governing Mayor of West Berlin the year before the Berlin Wall fell. In addition he served in fellowships at the Princeton Center for Energy and Environmental Studies, the Aspen Institute, Berlin, and the Salzburg Seminar in Salzburg, Austria. RECORDED JULY 29, 2025 Thank you for listening to HODGEPOD which can be heard on APPLE, SPOTIFY, IHEART, AUDACY, TUNEIN and the PODBEAN APP

Low (1977) is David Bowie's groundbreaking 11th studio album and the first installment in his celebrated "Berlin Trilogy," produced in collaboration with Brian Eno and Tony Visconti. Marking a radical departure from his previous glam rock sound, Low is split into two distinct halves: the first side features fragmented, experimental art rock and electronic pop songs, while the second side dives into haunting, ambient instrumentals. Recorded in the wake of personal turmoil and relocation to West Berlin, the album reflects themes of alienation, dislocation, and emotional numbness. Tracks like “Sound and Vision” and “Be My Wife” showcase Bowie's minimalist lyrical approach, while Side B's atmospheric compositions such as “Warszawa” evoke a post-war European desolation. Initially polarizing, Low is now widely regarded as one of Bowie's most influential and visionary works, paving the way for post-punk, new wave, and ambient music.Listen to the album on Apple MusicListen to the album on SpotifyWhat did you think of this album? Send us a text! Support the showPatreonWebsitePolyphonic Press Discord ServerFollow us on InstagramContact: polyphonicpressmusic@gmail.comDISCLAIMER: Due to copyright restrictions, we are unable to play pieces of the songs we cover in these episodes. Playing clips of songs are unfortunately prohibitively expensive to obtain the proper licensing. We strongly encourage you to listen to the album along with us on your preferred format to enhance the listening experience.

After half a year being avoidant (and avoiding responsibility), Douche Station honeys come back with EP 10 : THIS IS NOT A PIPE lead by your favorite archive historian Sarnt (who remembers everything before Covid but not after). This EP we also feature special guest Mihu, the iconic otter organizer of the infamous queer party Riot and very helpful collective Queer Mama.We celebrate Berlin's oldest gay neighbourhood: Schöneberg on the occasion of this (shameful) month of CSD #csdberlin . This EP we bring you on bar/dïćk hopping on varieties from Tom's (FOMO if you just moved here) , Bulls (yas mama) , Hafen , Prinzknecht , Cafes and bushes. We say hi to the West Berlin gays, Eastern exclusivity, your Romanian "friends", shame, racism and ask: what is left of the so-called glory days and my self-respect?Definitely this EP brings you: disappointment premium Featuring track by Riot's current resident Majdolen

Last Resort Beyond Last Resort: The JFK Assassination, The Need to Protect West Berlin, and Why a Second Invasion of Cuba Never HappenedJohn F. Kennedy was an embattled president. He was consistently at odds with the Joint Chiefs, the CIA, the radical-right, and Fascist groups in America and Western Europe, who considered him too weak to contain the spread of communism. After the Cuban Missile Crisis, the animosity for the young President grew as JFK cracked down on right-wing Cuban exile groups in America by preventing them from running sabotage raids against the Cuban mainland. Confusion reigned, for at the same time, Robert Kennedy was putting together a coalition of left-wing Cuban exiles to launch a second invasion of Cuba at the end of 1963. Meanwhile, a right-wing Cuban exile group operating independently of the Kennedys was looking to assassinate JFK, which they believed would be a catalyst to compel the United States to invade Cuba with its military in retaliation. The plan could have worked because of Lee Harvey Oswald. He was a Marxist and Castro supporter who had defected to the Soviet Union in 1959, had renounced his citizenship, and had revealed military secrets to the Russians. He allegedly tried to shoot right-wing General Edwin Walker, was a member of the pro-Castro Fair Play for Cuba Committee, and in the summer of 1963, he was arrested in New Orleans for handing out pro-Castro literature in public. He traveled to Mexico City and tried to reach Havana two months before the JFK assassination. He wrote a letter to the Russian Embassy in Washington D.C. upon his return, saying he used an alias while he was in Mexico. He was measured as 5'-9" tall during his autopsy, which was two inches shorter than when he left the Marines four years before. All this made him the perfect patsy to be used to justify a second invasion of Cuba. So, why didn't the United States invade Cuba after the JFK assassination when they had the opportunity to do so once and for all? The answer to that question is West Berlin, the gateway to Western Europe and a city President Kennedy was determined to protect at all costs, even if it meant sacrificing Cuba to the Communists. And a second invasion of Cuba placed Berlin in jeopardy, so it could not be allowed to happen. Another group came together in the spring of 1963, made up of CIA right-wing Cold War veterans like Allen Dulles, James Angleton, Henry Hecksher, William Harvey, and Tracy Barnes. These men had fought the Nazis during World War but came to consider them the lesser of two evils compared to the Soviet Union when the war was over. And they were hell-bent on keeping communism out of Europe by any means possible. For over a decade leading up to JFK's Presidency, they had collaborated with ex-Nazis, European Monarchists, and French military Fascists in the war against communism to keep Europe safe. So, it was not surprising that they all came together once again to assassinate President Kennedy – not to justify an invasion of Cuba but to prevent that from occurring. They knew that if a second invasion of Cuba were to happen, the Soviets would take West Berlin, which would almost certainly have led to World War III. So, as a Last Resort Beyond Last Resort, this group inevitably concluded that the only choice they had was to remove JFK from power before it was too late. And mixed up in the middle of it all was Lee Harvey Oswald.https://amzn.to/452QKmkBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-opperman-report--1198501/support.

