In Marek Pędziwiatr there is a connection between the past and the present. The history of jazz and the African American musicians, who created it, and Polish innovators from Chopin through Krzysztof Komeda and Niemen. Marek is a hub, a central force pulling his golden threads of jazz, hip-hop, classical music, avant-garde, and Slavic folk. But his interest in weaving these genres together is driven by the human experience.  Marek is an award-winning musician and composer now based in Wrocław. His background in the 90s scene of sampling, rapping, and beat music has blossomed into a sophisticated and authentic jazz that crosses boundaries. He is co-founder of the trio Night Marks, the avant-garde improvised music collective Błoto, and EABS (Electro-Acoustic Beat Sessions). He has played with an incredible array of international musicians and his production work includes producing with Michał Urbaniak, a major figure in jazz fusion, on albums such as “Beats and Pieces” by Urbanator Days.  Like Michał, emotion is a vital aspect in every piece that Marek composes. The identification of this almost mystical quality of melancholy in Slavic culture, explored by generations of Polish artists, also fascinates Marek. And in the interview, he speaks about the importance of feeling in the music he is drawn to. And how he developed the opening of the composition he discusses from his album Slavic Spirits from 2019.  Stories of his own ancestry, poetic symbols, philosophies, and the expression of the complex emotion of being human run parallel to other incentives in his music. There is a deep learning he has gained through the tributes EABS has made such as the “Memorial to Miles” at the Jazz Festival in Kielce in 2015 and the unique Sun Ra with EABS’ album “Discipline of Sun Ra” in 2020. There is a clear celebration of these influences and their ability to simply communicate the human spirit in Marek’s music and in his eloquent way of speaking about it.  Music from the episode Przywitanie Słońca from the EABS album ‘Slavic Spirits’’ Further reading  EABS / bio on Culture.pl   Marek Pędziwiatr debuts as Latarnik in a piano solo story of remembrance and passing / on Twistedsouldmusic.org   Further watching  EABS meets JAUBI /  on YouTube.com Jazz.pl: EABS  / on Culture.pl New Polish Jazz: Ones To Watch - Marek Pędziwiatr / on Facebook.com  Credits This episode of Rebel Spirits was hosted by Debra Richards. The show is brought to you by the Adam Mickiewicz Institute. Written and produced by Magdalena Stępień &amp; Wojciech Oleksiak Executive production by Move Me Media Edited by Wojciech Oleksiak Design by Dawid Ryski Scoring &amp; sound design by Wojciech Oleksiak Copyrights The publisher would like to thank all copyright owners for their kind permission to reproduce their material. Should, despite our intensive research, any person entitled to rights have been overlooked, legitimate claims shall be compensated within the usual provisions.

In Marek Pędziwiatr there is a connection between the past and the present. The history of jazz and the African American musicians, who created it, and Polish innovators from Chopin through Krzysztof Komeda and Niemen. Marek is a hub, a central force pulling his golden threads of jazz, hip-hop, classical music, avant-garde, and Slavic folk. But his interest in weaving these genres together is driven by the human experience.  Marek is an award-winning musician and composer now based in Wrocław. His background in the 90s scene of sampling, rapping, and beat music has blossomed into a sophisticated and authentic jazz that crosses boundaries. He is co-founder of the trio Night Marks, the avant-garde improvised music collective Błoto, and EABS (Electro-Acoustic Beat Sessions). He has played with an incredible array of international musicians and his production work includes producing with Michał Urbaniak, a major figure in jazz fusion, on albums such as “Beats and Pieces” by Urbanator Days.  Like Michał, emotion is a vital aspect in every piece that Marek composes. The identification of this almost mystical quality of melancholy in Slavic culture, explored by generations of Polish artists, also fascinates Marek. And in the interview, he speaks about the importance of feeling in the music he is drawn to. And how he developed the opening of the composition he discusses from his album Slavic Spirits from 2019.  Stories of his own ancestry, poetic symbols, philosophies, and the expression of the complex emotion of being human run parallel to other incentives in his music. There is a deep learning he has gained through the tributes EABS has made such as the “Memorial to Miles” at the Jazz Festival in Kielce in 2015 and the unique Sun Ra with EABS’ album “Discipline of Sun Ra” in 2020. There is a clear celebration of these influences and their ability to simply communicate the human spirit in Marek’s music and in his eloquent way of speaking about it.  Music from the episode Przywitanie Słońca from the EABS album ‘Slavic Spirits’’ Further reading <ul> <li><a href="https://culture.pl/en/artist/electro-acoustic-beat-sessions-eabs" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">EABS</a> / bio on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a></li> <li> <a href="https://twistedsoulmusic.org/2022/03/23/marek-pedziwiatr-debuts-as-latarnik-in-a-piano-solo-story-of-remembrance-and-passing/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Marek Pędziwiatr debuts as Latarnik in a piano solo story of remembrance and passing</a> / on <a href="http://Twistedsouldmusic.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Twistedsouldmusic.org</a> </li> </ul> Further watching <ul> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-H_YWPs6_6w" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">EABS meets JAUBI</a> /  on <a href="http://YouTube.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">YouTube.com</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJoVHj-UT4U" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Jazz.pl: EABS</a>  / on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a></li> <li><a href="https://fb.watch/gI4OGdzoXy/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">New Polish Jazz: Ones To Watch - Marek Pędziwiatr</a> / on <a href="http://Facebook.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook.com</a></li> </ul> Credits This episode of Rebel Spirits was hosted by Debra Richards. The show is brought to you by the Adam Mickiewicz Institute. Written and produced by Magdalena Stępień &amp; Wojciech Oleksiak Executive production by Move Me Media Edited by Wojciech Oleksiak Design by Dawid Ryski Scoring &amp; sound design by Wojciech Oleksiak Copyrights The publisher would like to thank all copyright owners for their kind permission to reproduce their material. Should, despite our intensive research, any person entitled to rights have been overlooked, legitimate claims shall be compensated within the usual provisions.

Marek Pędziwiatr

To describe Joanna Duda as simply a pianist doesn't capture the extraordinary dimensions of the music she produces. Whether touching a broken keyboard, using the sound of a rewinding tape machine, or mixing in field recordings, her innate playfulness allows any instrument to blossom - you get a sense that one of her greatest strengths is to listen attentively to whatever she uses. Joanna is also an incredible editor, cutting and mixing with bold and surprising artfulness. It was a friend of the family who played electric bass in the band Kombi that first caught her attention and before she could even string a sentence together she would sit with a piece of wood pretending it was a bass. Like many of the Rebel Spirits, she is classically trained and has been influenced by both Baroque and minimalism. Part of her heritage is Chopin, of course, but it's also her parents' vinyl collection which included plenty of funk and jazz rock and there is often a groove that emerges in her work.  Be it leading the duo J=J, which is when she first came to my attention, or her current trio with Michał Bryndal and Max Mucha, on drums and bass, or playing solo, there is an essence which is clearly Duda. Finding her flow with collaborators is always uppermost and she found that recently with French horn player Morris Kliphuis from the Netherlands. Their project Wake the Dead is for electronics, improvisation, and a Baroque ensemble and premiers in October.  Alongside her love of communication between musicians, she has begun to appreciate a form of creativity that requires her to dig into herself as opposed to reacting to what is coming at her from the outside. Reading, traveling and connecting to nature are part of her current evolution and in this interview, she eloquently describes the ideas that inform her process.  Music from the episode ‘Grasshopper’ by Joanna Duda Trio from the ‘Fumitsuke’ album  Further reading  Joanna Duda / bio on Culture.pl Joanna Duda’s website   Further watching  'Grasshopper' music video / on YouTube Joanna Duda Trio in concert / on YouTube Joanna Duda in concert / on YouTube  Credits This episode of Rebel Spirits was hosted by Debra Richards. The show is brought to you by the Adam Mickiewicz Institute. Written and produced by Monika Proba Edited by Wojciech Oleksiak Executive production by Move Me Media Edited by Monika Proba Design by Dawid Ryski Scoring &amp; sound design by Monika Proba

To describe Joanna Duda as simply a pianist doesn't capture the extraordinary dimensions of the music she produces. Whether touching a broken keyboard, using the sound of a rewinding tape machine, or mixing in field recordings, her innate playfulness allows any instrument to blossom - you get a sense that one of her greatest strengths is to listen attentively to whatever she uses. Joanna is also an incredible editor, cutting and mixing with bold and surprising artfulness. It was a friend of the family who played electric bass in the band Kombi that first caught her attention and before she could even string a sentence together she would sit with a piece of wood pretending it was a bass. Like many of the Rebel Spirits, she is classically trained and has been influenced by both Baroque and minimalism. Part of her heritage is Chopin, of course, but it's also her parents' vinyl collection which included plenty of funk and jazz rock and there is often a groove that emerges in her work.  Be it leading the duo J=J, which is when she first came to my attention, or her current trio with Michał Bryndal and Max Mucha, on drums and bass, or playing solo, there is an essence which is clearly Duda. Finding her flow with collaborators is always uppermost and she found that recently with French horn player Morris Kliphuis from the Netherlands. Their project Wake the Dead is for electronics, improvisation, and a Baroque ensemble and premiers in October.  Alongside her love of communication between musicians, she has begun to appreciate a form of creativity that requires her to dig into herself as opposed to reacting to what is coming at her from the outside. Reading, traveling and connecting to nature are part of her current evolution and in this interview, she eloquently describes the ideas that inform her process.  Music from the episode ‘Grasshopper’ by Joanna Duda Trio from the ‘Fumitsuke’ album  Further reading <ul> <li><a href="https://culture.pl/en/artist/joanna-duda" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Joanna Duda</a> / bio on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.joannaduda.eu/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Joanna Duda’s website</a> </li> </ul> Further watching <ul> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Y64nAwbZS0" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">'Grasshopper' music video</a> / on YouTube</li> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VJleneEJ10" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Joanna Duda Trio in concert</a> / on YouTube</li> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KMEQR8GYnU" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Joanna Duda in concert</a> / on YouTube</li> </ul> Credits This episode of Rebel Spirits was hosted by Debra Richards. The show is brought to you by the Adam Mickiewicz Institute. Written and produced by Monika Proba Edited by Wojciech Oleksiak Executive production by Move Me Media Edited by Monika Proba Design by Dawid Ryski Scoring &amp; sound design by Monika Proba

Joanna Duda

In the history of jazz, there haven't been many musicians that give credit to their playing video games. But as a nine-year-old hardcore player, Kuba Więcek developed an affinity with repetitive practice and now feels the need for strategic thinking and fast decision-making has stood him in good stead as a bandleader today. After a pivotal moment as a teenager, which he talks about in the interview, when he improvised on his saxophone for the first time, his 10 hour-a-day, video gaming habit switched to music study. I particularly like musicians that approach jazz in an open and authentic way. It's not historical music. Jazz has always been an expression of emotion in the present moment, reflecting the social, political, and cultural atmospheres around us. That's what improvisation is. I think it's also worth noting that Kuba attended the Rhythmic Music Conservatory in Copenhagen of which I'm a big fan. Some of the most exciting artists like bass player, Petter Eldh, and vocalist Lucia Cadotsch studied there. We live in an era of many, many musics. And conservatories like this one in Denmark encourage the exploration of anything and everything. Whether it's Ornette Coleman, or Kanye West, Tomasz Stanko or Bjork. Kuba reveals he has that curiosity which is so vital to creativity. On a trip to New York, he bought some portable synthesizers and took to them as he had done his video games. And when you hear the interview, you'll get a sense of how experimentation is at the heart of his approach and relationship to which is also key to jazz. The interplay between musicians. In this case with his trio of Michał Barański and  Łukasz Żyta, carving new paths in any art will always have its critics. And these new waves of jazz artists face exclusion from jazz record labels and venues and festivals. When Więcek’s first album, Another Raindrop was released in the renowned Polish Jazz series, there was a backlash. There were comments about his youth and playing skills. And yet the album won two prestigious awards for best jazz debut. You will hear Kuba weaving in stories of his background, his working methods, and what he's drawn to. You sense he has a quiet confidence and belief in what he is doing. But like all of the best artists, his commitment is to the music and not himself. Music from the episode Jazz Robots by Kuba Więcek Trio feat. Marcin Masecki from the album “Multitasking” Further reading  Kuba Więcek / bio on Culture.pl  Further watching  Jazz Robots music video  / on YouTube Kuba Więcek &amp; Piotr Orzechowski live performance / on YouTube Kuba Więcek Trio live  / on YouTube  Credits This episode of Rebel Spirits was hosted by Debra Richards. The show is brought to you by the Adam Mickiewicz Institute. Written and produced by Monika Proba Executive production by Move Me Media Edited by Monika Proba Design by Dawid Ryski Scoring &amp; sound design by Wojciech Oleksiak Copyrights The publisher would like to thank all copyright owners for their kind permission to reproduce their material. Should, despite our intensive research, any person entitled to rights have been overlooked, legitimate claims shall be compensated within the usual provisions.

In the history of jazz, there haven't been many musicians that give credit to their playing video games. But as a nine-year-old hardcore player, Kuba Więcek developed an affinity with repetitive practice and now feels the need for strategic thinking and fast decision-making has stood him in good stead as a bandleader today. After a pivotal moment as a teenager, which he talks about in the interview, when he improvised on his saxophone for the first time, his 10 hour-a-day, video gaming habit switched to music study. I particularly like musicians that approach jazz in an open and authentic way. It's not historical music. Jazz has always been an expression of emotion in the present moment, reflecting the social, political, and cultural atmospheres around us. That's what improvisation is. I think it's also worth noting that Kuba attended the Rhythmic Music Conservatory in Copenhagen of which I'm a big fan. Some of the most exciting artists like bass player, Petter Eldh, and vocalist Lucia Cadotsch studied there. We live in an era of many, many musics. And conservatories like this one in Denmark encourage the exploration of anything and everything. Whether it's Ornette Coleman, or Kanye West, Tomasz Stanko or Bjork. Kuba reveals he has that curiosity which is so vital to creativity. On a trip to New York, he bought some portable synthesizers and took to them as he had done his video games. And when you hear the interview, you'll get a sense of how experimentation is at the heart of his approach and relationship to which is also key to jazz. The interplay between musicians. In this case with his trio of Michał Barański and  Łukasz Żyta, carving new paths in any art will always have its critics. And these new waves of jazz artists face exclusion from jazz record labels and venues and festivals. When Więcek’s first album, Another Raindrop was released in the renowned Polish Jazz series, there was a backlash. There were comments about his youth and playing skills. And yet the album won two prestigious awards for best jazz debut. You will hear Kuba weaving in stories of his background, his working methods, and what he's drawn to. You sense he has a quiet confidence and belief in what he is doing. But like all of the best artists, his commitment is to the music and not himself. Music from the episode Jazz Robots by Kuba Więcek Trio feat. Marcin Masecki from the album “Multitasking” Further reading <ul> <li><a href="https://culture.pl/en/artist/kuba-wiecek" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kuba Więcek</a> / bio on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a></li> </ul> Further watching <ul> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXwk6OJWunE" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Jazz Robots music video</a>  / on YouTube</li> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmG-VOMLLTA" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kuba Więcek &amp; Piotr Orzechowski live performance</a> / on YouTube</li> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7GXYvRpOlA" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kuba Więcek Trio live</a>  / on YouTube</li> </ul> Credits This episode of Rebel Spirits was hosted by Debra Richards. The show is brought to you by the Adam Mickiewicz Institute. Written and produced by Monika Proba Executive production by Move Me Media Edited by Monika Proba Design by Dawid Ryski Scoring &amp; sound design by Wojciech Oleksiak Copyrights The publisher would like to thank all copyright owners for their kind permission to reproduce their material. Should, despite our intensive research, any person entitled to rights have been overlooked, legitimate claims shall be compensated within the usual provisions.

Kuba Więcek

Marcin Masecki considers that he has two parents, jazz and classical music. As a pianist, he is steeped in the tradition of learning piano as a young child with all the purity and precision that comes with that. In this interview, you get the sense of how that triggered Marcin’s disruptive streak, and how that has been central to his approach to music. There is reverence and intellectual rebellion. Like many accomplished musicians, there is music in his family. Marcin has spoken of his grandmother teaching him piano exercises, and it was on her vintage Steinway that he recorded his album, Die Kunst der Fuge: Bach/Masecki, with a dictaphone. Yes, with a dictaphone. In fact, this is a key point, because Marcin’s appreciation of the imperfect, the broken, and the cult of the Lo-Fi is what brings his soulfulness and natural feel for music to the fore. Such qualities can set musicians apart. Marcin has worked in many contexts, and there's a clear sense from his career, that it's important for him to be free to change his setup. He has recorded solo in a duo and sextet, in bands of nine and 10, as well as big bands. He's released classical jazz and alternative pop music, and even an album of Polish Carols sung in Arabic. In this interview, he focuses on his album of Polonaises. Using a 10-piece band, Marcin hoped to integrate this historical national dance of Poland with jazz and a bit of attitude, once again, bringing forward his appreciation of the defective and the unsettling. There is a picture of the complex journey this musician is on, one in which he continually challenges himself again and again. It's a fascinating insight into this artist. Music from the episode Deuxième Grand Polonaise from Marcin Masecki’s album ‘Polonezy’ Further reading  Marcin Masecki / bio on Culture.pl  Further watching  Masecki/Młynarski Big Band / on YouTube.com  Masecki/Rogiewicz Duo at Adam Mickiewicz Institute / on Culture.pl Masecki plays Scarlatti / on YouTube.com  Credits This episode of Rebel Spirits was hosted by Debra Richards. The show is brought to you by the Adam Mickiewicz Institute. Written and produced by Wojciech Oleksiak Executive production by Move Me Media Edited by Wojciech Oleksiak Design by Dawid Ryski Scoring &amp; sound design by Wojciech Oleksiak Copyrights The publisher would like to thank all copyright owners for their kind permission to reproduce their material. Should, despite our intensive research, any person entitled to rights have been overlooked, legitimate claims shall be compensated within the usual provisions.

Marcin Masecki considers that he has two parents, jazz and classical music. As a pianist, he is steeped in the tradition of learning piano as a young child with all the purity and precision that comes with that. In this interview, you get the sense of how that triggered Marcin’s disruptive streak, and how that has been central to his approach to music. There is reverence and intellectual rebellion. Like many accomplished musicians, there is music in his family. Marcin has spoken of his grandmother teaching him piano exercises, and it was on her vintage Steinway that he recorded his album, Die Kunst der Fuge: Bach/Masecki, with a dictaphone. Yes, with a dictaphone. In fact, this is a key point, because Marcin’s appreciation of the imperfect, the broken, and the cult of the Lo-Fi is what brings his soulfulness and natural feel for music to the fore. Such qualities can set musicians apart. Marcin has worked in many contexts, and there's a clear sense from his career, that it's important for him to be free to change his setup. He has recorded solo in a duo and sextet, in bands of nine and 10, as well as big bands. He's released classical jazz and alternative pop music, and even an album of Polish Carols sung in Arabic. In this interview, he focuses on his album of Polonaises. Using a 10-piece band, Marcin hoped to integrate this historical national dance of Poland with jazz and a bit of attitude, once again, bringing forward his appreciation of the defective and the unsettling. There is a picture of the complex journey this musician is on, one in which he continually challenges himself again and again. It's a fascinating insight into this artist. Music from the episode Deuxième Grand Polonaise from Marcin Masecki’s album ‘Polonezy’ Further reading <ul> <li><a href="https://culture.pl/pl/tworca/marcin-masecki" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Marcin Maseck</a>i / bio on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a></li> </ul> Further watching <ul> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSZFk9VjD2U" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Masecki/Młynarski Big Band</a> / on <a href="http://YouTube.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">YouTube.com</a></li> <li><a href="https://culture.pl/en/video/masecki-rogiewicz-dont-panic-were-live-4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Masecki/Rogiewicz Duo at Adam Mickiewicz Institute</a> / on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpNCT2_XYTo" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Masecki plays Scarlatti</a> / on <a href="http://YouTube.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">YouTube.com</a></li> </ul> Credits This episode of Rebel Spirits was hosted by Debra Richards. The show is brought to you by the Adam Mickiewicz Institute. Written and produced by Wojciech Oleksiak Executive production by Move Me Media Edited by Wojciech Oleksiak Design by Dawid Ryski Scoring &amp; sound design by Wojciech Oleksiak Copyrights The publisher would like to thank all copyright owners for their kind permission to reproduce their material. Should, despite our intensive research, any person entitled to rights have been overlooked, legitimate claims shall be compensated within the usual provisions.

