Growing Up Grey: Childhood in Cold War Romania

Romania in the 1980s was a country of empty shops, power cuts, rationing and fear—but for one little girl it was also home. Listen on Apple PodcastsListen on SpotifyListen on YouTubeListen on Amazon MusicListen on Podcast AddictBecome a Patron! In this episode, author Oana Aristide shares the remarkable childhood experiences that inspired her novel Astronaut! … Read more

The Cambridge Five – new files reveal untold stories

Listen on Apple PodcassListen on SpotifyListen on YouTubeListen on Amazon MusicListen on OvercastListen on Pocket CastsListen on Podcast AddictBecome a Patron! Antonia Senior’s new book, “Stalin’s Apostles: The Cambridge Five and the Making of the Soviet Empire”, challenges what you may have believed about the Cambridge Five, a group of British citizens who spied for … Read more

From East Berlin to West Ireland

Juli begins by recounting her early years in East Berlin, a time marked by the tragic loss of her father. Drafted into the army just days before her birth, her father continually deserted to see his family, ultimately leading to his untimely death. This early loss left Juli and her mother to navigate a harsh … Read more

Chasing Rogue Nukes after the Fall of the Soviet Union

Susan Miller continues the story of her CIA career, recalling a harrowing experience of the 1991 US embassy fire in Moscow, and the unexpected humanity displayed by a KGB officer who helped save lives during the crisis.Listen on Apple PodcastsListen on SpotifyListen on YouTubeListen on Amazon MusicListen on Podcast AddictBecome a Patron! Susan Miller continues … Read more

Dead Drops and Disguises – A Female CIA Officer in 1980s Moscow

I explore the remarkable journey of Susan Miller, a former CIA operations officer who transitioned from a quiet childhood in California to the thrilling world of espionage. Growing up in Sunnyvale and Santa Rosa, she was surrounded by the tech industry, with her father working for Hewlett-Packard. However, her aspirations led her to California Polytechnic … Read more

The 2nd Most Famous Voice In Cold War Romania

 Irina Nistor worked as a translator of TV programs in Romania under the Communist regime, and is known for secretly voicing over thousands of banned movie titles on VHS tapes smuggled in from the West in the four years between 1985 and the revolution. She was reckeoned to be the 2nd most famous voice … Read more

Cold War Short Stories Episode 1

Listen on Apple PodcastsListen on SpotifyListen on YouTubeListen on Amazon MusicListen on Podcast AddictBecome a Patron! Cold War Short Stories is a series of short tales from our listeners and social media followers. These are fascinating Cold War stories that may not fill a full episode, but are far too good to leave untold… Your … Read more

The End of East Germany: A Communist Family’s Journey Through Change

Listen on Apple PodcastsListen on SpotifyListen on YouTubeListen on Amazon MusicListen on Podcast AddictBecome a Patron!   This is the story of a Communist family in East Germany whose world was turned upside down by the implosion of the GDR. The story is told by Katja Hesse, whose father was a Vice Admiral in the … Read more

Memories of an East German Naval Officer’s Family

Listen on Apple PodcastsListen on SpotifyListen on YouTubeListen on Amazon MusicListen on Podcast AddictBecome a Patron! Katja is the daughter of Vice Admiral Gustav Hesse of the East German Navy. She opens up about her life growing up in East Germany and offers a rare glimpse into life in a family loyal to the East … Read more

In Conversation with Margot Honecker

Listen on Apple PodcastsListen on SpotifyListen on YouTubeListen on Amazon MusicListen on Podcast AddictBecome a Patron! In this short Cold War Conversations bonus episode, I speak with Jon Benjamin, who recounts his meetings with Margot Honecker, the unrepentant architect of East Germany’s education system and widow of GDR leader Erich Honecker. In 2012 and 2013, … Read more