After World War II, the city of Berlin was divided in four sections with one finding themselves closed off with concrete and barbed wire. A wall was built that separated the free from the enslaved. In the 1970s, Georgina Liu found herself living on one side but getting to venture into the other. Liu shares with us those experiences and observations in living in the city divided. 

This is the story of a Communist family in East Germany whose world was turned upside down by the implosion of the GDR. The story is told by Katja Hesse, whose father was a Vice Admiral in the Volksmarine, the East German Navy. We start the episode with Katja crossing into West Berlin on the night of 9th November 1989 and journey through the emotional landscape of certainties overturned by the opening of the Berlin Wall. Using her father's diaries Katja shares in detail her memories and reflections. From her father's shock upon learning she crossed into West Berlin, to the complexities of navigating a new reality in a reunified Germany. It's an intimate glimpse into the struggles of her family as she recounts the legacy of the GDR and the profound impact it had on her upbringing and identity. Buy Katja's book here https://www.engelsdorfer-verlag.de/Belletristik/Romanhafte-Biografien/Ostprinzessinnen-tragen-keine-Krone::7605.html Episode extras https://coldwarconversations.com/episode409/ The fight to preserve Cold War history continues and via a simple monthly donation, you will give me the ammunition to continue to preserve Cold War history. You'll become part of our community, get ad-free episodes, and get a sought-after CWC coaster as a thank you and you'll bask in the warm glow of knowing you are helping to preserve Cold War history. Just go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ If a monthly contribution is not your cup of tea, we welcome one-off donations via the same link. Find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in your life! Just go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://coldwarconversations.com/store/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on BlueSky ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/coldwarpod.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on Threads ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.threads.net/@coldwarconversations⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on Twitter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/ColdWarPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Youtube ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/@ColdWarConversations⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Love history? Join Intohistory ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://intohistory.com/coldwarpod⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Staatsbesuch in West-Berlin am 2. Juni 1967. Es kommt Schah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi mit seiner Frau Farah. Nicht nur für die Boulevardpresse ein gefundenes Fressen. Studenten, Intellektuelle organisieren Protestaktionen und Kundgebungen. Demonstranten werden von Polizisten eingekesselt, der Student Benno Ohnesorg wird erschossen. Der Beginn der Studentenbewegung. Jahre später sitzt Maryam Aras im Kino, sieht einen Film über genau diese Proteste und entdeckt ihren Vater auf den Bildern. Der Beginn einer Spurensuche nach ihrer Kindheit in der iranischen Diaspora in Köln. Sie fängt an zu verstehen, warum ihr Vater nicht in den Iran reisen kann. Die Publizistin und Literaturkritikerin Maryam Aras hat darüber in ihrem Buch "Dinosaurierkind" geschrieben. In NDR Kultur à la carte spricht sie mit Andrea Schwyzer über Familie, Herkunftsgeschichte und die Generation ihres Vaters.