Marcin Masecki

In the very last episode of Stories of The Eastern West as you knew it, we’re taking you to Estonia, 1989. A group of people there made 2 million others hold hands and create a human chain of unprecedented size and significance.  The Baltic countries had a truly turbulent 20th century. They went from regaining their independence to losing it to the USSR and becoming subject to a ruthless policy of Russification. Unsurprisingly, they needed something big to jump on the bandwagon of the 1989 peaceful revolutions that liberated several countries from the USSR’s influence.  What they came up with was a human chain linking Tallinn with Riga and Vilnius. This huge event is something hard to wrap one’s head around nowadays when we think about the scanty means of communication the organisers had.  Our producer Wojciech went to Estonia and got a chance to talk to several people who co-organised or participated in the event. How was it at all possible? Why wasn’t it thwarted by the communist regime? How do people remember such a defining moment in their lives over 30 years later? Further listening   KAIE / our episode from our mini-series The Final Curtain about ‘The Singing Revolution’ that Adam mentions in the show  Further reading   The Longest Unbroken Human Chain In History / an article on estonianworld.com All the human chains in one place / an article on wikipedia.org  Further watching  The Inimitable Baltic Way / a Lithuanian documentary  Thanks  Ivi Gubinska, Reet Villig, Eve Sildnik, Andres Tarand and Lukas Hioo for taking the time to discuss this incredible event with us. Keiu Telve and Maia-Liisa Anton for connecting us with Baltic Way participants and their thoughtful discussions about the meaning of the event.   Credits Written &amp; produced by Wojciech OleksiakEdited by Adam Zulawski &amp; Nitzan ReisnerHosted by Nitzan Reisner &amp; Adam ZulawskiScoring &amp; sound design by Wojciech Oleksiak

In the very last episode of Stories of The Eastern West as you knew it, we’re taking you to Estonia, 1989. A group of people there made 2 million others hold hands and create a human chain of unprecedented size and significance. The Baltic countries had a truly turbulent 20th century. They went from regaining their independence to losing it to the USSR and becoming subject to a ruthless policy of Russification. Unsurprisingly, they needed something big to jump on the bandwagon of the 1989 peaceful revolutions that liberated several countries from the USSR’s influence.  What they came up with was a human chain linking Tallinn with Riga and Vilnius. This huge event is something hard to wrap one’s head around nowadays when we think about the scanty means of communication the organisers had.  Our producer Wojciech went to Estonia and got a chance to talk to several people who co-organised or participated in the event. How was it at all possible? Why wasn’t it thwarted by the communist regime? How do people remember such a defining moment in their lives over 30 years later? Further listening <ul> <li><a href="https://culture.pl/en/podcast/SFTEW-THE-FINAL-CURTAIN-11-KAIE" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> KAIE</a> / our episode from our mini-series <a href="https://culture.pl/en/the-final-curtain" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Final Curtain</a> about ‘The Singing Revolution’ that Adam mentions in the show</li> </ul> Further reading <ul> <li><a href="https://estonianworld.com/life/estonia-commemorates-30-years-since-the-baltic-way-the-longest-unbroken-human-chain-in-history/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> The Longest Unbroken Human Chain In History</a> / an article on <a href="http://estonianworld.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">estonianworld.com</a></li> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_chain_(politics)" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">All the human chains in one place</a> / an article on <a href="http://wikipedia.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">wikipedia.org</a></li> </ul> Further watching <ul> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNEPk007C0E" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Inimitable Baltic Way</a> / a Lithuanian documentary</li> </ul> Thanks <ul> <li>Ivi Gubinska, Reet Villig, Eve Sildnik, Andres Tarand and Lukas Hioo for taking the time to discuss this incredible event with us.</li> <li>Keiu Telve and Maia-Liisa Anton for connecting us with Baltic Way participants and their thoughtful discussions about the meaning of the event. </li> </ul> Credits Written &amp; produced by Wojciech OleksiakEdited by Adam Zulawski &amp; Nitzan ReisnerHosted by Nitzan Reisner &amp; Adam ZulawskiScoring &amp; sound design by Wojciech Oleksiak

CHAIN

Several years after the war, a strange encounter in the heart of Paris made Zofia Posmysz, a former Auschwitz prisoner, start wondering what it would be like to meet her camp overseer. Posmysz turned her fantasy in a successful radio play in which she explored the unlikely perspective of an oppressor, a Nazi German concentration camp overseer.  The story inspired a prolific young filmmaker Andrzej Munk – a representative of the Polish Film School, a group of filmmakers tackling the experience of war with new unorthodox approaches that collided with all the paradoxes of its traumatic events.   Like our show? Sign up for our newsletter!  Click here to get the transcript Further reading  Zofia Posmysz // bio on Culture.pl Andrzej Munk // bio on Culture.pl  The Passenger // film description on Culture.pl  The Passenger // book description on Culture.pl  “Passenger” Depicts the Holocaust from the Point of View of a Nazi Official // article on NewYorker.com  Andrzej Munk's The Passenger // article from Vertigo magazine  The ‘Lucky Ship’: Rebellion, Desertion &amp; Love on the MS Batory // article on Culture.pl  The MS Batory: Culture.pl Readers Share their Photographs &amp; Memories // article on Culture.pl  Female guards in Nazi concentration camps // entry on Wikipedia.org  Further watching   Zofia Posmysz Talks about The Passenger // video interview on Culture.pl  Zofia Posmysz: Memory That Will Save Us // video interview on Culture.pl  Behind the Scenes: Zofia Posmysz's The Passenger in Yekaterinburg // video about the recent opera version on Culture.pl  Thanks  Zofia Posmysz // author, screenwriter and writer for radio and televised theatre performances, reporter and broadcast radio editor.  Michał Oleszczyk // film historian and critic, member of the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) Credits Written &amp; produced by Monika Proba Edited by Wojciech Oleksiak &amp; Adam Zulawski Hosted by Nitzan Reisner &amp; Adam Zulawski Scoring &amp; sound design by Wojciech Oleksiak 

Several years after the war, a strange encounter in the heart of Paris made Zofia Posmysz, a former Auschwitz prisoner, start wondering what it would be like to meet her camp overseer. Posmysz turned her fantasy in a successful radio play in which she explored the unlikely perspective of an oppressor, a Nazi German concentration camp overseer.  The story inspired a prolific young filmmaker Andrzej Munk – a representative of the Polish Film School, a group of filmmakers tackling the experience of war with new unorthodox approaches that collided with all the paradoxes of its traumatic events.   Like our show? <a href="https://stories.subscribemenow.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sign up for our newsletter!</a> <a href="https://culture.pl/en/transcript/passenger-sftew-episode-transcript" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Click here to get the transcript</a> Further reading <ul> <li><a href="https://culture.pl/en/artist/zofia-posmysz" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Zofia Posmysz</a> // bio on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a></li> <li><a href="https://culture.pl/en/artist/andrzej-munk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Andrzej Munk</a> // bio on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a></li> <li><a href="https://culture.pl/en/work/the-passenger-andrzej-munk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> The Passenger</a> // film description on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a></li> <li><a href="https://culture.pl/en/work/the-passenger-zofia-posmysz" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> The Passenger</a> // book description on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-front-row/passenger-depicts-the-holocaust-from-the-point-of-view-of-a-nazi-official" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> “Passenger” Depicts the Holocaust from the Point of View of a Nazi Official</a> // article on <a href="http://NewYorker.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">NewYorker.com</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.closeupfilmcentre.com/vertigo_magazine/volume-3-issue-2-summer-2006/andrzej-munk-s-the-passenger/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Andrzej Munk's The Passenger</a> // article from Vertigo magazine</li> <li><a href="https://culture.pl/en/article/-the-lucky-ship-ms-batory" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> The ‘Lucky Ship’: Rebellion, Desertion &amp; Love on the MS Batory</a> // article on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a></li> <li><a href="https://culture.pl/en/article/the-ms-batory-culturepl-readers-share-their-photographs-and-memories" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> The MS Batory: Culture.pl Readers Share their Photographs &amp; Memories</a> // article on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a></li> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Female_guards_in_Nazi_concentration_camps" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Female guards in Nazi concentration camps</a> // entry on <a href="http://Wikipedia.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Wikipedia.org</a></li> </ul> Further watching <ul> <li><a href="https://culture.pl/en/video/zofia-posmysz-talks-about-the-passenger-video" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Zofia Posmysz Talks about The Passenger</a> // video interview on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a></li> <li><a href="https://culture.pl/en/video/zofia-posmysz-memory-that-will-save-us" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Zofia Posmysz: Memory That Will Save Us</a> // video interview on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a></li> <li><a href="https://culture.pl/en/video/behind-the-scenes-zofia-posmyszs-the-passenger-in-yekaterinburg-video" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Behind the Scenes: Zofia Posmysz's The Passenger in Yekaterinburg</a> // video about the recent opera version on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a></li> </ul> Thanks  Zofia Posmysz // author, screenwriter and writer for radio and televised theatre performances, reporter and broadcast radio editor.  Michał Oleszczyk // film historian and critic, member of the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) Credits Written &amp; produced by Monika Proba Edited by Wojciech Oleksiak &amp; Adam Zulawski Hosted by Nitzan Reisner &amp; Adam Zulawski Scoring &amp; sound design by Wojciech Oleksiak

PASSENGER

Get to know Piotr Szkopiak, a London-based film and TV director who’s spent a good portion of his life pondering the nature of his identity. Piotr Szkopiak was born in the United Kingdom but into a Polish family. As he grew up, he learned that his parents and neighbours were all World War II prisoners of war who had escaped the USSR but couldn't go back to Poland after the war ended. His mother told him how she had travelled from the depths of the Soviet Union through Persia and southern Europe to the UK, and how after the war this is the place that she had to learn to call home. But first and foremost, his parents talked to him in Polish, signed him up for a Polish weekend school, and raised him as a person with a double identity: Polish and British. This in-betweenness has been something that strongly influenced his life and he reflects on it all in an interview he gave to Karolina Jackowiak, who on behalf of the Poles in South London organisation, was working on the Local Heroes Archive oral history project. We, at SFTEW, liked the story so much that we decided to turn it into one of our episodes. Click here to get the transcript Like our show? Sign up for our newsletter!       Further listening  ORPHANS // the SFTEW episode we mention in the podcast: how 700 Polish children made an unlikely journey from the depths of Siberia to the New Zealand countryside. BEAR // an even more unlikely tale from us at SFTEW: the bear who fought in World War II alongside Anders’ Army.        Further reading  Artists In Arms // the incredible odyssey of Anders’ Army, told through a multimedia guide from Culture.pl Soldiers, Artists: The Exhibitions of Anders’ Army // on Culture.pl Piotr Szkopiak // Piotr's IMDB profile Cultivating Polish Folk Dance in 1970s South London // another story from the Local Heroes Archive project Memories of South London’s Polish Music Scene // another story from the Local Heroes Archive project Poles in South London // the community’s official website        Thanks Piotr Szkopiak // for letting us turn his story into a podcast episode. Poles in South London // especially Marta Sordyl and Łukasz Wołągiewicz from the organisation, for reaching out and offering this incredible story to us.       Credits Written &amp; produced by Wojciech Oleksiak Edited by Nitzan Reisner &amp; Adam Zulawski Hosted by Nitzan Reisner &amp; Adam Zulawski Scoring &amp; sound design by Wojciech Oleksiak

Get to know Piotr Szkopiak, a London-based film and TV director who’s spent a good portion of his life pondering the nature of his identity. Piotr Szkopiak was born in the United Kingdom but into a Polish family. As he grew up, he learned that his parents and neighbours were all World War II prisoners of war who had escaped the USSR but couldn't go back to Poland after the war ended. His mother told him how she had travelled from the depths of the Soviet Union through Persia and southern Europe to the UK, and how after the war this is the place that she had to learn to call home. But first and foremost, his parents talked to him in Polish, signed him up for a Polish weekend school, and raised him as a person with a double identity: Polish and British. This in-betweenness has been something that strongly influenced his life and he reflects on it all in an interview he gave to Karolina Jackowiak, who on behalf of the Poles in South London organisation, was working on the Local Heroes Archive oral history project. We, at SFTEW, liked the story so much that we decided to turn it into one of our episodes. <a href="https://culture.pl/en/transcript/exile-sftew-episode" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Click here to get the transcript</a> Like our show? <a href="https://stories.subscribemenow.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sign up for our newsletter!</a> Further listening <ul> <li><a href="https://culture.pl/en/podcast/SFTEW-29-ORPHANS" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">ORPHANS</a> // the SFTEW episode we mention in the podcast: how 700 Polish children made an unlikely journey from the depths of Siberia to the New Zealand countryside.</li> <li><a href="https://culture.pl/en/podcast/SFTEW-03-Bear" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">BEAR</a> // an even more unlikely tale from us at SFTEW: the bear who fought in World War II alongside Anders’ Army.</li> </ul> Further reading <ul> <li><a href="https://artistsinarms.pl/en" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Artists In Arms</a> // the incredible odyssey of Anders’ Army, told through a multimedia guide from <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a></li> <li><a href="https://culture.pl/en/feature/soldiers-artists-the-exhibitions-of-anders-army" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Soldiers, Artists: The Exhibitions of Anders’ Army</a> // on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0844155/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Piotr Szkopiak</a> // Piotr's IMDB profile</li> <li><a href="https://culture.pl/en/article/cultivating-polish-folk-dance-in-1970s-south-london" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Cultivating Polish Folk Dance in 1970s South London</a> // another story from the Local Heroes Archive project</li> <li><a href="https://culture.pl/en/article/memories-of-south-londons-polish-music-scene" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Memories of South London’s Polish Music Scene</a> // another story from the Local Heroes Archive project</li> <li><a href="https://polesinsouthlondon.wordpress.com/category/polish/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Poles in South London</a> // the community’s official website</li> </ul> Thanks Piotr Szkopiak // for letting us turn his story into a podcast episode. Poles in South London // especially Marta Sordyl and Łukasz Wołągiewicz from the organisation, for reaching out and offering this incredible story to us. Credits Written &amp; produced by Wojciech Oleksiak Edited by Nitzan Reisner &amp; Adam Zulawski Hosted by Nitzan Reisner &amp; Adam Zulawski Scoring &amp; sound design by Wojciech Oleksiak

EXILE

Nicolaus Copernicus, born in 1473, was the orphaned son of a copper merchant in Toruń. Thanks to his bishop uncle, he obtained a first class education at the Kraków Academy and then in Italy, where he became an avid observer of the night sky – even though he was supposed to be preparing for a church career. His day job as a church canon, diplomat and doctor in Frombork – when he wasn't defending castles against the Teutonic Knights – meant that it took him over 30 years to finish his book 'On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres' in which he presented an Earth-shattering new idea – that maybe it wasn't actually at the centre of the universe as everyone believed, but in fact revolved around the Sun. Although it would take another century until Galileo was able to prove Copernicus right inarguably using the later invention of the telescope, Copernicus's book, published in 1543 in Nuremberg, would mark the beginning of a very real revolution in science and our understanding of the universe. Listen to the episode to find out how he came to this unexpected conclusion, and what happened next. Click here to get the transcript Like our show? Sign up for our newsletter!  Further reading   Copernicus: Revelations about the Renaissance Man // on Culture.pl  Astronomer Copernicus, or Conversations with God – Jan Matejko // on Culture.pl  A Quiz About Copernicus: More Than a Great Astronomer! // on Culture.pl  Further watching  Copernicus, by Jan Matejko // video by Waldemar Januszczak on YouTube.com  Further visiting  Nicolaus Copernicus Museum // in Frombork, Northern Poland  Thanks Małgorzata Czupajło // Educator at the Nicolaus Copernicus Museum in Frombork. Dava Sobel // Science history writer and author of  A More Perfect Heaven: How Copernicus Revolutionized the Cosmos. Prof. Karl Galle // Science historian at the American University in Cairo, currently working on a book delving into Copernicus's life in Warmia, including his roles as a church administrator, diplomat, cartographer and doctor. Lastly, a special thank you to the Nicolaus Copernicus Museum in Frombork for their help in making this episode possible. Credits Written &amp; produced by Piotr Wołodźko Edited by Wojciech Oleksiak &amp; Adam Zulawski Hosted by Nitzan Reisner &amp; Adam Zulawski Scoring &amp; sound design by Wojciech Oleksiak

Nicolaus Copernicus, born in 1473, was the orphaned son of a copper merchant in Toruń. Thanks to his bishop uncle, he obtained a first class education at the Kraków Academy and then in Italy, where he became an avid observer of the night sky – even though he was supposed to be preparing for a church career. His day job as a church canon, diplomat and doctor in Frombork – when he wasn't defending castles against the Teutonic Knights – meant that it took him over 30 years to finish his book 'On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres' in which he presented an Earth-shattering new idea – that maybe it wasn't actually at the centre of the universe as everyone believed, but in fact revolved around the Sun. Although it would take another century until Galileo was able to prove Copernicus right inarguably using the later invention of the telescope, Copernicus's book, published in 1543 in Nuremberg, would mark the beginning of a very real revolution in science and our understanding of the universe. Listen to the episode to find out how he came to this unexpected conclusion, and what happened next. <a href="https://culture.pl/en/transcript/revolution-sftew-episode" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Click here to get the transcript</a> Like our show? <a href="https://stories.subscribemenow.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sign up for our newsletter!</a> Further reading <ul> <li><a href="https://culture.pl/en/article/copernicus-revelations-about-the-renaissance-man" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Copernicus: Revelations about the Renaissance Man</a> // on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a></li> <li><a href="https://culture.pl/en/work/astronomer-copernicus-or-conversations-with-god-jan-matejko" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Astronomer Copernicus, or Conversations with God – Jan Matejko</a> // on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a></li> <li><a href="https://culture.pl/en/article/copernicus-more-than-a-great-astronomer-how-much-do-you-know-about-him" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> A Quiz About Copernicus: More Than a Great Astronomer!</a> // on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a></li> </ul> Further watching <ul> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFZC7X3tuFs" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Copernicus, by Jan Matejko</a> // video by Waldemar Januszczak on <a href="http://YouTube.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">YouTube.com</a></li> </ul> Further visiting <ul> <li><a href="https://frombork.art.pl/en/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Nicolaus Copernicus Museum</a> // in Frombork, Northern Poland</li> </ul> Thanks Małgorzata Czupajło // Educator at the Nicolaus Copernicus Museum in Frombork. Dava Sobel // Science history writer and author of <a href="http://www.davasobel.com/books-by-dava-sobel/2016/9/2/a-more-perfect-heaven" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> A More Perfect Heaven: How Copernicus Revolutionized the Cosmos.</a> Prof. Karl Galle // Science historian at the American University in Cairo, currently working on a book delving into Copernicus's life in Warmia, including his roles as a church administrator, diplomat, cartographer and doctor. Lastly, a special thank you to the <a href="https://frombork.art.pl/en/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Nicolaus Copernicus Museum in Frombork</a> for their help in making this episode possible. Credits Written &amp; produced by Piotr Wołodźko Edited by Wojciech Oleksiak &amp; Adam Zulawski Hosted by Nitzan Reisner &amp; Adam Zulawski Scoring &amp; sound design by Wojciech Oleksiak

REVOLUTION

Vera Chytilová was the most important woman director of the Czechoslovak New Wave – although she remains relatively unknown outside of Central Europe. As the first female student of the prestigious FAMU film school in Prague, she had to fight in order to do things her own way. During the creative explosion of the Czechoslovak New Wave, she made her most well known film ‘Daisies’ (1966) – a surrealist pop-art comedy, about two young women who set their minds on creating humorous destruction around them. The 1968 Warsaw Pact invasion of her country stopped Chytilová’s promising career dead in its tracks, but unlike Miloś Forman (‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest’, 1975) and others, she refused to emigrate, despite the huge personal cost. After seven years of professional exile, she was allowed to return to filmmaking in the late 1970s, once again finding critical success. After the privatisation of the Czech film industry in the 1990s, she was one of the first to adapt with ‘The Inheritance’ (1992) – a scathing satire on the effect free-for-all capitalism was having on her fellow citizens. Having never compromised on her beliefs, she remained a moral authority in her country until her death in 2014, and continues to inspire those lucky enough to come across her films for the first time. Listen to the episode to hear her fascinating story. Click here to get the transcript Like our show? Sign up for our newsletter!  Further reading   Vera Chytilova Dies at 85; Made Daring Films in Czech New Wave // on nytimes.com  "It's still revolutionary' : Věra Chytilová’s Daisies comes sixth in BBC poll of films by women // on Czech Radio.cz The Cinematic Gems of the Czechoslovak New Wave // on Hyperallergic.com Poles Conquer Czech Cinema // on Culture.pl  The Most Powerful Films From Beyond the Iron Curtain // on Culture.pl   Further watching  Naughty Young People: Chytilová, Kučera, Krumbachova (2012) // documentary at Vimeo.com   Thanks Tereza Kučerova // set designer and visual artist, for talking to us about her mother, and her childhood memories of the dramatic events of 1968. Anička Hanáková // for helping translate our conversation and sharing her own memories of her grandmother. Dr. Michal Bregant // director of the National Film Archive in Prague, for sharing his experience of working with Chytilová in the 1980s. Professor Jan Bernard // for talking about his former teaching colleague at at FAMU. Dr. Jindřiška Bláhová // Assistant Film Studies Professor at Charles University, for sharing her knowledge of Chytilová's life and work. Jakub Felcman // filmmaker and former student of Chytilová at FAMU, for talking to us about the Czech director as a teacher and mentor. Lastly, a special thanks to Barbora Lochmanová from the Czech Film Center and Jitka Rohanova from the Polish Institute in Prague for their help in making the episode possible. Credits Written &amp; produced by Piotr Wołodźko Edited by Wojciech Oleksiak &amp; Adam Zulawski Hosted by Nitzan Reisner &amp; Adam Zulawski Scoring &amp; sound design by Wojciech Oleksiak

