History

German-Jewish refugee Richard Fuchs, came to New Zealand in 1939 fleeing from Nazi persecution. Fuchs wrote symphonies, chamber works, as well as many songs.

But because he was Jewish, his music was… Audio

After six years of work, the Lumsden Heritage Trust is on the cusp of excavating two 1885 steam locomotives from the Oreti River. Audio

Historians and genealogists say the work that they do could be severely impacted by proposed changes at the National Library and Archives New Zealand. The National Library is trying to re-home its… Audio

Oxford English Professor Bart Van Es went in search of a reason for a decades-long rift in his Dutch family between his grandparents and their Jewish foster daughter, Lien. They took Lien in during… Audio

Rutgers University history professor James Goodman explains why Donald Trump is the only person who could have done what he has done -- and got away with it --  as US president. Audio

Futurology is a discipline which attempts to predict the future based on scholarly research rather than crystal balls. History is a discipline which attempts to analyse the past based on scholarly… Audio

Sir Keith Holyoake had a tumultuous start to his political career, but went on to win his fourth elections in 1969 - a feat that hasn't been achieved since! Historian and biographer Dr Michael Bassett… Audio

Nature writer Andrew Crowe tells Lynn Freeman about the story of Polynesian voyaging and migration; of finding and re-finding small remote islands and atolls scattered throughout the Pacific… Audio

Anglers who have fished on the Rangitata River in Canterbury are being asked to come forward with their best tales - to be included in an oral history. The hope is to put a human face on the values of… Audio

The American fruit importer who coined the term 'kiwifruit' for chinese gooseberries from New Zealand has died in California at the age of 96. Frieda Caplan was known as the Kiwi Queen, after she… Audio

Dr Michael Brown of the National Library has curated a new playlist for Air New Zealand's passengers to listen to - that shows off some of our best historical recordings. Dr Brown says the idea is a… Audio

A historian is concerned that drastic reductions in archive opening hours will make it harder for iwi to conduct crucial research.

From March 2nd, the reading room hours at Archives New Zealand will… Audio

Katherine Mansfield is one of the best known figures in New Zealand Literary history, but she was also a gourmand!  Audio

Historian Peter Clayworth discusses the well-established tradition of outdoor communal eating in Aotearoa New Zealand. Audio

Dr Peter Petchey and Professor Hallie Buckley from the University of Otago have worked with the communities, family descendants and local runaka as they've excavated the Milton's St. John's Anglican… Audio, Gallery

The National Library has set a team involved in web harvesting, collecting online material from websites to blogs and social media posts and even emails before they disappear into the cyber ether.  Audio