Send us a textWhat a privilege, a conversation with Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Jon Minter!We talk about his work at Save a Warrior, robotic surgery, infection, 1.5 knees, his time with Dr. Larry Dorr, disasterplasties, Mad magazine....and so much more!!Dr. Minter served on active duty in the US Army during the height of the Cold War in West Germany and in particular West Berlin. He was Chief of Emergency Services and Ambulatory Patient Care for the Berlin MEDDAC. Dr. Minter also provided direct medical support for a covert (recently declassified) Special Operations Unit in Berlin, the Physical Security Support Element. In addition, he provided emergency medical training and support for the USMLM (United States Military Liaison Mission) which was co-located in West Berlin and in former East German Potsdam.Following his active duty service he became an Orthopedic surgeon, currently working in Alpharetta, Georgia. His interest in Save A Warrior was borne out of a strong desire to offer more to veterans than what surgery could accomplish. Simply put, he wanted to be a part of a team with the chief object of healing the wounded heart.His family has a long lineage of service in both the military and first responder categories. He has been married to his wife for over 33 years and has three children in which he is intensely proud.Clinic Link: https://sportsmedicine.northside.com/providers/orthopedic-sports-surgery/jon-e-minterYour Best Life: Perfectionism—The Bane of Happiness  https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s11999-015-4279-9.pdfSave a Warrior Foundation: https://saveawarrior.org/board-of-directors/dr-jon-minter/Donate here: https://fundraise.givesmart.com/form/GNlTXA?vid=1k12n4JOEI Bioburden Paper: https://journaloei.scholasticahq.com/article/133635-retained-bioburden-does-not-pose-contamination-risk-after-a-full-sterile-processing-cycleSupport the show

When was Checkpoint Charlie created in Berlin? What triggered Stalin to enact a blockade on West Berlin? And how did the Western powers airlift over 2.3 million tons of supplies to their occupied zone of the city from 1948 to 1949? William and Anita are joined once again by Giles Milton, author of Checkmate in Berlin: The Cold War Showdown That Shaped the Modern World, to discuss the Berlin Blockade, the Berlin Airlift, and the way in which the Iron Curtain hardened towards the end of the 1940s. ----------------- Empire Club: Become a member of the Empire Club to receive early access to miniseries, ad-free listening, early access to live show tickets, bonus episodes, book discounts, our exclusive newsletter, and access to our members' chatroom on Discord! Head to empirepoduk.com to sign up. For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com.  ----------------- Email: empire@goalhanger.com Instagram: @empirepoduk  Blue Sky: @empirepoduk  X: @empirepoduk Assistant Producer: Becki Hills Producer: Anouska Lewis Senior Producer: Callum Hill Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

June 2, 1967. Benno Ohnesorg, a West German student, is killed by a police officer while attending a protest in West Berlin.You can listen ad-free in the Wondery or Amazon Music app. Or for all that and more, go to IntoHistory.comHistory Daily is a co-production of Airship and Noiser.Go to HistoryDaily.com for more history, daily.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

June 2, 1967. Benno Ohnesorg, a West German student, is killed by a police officer while attending a protest in West Berlin.Support the show! Join Into History for ad-free listening and more.History Daily is a co-production of Airship and Noiser.Go to HistoryDaily.com for more history, daily.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Madeline, Emilio, and Julian are joined by Julian's oft-mentioned cinephile cousin Sylvie for a standalone discussion about Andrzej Żuławski's singular film “Possession” (1981). Distinctly mixing a drama of romantic turmoil with elements of body horror, spy thrillers, and creature features, “Possession” centers on the alternatively broad and grounded performances of its two versatile lead actors, Isabelle Adjani and Sam Neill, to deliver a film worthy of high accolades yet relegated to obscurity for many years, due to its transgressive content and difficulty to classify. The group break the film down through elements such as its dynamic cinematography and memorable secondary characters, in addition to finding notable comparisons to other films (the Cronenberg name looming large), considering what it's like to flail around in Berlin's U-bahn, and wondering what ever happened to calling people “Bob.”  If you enjoy our podcast, please rate and review us on your podcast platform of choice.  This really helps us find new listeners and grow!Follow us on IG and TikTok: @sleeplesscinematicpodSend us an email at sleeplesscinematicpod@gmail.comOn Letterboxd? Follow Julian at julian_barthold and Madeline at patronessofcats

LBJ kicks off Project Head Start; Queen Elizabeth visits West Berlin; U.S. destroyers shell the Viet Cong; John Lindsay runs for Mayor of NYC; Muhammad Ali defends his title. Newscaster: Joe Rubenstein.   Support this project on Patreon!