Vera Chytilová was the most important woman director of the Czechoslovak New Wave – although she remains relatively unknown outside of Central Europe. As the first female student of the prestigious FAMU film school in Prague, she had to fight in order to do things her own way. During the creative explosion of the Czechoslovak New Wave, she made her most well known film ‘Daisies’ (1966) – a surrealist pop-art comedy, about two young women who set their minds on creating humorous destruction around them. The 1968 Warsaw Pact invasion of her country stopped Chytilová’s promising career dead in its tracks, but unlike Miloś Forman (‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest’, 1975) and others, she refused to emigrate, despite the huge personal cost. After seven years of professional exile, she was allowed to return to filmmaking in the late 1970s, once again finding critical success. After the privatisation of the Czech film industry in the 1990s, she was one of the first to adapt with ‘The Inheritance’ (1992) – a scathing satire on the effect free-for-all capitalism was having on her fellow citizens. Having never compromised on her beliefs, she remained a moral authority in her country until her death in 2014, and continues to inspire those lucky enough to come across her films for the first time. Listen to the episode to hear her fascinating story. <a href="https://culture.pl/en/transcript/daisies-sftew-episode" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Click here to get the transcript</a> Like our show? <a href="https://stories.subscribemenow.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sign up for our newsletter!</a> Further reading <ul> <li><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/23/nyregion/vera-chytilova-dies-at-85-made-daring-czech-films.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Vera Chytilova Dies at 85; Made Daring Films in Czech New Wave</a> // on <a href="http://nytimes.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">nytimes.com</a></li> <li><a href="https://english.radio.cz/its-still-revolutionary-vera-chytilovas-daisies-comes-sixth-bbc-poll-films-women-8114359" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> "It's still revolutionary' : Věra Chytilová’s Daisies comes sixth in BBC poll of films by women</a> // on Czech <a href="http://Radio.cz" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Radio.cz</a></li> <li><a href="https://hyperallergic.com/644752/czech-new-wave-cinematic-gems/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Cinematic Gems of the Czechoslovak New Wave</a> // on <a href="http://Hyperallergic.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Hyperallergic.com</a></li> <li><a href="https://culture.pl/en/article/poles-conquer-czech-cinema" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Poles Conquer Czech Cinema</a> // on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a></li> <li><a href="https://culture.pl/en/article/the-most-powerful-films-from-beyond-the-iron-curtain" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> The Most Powerful Films From Beyond the Iron Curtain</a> // on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a></li> </ul> Further watching <ul> <li><a href="https://vimeo.com/75646718" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Naughty Young People: Chytilová, Kučera, Krumbachova (2012)</a> // documentary at <a href="http://Vimeo.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Vimeo.com</a></li> </ul> Thanks Tereza Kučerova // set designer and visual artist, for talking to us about her mother, and her childhood memories of the dramatic events of 1968. Anička Hanáková // for helping translate our conversation and sharing her own memories of her grandmother. Dr. Michal Bregant // director of the <a href="https://nfa.cz/en/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">National Film Archive in Prague</a>, for sharing his experience of working with Chytilová in the 1980s. Professor Jan Bernard // for talking about his former teaching colleague at at <a href="https://international.famu.cz" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">FAMU</a>. Dr. Jindřiška Bláhová // Assistant Film Studies Professor at Charles University, for sharing her knowledge of Chytilová's life and work. Jakub Felcman // filmmaker and former student of Chytilová at FAMU, for talking to us about the Czech director as a teacher and mentor. Lastly, a special thanks to Barbora Lochmanová from the <a href="https://www.filmcenter.cz/en/home" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Czech Film Center</a> and Jitka Rohanova from the <a href="https://instytutpolski.pl/praha/?i=25&amp;d=document" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Polish Institute in Prague</a> for their help in making the episode possible. Credits Written &amp; produced by Piotr Wołodźko Edited by Wojciech Oleksiak &amp; Adam Zulawski Hosted by Nitzan Reisner &amp; Adam Zulawski Scoring &amp; sound design by Wojciech Oleksiak

DAISIES

Stanisław Lem was a science-fiction writer whose works, abilities and quirky sense of humor convinced Phillip K. Dick that he was too brilliant to exist and must have actually been a committee of people! Indeed his rare gift for blending philosophy with technology and action made him an instantaneously recognisable voice in the European sci-fi world and elevated him to the heights of popularity and critical acclaim. But Lem’s life was far from a textbook success story. Throughout his life, he struggled with traumatic wartime memories, distorted identities, and the communist system. But somehow, he was able to turn all the hardships and obstacles into elements of the incredible universes he created in his novels. In this episode, our hosts Nitzan and Adam will try to unravel some of the most confusing mysteries surrounding Lem: why did he choose to abandon his pre-war identity? How on Earth did he foresee the Internet in the 1960s? Is it true that he learned English from a dictionary in a week? Like our show? Get our newsletter!       Further reading  Stanisław Lem // bio on Culture.pl  Stanisław Lem: Did the Holocaust Shape His Sci-Fi World? // on Culture.pl  13 Things Lem Predicted About The Future We Live In // on Culture.pl  Phillip K. Dick: Stanisław Lem is a Communist Committee // on Culture.pl  Lem Vs. Tarkovsky: The Fight Over ‘Solaris’ // on Culture.pl  The Many Masks &amp; Faces of Stanisław Lem // on Culture.pl  Humorous Horrors: How Lem Taught His Nephew to Write Flawlessly // on Culture.pl  8 Science Fiction Films Adapted from Lem // on Culture.pl        Further watching   The Adventures of the Blindworm: An Orthographic Short Story by Stanisław Lem // on Culture.pl        Thanks Agnieszka Gajewska // professor of literary studies, author of ‘Holocaust and the Stars: The Past in the Prose of Stanisław Lem’ (available in English from November 2021) and ‘Hasło: Feminizm’. Wojciech Orliński // a Polish journalist, writer, and blogger, author of the best-selling Lem biography ‘Lem: Życie Nie z tej Ziemi’ (Lem: A Life Out of This World). You can enjoy his incredible sense of humour on his blog (which he writes in Polish). Wiktor Jaźniewicz // Belarus’s premier ‘lemologist’, and owner of a ‘lemologic cabinet’ that you can see for yourself here.       Credits Written &amp; produced by Wojciech Oleksiak Edited by Adam Zulawski Hosted by Nitzan Reisner &amp; Adam Zulawski Scoring &amp; sound design by Wojciech Oleksiak

Stanisław Lem was a science-fiction writer whose works, abilities and quirky sense of humor convinced Phillip K. Dick that he was too brilliant to exist and must have actually been a committee of people! Indeed his rare gift for blending philosophy with technology and action made him an instantaneously recognisable voice in the European sci-fi world and elevated him to the heights of popularity and critical acclaim. But Lem’s life was far from a textbook success story. Throughout his life, he struggled with traumatic wartime memories, distorted identities, and the communist system. But somehow, he was able to turn all the hardships and obstacles into elements of the incredible universes he created in his novels. In this episode, our hosts Nitzan and Adam will try to unravel some of the most confusing mysteries surrounding Lem: why did he choose to abandon his pre-war identity? How on Earth did he foresee the Internet in the 1960s? Is it true that he learned English from a dictionary in a week? Like our show? <a href="https://stories.subscribemenow.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Get our newsletter!</a> Further reading <ul> <li><a href="https://culture.pl/en/artist/stanislaw-lem" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Stanisław Lem</a> // bio on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a></li> <li><a href="https://culture.pl/en/article/stanislaw-lem-did-the-holocaust-shape-his-sci-fi-world" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Stanisław Lem: Did the Holocaust Shape His Sci-Fi World?</a> // on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a></li> <li><a href="https://culture.pl/en/article/13-things-lem-predicted-about-the-future-we-live-in" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> 13 Things Lem Predicted About The Future We Live In</a> // on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a></li> <li><a href="https://culture.pl/en/article/philip-k-dick-stanislaw-lem-is-a-communist-committee" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Phillip K. Dick: Stanisław Lem is a Communist Committee</a> // on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a></li> <li><a href="https://culture.pl/en/article/lem-vs-tarkovsky-the-fight-over-solaris" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Lem Vs. Tarkovsky: The Fight Over ‘Solaris’</a> // on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a></li> <li><a href="https://culture.pl/en/article/the-many-masks-faces-of-stanislaw-lem" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> The Many Masks &amp; Faces of Stanisław Lem</a> // on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a></li> <li><a href="https://culture.pl/en/article/humorous-horrors-how-lem-taught-his-nephew-to-write-flawlessly" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Humorous Horrors: How Lem Taught His Nephew to Write Flawlessly</a> // on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a></li> <li><a href="https://culture.pl/en/article/science-fiction-films-adapted-from-lem" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> 8 Science Fiction Films Adapted from Lem</a> // on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a></li> </ul> Further watching <ul> <li><a href="https://culture.pl/en/video/the-adventures-of-the-blindworm-an-orthographic-short-story-by-stanislaw-lem" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> The Adventures of the Blindworm: An Orthographic Short Story by Stanisław Lem</a> // on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a></li> </ul> Thanks Agnieszka Gajewska // professor of literary studies, author of ‘<a href="https://www.routledge.com/Holocaust-and-the-Stars-The-Past-in-the-Prose-of-Stanislaw-Lem/Gajewska/p/book/9780367428730" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Holocaust and the Stars: The Past in the Prose of Stanisław Lem</a>’ (available in English from November 2021) and ‘Hasło: Feminizm’. Wojciech Orliński // a Polish journalist, writer, and blogger, author of the best-selling Lem biography ‘Lem: Życie Nie z tej Ziemi’ (Lem: A Life Out of This World). You can enjoy his incredible sense of humour on <a href="https://ekskursje.pl/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">his blog</a> (which he writes in Polish). Wiktor Jaźniewicz // Belarus’s premier ‘lemologist’, and owner of a ‘lemologic cabinet’ that <a href="https://lemolog.livejournal.com/9194.html" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">you can see for yourself here</a>. Credits Written &amp; produced by Wojciech Oleksiak Edited by Adam Zulawski Hosted by Nitzan Reisner &amp; Adam Zulawski Scoring &amp; sound design by Wojciech Oleksiak

VISIONARY

Little-known histories from Central &amp; Eastern Europe that changed our world...Heard of how The Rolling Stones played for the Communist Party? The bear who fought in WWII? Or the man who single-handedly created an entire language? Each episode of our narrative podcast tells incredible stories that all have one thing in common: the Eastern West.#SFTEW

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Little-known histories from Central &amp; Eastern Europe that changed our world... Heard of how The Rolling Stones played for the Communist Party? The bear who fought in WWII? Or the man who single-handedly created an entire language? Each episode of our narrative podcast tells incredible stories that all have one thing in common: the Eastern West. #SFTEW

Stories From The Eastern West

How a teen's letter to a stranger in the Soviet Union led to a long-distance friendship that has lasted decades. Like many teens growing up in the People’s Republic of Poland, Ewa decided to send a letter to a stranger in the Soviet Union. Lena from Moscow wrote back to her, and they quickly found they had a lot in common, including a love of both dogs and Vysotsky records. They continued writing as they entered new phases in their lives. They began careers, started families, and of course there were the revolutions that changed everything around them from communist to capitalist. And they're still writing today... forty years later. How did Ewa find her penpal? Did the 1989 revolutions affect their friendship? And why have they never met? Find out in this episode of The Final Curtain. Like our show? Sign up for our newsletter! Click here to listen to the Polish version of this episode!       Time stamps [01:35] How Ewa found Lena [03:48] Instant friends [06:38] Exchanging gifts by post [08:49] The fall of communism [11:58] Still writing, but will they ever meet?       Further reading / watching   Poland's Walk to Freedom in 13 Iconic Photos // on Culture.pl   Solidarność: Poland, Word by Word // on Culture.pl   Posters of Solidarity from 1980 to 1989 // on Culture.pl   A Pen Pal's Tales of Life in the Former Soviet Union // on FEE.org   Postcrossing.com // a community that exchanges postcards with random people around the world         Credits Written &amp; produced by Monika Proba Edited by Adam Zulawski &amp; Wojciech Oleksiak Scoring &amp; sound design by Wojciech Oleksiak Hosted by Nitzan Reisner &amp; Adam Zulawski

How a teen's letter to a stranger in the Soviet Union led to a long-distance friendship that has lasted decades. Like many teens growing up in the People’s Republic of Poland, Ewa decided to send a letter to a stranger in the Soviet Union. Lena from Moscow wrote back to her, and they quickly found they had a lot in common, including a love of both dogs and Vysotsky records. They continued writing as they entered new phases in their lives. They began careers, started families, and of course there were the revolutions that changed everything around them from communist to capitalist. And they're still writing today... forty years later. How did Ewa find her penpal? Did the 1989 revolutions affect their friendship? And why have they never met? Find out in this episode of The Final Curtain. Like our show? <a href="https://stories.subscribemenow.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sign up for our newsletter!</a> <a href="https://culture.pl/pl/podcast/ewa-i-lena" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Click here to listen to the Polish version of this episode!</a> Time stamps [01:35] How Ewa found Lena [03:48] Instant friends [06:38] Exchanging gifts by post [08:49] The fall of communism [11:58] Still writing, but will they ever meet? Further reading / watching <ul> <li> <a href="https://culture.pl/en/article/polands-walk-to-freedom-in-13-iconic-photos" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Poland's Walk to Freedom in 13 Iconic Photos</a> // on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://culture.pl/en/article/solidarnosc-poland-word-by-word" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Solidarność: Poland, Word by Word</a> // on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://culture.pl/en/gallery/posters-of-solidarity-from-1980-to-1989-image-gallery" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Posters of Solidarity from 1980 to 1989</a> // on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://fee.org/articles/letters-from-russia/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">A Pen Pal's Tales of Life in the Former Soviet Union</a> // on <a href="http://FEE.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">FEE.org</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.postcrossing.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Postcrossing.com</a> // a community that exchanges postcards with random people around the world </li> </ul> Credits Written &amp; produced by Monika Proba Edited by Adam Zulawski &amp; Wojciech Oleksiak Scoring &amp; sound design by Wojciech Oleksiak Hosted by Nitzan Reisner &amp; Adam Zulawski

EWA & LENA

Alchemy – the supposed ancient art of turning everyday objects into gold – is widely believed to be obsolete. Interestingly, however, every bit of this notion is wrong. First of all, as it turns out, alchemy is still being practised today and, according to one of our guests, is doing better than ever. And second of all, it apparently was never actually an art of the physical transmutation of objects, but a very profound blend of philosophy, chemistry, physics and religion. Join us on SFTEW as we travel back to the Middle Ages and meet Michael Sendivogius, an alchemist who contributed to the discovery of something absolutely essential... Like our show? Sign up for our newsletter! Time stamps [01:10] A transmutation in Emperor Rudolph’s court[03:37] Why were alchemists sought after?  [04:43] What actually happened at the Emperor’s court?[06:39] What was alchemy really all about?[08:42] Were alchemists nothing more than a bunch of fraudsters?[10:53] Alchemical code[12:51] ‘There’s a secret substance in the air’[13:47] How Sendivogius came to his startling discovery [17:29] Alchemy is not dead[21:07] Credits Further watching Zbigniew Andrew Szydlo’s latest Ted Talks Appearance / on YouTube.com Zbigniew Andrew Szydlo sets things on fire / on YouTube.com Further reading  How to turn things into gold / on scientificamerican.com (the thing we promised in the podcast!)  The Origins of Alchemy &amp; The Pole who Played with Oxygen / on Culture.pl  Who Was Michael Sendivogius? Biography Of An Alchemist / on Culture.pl Water Which Does Not Wet Hands / a book by Dr Szydlo on Sendivogius and Mediaeval alchemy, on Amazon.com Thanks  Zbigniew Andrew Szydlo / for revealing all the secrets of transmutation and alchemy to Adam, our editor and host. Dr Szydlo is an acknowledged chemist, educator and a great performer with a mission of presenting experiments outside of the classroom. Mark Stavish / for talking with us about the state of alchemy today. Mark is the director for the Institute for Hermetic Studies in Pennsylvania and a life-long student of esotericism with over 25 years experience in comparative religion, philosophy, psychology, and mysticism with emphasis on Traditional Western Esotericism.  Rafał T. Prinke / for explaining how close Sendivogius really was to the world of science. Dr Prinke is a historian specialising in astrology, esotericism and ancient games. John Beauchamp / for his Sendivogius impersonation. John is a seasoned radio journalist, currently working on Unseen Warsaw, a series of soundwalks located in Warsaw.Credits Written &amp; produced by Elizabeth Lawrence &amp; Wojciech OleksiakEdited by Adam ŻuławskiScoring &amp; sound design by Wojciech OleksiakHosted by Nitzan Reisner &amp; Adam ŻuławskiResearch by Monika Proba

Alchemy – the supposed ancient art of turning everyday objects into gold – is widely believed to be obsolete. Interestingly, however, every bit of this notion is wrong. First of all, as it turns out, alchemy is still being practised today and, according to one of our guests, is doing better than ever. And second of all, it apparently was never actually an art of the physical transmutation of objects, but a very profound blend of philosophy, chemistry, physics and religion. Join us on SFTEW as we travel back to the Middle Ages and meet Michael Sendivogius, an alchemist who contributed to the discovery of something absolutely essential... Like our show? <a href="https://stories.subscribemenow.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sign up for our newsletter!</a> Time stamps [01:10] A transmutation in Emperor Rudolph’s court[03:37] Why were alchemists sought after? [04:43] What actually happened at the Emperor’s court?[06:39] What was alchemy really all about?[08:42] Were alchemists nothing more than a bunch of fraudsters?[10:53] Alchemical code[12:51] ‘There’s a secret substance in the air’[13:47] How Sendivogius came to his startling discovery [17:29] Alchemy is not dead[21:07] Credits Further watching <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOuEJf8Dr_4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Zbigniew Andrew Szydlo’s latest Ted Talks Appearance</a> / on <a href="http://YouTube.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">YouTube.com</a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYZT3opLedc" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Zbigniew Andrew Szydlo sets things on fire</a> / on <a href="http://YouTube.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">YouTube.com</a> Further reading <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/fact-or-fiction-lead-can-be-turned-into-gold/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> How to turn things into gold</a> / on <a href="http://scientificamerican.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">scientificamerican.com</a> (the thing we promised in the podcast!) <a href="https://culture.pl/en/article/the-origins-of-alchemy-the-pole-who-played-with-oxygen" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> The Origins of Alchemy &amp; The Pole who Played with Oxygen</a> / on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a> <a href="https://culture.pl/en/article/who-was-michael-sendivogius-biography-of-an-alchemist" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Who Was Michael Sendivogius? Biography Of An Alchemist</a> / on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Water-which-does-not-hands/dp/8386062452" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Water Which Does Not Wet Hands</a> / a book by Dr Szydlo on Sendivogius and Mediaeval alchemy, on <a href="http://Amazon.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Amazon.com</a> Thanks <a href="http://www.rsc.org/diversity/175-faces/all-faces/dr-andrew-szydlo-dic-acgi-cchem-frsc/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Zbigniew Andrew Szydlo</a> / for revealing all the secrets of transmutation and alchemy to Adam, our editor and host. Dr Szydlo is an acknowledged chemist, educator and a great performer with a mission of presenting experiments outside of the classroom. <a href="http://www.hermeticinstitute.org/html/author.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mark Stavish</a> / for talking with us about the state of alchemy today. Mark is the director for the <a href="http://www.hermeticinstitute.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Institute for Hermetic Studies in Pennsylvania</a> and a life-long student of esotericism with over 25 years experience in comparative religion, philosophy, psychology, and mysticism with emphasis on Traditional Western Esotericism. <a href="http://nauka-polska.pl/#/profile/scientist?id=77623&amp;lang=en&amp;_k=zhkq15" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Rafał T. Prinke</a> / for explaining how close Sendivogius really was to the world of science. Dr Prinke is a historian specialising in astrology, esotericism and ancient games. John Beauchamp / for his Sendivogius impersonation. John is a seasoned radio journalist, currently working on Unseen Warsaw, a series of soundwalks located in Warsaw.Credits Written &amp; produced by Elizabeth Lawrence &amp; Wojciech OleksiakEdited by Adam ŻuławskiScoring &amp; sound design by Wojciech OleksiakHosted by Nitzan Reisner &amp; Adam ŻuławskiResearch by Monika Proba

