History

When the Berlin Wall came down how did over 100,000 Stasi officers manage to disappear? In his book The Grey Men, former FBI agent Ralph Hope investigates what happened to the former East Berlin… Audio

In an article for the North and South, journalist Anna Rawhiti-Connell has taken a close look at the tradition of women taking their husbands' surnames when they get married. Audio

On March 25, 1942, 997 young, mainly middle class women boarded a train in Slovakia. They'd been told to report to central locations in the country's east to sign up for what was described as… Audio

It’s not a great time to be young right now. But has Covid crushed what was left of our dreams? 

Yeah. Nah.  Audio

Warning: Some of the details in this report may upset some listeners.

Survivors have painfully recounted being dragged kicking and screaming to electric shock treatment while in state care.

… Audio

A woman who claims Arthur Allan Thomas raped her has told a court she was prompted to lay a complaint because Thomas could receive a formal apology over his earlier wrongful conviction.

The woman… Audio

This episode examines how and why Indian populations were brought to Fiji, and how the inequities under the colonial government’s Girmit system, created a society of instability and countless coups. Video, Audio

A formal apology is coming from the government for the wrongs committed during the Dawn Raids of the 1970s. The raids were carried out to uncover and deport overstayers and took place very early in… Audio

Shahram Aryan is back with more wonderful music from Persia. Tonight he's looking at how Western instruments and musical theory came to Iran and how they influenced the music. Video, Audio

Warning: Details in this report may be upsetting for some listeners.

Details of the torturous electric shock therapy inflicted on children have been laid out in grim detail at the Royal Commission… Audio

Australian author Suzanne McCourt, found inspiration for her latest novel from a diary sent to her husband in the post. It had come from his Uncle Kazimierz in Poland, and contained the details of his… Audio

Mana Tangata: People of Action by historian Dr Stephen Clarke sheds light on Rotary Club's stellar record of community service in New Zealand over the past century. Dr Clarke joins the show to discuss… Audio

A sweet trove of documents has been unearthed during the demolition of the old Cadbury office block that will be the site of the new Dunedin Hospital.

The old books are full of details about Hudson… Video, Audio

This week in 1976 the first McDonald's store opened, in Porirua north of Wellington. Audio

Bryan pops into Wellington institution S&M's as Scotty and Mal get ready to shake their final cocktails and hand over the reins of the bar. Audio

Today historian Dr Grant Morris talked about the history of New Zealand's honours system.  Audio