Every other week, we'll be re-releasing an episode we think deserves more attention. Today, we'll hear about The Candy Bomber. After World War Two, Germany was split up and occupied by the United States, France, Britain and the Soviet Union. In June of 1948, the U.S., France, and Britain announced they were creating a unified West German currency. Joseph Stalin opposed this unification, and cut off land routes from Berlin to West Germany.  In order to bypass the land routes, bombers transported supplies (primarily food) and delivered them to West Berlin in what was called Operation Vittles. Colonel Gail S. Halvorsen was one of several pilots recruited to fly these missions. One day, after sneaking out and flying to Berlin for some R&R, COL Halvorsen met some local children who were survivors of the war. Talking with them changed his life, and he decided he wanted to do something to help them. He returned to base, gathered as much candy and gum as he could, fashioned parachutes with handkerchiefs, and put all the goodies inside. The next day, he flew over West Berlin and dropped the parachutes full of candy out of his bomb bay.  The children were delighted. COL Halvorsen did this several more times, and gained international acclaim for his actions. To learn more about COL Halvorsen, check out his book, The Berlin Candy Bomber. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

About the Lecture: In this presentation, Karnes will talk about Maija Tabaka, who was the first Soviet citizen to be awarded the DAAD fellowship. Tabaka unwittingly opened doors to over a decade of artistic exchanges between Riga and West Berlin. She also provided an enduring model for arranging such collaborations, with offices of the Latvian KGB partnering with Latvian emigres to broker relationships, awards, and creative possibilities. Mining archives in Berlin and Riga, this talk traces the origins of such exchanges in the 1970s, their evolution in the time of perestroika, and their end in an ill-fated endeavor to support the dream of the Latvian musician Hardijs Lediņš to record with Laurie Anderson in a newly reunited Berlin. About the Speaker: Kevin C. Karnes is Samuel Candler Dobbs Professor of Music and Divisional Dean of Arts at Emory University and Visiting Professor of Musicology at the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music. His most recent book is Sounds Beyond: Arvo Pärt and the 1970s Soviet Underground (2021). His latest research considers techno music and club culture as both product and reflection of transnational exchange across reimagined European borders at the turn of the 1990s.

Vielleicht wäre die Geschichte unseres heutigen Gastes selbst mal Stoff für eine mehrteilige Serie und vielleicht würde sie sogar Regie führen, das nämlich steht nach eigenem Bekunden noch an im Leben von Alexandra Maria Lara, die 1978 in Bukarest geboren wurde - als Kind einer im kommunistischen Rumänien unter Ceausescu durchaus privilegiert lebenden Familie, aber was hilft es, wenn die Freiheit fehlt? Die Eltern fliehen mit der damals 4jährigen Alexandra, nach Kanada soll's gehen, in West-Berlin schließlich findet die Familie eine neue Heimat. Früh steht das Mädchen vor der Kamera, mit knapp 16 als Hauptfigur in der ZDF-Serie "Mensch, Pia!". Dann aber doch noch Abitur, Schauspielausbildung, erste kleine, bald schon große Rollen in großen Filmen und Serien. Und das geht bis heute so, auf nationaler und internationaler Ebene. "Der Tunnel", "Nackt", "Der Untergang", "Control", "Rush", "25km/h", "Der Fall Collini", um nur einige zu nennen. Zudem war Alexandra Maria Lara Präsidentin der Deutschen Filmakademie. Und wir sind gespannt auf die Musik und Geschichten ihres Lebens.