TRANSMUTATION

Delve into the fascinating background of classic horror film Rosemary’s Baby and learn how it was made. In 1968, Rosemary’s Baby debuted in theaters and terrified unsuspecting audiences. The film was a box-office success and was widely acclaimed for its dark plot and disturbing realism. Moreover, many of the controversial issues it grappled with, such as Satanism and pregnancy, quickly made it one of the most iconic films of its generation. But in the aftermath of the film’s release, this story of success quickly becomes one of tragedy and mystery. In this episode, we present the story of an innovative film that completely changed Hollywood and our understanding of how films should be made. You’ll learn about the origins of the film and how a little known director revolutionized Hollywood. We’ll discuss why this film was so unique in terms of style and aesthetic. Finally, we’ll look into the mysteries surrounding the film and the so-called curse of Rosemary’s Baby. Like our show? Sign up for our newsletter! Time stamps [02:33] Our guest and film expert Michał Oleszczyk paints the scene [04:27] Why was a little known European director chosen to direct an adaptation of the best selling novel? [08:55] What makes the film stand out? [14:31] Why there are hardly any special effects in Rosemary’s Baby? [16:39] How does the film comment on the current issues of its time? [19:10] Why’s the movie rumored to be cursed? [23:16] Did Rosemary’s Baby changed the horror genre? Further reading   Rosemary’s Baby: The Devil Was Not Only in the Details / on Culture.pl Krzysztof Komeda / on Culture.pl  45th Anniversary of Rosemary’s Baby Image Gallery / on Culture.pl Roman Polański Acts First / on Culture.pl The Many Faces of Rosemary’s Baby / on Culture.pl  8 Classic Polish Directed Horrors You Need To Know / on Culture.pl 5 Reasons Why ‘Rosemary’s Baby’ Is a Typical Film of American New Wave / on tasteofcinema.com 'Rosemary's Baby' Thrills With Unfathomable Mystery / on NPR.org Rosemary’s Baby : Whimper Against the Machine / on Ruthless Culture  Thanks Michał Oleszczyk / for inviting us to Collegium Artes Liberales and telling us everything we wanted to know about Rosemary's Baby but were afraid to ask. Michał is a film critic, University professor, and programmer. Following Michał's social media profiles is definitely a good idea. For English follow twitter/michaloleszczyk and we recommend following his facebook.com/michal.oleszczyk for Polish speaking audience.    SFTEW Team: Wojciech Oleksiak, Adam Zulawski, Nitzan Reisner, John Beauchamp &amp; Michael Keller

Delve into the fascinating background of classic horror film Rosemary’s Baby and learn how it was made. In 1968, Rosemary’s Baby debuted in theaters and terrified unsuspecting audiences. The film was a box-office success and was widely acclaimed for its dark plot and disturbing realism. Moreover, many of the controversial issues it grappled with, such as Satanism and pregnancy, quickly made it one of the most iconic films of its generation. But in the aftermath of the film’s release, this story of success quickly becomes one of tragedy and mystery. In this episode, we present the story of an innovative film that completely changed Hollywood and our understanding of how films should be made. You’ll learn about the origins of the film and how a little known director revolutionized Hollywood. We’ll discuss why this film was so unique in terms of style and aesthetic. Finally, we’ll look into the mysteries surrounding the film and the so-called curse of Rosemary’s Baby. Like our show? <a href="https://stories.subscribemenow.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sign up for our newsletter!</a> Time stamps [02:33] Our guest and film expert Michał Oleszczyk paints the scene [04:27] Why was a little known European director chosen to direct an adaptation of the best selling novel? [08:55] What makes the film stand out? [14:31] Why there are hardly any special effects in Rosemary’s Baby? [16:39] How does the film comment on the current issues of its time? [19:10] Why’s the movie rumored to be cursed? [23:16] Did Rosemary’s Baby changed the horror genre? Further reading <ul> <li><a href="http://culture.pl/en/article/rosemarys-baby-the-devil-was-not-only-in-the-details" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Rosemary’s Baby: The Devil Was Not Only in the Details</a> / on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a></li> <li><a href="http://culture.pl/en/artist/krzysztof-komeda" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Krzysztof Komeda</a> / on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a></li> <li><a href="http://culture.pl/en/gallery/45th-anniversary-of-rosemarys-baby-image-gallery" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> 45th Anniversary of Rosemary’s Baby Image Gallery</a> / on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a></li> <li><a href="http://culture.pl/en/article/roman-polanski-acts-first" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Roman Polański Acts First</a> / on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a></li> <li><a href="http://culture.pl/en/article/the-many-faces-of-rosemarys-baby" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Many Faces of Rosemary’s Baby</a> / on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a></li> <li><a href="http://culture.pl/en/article/8-classic-polish-directed-horrors-you-need-to-know" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> 8 Classic Polish Directed Horrors You Need To Know</a> / on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.tasteofcinema.com/2014/5-reasons-why-rosemarys-baby-is-a-typical-new-hollywood-film/#ixzz4wR7k5x9b" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">5 Reasons Why ‘Rosemary’s Baby’ Is a Typical Film of American New Wave</a> / on <a href="http://tasteofcinema.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">tasteofcinema.com</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.npr.org/sections/13.7/2014/06/07/319460856/rosemarys-baby-thrills-with-unfathomable-mystery" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">'Rosemary's Baby' Thrills With Unfathomable Mystery</a> / on <a href="http://NPR.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">NPR.org</a></li> <li><a href="https://ruthlessculture.com/2009/04/11/rosemarys-baby-whimper-against-the-machine/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Rosemary’s Baby : Whimper Against the Machine</a> / on Ruthless Culture</li> </ul> Thanks <a href="https://twitter.com/michaloleszczyk" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Michał Oleszczyk</a> / for inviting us to Collegium Artes Liberales and telling us everything we wanted to know about Rosemary's Baby but were afraid to ask. Michał is a film critic, University professor, and programmer. Following Michał's social media profiles is definitely a good idea. For English follow twitter/michaloleszczyk and we recommend following his <a href="http://facebook.com/michal.oleszczyk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">facebook.com/michal.oleszczyk</a> for Polish speaking audience.  SFTEW Team: Wojciech Oleksiak, Adam Zulawski, Nitzan Reisner, John Beauchamp &amp; Michael Keller

BABY

Finland + technology = Nokia, doesn’t it? Yes, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Finland is responsible for many technological breakthroughs from the last couple decades, such as the SSH cybersecurity protocol used on over half of the world’s web servers, and Internet Relay Chat, which people born in the 1980s will remember as the first instant messenger. But back in the early 1990s, Finland’s tech scene was mostly just a lot of teenagers pirating software illegally. They would code at squat parties filled with cigarette smoke. None of the glossy corporate world that lay ahead was on anybody’s mind. In this episode, Molly Schwartz, who lived there for almost two years, goes on a journey to the roots of Finland’s tech transformation. She dives deep into 8-bit music, pixelated computer screens and the days when games were distributed on C-cassettes. Just how did this small, cold, dark and sparsely-populated country become an IT powerhouse? Like our show? Sign up for our newsletter! Time stamps [02:26] Wili Miettinen runs away from home and starts coding and… pirating[03:58] What were the beginnings of the Demoscene?  [06:45] Demoparties![08:28] Why was it so difficult to create demos back in the early 1990s?[09:39] Demosceners start using their skills to make money...[12:28] … and serious business players take notice[14:40] Introducing Taneli Tikka[17:40] Taneli Tikka invents proto-Twitter[19:28] The demoscenes’ impact on the startup scene[23:02] Molly’s final monologue[24:45] Credits &amp; thanks  Further watching  Second Reality PC Demo by Future Crew / on YouTube.com Making Of Second Reality / Future Crew / on YouTube.com  Further reading  Some hard data on the Demoscene / on Wikipedia  Demoscene Still Alive and Kicking / on Wired.com Demoscene So Far / on a 90s-style Finnish blog How 1990s Polish Kids Discovered Nintendo through Piracy / on Culture.pl  Thanks  Wili Miettinen / for telling us about his personal experiences throughout his long career and how the tech industry grew out of squats and parties. You can find him on Twitter (where his username is, of course, OG): @wili Taneli Tikka / for talking to us about his experiences at Assembly as a teenager and how his forays into inventing social media. You can also find Taneli on Twitter: @tanelitikka Molly would also like to thank all the people who helped her along the way. Her special thanks go to Jussi-Pekka Harviainen, Pekka Aakko, Marko Reunanen and Jukka Kauppinen.  Credits Written &amp; produced by Molly SchwartzEdited by Adam Żuławski &amp; Wojciech OleksiakScoring &amp; sound design by Wojciech OleksiakHosted by Nitzan Reisner &amp; Adam Żuławski

Finland + technology = Nokia, doesn’t it? Yes, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Finland is responsible for many technological breakthroughs from the last couple decades, such as the SSH cybersecurity protocol used on over half of the world’s web servers, and Internet Relay Chat, which people born in the 1980s will remember as the first instant messenger. But back in the early 1990s, Finland’s tech scene was mostly just a lot of teenagers pirating software illegally. They would code at squat parties filled with cigarette smoke. None of the glossy corporate world that lay ahead was on anybody’s mind. In this episode, Molly Schwartz, who lived there for almost two years, goes on a journey to the roots of Finland’s tech transformation. She dives deep into 8-bit music, pixelated computer screens and the days when games were distributed on C-cassettes. Just how did this small, cold, dark and sparsely-populated country become an IT powerhouse? Like our show? <a href="https://stories.subscribemenow.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sign up for our newsletter!</a> Time stamps [02:26] Wili Miettinen runs away from home and starts coding and… pirating[03:58] What were the beginnings of the Demoscene? [06:45] Demoparties![08:28] Why was it so difficult to create demos back in the early 1990s?[09:39] Demosceners start using their skills to make money...[12:28] … and serious business players take notice[14:40] Introducing Taneli Tikka[17:40] Taneli Tikka invents proto-Twitter[19:28] The demoscenes’ impact on the startup scene[23:02] Molly’s final monologue[24:45] Credits &amp; thanks Further watching <ul> <li><a href="https://youtu.be/rFv7mHTf0nA" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Second Reality PC Demo by Future Crew</a> / on <a href="http://YouTube.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">YouTube.com</a></li> <li><a href="https://youtu.be/LIIBRr31DIU" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Making Of Second Reality / Future Crew</a> / on <a href="http://YouTube.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">YouTube.com</a></li> </ul> Further reading <ul> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demoscene" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Some hard data on the Demoscene</a> / on Wikipedia</li> <li><a href="https://www.wired.com/2001/08/demos-still-alive-and-kicking/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Demoscene Still Alive and Kicking</a> / on <a href="http://Wired.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Wired.com</a></li> <li><a href="http://mlab.uiah.fi/~eye/demos/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Demoscene So Far</a> / on a 90s-style Finnish blog</li> <li><a href="https://culture.pl/en/article/pegasus-other-famiclones-how-polish-kids-discovered-nintendo-games-in-the-1990s" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">How 1990s Polish Kids Discovered Nintendo through Piracy</a> / on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a></li> </ul> Thanks <ul> <li><a href="https://fi.linkedin.com/in/wilihybrid" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Wili Miettinen</a> / for telling us about his personal experiences throughout his long career and how the tech industry grew out of squats and parties. You can find him on Twitter (where his username is, of course, OG): <a href="https://twitter.com/wili?lang=en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@wili</a></li> <li><a href="https://fi.linkedin.com/in/taneli" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Taneli Tikka</a> / for talking to us about his experiences at Assembly as a teenager and how his forays into inventing social media. You can also find Taneli on Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/tanelitikka?lang=en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@tanelitikka</a></li> <li>Molly would also like to thank all the people who helped her along the way. Her special thanks go to Jussi-Pekka Harviainen, Pekka Aakko, Marko Reunanen and Jukka Kauppinen.</li> </ul> Credits Written &amp; produced by Molly SchwartzEdited by Adam Żuławski &amp; Wojciech OleksiakScoring &amp; sound design by Wojciech OleksiakHosted by Nitzan Reisner &amp; Adam Żuławski

CRACKED

How a giant communal song festival helped Estonians regain independence from the USSR. Part of our mini-series The Final Curtain. In the Estonia Kaie Tanner grew up in, learning Russian at school was compulsory, and her mother and her friends often sang 'forbidden songs' at home – Estonian folk songs that the Soviet authorities disapproved of. Music was a huge part of her life, but she didn't expect that it could help her country win independence. But in 1987, when Kaie Tanner attended the massive Estonian Singing festival as a teenager, something unexpected happened. After the officially sanctioned event had finished, the hundreds of thousands of Estonians stayed and kept singing their own Estonian folk songs all through the night – and the Soviet authorities were powerless to stop them.  What was the Singing Revolution? How did it lead to the independence of Estonia and the other Baltic states? Was it possible for Estonia's Russian- and Estonian-speaking citizens to finally move on from past resentments? Find out in this episode of The Final Curtain. Like our show? Sign up for our newsletter!       Time stamps [02:07] A childhood in Soviet-dominated Estonia [06:27] How Estonians tried to sing their country into independence  [10:01] Was the USSR military intervention successful? [12:38] Independence! Kaie becomes a music teacher [14:53] A country comprised of two peoples [18:24] Credits       Further reading / watching   The Singing Revolution // on Wikipedia.org   The Sound of Freedom // on Local-life.com   The Baltic Way // on Wikipedia.org         Thanks This episode was produced with help from the Embassy of Poland in Tallinn. We'd like to extend many thanks to Ambassador Grzegorz Kozłowski, who kindly greenlighted our co-operation, and to Sławomira Borowska-Peterson, who helped us understand Estonian history, society and reality much better. Credits Written &amp; produced by Wojciech Oleksiak Edited by Adam Zulawski Scoring &amp; sound design by Wojciech Oleksiak Hosted by Nitzan Reisner &amp; Adam Zulawski

How a giant communal song festival helped Estonians regain independence from the USSR. Part of our mini-series The Final Curtain. In the Estonia Kaie Tanner grew up in, learning Russian at school was compulsory, and her mother and her friends often sang 'forbidden songs' at home – Estonian folk songs that the Soviet authorities disapproved of. Music was a huge part of her life, but she didn't expect that it could help her country win independence. But in 1987, when Kaie Tanner attended the massive Estonian Singing festival as a teenager, something unexpected happened. After the officially sanctioned event had finished, the hundreds of thousands of Estonians stayed and kept singing their own Estonian folk songs all through the night – and the Soviet authorities were powerless to stop them.  What was the Singing Revolution? How did it lead to the independence of Estonia and the other Baltic states? Was it possible for Estonia's Russian- and Estonian-speaking citizens to finally move on from past resentments? Find out in this episode of The Final Curtain. Like our show? <a href="https://stories.subscribemenow.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sign up for our newsletter!</a> Time stamps [02:07] A childhood in Soviet-dominated Estonia [06:27] How Estonians tried to sing their country into independence  [10:01] Was the USSR military intervention successful? [12:38] Independence! Kaie becomes a music teacher [14:53] A country comprised of two peoples [18:24] Credits Further reading / watching <ul> <li> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singing_Revolution" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">The Singing Revolution</a> // on <a href="http://Wikipedia.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Wikipedia.org</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.local-life.com/tallinn/articles/estonian-singing-revolution" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">The Sound of Freedom</a> // on <a href="http://Local-life.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Local-life.com</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltic_Way" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">The Baltic Way</a> // on <a href="http://Wikipedia.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Wikipedia.org</a> </li> </ul> Thanks This episode was produced with help from the Embassy of Poland in Tallinn. We'd like to extend many thanks to Ambassador Grzegorz Kozłowski, who kindly greenlighted our co-operation, and to Sławomira Borowska-Peterson, who helped us understand Estonian history, society and reality much better. Credits Written &amp; produced by Wojciech Oleksiak Edited by Adam Zulawski Scoring &amp; sound design by Wojciech Oleksiak Hosted by Nitzan Reisner &amp; Adam Zulawski

KAIE

Discover the relentless climber who changed the world's deadliest sport... In the early 1960s, a woman decided that the way men were dominating the world of mountain climbing didn’t make any sense. She went on to defy the whole community and became an icon, a trail-blazer who energised the whole community of female climbers and proved that women are capable of being self-sufficient, excellent climbers.   Her name was Wanda Rutkiewicz and to date, she is one of the most memorable female climbers, the first European to climb Mount Everest, the first woman ever to climb K2, and the only female climber of her time who could challenge men and prove to them women were equal.   However, underneath all this success there was loneliness, dejection, and desperate efforts to build a normal life outside of 8000-metre-high peaks…   Like our show? Sign up for our newsletter! Time stamps [02:06] A handful of facts before we go [06:56] Wanda’s first Himalayan Experiences [12:10] Mount Everest, K2 and other achievements [19:53] The Caravan of Dreams [23:40] The Decline and Kanchenjunga [29:10] But what is it that makes people climb? Further reading   Death Before Failure: Wanda Rutkiewicz &amp; The Golden Age of Polish Mountaineering / on Culture.pl Freedom Climbers by Bernadette McDonald / book on Amazon.com Savage Summit by Jennifer Jordan / book on Amazon.com Wanda Rutkiewicz / on Wikipedia.org A Caravan of Dreams by Gertrude Reinisch / book on Amazon.com Stairway to Heaven / infographic on Economist.com  Further watching  Art of Freedom / an Adam Mickiewicz Institute documentary about Wanda and other exceptional Polish climbers of the Himalayas Jennifer Jordan: Women of K2 / a WGBH Forum lecture about the first female climbers of K2  Thanks Bernadette McDonald / for sharing with us her memories of Wanda as well as opinions of other climbers that she gathered during the writing of her book Freedom Climbers. Bernadette is a Canadian-born author of several non-fiction books, primarily on mountain culture topics, including Brotherhood of the Rope, Tomaž Humar, and Freedom Climbers. Her most recent book Art Of Freedom, tells the story of another outstanding Polish climber: Voytek (Wojtek) Kurtyka Piotr Pustelnik / for taking time out of his busy day and sharing with us his views on Wanda and mountain climbing in general. Piotr is a legendary climber, and one of the few people who has successfully climbed all fourteen of the eight-thousanders. He recently released his autobiography: Ja, Pustelnik. Samuel Crowin / for putting his field recordings on the Internet and available under a creative commons license. Samuel travelled from the south of India to Nepal and back again in the winter and spring of 2015 and recorded hours of genuine music and ambiances. Thanks to his generous approach we were able to present you the most realistic local music you can get.   SFTEW Team: Wojciech Oleksiak, Adam Zulawski, Grażyna Soczewka &amp; Michael Keller

Discover the relentless climber who changed the world's deadliest sport... In the early 1960s, a woman decided that the way men were dominating the world of mountain climbing didn’t make any sense. She went on to defy the whole community and became an icon, a trail-blazer who energised the whole community of female climbers and proved that women are capable of being self-sufficient, excellent climbers.   Her name was Wanda Rutkiewicz and to date, she is one of the most memorable female climbers, the first European to climb Mount Everest, the first woman ever to climb K2, and the only female climber of her time who could challenge men and prove to them women were equal.   However, underneath all this success there was loneliness, dejection, and desperate efforts to build a normal life outside of 8000-metre-high peaks…   Like our show? <a href="https://stories.subscribemenow.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sign up for our newsletter!</a> Time stamps [02:06] A handful of facts before we go [06:56] Wanda’s first Himalayan Experiences [12:10] Mount Everest, K2 and other achievements [19:53] The Caravan of Dreams [23:40] The Decline and Kanchenjunga [29:10] But what is it that makes people climb? Further reading <ul> <li><a href="http://culture.pl/en/article/death-before-failure-wanda-rutkiewicz-the-golden-age-of-polish-mountaineering" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Death Before Failure: Wanda Rutkiewicz &amp; The Golden Age of Polish Mountaineering</a> / on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Freedom-Climbers-Bernadette-McDonald/dp/1926855604" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Freedom Climbers</a> by Bernadette McDonald / book on <a href="http://Amazon.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Amazon.com</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Savage-Summit-Stories-Climbed-Mountain/dp/0060587156" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Savage Summit</a> by Jennifer Jordan / book on <a href="http://Amazon.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Amazon.com</a></li> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wanda_Rutkiewicz" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Wanda Rutkiewicz</a> / on <a href="http://Wikipedia.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Wikipedia.org</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Wanda-Rutkiewicz-Caravan-Gertrude-Reinisch/dp/0953863107/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">A Caravan of Dreams</a> by Gertrude Reinisch / book on <a href="http://Amazon.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Amazon.com</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.economist.com/blogs/graphicdetail/2013/05/daily-chart-18" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Stairway to Heaven</a> / infographic on <a href="http://Economist.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Economist.com</a></li> </ul> Further watching <ul> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZ_wBf2t-_0" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Art of Freedom</a> / an Adam Mickiewicz Institute documentary about Wanda and other exceptional Polish climbers of the Himalayas</li> <li><a href="https://youtu.be/jS-Tn28mo9k?t=1m20s" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Jennifer Jordan: Women of K2</a> / a WGBH Forum lecture about the first female climbers of K2</li> </ul> Thanks Bernadette McDonald / for sharing with us her memories of Wanda as well as opinions of other climbers that she gathered during the writing of her book Freedom Climbers. Bernadette is a Canadian-born author of several non-fiction books, primarily on mountain culture topics, including Brotherhood of the Rope, Tomaž Humar, and Freedom Climbers. Her most recent book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Art-Freedom-Climbs-Voytek-Kurtyka/dp/1771602120" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Art Of Freedom</a>, tells the story of another outstanding Polish climber: Voytek (Wojtek) Kurtyka Piotr Pustelnik / for taking time out of his busy day and sharing with us his views on Wanda and mountain climbing in general. Piotr is a legendary climber, and one of the few people who has successfully climbed all fourteen of the eight-thousanders. He recently released his autobiography: <a href="https://www.wydawnictwoliterackie.pl/ksiazka/4392/Ja-pustelnik-Autobiografia---Piotr-Pustelnik" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Ja, Pustelnik</a>. Samuel Crowin / for putting his field recordings on the Internet and available under a creative commons license. Samuel travelled from the south of India to Nepal and back again in the winter and spring of 2015 and recorded hours of genuine music and ambiances. Thanks to his generous approach we were able to present you the most realistic local music you can get. SFTEW Team: Wojciech Oleksiak, Adam Zulawski, Grażyna Soczewka &amp; Michael Keller

