women’s histories

Antje – The Girl Behind The Berlin Wall

  Today we’re talking to Antje Arnold, author of “The Girl Behind The Wall” which tells the story of a girl growing up in East Germany in the 1980s. Now keep your finger away from the fast forward button for a minute. Hopefully some of you may noticed the improvement in sound quality on some … Read more

Eileen – A British Student Living in Cold War East Germany

Today we speak with Eileen Ford-Price who was British student in the GDR in the 1980s in Rostock. Before we start I’d like to thank all our Patreons who donate monthly to support the podcast further and get access to some exclusive extras. Monthly donations can be as small as $1 or a quid and … Read more

The Cold War Korean War in Britain

  Welcome to Episode 31 of Cold War Conversations. We speak with Doctor Grace Huxford, author of the Korean War in Britain – Citizenship, Selfhood and Forgetting. The Korean War was known as the “forgotten war”, but it is key in understanding the early Cold War tensions and later repercussions that continue through to today. … Read more

Life as a Cold War East German teenager

    Welcome to episode 20  of Cold War Conversations. Today we’re talking to Anke Holst was born in the GDR during the 1970s in Rostock. Anke has returned to Rostock after many years abroad and now provides tours of GDR sites in Rostock. Our conversation highlights how different life was in the provinces of … Read more

Able Archer & the nuclear war scare of 1983

  Welcome to episode 19 of Cold War Conversations Today we’re talking to Francesca Akhtar who holds a  BA Hons in American Studies with 1st class honours  from Canterbury Christ Christ Church University in Kent, and a Masters degree in US history & Politics from the Institute of the Americas, University College London. Her main research … Read more

Sabine – A Cold War East German Childhood

Welcome to Episode 15 of Cold War Conversations. Today we speak to Sabine who was 13 when the Wall opened. We hear about her childhood in East Germany and gain great insight into life at the time, the pressures on her family and her first steps into West Berlin. I found Sabine’s story very personal … Read more

The 1968 Prague Spring

Today we have with us Lani Seelinger of Socialism Realised which is an excellent website and learning environment that uses multimedia content as teaching aids about the communist regimes in Europe. Using the Czechoslovak example, they describe the specifics of life in the Eastern bloc. Their material attempts to bring the experiences, thoughts, feelings and … Read more