Live and direct from Pottsdam, it's the one-and-only Karl-Heinz Granitza — the prolific German striker who became the face of the North American Soccer League's iconic Chicago Sting -- and a transformative figure in American soccer during his seven outdoor seasons across the late 1970s & early 1980s.   A 2003 National Soccer Hall of Fame inductee and one of the NASL's all-time leading scorers, Granitza opens up about his remarkable journey from West Berlin to the Windy City -- where his powerful left foot, fiery personality, and unshakable will to win helped ignite a soccer revolution in the US. Granitza shares the challenges of joining the Sting in 1978, a year that began with a record-setting 10-game losing streak, only to pivot dramatically under mid-season replacement coach Willy Roy. With a new influx of German talent and a renewed sense of purpose, Granitza led a cultural and competitive shift that culminated in one of the most exciting eras in Chicago pro sports history. Among the stops: the tension-filled triumph of the NASL's 1981 Soccer Bowl championship match, where the Sting edged the star-studded New York Cosmos in a nail-biting, scoreless encounter that culminated in a dramatic tie-breaking shootout. Granitza recounts the euphoric aftermath: Chicago's first major pro sports championship in nearly two decades, a ticker-tape parade attended by over 100,000 fans, and the moment he realized that soccer had finally taken root in America's heartland. We dive into Granitza's reputation as both a clutch performer and a demanding teammate; with humor and honesty, he reflects on his passionate leadership style — his perfectionism, on-field outbursts, and deep loyalty to teammates like Arno Steffenhagen, Ingo Peter, and Pato Margetic. We also explore Granitza's dominance in the 1980s indoor game (for both the NASL and MISL versions of the Sting, as well as the American Indoor Soccer Association's Chicago Power), his record-setting scoring streaks, and his perspective on the bittersweet demise of the NASL -- especially the (often overlooked) legacy it still provides today's American soccer landscape. + + +   SUPPORT THE SHOW: Buy Us a Coffee: https://ko-fi.com/goodseatsstillavailable "Good Seats" Merch: https://www.teepublic.com/?ref_id=35106 SPONSOR THANKS (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): Old School Shirts.com (10% off promo code: GOODSEATS): https://oldschoolshirts.com/goodseats Royal Retros (10% off promo code: SEATS): https://www.503-sports.com?aff=2 Yinzylvania (20% off promo code: GOODSEATSSTILLAVAILABLE): https://yinzylvania.com/GOODSEATSSTILLAVAILABLE 417 Helmets (10% off promo code: GOODSEATS): https://417helmets.com/?wpam_id=3 FIND AND FOLLOW: Website: https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/goodseatsstillavailable.com X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoodSeatsStill YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@goodseatsstillavailable Threads: https://www.threads.net/@goodseatsstillavailable Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodseatsstillavailable/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodSeatsStillAvailable/

Professor Jesse Kaufman returns to The Common Bridge to deliver a sobering assessment of the Ukraine-Russia war three years after the invasion began. What started as a discussion about territorial disputes has revealed itself as something far more fundamental: Russia's existential denial of Ukrainian nationhood.Kaufman shatters common misconceptions about the conflict, explaining that contrary to popular belief, NATO expansion didn't trigger the war. Rather, Ukraine sought NATO protection only after Russia annexed Crimea in 2014. The professor offers rare perspective on both Ukrainian resilience and Russian strategic failures, drawing from his extensive regional expertise and recent visits to Poland where he witnessed the refugee crisis firsthand—notably populated almost exclusively by women and children, as Ukrainian men remained to fight.The conversation takes a particularly revealing turn when examining President Zelensky's precarious position. "Zelensky is a dead man," Kaufman states bluntly, explaining why Ukraine's leader faces permanent FSB targeting regardless of the war's outcome. This existential threat explains why Zelensky famously declared "I'm not playing cards" during his controversial White House meeting—a statement mockingly misinterpreted by many observers.Perhaps most concerning is Kaufman's assessment of Europe's defense capabilities. Despite pledges to increase military spending, European nations have become "thoroughly civilianized," lacking both the will and capability to defend themselves without American support. As Kaufman puts it, "I just don't see Jens from West Berlin trying to stab somebody in a trench in East Ukraine."For anyone seeking to understand why this conflict defies simple diplomatic solutions, this conversation provides profound insights into why, for Ukrainians, this truly is a fight for "existence or annihilation." Subscribe to The Common Bridge for more nuanced, nonpartisan discussions on today's most pressing geopolitical challenges.Support the showEngage the conversation on Substack at The Common Bridge!