CLIMB

Learn how a strange unwanted building became a lasting symbol of a capital city. In the first of our two-part series on Warsaw’s Palace of Culture and Science, our hosts discussed the post-war rebuilding of the savagely-destroyed Warsaw and the controversial origins of the palace’s construction. In the concluding part of our series, our hosts dive deeper into the palace’s corridors and explore the massive impact it has had on Warsaw. For example, after initial deliberation, what was the palace actually used for? What did people think of this palace shortly after its creation?  What do they think about it now? Above all, how has this palace, despite the controversy surrounding it, become a cultural icon for the city? Like our show? Sign up for our newsletter! Time stamps [00:37] Brief recap of our last episode, about post-war Warsaw and the palace’s construction. [03:39] A guided audio tour through the palace itself. [11:20] What did Polish people think about the palace? [13:37] Why did people write letters to the palace and what did they write about? [18:00] How did the palace become the focal point of public debate after the fall of communism? [23:00] How has the palace come to be a lasting symbol of Warsaw? Further reading   The Controversial Story of Stalin’s Palace in Warsaw / on Culture.pl Video: The Controversial Story of Stalin’s Palace / on Youtube  How Warsaw Came Close to Never Being Rebuilt / on Culture.pl Palace of Culture and Science Website  / official website Belly of the Beast: The Controversial Side of the Palace / on Calvertjournal.com An Interview with Czesław Bielecki / on Freedom Collection  Thanks Michał Murawski / for generously devoting his lunchtime to telling us about the social life of the palace. Michał is architecture and city anthropologist based at the Department of Russian, Queen Mary’s, University of London. Maria Wojtysiak / for telling us about her childhood ties with the palace, and explaining why she decided to fight to put it on the list of Poland’s Objects of Cultural Heritage. Maria is a renowned architect and a member of numerous organisations that aim to preserve Warsaw’s historical buildings. Czesław Bielecki / for sharing his ideas about turning the palace into a museum about communism. Czesław is an architect and political activist, a former political prisoner of the communist state, and a democratic dissident. Createtours / for kindly giving us an in-depth tour of the palace and telling us all their entertaining stories about it. The America Programme at the Adam Mickiewicz Institute / for inviting us to their conference about the palace and making the interview with Michał Murawski possible.   SFTEW Team: Wojciech Oleksiak, Adam Zulawski, Lea Berriault, John Beauchamp, Nitzan Reisner &amp; Michael Keller

Learn how a strange unwanted building became a lasting symbol of a capital city. In <a href="https://culture.pl/en/podcast/SFTEW-08-PALACE" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">the first of our two-part series</a> on Warsaw’s Palace of Culture and Science, our hosts discussed the post-war rebuilding of the savagely-destroyed Warsaw and the controversial origins of the palace’s construction. In the concluding part of our series, our hosts dive deeper into the palace’s corridors and explore the massive impact it has had on Warsaw. For example, after initial deliberation, what was the palace actually used for? What did people think of this palace shortly after its creation?  What do they think about it now? Above all, how has this palace, despite the controversy surrounding it, become a cultural icon for the city? Like our show? <a href="https://stories.subscribemenow.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sign up for our newsletter!</a> Time stamps [00:37] Brief recap of <a href="https://culture.pl/en/podcast/SFTEW-08-PALACE" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">our last episode</a>, about post-war Warsaw and the palace’s construction. [03:39] A guided audio tour through the palace itself. [11:20] What did Polish people think about the palace? [13:37] Why did people write letters to the palace and what did they write about? [18:00] How did the palace become the focal point of public debate after the fall of communism? [23:00] How has the palace come to be a lasting symbol of Warsaw? Further reading <ul> <li><a href="http://culture.pl/en/article/the-controversial-story-of-stalins-palace-in-warsaw" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> The Controversial Story of Stalin’s Palace in Warsaw</a> / on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UluOQQsTEqQ&amp;t=48s" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Video: The Controversial Story of Stalin’s Palace</a> / on Youtube</li> <li><a href="http://culture.pl/en/article/how-warsaw-came-close-to-never-being-rebuilt" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> How Warsaw Came Close to Never Being Rebuilt</a> / on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.pkin.pl/eng" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Palace of Culture and Science Website </a> / official website</li> <li><a href="http://calvertjournal.com/features/show/7146/palace-of-science-and-culture-warsaw-poland-architecture-photography-fota" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Belly of the Beast: The Controversial Side of the Palace</a> / on <a href="http://Calvertjournal.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Calvertjournal.com</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.freedomcollection.org/interviews/czeslaw_bielecki/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">An Interview with Czesław Bielecki</a> / on Freedom Collection</li> </ul> Thanks <a href="http://www.michalmurawski.net/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Michał Murawski</a> / for generously devoting his lunchtime to telling us about the social life of the palace. Michał is architecture and city anthropologist based at the Department of Russian, Queen Mary’s, University of London. <a href="http://www.kulturalna.warszawa.pl/osoby,1,8117,Maria_Wojtysiak.html?locale=pl_PL" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Maria Wojtysiak</a> / for telling us about her childhood ties with the palace, and explaining why she decided to fight to put it on the list of Poland’s Objects of Cultural Heritage. Maria is a renowned architect and a member of numerous organisations that aim to preserve Warsaw’s historical buildings. <a href="http://www.dim.com.pl/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=70&amp;Itemid=28&amp;lang=en" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Czesław Bielecki</a> / for sharing his ideas about turning the palace into a museum about communism. Czesław is an architect and political activist, a former political prisoner of the communist state, and a democratic dissident. Createtours / for kindly giving us an in-depth tour of the palace and telling us all their entertaining stories about it. <a href="https://iam.pl/en/programmes/america-programme" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">The America Programme at the Adam Mickiewicz Institute</a> / for inviting us to their conference about the palace and making the interview with Michał Murawski possible. SFTEW Team: Wojciech Oleksiak, Adam Zulawski, Lea Berriault, John Beauchamp, Nitzan Reisner &amp; Michael Keller

PALACE II

Discover the Iron Curtain's unlikeliest music haven and the people who made it happen. In 1957, the Polish Radio Experimental Studio (PRES) first opened its doors in Warsaw, and would very soon become an important European centre for the creation of exciting and original electro-acoustic music. But how did such a place even come to be built in Poland, just a few years after the death of Stalin and the severe artistic restrictions of Social Realism? In this episode, you will find out what exactly went on inside the strange electronic depths of the PRES, and how through the efforts of its first director, Józef Patkowski, the studio became a 'window to the world', hosting the best composers from both the Eastern Bloc and the West. You'll also hear the remarkable story of Eugeniusz Rudnik, a technician from a small Polish village, who after spending countless hours helping out others with tape machines and signal generators found unexpected success and recognition. Like our show? Sign up for our newsletter! Further listening  Psalmus by Krzysztof Penderecki, 1961 Etude aux Chemins de Fer by Pierre Henri Marie Schaeffer, 1948 Studie 1 by Karlheinz Stockhausen, 1953 Study for One Cymbal Stroke by Włodzimierz Kotoński, 1959 Symphony - Electronic Music by Boguslaw Schaeffer, 1966 Ode to Light (Sculpture) by Arne Nordheim, 1968 Mobile for Magnetic Tape by Eugeniusz Rudnik, 1965  Further reading   The Story Behind the Experimental Music Haven that Escaped Communist Censorship / from Culture.pl  The Musical Milestones of the Polish Radio Experimental Studio / on Culture.pl  PRES Cheatsheet: Four Giants from Poland's Legendary Music Studio / on Culture.pl  A Foreigner's Guide to Polish Electronic Music / on Culture.pl Eugeniusz Rudnik / biography on Culture.pl Full archive of PRES articles on Culture.pl A History of Electroacoustic Music in Poland from the Perspective of the Polish Radio Experimental Studio 1957-1990 / on Sound Exchange Spatial Music: Design and the Polish Radio Experimental Studio / on post at MoMA How Much Rudnik is in Penderecki, and How Much Rudnik is in Nordheim? Interview with Eugeniusz Rudnik / on post at MoMA    Further watching  15 Corners of the World / on Ninateka.pl (Click 'English version' to the right of the player for subtitles) Eugeniusz Rudnik Q&amp;A / from the Polish Cultural Institute in London's Youtube channel Uncovering the Soul of the Polish Radio Experimental Studio link opens page / on Culture.pl's Youtube channel  Thanks Antoni Beksiak / for kindly initiating us into the technological and musical history of the studio. Antoni is a music critic, musician and festival curator (Turning Sounds et al.). He leads the bands Niewte and Gęba.  Łukasz Strusiński / for inviting us to the International PRES Conference in Łódź (October 2017) and helping us navigate this topic. Łukasz is a classical music expert and part of the Master Project team at the Adam Mickiewicz Institute. Agnieszka Pindera / for sharing her knowledge about the studio and those closely involved with it, including Józef Patkowski, Eugeniusz Rudnik and Władysław Sokorski. Agnieszka is a curator at Muzeum Sztuki in Łodź and organiser of the International PRES Conference held at the museum in 2017. Paweł Nowożycki / for talking to us about the iconic Black Room at PRES and its planned re-construction at the new Museum of Modern Art (MSN) building in Warsaw. Paweł is a curator at MSN and head of the PRES reconstruction project. David Crowley / for shedding light on the historical and artistic background of the studio as a place of creative openness behind the Iron Curtain and its important links with Western studios and composers. David Crowley is the Head of the School of Visual Culture at the National College of Art and Design in Dublin.   SFTEW Team: Wojciech Oleksiak, Adam Zulawski, John Beauchamp, Nitzan Reisner &amp; Piotr Wołodźko

Discover the Iron Curtain's unlikeliest music haven and the people who made it happen. In 1957, the Polish Radio Experimental Studio (PRES) first opened its doors in Warsaw, and would very soon become an important European centre for the creation of exciting and original electro-acoustic music. But how did such a place even come to be built in Poland, just a few years after the death of Stalin and the severe artistic restrictions of Social Realism? In this episode, you will find out what exactly went on inside the strange electronic depths of the PRES, and how through the efforts of its first director, Józef Patkowski, the studio became a 'window to the world', hosting the best composers from both the Eastern Bloc and the West. You'll also hear the remarkable story of Eugeniusz Rudnik, a technician from a small Polish village, who after spending countless hours helping out others with tape machines and signal generators found unexpected success and recognition. Like our show? <a href="https://stories.subscribemenow.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sign up for our newsletter!</a> Further listening <ul> <li><a href="http://ninateka.pl/kolekcje/en/three-composers/penderecki/audio/psalmus-1961" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Psalmus</a> by Krzysztof Penderecki, 1961</li> <li><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJwoQlYUVTk" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Etude aux Chemins de Fer</a> by Pierre Henri Marie Schaeffer, 1948</li> <li><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4QaMwpVXVM" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Studie 1</a> by Karlheinz Stockhausen, 1953</li> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A88qOh5nuRU" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Study for One Cymbal Stroke</a> by Włodzimierz Kotoński, 1959</li> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlXH8QDCKPs" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Symphony - Electronic Music</a> by Boguslaw Schaeffer, 1966</li> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTS8IgBH3ZA" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Ode to Light (Sculpture)</a> by Arne Nordheim, 1968</li> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQpYroB53wg" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Mobile for Magnetic Tape</a> by Eugeniusz Rudnik, 1965</li> </ul> Further reading <ul> <li><a href="http://culture.pl/en/article/the-story-behind-the-experimental-music-haven-that-escaped-communist-censorship" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> The Story Behind the Experimental Music Haven that Escaped Communist Censorship</a> / from <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a></li> <li><a href="http://culture.pl/en/article/the-musical-milestones-of-the-polish-radio-experimental-studio" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> The Musical Milestones of the Polish Radio Experimental Studio</a> / on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a></li> <li><a href="http://culture.pl/en/article/pres-cheatsheet-four-giants-from-polands-legendary-music-studio" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> PRES Cheatsheet: Four Giants from Poland's Legendary Music Studio</a> / on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a></li> <li><a href="http://culture.pl/en/article/a-foreigners-guide-to-polish-electronic-music" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> A Foreigner's Guide to Polish Electronic Music</a> / on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a></li> <li><a href="http://culture.pl/en/artist/eugeniusz-rudnik" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Eugeniusz Rudnik</a> / biography on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a></li> <li><a href="https://pres.culture.pl/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Full archive of PRES articles on Culture.pl</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.soundexchange.eu/#poland_en?id=1" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">A History of Electroacoustic Music in Poland from the Perspective of the Polish Radio Experimental Studio 1957-1990</a> / on Sound Exchange</li> <li><a href="http://post.at.moma.org/content_items/335-spatial-music-design-and-the-polish-radio-experimental-studio" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Spatial Music: Design and the Polish Radio Experimental Studio</a> / on post at MoMA</li> <li><a href="http://post.at.moma.org/content_items/336-how-much-rudnik-is-in-penderecki-and-how-much-rudnik-is-in-nordheim-interview-with-eugeniusz-rudnik" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">How Much Rudnik is in Penderecki, and How Much Rudnik is in Nordheim? Interview with Eugeniusz Rudnik</a> / on post at MoMA  </li> </ul> Further watching <ul> <li><a href="http://ninateka.pl/film/15-stron-swiata-zuzanna-solakiewicz" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">15 Corners of the World</a> / on <a href="http://Ninateka.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Ninateka.pl</a> (Click 'English version' to the right of the player for subtitles)</li> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JfISuAj5n8" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Eugeniusz Rudnik Q&amp;A</a> / from the Polish Cultural Institute in London's Youtube channel</li> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ldAxZuzruQ" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Uncovering the Soul of the Polish Radio Experimental Studio link opens page</a> / on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a>'s Youtube channel</li> </ul> Thanks <a href="http://facebook.com/anatolbaskak" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Antoni Beksiak</a> / for kindly initiating us into the technological and musical history of the studio. Antoni is a music critic, musician and festival curator (Turning Sounds et al.). He leads the bands Niewte and Gęba.  <a href="http://iam.pl/en/team/lukasz-strusinski" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Łukasz Strusiński</a> / for inviting us to the International PRES Conference in Łódź (October 2017) and helping us navigate this topic. Łukasz is a classical music expert and part of the Master Project team at the Adam Mickiewicz Institute. <a href="http://agapindera.com/About-Agnieszka-Pindera" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Agnieszka Pindera</a> / for sharing her knowledge about the studio and those closely involved with it, including Józef Patkowski, Eugeniusz Rudnik and Władysław Sokorski. Agnieszka is a curator at Muzeum Sztuki in Łodź and organiser of the International PRES Conference held at the museum in 2017. <a href="http://artmuseum.pl/en/muzeum/zespol" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Paweł Nowożycki</a> / for talking to us about the iconic Black Room at PRES and its planned re-construction at the new Museum of Modern Art (MSN) building in Warsaw. Paweł is a curator at MSN and head of the PRES reconstruction project. <a href="http://www.ncad.ie/research-people/view/david-crowley" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">David Crowley</a> / for shedding light on the historical and artistic background of the studio as a place of creative openness behind the Iron Curtain and its important links with Western studios and composers. David Crowley is the Head of the School of Visual Culture at the National College of Art and Design in Dublin. SFTEW Team: Wojciech Oleksiak, Adam Zulawski, John Beauchamp, Nitzan Reisner &amp; Piotr Wołodźko

EXPERIMENTAL

How a Romanian mining town that lost its mine fought to turn its remains into a cultural hub.  In our second and final episode on Ion Barbu and the town of Petrila, we learn how the mine, the town's main employer, was unable to achieve profitability in the new era of capitalism and was closed down for good. Ion had spent 15 years of his life at the mine, and for him and many others it was more than just a place of work. So when the mine's crumbling buildings were in line for demolition, Ion decided to try and save them by using art to revitalise the town. What happened to the town once the mine closed? Did Ion manage to save the buildings of the former mine? What happened next? Find out in this episode of The Final Curtain. Like our show? Sign up for our newsletter!       Time stamps [01:23] Why the mine was closed? [03:07] Meeting another miner: Cenusa Catalin [09:55] Ion gives us a tour around a gallery in Deva [11:30] What does the process of closing a mine look like? [16:26] Ion gives us a tour around the Plumber's Museum [19:05] The many more museums that Ion wants to open [20:38] Credits Further reading / watching         Ion Barbu // on BeyondCoal.eu   Photo gallery from our trip to Petrila // on Culture.pl   Beneath the Surface: The Occult Inspirations of Poland’s Legendary Naive Artist Coal Miners // on Culture.pl   Author Małgorzata Rejmer on Romania &amp; Albania // interview on Culture.pl   Planet Petrila: Documentary Feature Trailer // on Youtube         Credits Written &amp; produced by Monika Proba Clara Kleininger was our associate producer for this story Edited by Adam Zulawski &amp; Wojciech Oleksiak Scoring &amp; sound design by Wojciech Oleksiak Hosted by Nitzan Reisner &amp; Adam Zulawski

How a Romanian mining town that lost its mine fought to turn its remains into a cultural hub.  In our second and final episode on Ion Barbu and the town of Petrila, we learn how the mine, the town's main employer, was unable to achieve profitability in the new era of capitalism and was closed down for good. Ion had spent 15 years of his life at the mine, and for him and many others it was more than just a place of work. So when the mine's crumbling buildings were in line for demolition, Ion decided to try and save them by using art to revitalise the town. What happened to the town once the mine closed? Did Ion manage to save the buildings of the former mine? What happened next? Find out in this episode of The Final Curtain. Like our show? <a href="https://stories.subscribemenow.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sign up for our newsletter!</a> Time stamps [01:23] Why the mine was closed? [03:07] Meeting another miner: Cenusa Catalin [09:55] Ion gives us a tour around a gallery in Deva [11:30] What does the process of closing a mine look like? [16:26] Ion gives us a tour around the Plumber's Museum [19:05] The many more museums that Ion wants to open [20:38] Credits Further reading / watching <ul> <li> <a href="https://beyond-coal.eu/2018/12/03/citizens-beyond-coal-ion-barbu/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Ion Barbu</a> // on <a href="http://BeyondCoal.eu" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">BeyondCoal.eu</a> </li> <li><a href="https://culture.pl/en/gallery/stories-from-the-eastern-west-in-petrila-romania-image-gallery" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Photo gallery from our trip to Petrila</a> // on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a></li> <li> <a href="https://culture.pl/en/article/naive-artist-coal-miners-occult-poland-silesia" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Beneath the Surface: The Occult Inspirations of Poland’s Legendary Naive Artist Coal Miners</a> // on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://culture.pl/en/article/malgorzata-rejmer-on-romania-and-albania-interview" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Author Małgorzata Rejmer on Romania &amp; Albania</a> // interview on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inJ4zyAxplw" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Planet Petrila: Documentary Feature Trailer</a> // on Youtube </li> </ul> Credits Written &amp; produced by Monika Proba Clara Kleininger was our associate producer for this story Edited by Adam Zulawski &amp; Wojciech Oleksiak Scoring &amp; sound design by Wojciech Oleksiak Hosted by Nitzan Reisner &amp; Adam Zulawski