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile's Michele Cobb discuss how a trio of narrators portray teens from different eras and settings: from Hanna and Sophie, two Polish teens, in 1939, to 1980 West Berlin, where Jenny adjusts to her family's move from Dallas, to Brooklynite Miles, who solves the mysterious disappearances of two girls sixty years earlier. Narrators January LaVoy, Jeremy Carlisle Parker, and Major Curda heighten their performances as the story's tension increases and connections become clear.  Read our review of the audiobook at our website Published by Macmillan Audio Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile's website   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From 2009- Andrei Cherny discusses his book "The Candy Bombers: The Untold Story of the Berlin Airlift and America's Finest Hour." The book chronicles the extraordinary and inspiring story of how a small group of Americans planned and carried out the airlift to the beleaguered citizens of West Berlin during the Soviet blockade of that city.

Wir Menschen lieben Geschichten, Lebensgeschichten, die so verlaufen wie die unseres heutigen Gastes. Man muss nicht den Tellerwäscher bemühen und nicht den Millionär, aber vom Prinzip ähnelt dieses Narrativ der Biografie von Kerstin Ott. Die wirklich nicht die besten Voraussetzungen hatte, als die Welt sie empfing: Ihre Mutter wurde krank, zu krank, um sich weiterhin um ihre beiden Kinder zu kümmern, die man zuerst in Heimen, das Mädchen, Kerstin, dann bei Pflegefamilien unterbrachte. Zum Glück, das bestätigt die 1982 in West-Berlin geborene Musikerin, war sie schon damals ein fröhliches Kind, gesegnet mit Optimismus. Den sie auch weiterhin brauchte. Früh interessierte sie sich für Musik, machte eine Lehre als Malerin und Lackiererin, bewarb sich bei der Polizei - und rutschte in eine Spielsucht, 7 Jahre lang. Kerstin Ott befreite sich selbst daraus, irgendwie ging das Leben weiter und irgendwie gelangte dieses Lied, "Die immer lacht" auf YouTube, selbstgeschrieben, für eine Freundin. Und das ging - nach Jahren! - plötzlich durch die Decke und zwar richtig. Festhalten, bitte: über 220 Millionen Klicks. 3-fach-Platin. 1,2 Mio mal verkauft. Damit ging es los und zum Glück ging es immer weiter. Im Duett mit Helene Fischer, Andrea Berg oder solo, Ott gehört längst zu den erfolgreichsten Sängerinnen des Landes. Gratulation! Playlist: Kerstin Ott - Die Immer Lacht Tracy Chapman - The Love that you had Juliane Werding - Am Tag als Conny Kramer starb Solomon Burke - Cry to me Phillipp Poisel - Ich will nur Kurtis Blow - The Breaks Jennifer Rush - Das Farbenspiel des Windes Pink - Feel Something Kerstin Ott - Sieben Kartons Diese Podcast-Episode steht unter der Creative Commons Lizenz CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.

The German Democratic Republic, or East Germany, was the frontline in the Cold War, packed with hundreds of thousands of Soviet and East German troops armed with the latest Warsaw Pact equipment, lined up along the 1,400 km Inner German Border. However, because of the repressive East German police state, little human intelligence about these forces reached the West. Who were they? Where were they located? What were they doing? How were they equipped? What were their intentions? NATO was lined up in West Germany to face these forces and relied on getting up-to-date intelligence to warn of any threat, 'Indicators of Hostility' that could be a precursor to an invasion. BRIXMIS, the British Commanders'-in-Chief Mission to the Soviet Forces in Germany, was on hand to provide that intelligence. Thanks to an obscure 1946 agreement between the British and Soviets that established 'liaison missions' in their respective zones of occupation, the British were able to send highly qualified military 'observers' into East Germany to roam (relatively) freely and keep an eye on what was going on. What started as 'liaison', a point of contact between the British and Soviet occupation forces, developed into a very sophisticated intelligence gathering operation, sending 'tours' out every day of the year, between 1946 and when the Mission closed in 1990. Andrew Long's BRIXMIS and the Secret Cold War: Intelligence Collection Operations Behind Enemy Lines in East Germany (Pen and Sword History, 2024) tells the story about these top-secret liaison tours.  These tours were undertaken in high-performance, highly modified marked vehicles, with personnel in uniform and unarmed, apart from professional photographic equipment and occasionally some top-secret gadgets from the boffins back in the UK. They joined their French and American colleagues in snooping around the opposition, photographing military bases, equipment, and manoeuvres, and trying to evade capture by the secret police and counterintelligence units. They faced danger and violence daily, but thanks to their bravery and professionalism, the West had accurate and up to date information on what was happening in East Germany which help keep the peace all that time. This is the story of this little-known unit and their exploits behind enemy lines. Andrew Long, from Great Britain, is a military history researcher and author. His fascination with the Cold War began with a trip to West Berlin in 1986, traveling through Checkpoint Charlie to visit the East. Andrew's writing comes from a desire to make sense of an extremely complex period in modern history, weaving together inter-relating stories involving politics, ideologies, personalities, technological advances, and geography. There is still much to be told on this fascinating subject. After a successful career in marketing, Andrew relocated to Cornwall and took up writing full time. Stephen Satkiewicz is an independent scholar whose research areas are related to Civilizational Sciences, Social Complexity, Big History, Historical Sociology, military history, War studies, International Relations, Geopolitics, as well as Russian and East European history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

The German Democratic Republic, or East Germany, was the frontline in the Cold War, packed with hundreds of thousands of Soviet and East German troops armed with the latest Warsaw Pact equipment, lined up along the 1,400 km Inner German Border. However, because of the repressive East German police state, little human intelligence about these forces reached the West. Who were they? Where were they located? What were they doing? How were they equipped? What were their intentions? NATO was lined up in West Germany to face these forces and relied on getting up-to-date intelligence to warn of any threat, 'Indicators of Hostility' that could be a precursor to an invasion. BRIXMIS, the British Commanders'-in-Chief Mission to the Soviet Forces in Germany, was on hand to provide that intelligence. Thanks to an obscure 1946 agreement between the British and Soviets that established 'liaison missions' in their respective zones of occupation, the British were able to send highly qualified military 'observers' into East Germany to roam (relatively) freely and keep an eye on what was going on. What started as 'liaison', a point of contact between the British and Soviet occupation forces, developed into a very sophisticated intelligence gathering operation, sending 'tours' out every day of the year, between 1946 and when the Mission closed in 1990. Andrew Long's BRIXMIS and the Secret Cold War: Intelligence Collection Operations Behind Enemy Lines in East Germany (Pen and Sword History, 2024) tells the story about these top-secret liaison tours.  These tours were undertaken in high-performance, highly modified marked vehicles, with personnel in uniform and unarmed, apart from professional photographic equipment and occasionally some top-secret gadgets from the boffins back in the UK. They joined their French and American colleagues in snooping around the opposition, photographing military bases, equipment, and manoeuvres, and trying to evade capture by the secret police and counterintelligence units. They faced danger and violence daily, but thanks to their bravery and professionalism, the West had accurate and up to date information on what was happening in East Germany which help keep the peace all that time. This is the story of this little-known unit and their exploits behind enemy lines. Andrew Long, from Great Britain, is a military history researcher and author. His fascination with the Cold War began with a trip to West Berlin in 1986, traveling through Checkpoint Charlie to visit the East. Andrew's writing comes from a desire to make sense of an extremely complex period in modern history, weaving together inter-relating stories involving politics, ideologies, personalities, technological advances, and geography. There is still much to be told on this fascinating subject. After a successful career in marketing, Andrew relocated to Cornwall and took up writing full time. Stephen Satkiewicz is an independent scholar whose research areas are related to Civilizational Sciences, Social Complexity, Big History, Historical Sociology, military history, War studies, International Relations, Geopolitics, as well as Russian and East European history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/military-history