PETRILA

How a single mother in Kyiv experienced the end of the USSR and survived the harsh economic realities of life in post-communist Ukraine in the early 1990s. Part of our mini-series The Final Curtain. Iryna Tkachenko is a music conservatory graduate and journalist who became a single mother just a couple of years before the demise of the Soviet Union and the political and economic turbulence that followed the fall of the Iron Curtain. Her wage as a radio journalist wasn't really enough to survive, but after the complete collapse of the Ukrainian economy,  you were considered lucky to have a job at all. She bought clothes at second-hand shops and travelled to Moscow to buy things that you couldn't get in the mostly empty stores of Kyiv. She took on extra jobs and did whatever she could to survive but never lost her positive outlook on life. How did Iryna end up selling toy cars on the streets of Kyiv? How did she and her friends react to the putsch of August 1991? How did she cope with the early days of capitalism? Find out in this episode of The Final Curtain. Like our show? Sign up for our newsletter!       Time stamps [01:10] An unusual single mom [06:00] How Iryna became a businesswoman... for one day only [07:50] The August Coup &amp; the uncertainty it brought on [11:17] Why didn't she go to work abroad? [14:15] And what was she doing instead?  [19:10] Credits       Further reading   Photos of Everyday Life in Ukraine in the 1990s // on Slate.com    Wearing Adibas &amp; Fuma: Memories from Growing up in the 1990s  // on Culture.pl   Anne Applebaum Recalls Poland's Food Revolution // on Culture.pl   Coup of August 1991 // on Wikipedia.org   Andrei Sakharov // on Wikipedia.org         Credits Written &amp; produced by Wojciech Oleksiak &amp; Żenia Klimakin Edited by Adam Zulawski Scoring &amp; sound design by Wojciech Oleksiak Hosted by Nitzan Reisner &amp; Adam Zulawski

How a single mother in Kyiv experienced the end of the USSR and survived the harsh economic realities of life in post-communist Ukraine in the early 1990s. Part of our mini-series The Final Curtain. Iryna Tkachenko is a music conservatory graduate and journalist who became a single mother just a couple of years before the demise of the Soviet Union and the political and economic turbulence that followed the fall of the Iron Curtain. Her wage as a radio journalist wasn't really enough to survive, but after the complete collapse of the Ukrainian economy,  you were considered lucky to have a job at all. She bought clothes at second-hand shops and travelled to Moscow to buy things that you couldn't get in the mostly empty stores of Kyiv. She took on extra jobs and did whatever she could to survive but never lost her positive outlook on life. How did Iryna end up selling toy cars on the streets of Kyiv? How did she and her friends react to the putsch of August 1991? How did she cope with the early days of capitalism? Find out in this episode of The Final Curtain. Like our show? <a href="https://stories.subscribemenow.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sign up for our newsletter!</a> Time stamps [01:10] An unusual single mom [06:00] How Iryna became a businesswoman... for one day only [07:50] The August Coup &amp; the uncertainty it brought on [11:17] Why didn't she go to work abroad? [14:15] And what was she doing instead?  [19:10] Credits Further reading <ul> <li> <a href="https://slate.com/culture/2016/08/adam-hinton-photographs-ukraine-after-independence-in-the-early-1990s.html" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Photos of Everyday Life in Ukraine in the 1990s</a> // on <a href="http://Slate.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Slate.com</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://culture.pl/en/article/adidas-fuma-growing-up-in-1990s-poland" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Wearing Adibas &amp; Fuma: Memories from Growing up in the 1990s </a> // on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://culture.pl/en/article/anne-applebaum-recalls-polands-food-revolution" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Anne Applebaum Recalls Poland's Food Revolution</a> // on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1991_Soviet_coup_d%27%C3%A9tat_attempt" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Coup of August 1991</a> // on <a href="http://Wikipedia.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Wikipedia.org</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrei_Sakharov" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Andrei Sakharov</a> // on <a href="http://Wikipedia.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Wikipedia.org</a> </li> </ul> Credits Written &amp; produced by Wojciech Oleksiak &amp; Żenia Klimakin Edited by Adam Zulawski Scoring &amp; sound design by Wojciech Oleksiak Hosted by Nitzan Reisner &amp; Adam Zulawski

IRYNA

During WWII, the Third Reich had a systematic policy of plundering artwork from countries they invaded. In occupied Poland, this took place on a massive scale. Over half a million individual works of art were taken over the course of the war, including countless national treasures. But while some of these works of art were destined for the walls of high-ranking Nazi party officials and the planned Führermuseum, others were marked for destruction. In fact, there was one particular painting that the Germans were really keen to get rid of. ‘The Battle of Grunwald’ was painted by Jan Matejko in the late 19th century and portrayed a battle that had happened over 500 years ago, so why did the Third Reich want it gone so badly? And just how would it avoid being captured seeing as it was 10-metres long and weighed nearly a tonne? Like our show? Sign up for our newsletter!       Time stamps [00:58] How big is this painting then? [03:00] The evacuation begins [04:43] What makes this painting so wanted? [07:32] The journey continues and tragedy strikes [10:19] Time to hide this enormity somewhere safe... [14:48] ...with the hunt at its peak [16:09] The Germans are gone. What next? [18:20] Where is the painting today and is it worth seeing? [20:10] Credits       Further watching / listening  The Tale of the Battle of Grunwald / by the National Museum in Warsaw, on youtube.com (Polish Only) Hitler's Fuhrermuseum / by the Art Curious Podcast, an excellent episode about stolen art in WWII and Hitler's planned Fuhrermusem.        Further reading  The Battle of Grunwald Explained / on Culture.pl Jan Matejko's Battle of Grunwald / on Wikipedia.org The Battle of Grunwald (First Battle of Tannenberg) / on Wikipedia.org Nazi Plunder / on Wikipedia.org        Thanks Prof. Maria Poprzęcka / for talking to us about the history of the painting and its incredible war-time adventures. Poprzęcka is a professor of Art History at the University of Warsaw and presents an art history show on Polish Radio. Piotr Lisowski / for talking to us about the painting and its restoration, and sharing with us its many secrets. Lisowski is a paintings conservator at the National Museum in Warsaw. The National Museum in Warsaw / for their assistance. John Beauchamp / for becoming Piotr Lisowski's English voice. John is a seasoned radio journalist, currently working on Unseen Warsaw, a series of soundwalks located in Warsaw.  Grażyna Soczewka / for becoming the voice of Maria Poprzęcka. Grażyna is head of the Artists &amp; Works section at Culture.pl and is our go-to voice for many of our videos.       Credits   Written &amp; produced by Piotr Wołodźko   Edited by Adam Żuławski   Scoring &amp; sound design by Wojciech Oleksiak   Hosted by Nitzan Reisner &amp; Adam Żuławski  

During WWII, the Third Reich had a systematic policy of plundering artwork from countries they invaded. In occupied Poland, this took place on a massive scale. Over half a million individual works of art were taken over the course of the war, including countless national treasures. But while some of these works of art were destined for the walls of high-ranking Nazi party officials and the planned Führermuseum, others were marked for destruction. In fact, there was one particular painting that the Germans were really keen to get rid of. ‘The Battle of Grunwald’ was painted by Jan Matejko in the late 19th century and portrayed a battle that had happened over 500 years ago, so why did the Third Reich want it gone so badly? And just how would it avoid being captured seeing as it was 10-metres long and weighed nearly a tonne? Like our show? <a href="https://stories.subscribemenow.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sign up for our newsletter!</a> Time stamps [00:58] How big is this painting then? [03:00] The evacuation begins [04:43] What makes this painting so wanted? [07:32] The journey continues and tragedy strikes [10:19] Time to hide this enormity somewhere safe... [14:48] ...with the hunt at its peak [16:09] The Germans are gone. What next? [18:20] Where is the painting today and is it worth seeing? [20:10] Credits Further watching / listening <ul> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Yi2170hPSs" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">The Tale of the Battle of Grunwald</a> / by the National Museum in Warsaw, on <a href="http://youtube.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">youtube.com</a> (Polish Only)</li> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Yi2170hPSs" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Hitler's Fuhrermuseum</a> / by the Art Curious Podcast, an excellent episode about stolen art in WWII and Hitler's planned Fuhrermusem.</li> </ul> Further reading <ul> <li><a href="https://culture.pl/en/article/the-battle-of-grunwald-explained" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">The Battle of Grunwald Explained</a> / on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a></li> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Grunwald_(Matejko)" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Jan Matejko's Battle of Grunwald</a> / on <a href="http://Wikipedia.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Wikipedia.org</a></li> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Grunwald" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">The Battle of Grunwald (First Battle of Tannenberg)</a> / on <a href="http://Wikipedia.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Wikipedia.org</a></li> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazi_plunder" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Nazi Plunder</a> / on <a href="http://Wikipedia.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Wikipedia.org</a></li> </ul> Thanks Prof. Maria Poprzęcka / for talking to us about the history of the painting and its incredible war-time adventures. Poprzęcka is a professor of Art History at the University of Warsaw and presents an art history show on Polish Radio. Piotr Lisowski / for talking to us about the painting and its restoration, and sharing with us its many secrets. Lisowski is a paintings conservator at the National Museum in Warsaw. <a href="http://www.mnw.art.pl/en/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The National Museum in Warsaw</a> / for their assistance. John Beauchamp / for becoming Piotr Lisowski's English voice. John is a seasoned radio journalist, currently working on Unseen Warsaw, a series of soundwalks located in Warsaw.  Grażyna Soczewka / for becoming the voice of Maria Poprzęcka. Grażyna is head of the Artists &amp; Works section at <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a> and is our go-to voice for many of our videos. Credits <ul> <li> Written &amp; produced by Piotr Wołodźko </li> <li> Edited by Adam Żuławski </li> <li> Scoring &amp; sound design by Wojciech Oleksiak </li> <li> Hosted by Nitzan Reisner &amp; Adam Żuławski </li> </ul>

HUNT

Discover how Joseph Rotblat went from creating nuclear bombs to winning the Nobel Peace prize. The American bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki is generally considered to be one of the most, if not the most, important events of the 20th Century. It succeeded in bringing about Japanese capitulation and the end of the Second World War, but, at the same time, marked the advent of nuclear weapons. For the first time in history, civilizations could be completely wiped off the map with the push of a button. For most, this was a terrifying prospect. For a man Józef Rotblat, it was a call to action. In this episode, our hosts will tell you the remarkable story of Józef Rotblat, a nuclear physicist and peace activist. We’ll discuss the suffering he endured in his early life and how this shaped his worldview. We’ll talk about his time at the Manhattan Project and his motivations for leaving. We’ll also dedicate a significant portion of the episode to talking about Rotblat’s lifelong activism and his enduring legacy. Like our show? Sign up for our newsletter! Time stamps [02:00] Joseph Rotblat’s difficult youth [05:30] Rotblat’s involvement in the Project Manhattan [10:05] Is it even possible to leave a super secret military project? [12:00] How Hiroshima and Nagasaki made Rotblat become a vocal peace activist [16:50] What led to the founding of the Pugwash Conferences? [19:20] Noble Prize for Rotblat and Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs [21:00] Should scientists take a Hippocratic Oath of some sort? [24:20] Rotblat’s legacy and contribution to anti-nuclear movement Further reading   Dr. Rotblat: Or How I Learned to Start Worrying and Fear the Bomb  Polonium, Radium, Solidarity, and the Nuclear Bomb Voices of the Manhattan Project War and Peace in the Nuclear Age: Interview with Joseph Rotblat Joseph Rotblat 1995 Nobel Peace Prize Speech (Transcribed) Manhattan Project James Chadwick  Thanks Dr. Martin Sherwin / for being so kind and allowing us to interview him during his sabbatical. Martin Sherwin is an American historian. His scholarship mostly concerns the history of the development of atomic energy and nuclear proliferation.   SFTEW Team: Wojciech Oleksiak, Adam Zulawski, Lea Berriault, John Beauchamp, Nitzan Reisner &amp; Michael Keller

Discover how Joseph Rotblat went from creating nuclear bombs to winning the Nobel Peace prize. The American bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki is generally considered to be one of the most, if not the most, important events of the 20th Century. It succeeded in bringing about Japanese capitulation and the end of the Second World War, but, at the same time, marked the advent of nuclear weapons. For the first time in history, civilizations could be completely wiped off the map with the push of a button. For most, this was a terrifying prospect. For a man Józef Rotblat, it was a call to action. In this episode, our hosts will tell you the remarkable story of Józef Rotblat, a nuclear physicist and peace activist. We’ll discuss the suffering he endured in his early life and how this shaped his worldview. We’ll talk about his time at the Manhattan Project and his motivations for leaving. We’ll also dedicate a significant portion of the episode to talking about Rotblat’s lifelong activism and his enduring legacy. Like our show? <a href="https://stories.subscribemenow.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sign up for our newsletter!</a> Time stamps [02:00] Joseph Rotblat’s difficult youth [05:30] Rotblat’s involvement in the Project Manhattan [10:05] Is it even possible to leave a super secret military project? [12:00] How Hiroshima and Nagasaki made Rotblat become a vocal peace activist [16:50] What led to the founding of the Pugwash Conferences? [19:20] Noble Prize for Rotblat and Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs [21:00] Should scientists take a Hippocratic Oath of some sort? [24:20] Rotblat’s legacy and contribution to anti-nuclear movement Further reading <ul> <li><a href="http://culture.pl/en/article/dr-rotblat-or-how-i-learned-to-start-worrying-fear-the-bomb" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Dr. Rotblat: Or How I Learned to Start Worrying and Fear the Bomb</a></li> <li><a href="http://culture.pl/en/article/polonium-radium-solidarity-and-the-nuclear-bomb-polish-nobel-prize-winners" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Polonium, Radium, Solidarity, and the Nuclear Bomb</a></li> <li><a href="http://manhattanprojectvoices.org/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Voices of the Manhattan Project</a></li> <li><a href="http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/V_58342D1ADB7D4B0C971422389150CAC2" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">War and Peace in the Nuclear Age: Interview with Joseph Rotblat</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1995/rotblat-lecture.html" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Joseph Rotblat 1995 Nobel Peace Prize Speech (Transcribed)</a></li> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manhattan_Project" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Manhattan Project</a></li> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Chadwick" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">James Chadwick</a></li> </ul> Thanks <a href="http://www.wilsoncenter.org/person/martin-sherwin" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Dr. </a><a href="https://www.wilsoncenter.org/person/martin-sherwin" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Martin Sherwin</a> / for being so kind and allowing us to interview him during his sabbatical. Martin Sherwin is an American historian. His scholarship mostly concerns the history of the development of atomic energy and nuclear proliferation. SFTEW Team: Wojciech Oleksiak, Adam Zulawski, Lea Berriault, John Beauchamp, Nitzan Reisner &amp; Michael Keller

NUCLEAR

How a Romanian miner made political caricatures at a time when making fun of the country's leadership could mean a visit from the secret police.  After finishing university in 1978, Ion Barbu was assigned to the Petrila mine as a topographer. He only intended to be there briefly, but despite attempting other jobs such as local reporter and museum curator, he ended up staying at the mine for the next 15 years... How did Ion balance being both a miner and a political caricaturist? What happened when the secret police arrested him for mocking the Romanian president? How does he recall the sudden and violent fall of the Ceaușescu regime? Find out in this episode of The Final Curtain. Like our show? Sign up for our newsletter!       Time stamps [02:04] How Ion became a miner... [05:04] ... and a caricaturist [09:50] The Securitate, the dreaded secret police of communist Romania [12:34] How did the political changes look from inside the Petrila mine?  [16:47] Ion explains why 'We should say goodbye to the past laughing'  [18:42] Credits       Further reading &amp; watching   'Islands of culture' shape the future of the Jiu Valley, Romania // on Just-Transition.info    Beneath the Surface: The Occult Inspirations of Poland’s Legendary Naive Artist Coal Miners // on Culture.pl   Author Małgorzata Rejmer on Romania &amp; Albania // interview on Culture.pl   Planet Petrila: Documentary Feature Trailer // on Youtube         Credits Written &amp; produced by Monika Proba Clara Kleininger was our associate producer for this story Edited by Adam Zulawski &amp; Wojciech Oleksiak Scoring &amp; sound design by Wojciech Oleksiak Hosted by Nitzan Reisner &amp; Adam Zulawski The last song was performed by Fanfara Minerilor din Cavnic

How a Romanian miner made political caricatures at a time when making fun of the country's leadership could mean a visit from the secret police.  After finishing university in 1978, Ion Barbu was assigned to the Petrila mine as a topographer. He only intended to be there briefly, but despite attempting other jobs such as local reporter and museum curator, he ended up staying at the mine for the next 15 years... How did Ion balance being both a miner and a political caricaturist? What happened when the secret police arrested him for mocking the Romanian president? How does he recall the sudden and violent fall of the Ceaușescu regime? Find out in this episode of The Final Curtain. Like our show? <a href="https://stories.subscribemenow.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sign up for our newsletter!</a> Time stamps [02:04] How Ion became a miner... [05:04] ... and a caricaturist [09:50] The Securitate, the dreaded secret police of communist Romania [12:34] How did the political changes look from inside the Petrila mine?  [16:47] Ion explains why 'We should say goodbye to the past laughing'  [18:42] Credits Further reading &amp; watching <ul> <li> <a href="http://www.just-transition.info/islands-of-culture-shape-the-future-of-the-jiu-valley-romania" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">'Islands of culture' shape the future of the Jiu Valley, Romania</a> // on <a href="http://Just-Transition.info" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Just-Transition.info</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://culture.pl/en/article/naive-artist-coal-miners-occult-poland-silesia" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Beneath the Surface: The Occult Inspirations of Poland’s Legendary Naive Artist Coal Miners</a> // on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://culture.pl/en/article/malgorzata-rejmer-on-romania-and-albania-interview" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Author Małgorzata Rejmer on Romania &amp; Albania</a> // interview on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inJ4zyAxplw" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Planet Petrila: Documentary Feature Trailer</a> // on Youtube </li> </ul> Credits Written &amp; produced by Monika Proba Clara Kleininger was our associate producer for this story Edited by Adam Zulawski &amp; Wojciech Oleksiak Scoring &amp; sound design by Wojciech Oleksiak Hosted by Nitzan Reisner &amp; Adam Zulawski The last song was performed by Fanfara Minerilor din Cavnic

The Czech shoe-maker Tomáš Bat'a was a visionary. A deep believer in capitalism, he dreamt up a unique functionalist city and started building it around his factories in the small town of Zlin. It became more succesful than he could have imagined. Bat’a moved on to redesigning how his workers engaged in relationships, spent free-time and were educated – the very way they lived. It seemed that before WWII, Zlin was a unique place, a sort of... living UTOPIA! Our producer Wojciech travelled to Zlin to do a reality check. How was the city doing almost a century after the death of its ‘founder’? Does it still live the utopian dream? What happened to the shoe factories and functionalist twin houses? This episode is a Stories From The Eastern West co-production with About Building and Cities, a highly-respected podcast about architecture. Follow them on Twitterand Instagram, and consider supporting them via their Patreon. Like our show? Sign up for our newsletter!       Time stamps [01:07] Early days of the Bat'a Company [02:43] The Bat'a ground rules [06:50] Luke &amp; George from AB+C break down Zlin's utopian architecture [14:02] Almost a hundred years apart, can we still judge the Batian system?  [19:20] Is it possible to export a city? [24:06] Thanks &amp; credits       Further watching Standing on Solid Ground / a gallery of Zlin’s most interesting sites / on Monocle.com Further reading Standing on Solid Ground / on Monocle.com Designing for Living in Czech Republic / from the New York Times Tourist map of Zlin / on use-it.travel       Thanks Mariusz Szczygieł / for writing Gottland, the book that was stuck in our producer’s head for over a decade and inspired the whole journey. He is an highly-renowned journalist and writer. Vit Jakubicek / for spending many hours with our producer and explaining the Batian system in great detail. Vit is a curator at the Zlin Regional Gallery and a lecturer at Tomas Bata University in Zlin. Sonya Zhuravlyeva / for sharing her Zlin contacts with us. Sonya wrote an absolutely great article about Zlin for Monocle titled Standing On Solid Ground. She’s a freelance journalist, sub-editor and copywriter based in London. Pavel Velev / for inviting us to the Bata Foundation villa and kindly devoting to us a good portion of his last day at work before he went on vacation. Pavel is director of the Tomas Bata Foundation. Dr Zdenek Pokluda / for beautifully telling us the story of Batian business adventures. He is the author of a trilogy about Batian Zlin and a scholar at Tomas Bata University in Zlin. Milan Balaban / for interpreting our interview with Dr Pokluda. Milan is a scholar at Tomas Bata University as well as a very helpful and kind man. Lucie Smardova / for warmly inviting us to a local event and later to her home in one of the Bata houses. Lucy is an art historian and activist, she organises events popularising knowledge about Zlin’s original architecture and history. Together with her husband, she runs the Bata Infopoint, a good place to start discovering Zlin’s residential area. Episode credits   Wojciech Oleksiak: script, scoring, sound design, mixing   Adam Zulawski: host, editing   Nitzan Reisner: host, guidance and protection   Luke Jones (AB+C): co-host   George Gingell (AB+C): co-host  

The Czech shoe-maker Tomáš Bat'a was a visionary. A deep believer in capitalism, he dreamt up a unique functionalist city and started building it around his factories in the small town of Zlin. It became more succesful than he could have imagined. Bat’a moved on to redesigning how his workers engaged in relationships, spent free-time and were educated – the very way they lived. It seemed that before WWII, Zlin was a unique place, a sort of... living UTOPIA! Our producer Wojciech travelled to Zlin to do a reality check. How was the city doing almost a century after the death of its ‘founder’? Does it still live the utopian dream? What happened to the shoe factories and functionalist twin houses? This episode is a Stories From The Eastern West co-production with <a href="https://aboutbuildingsandcities.org/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">About Building and Cities</a>, a highly-respected podcast about architecture. Follow them on <a href="https://twitter.com/about_buildings?lang=en" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Twitter</a>and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/about_buildings/?hl=en" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram</a>, and consider supporting them via their <a href="https://www.patreon.com/about_buildings" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Patreon</a>. Like our show? <a href="https://stories.subscribemenow.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sign up for our newsletter!</a> Time stamps [01:07] Early days of the Bat'a Company [02:43] The Bat'a ground rules [06:50] Luke &amp; George from AB+C break down Zlin's utopian architecture [14:02] Almost a hundred years apart, can we still judge the Batian system?  [19:20] Is it possible to export a city? [24:06] Thanks &amp; credits Further watching <a href="https://monocle.com/gallery/issues/96/standing-on-solid-ground/1/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Standing on Solid Ground</a> / a gallery of Zlin’s most interesting sites / on <a href="http://Monocle.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Monocle.com</a> Further reading <a href="https://monocle.com/magazine/issues/96/standing-on-solid-ground/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Standing on Solid Ground</a> / on <a href="http://Monocle.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Monocle.com</a> <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/25/travel/tmagazine/03talk.zlin.t.html" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Designing for Living in Czech Republic</a> / from the New York Times <a href="https://www.use-it.travel/cities/detail/zlin/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Tourist map of Zlin</a> / on <a href="http://use-it.travel" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">use-it.travel</a> Thanks <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariusz_Szczygie%C5%82" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Mariusz Szczygieł</a> / for writing <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Gottland-Mostly-True-Stories-Czechoslovakia/dp/1612193137" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Gottland</a>, the book that was stuck in our producer’s head for over a decade and inspired the whole journey. He is an highly-renowned journalist and writer. <a href="https://fmk.utb.cz/en/contacts/mgr-vit-jakubicek-2/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Vit Jakubicek</a> / for spending many hours with our producer and explaining the Batian system in great detail. Vit is a curator at the <a href="https://www.galeriezlin.cz/en/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Zlin Regional Gallery</a> and a lecturer at <a href="https://www.utb.cz/en/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Tomas Bata University in Zlin</a>. <a href="https://soniazhuravlyova.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sonya Zhuravlyeva</a> / for sharing her Zlin contacts with us. Sonya wrote an absolutely great article about Zlin for <a href="https://monocle.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Monocle</a> titled Standing On Solid Ground. She’s a freelance journalist, sub-editor and copywriter based in London. Pavel Velev / for inviting us to the <a href="https://batova-vila.cz/en/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Bata Foundation</a> villa and kindly devoting to us a good portion of his last day at work before he went on vacation. Pavel is director of the Tomas Bata Foundation. Dr Zdenek Pokluda / for beautifully telling us the story of Batian business adventures. He is the author of <a href="http://www.knihazlin.cz/autori/zdenek-pokluda" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">a trilogy about Batian Zlin</a> and a scholar at Tomas Bata University in Zlin. Milan Balaban / for interpreting our interview with Dr Pokluda. Milan is a scholar at Tomas Bata University as well as a very helpful and kind man. Lucie Smardova / for warmly inviting us to a local event and later to her home in one of the Bata houses. Lucy is an art historian and activist, she organises events popularising knowledge about Zlin’s original architecture and history. Together with her husband, she runs the <a href="http://www.ic-zlin.com/24994-architecture" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Bata Infopoint</a>, a good place to start discovering Zlin’s residential area. Episode credits <ul> <li> Wojciech Oleksiak: script, scoring, sound design, mixing </li> <li> Adam Zulawski: host, editing </li> <li> Nitzan Reisner: host, guidance and protection </li> <li> Luke Jones (AB+C): co-host </li> <li> George Gingell (AB+C): co-host </li> </ul>

SHOETOPIA

How Polish opposition activists began transmitting their own pirate radio and 'hacked' communist-run state TV. Part of our mini-series The Final Curtain. Wojciech Stawiszyński was an opposition activist, who suddenly found himself in charge of running Radio Solidarność, a mobile radio station that would be the voice of the pro-democracy Solidarity movement. Their success depended on a sophisticated game of cat and mouse with the authorities, with each broadcast taking place at a new location. In the darkest period of martial law, they had to resort to incredibly complicated ways of operating, funding, broadcasting and even communicating with each other. Did they make it through? Did they manage to outmaneuver the communist secret services? What happened when communism was gone? Find out in the latest episode of The Final Curtain. Like our show? Sign up for our newsletter! Click here to listen to the Polish version of this episode!       Time stamps [01:08] How Wojciech found himself in charge of the outlawed Radio Solidarność [03:50] How do you reach listeners when the secret police is on your back? [05:55] Radio Solidarność programme content [09:05] Outsmarting the communist regime with technology [14:35] Hardships and low points [16:42] How to live a dangerous dual life [20:36] Adjusting to capitalism after 1989       Further reading   Radio Solidarity, On The Air, Defies Polish Regime // on NYT.com   Poland's Walk to Freedom in 13 Iconic Photos // on Culture.pl   Solidarność: Poland, Word by Word // on Culture.pl   Posters of Solidarity from 1980 to 1989 // on Culture.pl         Credits Written &amp; produced by Wojciech Oleksiak Edited by Adam Zulawski Scoring &amp; sound design by Wojciech Oleksiak Music by Blue Note Sessions Hosted by Nitzan Reisner &amp; Adam Zulawski

How Polish opposition activists began transmitting their own pirate radio and 'hacked' communist-run state TV. Part of our mini-series The Final Curtain. Wojciech Stawiszyński was an opposition activist, who suddenly found himself in charge of running Radio Solidarność, a mobile radio station that would be the voice of the pro-democracy Solidarity movement. Their success depended on a sophisticated game of cat and mouse with the authorities, with each broadcast taking place at a new location. In the darkest period of martial law, they had to resort to incredibly complicated ways of operating, funding, broadcasting and even communicating with each other. Did they make it through? Did they manage to outmaneuver the communist secret services? What happened when communism was gone? Find out in the latest episode of The Final Curtain. Like our show? <a href="https://stories.subscribemenow.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sign up for our newsletter!</a> <a href="https://culture.pl/pl/podcast/wojciech-stawiszynski" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Click here</a> to listen to the Polish version of this episode! Time stamps [01:08] How Wojciech found himself in charge of the outlawed Radio Solidarność [03:50] How do you reach listeners when the secret police is on your back? [05:55] Radio Solidarność programme content [09:05] Outsmarting the communist regime with technology [14:35] Hardships and low points [16:42] How to live a dangerous dual life [20:36] Adjusting to capitalism after 1989 Further reading <ul> <li> <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1982/04/13/world/radio-solidarity-on-the-air-defies-polish-regime.html" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Radio Solidarity, On The Air, Defies Polish Regime</a> // on <a href="http://NYT.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">NYT.com</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://culture.pl/en/article/polands-walk-to-freedom-in-13-iconic-photos" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Poland's Walk to Freedom in 13 Iconic Photos</a> // on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://culture.pl/en/article/solidarnosc-poland-word-by-word" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Solidarność: Poland, Word by Word</a> // on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://culture.pl/en/gallery/posters-of-solidarity-from-1980-to-1989-image-gallery" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Posters of Solidarity from 1980 to 1989</a> // on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a> </li> </ul> Credits Written &amp; produced by Wojciech Oleksiak Edited by Adam Zulawski Scoring &amp; sound design by Wojciech Oleksiak Music by Blue Note Sessions Hosted by Nitzan Reisner &amp; Adam Zulawski

WOJCIECH

The story of a man who mesmerised half a continent... Get it on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | Overcast | RSS | Direct download In 1989 the Cold War was coming to an end. Soviet Union and the whole Eastern Bloc were crumbling. There was confusion everywhere. One day, state television channel started showing something really strange. A man, looking like Doctor’s Spock muscly brother, was staring at the camera promising to programme people’s brains and free them from all the pain and suffering. Who was he? Where did he come from? Did his methods have anything to do with medicine or science? Or, was he just another charlatan who profited from people’s insecurities in turbulent times? Listen to MESMERISED, a Stories From The Eastern West episode on the rise and fall of Anatoly Kashpirovsky, a man who mesmerised half a continent. Like our show? Sign up for our newsletter! You can also follow SFTEW on Twitter, Facebook &amp; Instagram.       Further reading   A Common Madness / on bbk.ac.uk  Anatoly Kashpirovsky, Russia’s New Rasputin / on TheGuardian.com  A Psychic Healer Tried to Hypnotize Soviets to Distract from the Fall of Communism / on Atlas Obscura  Memories from growing up in 1990s Poland / on Culture.pl        Further watching  Kashpirovsky wishing his Youtube followers a happy 2019 / on Youtube A 72-year-old Kashpirovsky lifting 245kg (540lb) / on Youtube The first full episode of Kashpirovsky’s TV show, 8th October 1989 / on Youtube Highlight footage of Kashpirovsky meeting with a live audience in 1989 / on Youtube Footage from the live operation on Lyubov Grabovskaya, 31st March 1988 / on Youtube        Thanks Żenia Klimakin / for recounting his meeting with Kashpirovsky from a few years back. Żenia is a journalist at Culture.pl/ru. Krzysztof Rowiński / for delivering wonderful voice over for Żenia Klimakin to open and close this episode. Krzysztof is a PhD scholar in Comparative Literature at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Maria Litwin / for being resistant to Kashpirowsky's super powers and telling us what she saw, when nobody else was looking. Polina Justova / for becoming the English voice of Maria Litwin. Polina is an editor for Culture.pl/ru and also works as a literary translator and language teacher. Jan Morawicki / for helping us build a political perspective on those hectic times. Jan Morawicki was born in Saint Petersburg in Russia. He is a journalist and anthropologist working at the University of Łódź, Poland Jerzy Oleksiak / for devoting his time to becoming Jan Morawicki’s English doppelganger. Jerzy is a former intern at Culture.pl, but now digs holes in the desert, looking for traces of extraterrestrial presence back in Ancient Egypt. Romuald Polczyk / for explaining why hypnosis can actually work. Dr Polczyk works at the Institute of Psychology at the Jagiellonian University. He wrote his doctoral thesis on hypnosis. John Beauchamp / for becoming Kashpirovsky’s dusty English voice. John is a seasoned radio journalist, currently working on Unseen Warsaw, a series of soundwalks located in Warsaw.   Zuzanna Grębecka / for helping us dig into the meanderings of Soviet pop culture and science. Dr. Grębacka works at the Institute of Polish Culture at the University of Warsaw. Grażyna Soczewka / for becoming the voice of Zuzanna Grębecka. Grażyna is head of the Artists &amp; Works section at Culture.pl and is our go-to voice for many of our videos.  Marcin Kuropatwa / for inviting us into his childhood memories where Kashpirovsky was capable of anything. Marcin Kuropatwa is an ethnographer and a musician, and works for the National Museum of Ethnography in Warsaw.       Credits   Written &amp; produced by Monika Proba   Edited by Adam Żuławski   Scoring &amp; sound design by Wojciech Oleksiak   Hosted by Adam Żuławski, Monika Proba &amp; Nitzan Reisner  

The story of a man who mesmerised half a continent... Get it on: <a href="http://bit.ly/Storiesftewww" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Apple Podcasts</a> | <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/09JsYwD7m6fRY96pQqCwII" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Spotify</a> | <a href="https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/culturepl/stories-from-the-eastern-west" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Stitcher</a> | <a href="https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cDovL2N1bHR1cmVwbC5saWJzeW4uY29tL3Jzcw" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Google Podcasts</a> | <a href="https://overcast.fm/itunes1276110446/stories-from-the-eastern-west" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Overcast</a> | <a href="http://culturepl.libsyn.com/rss" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">RSS</a> | <a href="http://traffic.libsyn.com/culturepl/S2E06_MESMERISED.mp3" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Direct download</a> In 1989 the Cold War was coming to an end. Soviet Union and the whole Eastern Bloc were crumbling. There was confusion everywhere. One day, state television channel started showing something really strange. A man, looking like Doctor’s Spock muscly brother, was staring at the camera promising to programme people’s brains and free them from all the pain and suffering. Who was he? Where did he come from? Did his methods have anything to do with medicine or science? Or, was he just another charlatan who profited from people’s insecurities in turbulent times? Listen to MESMERISED, a Stories From The Eastern West episode on the rise and fall of Anatoly Kashpirovsky, a man who mesmerised half a continent. Like our show? <a href="https://stories.subscribemenow.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sign up for our newsletter!</a> You can also follow SFTEW on <a href="https://twitter.com/sftewpodcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SFTEWpodcast/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook</a> &amp; <a href="https://www.instagram.com/sftewpodcast/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram</a>. Further reading <ul> <li><a href="http://www.bbk.ac.uk/hiddenpersuaders/blog/a-common-madness-tv-psychics-and-hypnosis-in-the-soviet-union/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> A Common Madness</a> / on <a href="http://bbk.ac.uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">bbk.ac.uk</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/jun/06/marc-bennetts-anatoly-kashpirovsky-russia-rasputin" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Anatoly Kashpirovsky, Russia’s New Rasputin</a> / on <a href="http://TheGuardian.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">TheGuardian.com</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/faith-healer-hypnotize-soviet-union" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> A Psychic Healer Tried to Hypnotize Soviets to Distract from the Fall of Communism</a> / on Atlas Obscura</li> <li><a href="https://culture.pl/en/article/wearing-adibas-fuma-memories-from-growing-up-in-1990s-poland" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Memories from growing up in 1990s Poland</a> / on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a></li> </ul> Further watching <ul> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yr0YraymC4g" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kashpirovsky wishing his Youtube followers a happy 2019</a> / on Youtube</li> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jt43qJoO60E" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">A 72-year-old Kashpirovsky lifting 245kg (540lb</a>) / on Youtube</li> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFDMJ3KkKrg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The first full episode of Kashpirovsky’s TV show, 8th October 1989</a> / on Youtube</li> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ov3FR6i5qM" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Highlight footage of Kashpirovsky meeting with a live audience in 1989</a> / on Youtube</li> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ch6ZDYanz5M" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Footage from the live operation on Lyubov Grabovskaya, 31st March 1988</a> / on Youtube</li> </ul> Thanks Żenia Klimakin / for recounting his meeting with Kashpirovsky from a few years back. Żenia is a journalist at <a href="http://Culture.pl/ru" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl/ru</a>. Krzysztof Rowiński / for delivering wonderful voice over for Żenia Klimakin to open and close this episode. Krzysztof is a PhD scholar in Comparative Literature at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Maria Litwin / for being resistant to Kashpirowsky's super powers and telling us what she saw, when nobody else was looking. Polina Justova / for becoming the English voice of Maria Litwin. Polina is an editor for <a href="http://Culture.pl/ru" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl/ru</a> and also works as a literary translator and language teacher. Jan Morawicki / for helping us build a political perspective on those hectic times. Jan Morawicki was born in Saint Petersburg in Russia. He is a journalist and anthropologist working at the University of Łódź, Poland Jerzy Oleksiak / for devoting his time to becoming Jan Morawicki’s English doppelganger. Jerzy is a former intern at <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a>, but now digs holes in the desert, looking for traces of extraterrestrial presence back in Ancient Egypt. Romuald Polczyk / for explaining why hypnosis can actually work. Dr Polczyk works at the Institute of Psychology at the Jagiellonian University. He wrote his doctoral thesis on hypnosis. John Beauchamp / for becoming Kashpirovsky’s dusty English voice. John is a seasoned radio journalist, currently working on Unseen Warsaw, a series of soundwalks located in Warsaw.   Zuzanna Grębecka / for helping us dig into the meanderings of Soviet pop culture and science. Dr. Grębacka works at the Institute of Polish Culture at the University of Warsaw. Grażyna Soczewka / for becoming the voice of Zuzanna Grębecka. Grażyna is head of the Artists &amp; Works section at <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a> and is our go-to voice for many of our videos. Marcin Kuropatwa / for inviting us into his childhood memories where Kashpirovsky was capable of anything. Marcin Kuropatwa is an ethnographer and a musician, and works for the National Museum of Ethnography in Warsaw. Credits <ul> <li> Written &amp; produced by Monika Proba </li> <li> Edited by Adam Żuławski </li> <li> Scoring &amp; sound design by Wojciech Oleksiak </li> <li> Hosted by Adam Żuławski, Monika Proba &amp; Nitzan Reisner </li> </ul>

MESMERISED

In 1863, the 3-year-old Ignacy Jan Paderewski probably wasn’t aware that his fellow Polish countrymen were in the midst of a doomed uprising against the autocratic ruler of his homeland. But he de­finitely knew something was wrong when Russian Tsarist police arrested his father, dragging him away while the young Ignacy tried to stop them. As a young man, Paderewski was determined to do something about his country's plight. It had been completely wiped off the map almost a century earlier, and as the 19th century came to a close, an independent Poland seemed impossible. Using rifles and sabres to win freedom clearly wasn’t going to be enough. A different kind of weapon had to be found. For Paderewski, this weapon would be music... This episode was produced with the help of the National Museum in Warsaw. Like our show? Sign up for our newsletter!       Time stamps [00:28] The many stories about Paderewski we don't tell  [01:36] Historical Background [03:48] Paderewski chooses music as his weapon of choice... [06:57] ...and becomes a superstar... [11:29] ...only to turn into a politician [15:04] World War I  [21:50] Paderewski puts Poland back on the map... [23:36] ...and returns to music! [25:17] Thanks and credits       Further reading  Biography of Ignacy Jan Paderewski / on Culture.pl  Paderewski, Modjeska &amp; Curie: Shaping Independent Poland from the Outside / on Culture.pl Paderewski by Adam Zamoyski / book on Amazon  Celebrating Chopin &amp; Paderewski by Marek Żebrowski / book on Amazon Helena Paderewska: Memoirs, 1910–1920 by Maciej Siekierski / book on Amazon Paderewski / exhibition catalogue from the National Museum of Warsaw Ignacy Jan Paderewski / on Wikipedia        Further watching &amp; listening  Moonlight Sonata – a feature film from 1937 with the only available footage of Paderewski performing / on YouTube.com Nelson Goerner &amp; the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra play Paderewski's Piano Concerto in A minor op. 17 / on YouTube.com Marek Żebrowski &amp; cellist Lars Hoefs play a concert in Paderewski's former manor / on Youtube.com Marek Żebrowski talks about the Paderewski Festival's youth competition held every year in California / on Youtube.com        Thanks Marek Żebrowski / for sharing with us his extensive expertise on Paderewski, and even playing Paderewski’s pieces for us on the piano. Marek is a concert pianist and composer, as well as director of the Polish Music Center at USC Thornton School of Music. He is also director of the Paderewski Festival in Paso Robles, California, Adam Zamoyski/ for telling us about how Paderewski rose to become a world-famous pianist and the first prime minister of a newly-independent Poland. He is a London-based historian and best-selling author. ​​​​Nelson Goerner / for agreeing to talk to us about Paderewski as a performer and composer. Nelson is a renowned Argentinian concert pianist. In 2015, he recorded Paderewski’s piano concerto with the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra. The National Museum in Warsaw / our partner for this episode, for their knowledge, support and co-operation, especially Ewa Drygalska &amp; Magdalena Pinker. Eliza Rose &amp; Nial Morgan / for tape syncing the interview with Marek Żebrowski at his LA home 9 timezones away.       SFTEW team credits  Wojciech Oleksiak: editing, scoring, sound design, mixing Piotr Wołodźko: production Nitzan Reisner: host, wind beneath our wings Adam Zulawski: host, script 

In 1863, the 3-year-old Ignacy Jan Paderewski probably wasn’t aware that his fellow Polish countrymen were in the midst of a doomed uprising against the autocratic ruler of his homeland. But he de­finitely knew something was wrong when Russian Tsarist police arrested his father, dragging him away while the young Ignacy tried to stop them. As a young man, Paderewski was determined to do something about his country's plight. It had been completely wiped off the map almost a century earlier, and as the 19th century came to a close, an independent Poland seemed impossible. Using rifles and sabres to win freedom clearly wasn’t going to be enough. A different kind of weapon had to be found. For Paderewski, this weapon would be music... This episode was produced with the help of the <a href="http://www.mnw.art.pl/en/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">National Museum in Warsaw</a>. Like our show? <a href="https://stories.subscribemenow.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sign up for our newsletter!</a> Time stamps [00:28] The many stories about Paderewski we don't tell  [01:36] Historical Background [03:48] Paderewski chooses music as his weapon of choice... [06:57] ...and becomes a superstar... [11:29] ...only to turn into a politician [15:04] World War I  [21:50] Paderewski puts Poland back on the map... [23:36] ...and returns to music! [25:17] Thanks and credits Further reading <ul> <li><a href="https://culture.pl/en/artist/ignacy-jan-paderewski" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Biography of Ignacy Jan Paderewski</a> / on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a></li> <li><a href="https://culture.pl/en/article/paderewski-modjeska-curie-shaping-independent-poland-from-the-outside" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Paderewski, Modjeska &amp; Curie: Shaping Independent Poland from the Outside</a> / on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Paderewski-Adam-Zamoyski/dp/0689112483" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Paderewski</a> by Adam Zamoyski / book on Amazon</li> <li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Celebrating-Chopin-Paderewski-Marek-Zebrowski/dp/8391976947" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Celebrating Chopin &amp; Paderewski</a> by Marek Żebrowski / book on Amazon</li> <li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Helena-Paderewska-1910-1920-Maciej-Siekierski-ebook/dp/B0165WNB5C/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Helena Paderewska: Memoirs, 1910–1920</a> by Maciej Siekierski / book on Amazon</li> <li><a href="http://www.mnw.art.pl/en/publications/temporary-exhibitions/catalogues/paderewski,18.html" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Paderewski</a> / exhibition catalogue from the National Museum of Warsaw</li> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ignacy_Jan_Paderewski" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Ignacy Jan Paderewski</a> / on Wikipedia</li> </ul> Further watching &amp; listening <ul> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZM3sWUAexaM" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Moonlight Sonata – a feature film from 1937 with the only available footage of Paderewski performing</a> / on <a href="http://YouTube.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">YouTube.com</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjAcTfyrr2M" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Nelson Goerner &amp; the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra play Paderewski's Piano Concerto in A minor op. 17</a> / on <a href="http://YouTube.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">YouTube.com</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swz3z4JaVMA" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Marek Żebrowski &amp; cellist Lars Hoefs play a concert in Paderewski's former manor</a> / on <a href="http://Youtube.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Youtube.com</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsPy5Kk1U7A" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Marek Żebrowski talks about the Paderewski Festival's youth competition held every year in California</a> / on <a href="http://Youtube.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Youtube.com</a></li> </ul> Thanks <a href="http://www.lamusicalsalon.org/marek-zebrowski/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Marek Żebrowski</a> / for sharing with us his extensive expertise on Paderewski, and even playing Paderewski’s pieces for us on the piano. Marek is a concert pianist and composer, as well as director of the Polish Music Center at <a href="https://music.usc.edu/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">USC Thornton School of Music</a>. He is also director of the Paderewski Festival in Paso Robles, California, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Zamoyski" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Adam Zamoyski</a>/ for telling us about how Paderewski rose to become a world-famous pianist and the first prime minister of a newly-independent Poland. He is a London-based historian and best-selling author. ​​​​<a href="https://www.nelsongoerner.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Nelson Goerner</a> / for agreeing to talk to us about Paderewski as a performer and composer. Nelson is a renowned Argentinian concert pianist. In 2015, he recorded Paderewski’s piano concerto with the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra. <a href="http://www.mnw.art.pl/en/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">The National Museum in Warsaw</a> / our partner for this episode, for their knowledge, support and co-operation, especially Ewa Drygalska &amp; Magdalena Pinker. Eliza Rose &amp; Nial Morgan / for tape syncing the interview with Marek Żebrowski at his LA home 9 timezones away. SFTEW team credits <ul> <li>Wojciech Oleksiak: editing, scoring, sound design, mixing</li> <li>Piotr Wołodźko: production</li> <li>Nitzan Reisner: host, wind beneath our wings</li> <li>Adam Zulawski: host, script</li> </ul>

SUPERSTAR

The German Democratic Republic was known for being one of the more politically repressive countries in the former Eastern bloc, with its Stasi secret police keeping a firm grip on any form of dissent. But it is also known for its long tradition of nude bathing – known in Germany as Free Body Culture or FKK. In the mid-1950s, this tradition came under threat as the GDR government tried to ban nude bathing completely. Unexpectedly for a country that had no tolerance for dissent, the East German fans of Free Body Culture fought back… Like our show? Sign up for our newsletter! Time stamps [00:19] Imagine it's the middle of summer [02:21] Train across the border [03:43] Meeting Dr Wolle [04:57] A bit of history [06:45] Lake Motzener [08:33] The 1930s &amp; WWII [09:57] The birth of the DDR [12:39] FKK outlawed [15:07] Opening of the floodgates [17:13] Mass popularity [18:07] The Iron Curtain falls [20:00] Free Body Culture survives? [21:35] Conclusion [22:46] Credits Further watching  1976 News Report from an East German Beach (with Christmas Carols?!) / at mdr.de (Central German Broadcasting) CONTAINS NUDITY (in German)  Further reading  Freikorperkultur (Free Body Culture) explained / at Wikipedia.org Nudity in Germany: The Naked Truth / at CNN Travel Will Public Nakedness Fade Out in Germany? / at Citylab.com Love in the Time of Communism / book by Josie McLellan at Amazon.com. The chapter on FKK in East Germany was an invaluable resource in researching this topic.  Thanks Dr Stefan Wolle / for sharing with us his knowledge about the origins of Free Body Culture and its popularity in the former East Germany. Dr Wolle is the Head of the Research Department at the DDR Museum in Berlin. Reinhard Gens / for inviting us to visit the AKK Birkenheide eV: FKK Verein (Birkenheide General Body Culture Association) at Lake Motzener, and for speaking to me about the history of FKK and his own experiences. Reinhard is retired and an FKK enthusiastic since the late 1950s. Jürgen Krull / for inviting us to his club and talking to me about the history of FKK and Adolf Koch. Jurgen Krull is the President of the Familien-Sport-Verein Adolf Koch e. V. (Adolf Koch Family Sports Association) in Berlin. Mark / for talking to us about this experiences with FKK. Mark is an FKK enthusiast and member of the Adolf Koch Family Sports Association. The DDR Museum in Berlin / for their assistance. The DDR Museum is located in Central Berlin and is open 365 days a year. Colin Delargy &amp; Sabrina Schaffarczyk / for their linguistic assistance and helping Piotr navigate the Berlin FKK scene. John Beauchamp / for becoming Dr Wolle's English voice. John is a seasoned radio journalist, currently working on Unseen Warsaw, a series of soundwalks located in Warsaw.  Credits   Written, produced &amp; presented by Piotr Wołodźko   Edited by Adam Żuławski   Scoring &amp; sound design by Wojciech Oleksiak   Hosted by Nitzan Reisner &amp; Adam Żuławski  

The German Democratic Republic was known for being one of the more politically repressive countries in the former Eastern bloc, with its Stasi secret police keeping a firm grip on any form of dissent. But it is also known for its long tradition of nude bathing – known in Germany as Free Body Culture or FKK. In the mid-1950s, this tradition came under threat as the GDR government tried to ban nude bathing completely. Unexpectedly for a country that had no tolerance for dissent, the East German fans of Free Body Culture fought back… Like our show? <a href="https://stories.subscribemenow.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sign up for our newsletter!</a> Time stamps [00:19] Imagine it's the middle of summer [02:21] Train across the border [03:43] Meeting Dr Wolle [04:57] A bit of history [06:45] Lake Motzener [08:33] The 1930s &amp; WWII [09:57] The birth of the DDR [12:39] FKK outlawed [15:07] Opening of the floodgates [17:13] Mass popularity [18:07] The Iron Curtain falls [20:00] Free Body Culture survives? [21:35] Conclusion [22:46] Credits Further watching <ul> <li><a href="https://www.mdr.de/zeitreise/video139582.html" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">1976 News Report from an East German Beach (with Christmas Carols?!)</a> / at <a href="http://mdr.de" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">mdr.de</a> (Central German Broadcasting) CONTAINS NUDITY (in German)</li> </ul> Further reading <ul> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freik%C3%B6rperkultur" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Freikorperkultur (Free Body Culture) explained</a> / at <a href="http://Wikipedia.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Wikipedia.org</a></li> <li><a href="https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/naked-germany/index.html" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Nudity in Germany: The Naked Truth</a> / at CNN Travel</li> <li><a href="https://www.citylab.com/life/2017/04/fight-over-naked-parks-beaches-germany/523710/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Will Public Nakedness Fade Out in Germany?</a> / at <a href="http://Citylab.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Citylab.com</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Love-Time-Communism-Intimacy-Sexuality/dp/0521727618" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Love in the Time of Communism</a> / book by Josie McLellan at <a href="http://Amazon.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Amazon.com</a>. The chapter on FKK in East Germany was an invaluable resource in researching this topic.</li> </ul> Thanks Dr Stefan Wolle / for sharing with us his knowledge about the origins of Free Body Culture and its popularity in the former East Germany. Dr Wolle is the Head of the Research Department at the DDR Museum in Berlin. Reinhard Gens / for inviting us to visit the AKK Birkenheide eV: FKK Verein (Birkenheide General Body Culture Association) at Lake Motzener, and for speaking to me about the history of FKK and his own experiences. Reinhard is retired and an FKK enthusiastic since the late 1950s. Jürgen Krull / for inviting us to his club and talking to me about the history of FKK and Adolf Koch. Jurgen Krull is the President of the Familien-Sport-Verein Adolf Koch e. V. (Adolf Koch Family Sports Association) in Berlin. Mark / for talking to us about this experiences with FKK. Mark is an FKK enthusiast and member of the Adolf Koch Family Sports Association. <a href="https://www.ddr-museum.de/en/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The DDR Museum in Berlin</a> / for their assistance. The DDR Museum is located in Central Berlin and is open 365 days a year. Colin Delargy &amp; Sabrina Schaffarczyk / for their linguistic assistance and helping Piotr navigate the Berlin FKK scene. John Beauchamp / for becoming Dr Wolle's English voice. John is a seasoned radio journalist, currently working on Unseen Warsaw, a series of soundwalks located in Warsaw.  Credits <ul> <li> Written, produced &amp; presented by Piotr Wołodźko </li> <li> Edited by Adam Żuławski </li> <li> Scoring &amp; sound design by Wojciech Oleksiak </li> <li> Hosted by Nitzan Reisner &amp; Adam Żuławski </li> </ul>

NAKED

Hear the pole-vaulter who offended the entire Soviet Union at the 1980 Olympics in Moscow explain himself. Władysław Kozakiewicz, a pole-vaulter who dominated the event for over a decade, didn’t have much luck during the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal. Despite being a strong favourite, he failed to medal, after his foot broke while taking a warm-up jump. Four years later, he was healthy and ready to make up for the Montreal upset – but there were other adversities to overcome. The Moscow Olympics was overshadowed by a massive boycott – many Western sports powers had pulled out in condemnation of the Soviet-Afghan War. The overall atmosphere was gruesome and to make things even worse, the judges were doing their best to make sure athletes from the Soviet Union won. And then there was the crowd.... easily 70 000 people, booing, jeering and whistling at every non-soviet athlete. Kozakiewicz felt strong and challenged them in the most provocative way possible. If you want to know how it ended, and how far the repercussions of his daring behaviour went, listen to the ARM, the very first episode of Season II of Stories From The Eastern West! This episode is a Stories From The Eastern West co-production with WBUR’s Only a Game. Check out their show and episode archive at http://www.wbur.org/onlyagame. Like our show? Sign up for our newsletter!       Time Stamps [00:54] The Black Power protest [02:09] Historical Background [03:10] The strange atmosphere of the Moscow Olympics [05:57] How the competition rolled out [08:37] The arm! [11:24] The aftermath of Kozakiewicz's controversial behaviour [13:52] Kozakiewicz's struggles with the Polish communist authorities [16:30] Thanks &amp; credits      Further Reading  Explaining Kozakiewicz’s Gesture: Poland’s Most Scandalous Arm / on Culture.pl Nie mówcie mi jak mam żyć by Władysław Kozakiewicz / book (in Polish only) on Amazon Władysław Kozakiewicz - Facts and Figures / on Wikipedia The 1980 Moscow Olympics Boycott / on Wilsoncenter.org Why Smith and Carlos Raised Their Fists / from the New York Times U.S. National Anthem Protests / on Wikipedia       Further Watching Władysław Kozakiewicz’s winning jump / on YouTube.com Black Power Salute / Mini documentary / on YouTube.com Renaud Lavillenie sets the current World Record  / on YouTube.com       Thanks Władysław Kozakiewicz / for sharing his story with us and giving us a ride from the train station to his home on the edge of a forest. Władysław Kozakiewicz is a legendary pole-vaulter, an Olympic gold medallist and a world record breaker. Joachim Ciecierski / for becoming Władysław Kozakiewicz’s English voice. Joachim is a long-time journalist at Radio Poland, Poland’s official international broadcasting station. DJ Spike &amp; Break Da Funk / for allowing us to use Masztalesz, the funky tune playing during the credits and throughout the bonus episode.       Credits Karen Given (Only a Game): editing Wojciech Oleksiak: script, scoring, sound design, mixing Nitzan Reisner: host, one-person pep rally Adam Zulawski: host, editing

Hear the pole-vaulter who offended the entire Soviet Union at the 1980 Olympics in Moscow explain himself. Władysław Kozakiewicz, a pole-vaulter who dominated the event for over a decade, didn’t have much luck during the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal. Despite being a strong favourite, he failed to medal, after his foot broke while taking a warm-up jump. Four years later, he was healthy and ready to make up for the Montreal upset – but there were other adversities to overcome. The Moscow Olympics was overshadowed by a massive boycott – many Western sports powers had pulled out in condemnation of the Soviet-Afghan War. The overall atmosphere was gruesome and to make things even worse, the judges were doing their best to make sure athletes from the Soviet Union won. And then there was the crowd.... easily 70 000 people, booing, jeering and whistling at every non-soviet athlete. Kozakiewicz felt strong and challenged them in the most provocative way possible. If you want to know how it ended, and how far the repercussions of his daring behaviour went, listen to the ARM, the very first episode of Season II of Stories From The Eastern West! This episode is a Stories From The Eastern West co-production with <a href="http://www.wbur.org/onlyagame" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">WBUR’s Only a Game</a>. Check out their show and episode archive at <a href="http://www.wbur.org/onlyagame" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.wbur.org/onlyagame</a>. Like our show? <a href="https://stories.subscribemenow.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sign up for our newsletter!</a> Time Stamps [00:54] The Black Power protest [02:09] Historical Background [03:10] The strange atmosphere of the Moscow Olympics [05:57] How the competition rolled out [08:37] The arm! [11:24] The aftermath of Kozakiewicz's controversial behaviour [13:52] Kozakiewicz's struggles with the Polish communist authorities [16:30] Thanks &amp; credits Further Reading <a href="https://culture.pl/en/article/kozakiewicz-pole-vault-olympics-scandal-poland" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Explaining Kozakiewicz’s Gesture: Poland’s Most Scandalous Arm</a> / on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nie-m%C3%B3wcie-jak-mam-zyc/dp/8326812811/ref=sr_1_1/258-2387833-5313836?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1540556113&amp;sr=1-1&amp;refinements=p_27%3AWladyslaw+Kozakiewicz" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Nie mówcie mi jak mam żyć</a> by Władysław Kozakiewicz / book (in Polish only) on Amazon <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W%C5%82adys%C5%82aw_Kozakiewicz" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Władysław Kozakiewicz - Facts and Figures</a> / on Wikipedia <a href="https://www.wilsoncenter.org/blog-post/the-1980-moscow-olympics-boycott" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">The 1980 Moscow Olympics Boycott</a> / on <a href="http://Wilsoncenter.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Wilsoncenter.org</a> <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/16/opinion/why-smith-and-carlos-raised-their-fists.html" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Why Smith and Carlos Raised Their Fists</a> / from the New York Times <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._national_anthem_protests_(2016%E2%80%93present)" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">U.S. National Anthem Protests</a> / on Wikipedia Further Watching <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aS1thKf99xY" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Władysław Kozakiewicz’s winning jump</a> / on <a href="http://YouTube.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">YouTube.com</a> <a href="https://youtu.be/QCNkW2kNcjw" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Black Power Salute / Mini documentary</a> / on <a href="http://YouTube.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">YouTube.com</a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvA7AZEyciM" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Renaud Lavillenie sets the current World Record</a>  / on <a href="http://YouTube.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">YouTube.com</a> Thanks <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W%C5%82adys%C5%82aw_Kozakiewicz" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Władysław Kozakiewicz</a> / for sharing his story with us and giving us a ride from the train station to his home on the edge of a forest. Władysław Kozakiewicz is a legendary pole-vaulter, an Olympic gold medallist and a world record breaker. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/takietamkwestie/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Joachim Ciecierski</a> / for becoming Władysław Kozakiewicz’s English voice. Joachim is a long-time journalist at Radio Poland, Poland’s official international broadcasting station. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/DjspikeBreakDaFunkSilaDzwieqFunkkrok/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">DJ Spike &amp; Break Da Funk</a> / for allowing us to use <a href="https://soundcloud.com/breakdafunk/masztalesz" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Masztalesz</a>, the funky tune playing during the credits and throughout the bonus episode. Credits Karen Given (Only a Game): editing Wojciech Oleksiak: script, scoring, sound design, mixing Nitzan Reisner: host, one-person pep rally Adam Zulawski: host, editing

How East Berlin's leading political cabaret tried to get their message through despite strict state censorship... and what happened when the system they were laughing at ceased to exist.  For the citizens of the GDR, laughter was often the best medicine when dealing with the absurdities of the political system they lived under. And if you were a resident of East Berlin, there was no better place than Kabarett Distel (meaning 'thorn' in German). The content of Kabarett Distel shows was strictly censored, so performers had to find clever ways to fully communicate with their audience – who would be focussed on every word and facial expression. Even if it was likely that the Stasi secret police was watching. As the regime began to crumble, late 1980s members of the cabaret joined other East Germans on the streets to demand democratic reforms. How did the cabaret respond to the tumultuous events of 1989 and the opening of the Berlin Wall? How did Kabarett Distel adapt to the new democratic reality, where you were suddenly free to say what you like? Find out in this episode of The Final Curtain. Like our show? Sign up for our newsletter!       Time stamps [01:01] Laughing at the system [06:00] Testing the boundaries of censorship [10:13] The final years of the GDR [12:43] The fall of the Berlin Wall and what it meant for Kabarett Distel [14:32] Unification, scandal &amp; the Stasi [18:22] Staying relevant &amp; funny in a free system [19:59] Almost time to pack our suitcases       Further reading   History of German Kabarett // on Wikipedia.org    Polish Cabaret under the Communist Regime // on Culture.pl   Kabarett Distel // official website (German only)         Credits Written &amp; produced by Piotr Wołodźko Edited by Adam Zulawski &amp; Wojciech Oleksiak Scoring &amp; sound design by Wojciech Oleksiak Hosted by Nitzan Reisner &amp; Adam Zulawski

How East Berlin's leading political cabaret tried to get their message through despite strict state censorship... and what happened when the system they were laughing at ceased to exist.  For the citizens of the GDR, laughter was often the best medicine when dealing with the absurdities of the political system they lived under. And if you were a resident of East Berlin, there was no better place than Kabarett Distel (meaning 'thorn' in German). The content of Kabarett Distel shows was strictly censored, so performers had to find clever ways to fully communicate with their audience – who would be focussed on every word and facial expression. Even if it was likely that the Stasi secret police was watching. As the regime began to crumble, late 1980s members of the cabaret joined other East Germans on the streets to demand democratic reforms. How did the cabaret respond to the tumultuous events of 1989 and the opening of the Berlin Wall? How did Kabarett Distel adapt to the new democratic reality, where you were suddenly free to say what you like? Find out in this episode of The Final Curtain. Like our show? <a href="https://stories.subscribemenow.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sign up for our newsletter!</a> Time stamps [01:01] Laughing at the system [06:00] Testing the boundaries of censorship [10:13] The final years of the GDR [12:43] The fall of the Berlin Wall and what it meant for Kabarett Distel [14:32] Unification, scandal &amp; the Stasi [18:22] Staying relevant &amp; funny in a free system [19:59] Almost time to pack our suitcases Further reading <ul> <li> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabarett" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">History of German Kabarett</a> // on <a href="http://Wikipedia.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Wikipedia.org</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://culture.pl/en/article/polish-cabaret-under-the-communist-regime" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Polish Cabaret under the Communist Regime</a> // on <a href="http://Culture.pl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culture.pl</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://distel-berlin.de/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Kabarett Distel</a> // official website (German only) </li> </ul> Credits Written &amp; produced by Piotr Wołodźko Edited by Adam Zulawski &amp; Wojciech Oleksiak Scoring &amp; sound design by Wojciech Oleksiak Hosted by Nitzan Reisner &amp; Adam Zulawski

EDGAR & MICHAEL

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