The German Democratic Republic, or East Germany, was the frontline in the Cold War, packed with hundreds of thousands of Soviet and East German troops armed with the latest Warsaw Pact equipment, lined up along the 1,400 km Inner German Border. However, because of the repressive East German police state, little human intelligence about these forces reached the West. Who were they? Where were they located? What were they doing? How were they equipped? What were their intentions? NATO was lined up in West Germany to face these forces and relied on getting up-to-date intelligence to warn of any threat, 'Indicators of Hostility' that could be a precursor to an invasion. BRIXMIS, the British Commanders'-in-Chief Mission to the Soviet Forces in Germany, was on hand to provide that intelligence. Thanks to an obscure 1946 agreement between the British and Soviets that established 'liaison missions' in their respective zones of occupation, the British were able to send highly qualified military 'observers' into East Germany to roam (relatively) freely and keep an eye on what was going on. What started as 'liaison', a point of contact between the British and Soviet occupation forces, developed into a very sophisticated intelligence gathering operation, sending 'tours' out every day of the year, between 1946 and when the Mission closed in 1990. Andrew Long's BRIXMIS and the Secret Cold War: Intelligence Collection Operations Behind Enemy Lines in East Germany (Pen and Sword History, 2024) tells the story about these top-secret liaison tours.  These tours were undertaken in high-performance, highly modified marked vehicles, with personnel in uniform and unarmed, apart from professional photographic equipment and occasionally some top-secret gadgets from the boffins back in the UK. They joined their French and American colleagues in snooping around the opposition, photographing military bases, equipment, and manoeuvres, and trying to evade capture by the secret police and counterintelligence units. They faced danger and violence daily, but thanks to their bravery and professionalism, the West had accurate and up to date information on what was happening in East Germany which help keep the peace all that time. This is the story of this little-known unit and their exploits behind enemy lines. Andrew Long, from Great Britain, is a military history researcher and author. His fascination with the Cold War began with a trip to West Berlin in 1986, traveling through Checkpoint Charlie to visit the East. Andrew's writing comes from a desire to make sense of an extremely complex period in modern history, weaving together inter-relating stories involving politics, ideologies, personalities, technological advances, and geography. There is still much to be told on this fascinating subject. After a successful career in marketing, Andrew relocated to Cornwall and took up writing full time. Stephen Satkiewicz is an independent scholar whose research areas are related to Civilizational Sciences, Social Complexity, Big History, Historical Sociology, military history, War studies, International Relations, Geopolitics, as well as Russian and East European history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/german-studies

It is day six of our 12 Nightmares Before Christmas, and we are headed to Germany. After World War II, Germany was divided into four Allied occupation zones, with the Soviet Union controlling East Germany and East Berlin, while the United States, France, and the U.K. managed Western Germany and West Berlin. By 1949, Europe had transformed dramatically, symbolized by the creation of two Germanies. Initially, movement between the two regions was unrestricted, but as East Germans fled westward in droves, the border was sealed in 1961, culminating in the Berlin Wall, a defining emblem of the Cold War.  In Plauen, East Germany, young Volker Eckert grew up in a Communist city near the Czech border. As a child, Volker developed a fixation on hair, playing with his sister's dolls and mother's wigs, which sparked sexual fantasies he kept secret. By age 14, his obsession with hair escalated into violence. On May 7, 1974, he strangled his classmate Sylvia Unterdörfel in her home under the pretense of needing help with homework, driven by an uncontrollable urge to feel her hair. Fearing exposure, he killed her and staged her death as a suicide. Sadly, Sylvia would not be his only victim. In fact, there would be many more. Join Jen and Cam of Our True Crime Podcast on this episode entitled ‘The Polaroid Killer: Volker Eckert.'A huge thank you to Sleep Creme for sponsoring this episode. Order your bottle today at sleepcreme.com. Use the code OTCPODCAST at checkout to save twenty bucks on the first order! Thank you to our team:Written and researched by Lauretta AllenListener Discretion by Edward October from Octoberpod AMExecutive Producer Nico Vitesse of The Inky PawprintSources:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8BLkEZ7zk0&ab_channel=Mia%27sRealityChannelhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volker_Eckerthttps://murderpedia.org/male.E/e/eckert-volker.htmhttps://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/jun/07/crimehttps://www.theguardian.com/world/2006/dec/01/germany.gilestremletthttps://web.archive.org/web/20120103001441/http://www.typicallyspanish.com/news/publish/article_11264.shtml#ixzz5TG24bAlwhttps://www.novinite.com/articles/73211/Bulgarian+Victim+of+German+Sex+Killer+was+Pregnanthttps://www.theguardian.com/world/2006/nov/23/germany.gilestremletthttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin_Wall

In this Classic True Spies episode, learn the details of an elite clandestine unit, Special Forces Berlin, with the help of former operative James Stejskal.  Stationed in West Berlin but deployed wherever their skills were needed, they found themselves at the centre of the Tehran Hostage Crisis, but no-one could know they were there... From SPYSCAPE, the HQ of secrets. A Cup And Nuzzle production. Series producer: Joe Foley. Produced by Justin Trefgarne Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices