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Updated 02/28/2022
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Updated 01/23/2025
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Updated 09/02/2024
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Updated 06/02/2020
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01/03/2022

Threnody to the Victims of Hiroshima: Terror and Sorrow

Fifty two strings. Eight minutes. Thirty seven seconds. Completed in 1960, Krzysztof Penderecki’s Threnody to the Victims of Hiroshima has become one of his most well-known works thanks to its use in soundtracks of films by David Lynch, Wes Craven and Alfonso Cuarón. In this podcast we explore its genesis, how its textures suggest an incomprehensible terror and sorrow, and its transition from abstraction to memorial. Transcription WCAG
03/01/2021

PUPPETS

In 1938, Hitler's forces marched into Czechoslovakia, a country that had only gained its independence two decades earlier. A puppeteer named Josef Skupa was ready to fight back with the help of Spejbl and Hurvínek – a father son duo of wooden puppets. Because the Nazi German occupiers didn't seem to take puppets very seriously, Skupa's theatre in Pilsen was able to put on satirical performances that directly referred to the occupation and gave ordinary Czechs hope that one day things would be better. Eventually Skupa's luck would run out – the Gestapo even arrested his puppet duo. But all three were destined to become household names in the Czech Republic, a country that takes its puppets seriously... Like our show? Sign up for our newsletter! Time stamps 00:48] Imagine if Kermit the frog took on the Third Reich [02:12] Josef Skupa and Kašpárek farewell the Austrio-Hungarian Empire [04:36] A modern kind of puppet theatre [07:25] Spejbl and Hurvínek battle Nazi insects [08:30] Munich Conference and Carousel over Three Floors [11:44] Voničky and Long Live the Future [14:50] Death threats and a final anti-fascist play [16:28] Arrest of Skupa and his puppets [17:58] Escape from prison, Spejbl and Hurvínek rescued from the trash [20:51] Legacy of Josef Skupa and his puppets [21:43] Puppet-making workshop with Mirek and Leah [23:21] Credits Further reading Josef Skupa // on World Encyclopedia of Puppet Arts Jan Malik // on World Encyclopedia of Puppet Arts Sjebl and Hurvinek // on Wikipedia Quay Brothers' Puppetry Prescription in New York // on Culture.pl Puppets, Birds & Wycinanki // on Culture.pl The Bug Trainer – The Story of Władysław Starewicz // on Culture.pl Further watching Spejbl goes Mushroom Hunting // short episode from the 1974 bedtime series Return of Spejbl and Hurvinek, voiced by Josef Skupa's protege Miloś Kirchner. On Ceskatelevize.cz (Czech only) Further visiting Spejbl and Hurvinek Theatre // Puppet theatre in Prague opened by Josef Skupa in 1945 as a continuation of his theatre in Pilsen. They hold regular shows for kids and families. Plzeň Puppet Museum // Puppet museum located in the historic centre of Plzeň (Pilsen), the town where Josef Skupa opened his first theatre and the birthplace of Spejbl and Hurvínek. Puppets in Prague // Puppet-making workshop in Prague run by Mirek Trejtner and Leah Gaffen. Temporarily being run online. Credits Written & produced by Piotr Wołodźko Edited by Wojtek Oleksiak & Adam Zulawski Hosted by Nitzan Reisner & Adam Zulawski Scoring & sound design by Wojciech Oleksiak Thanks We’d like to thank Denisa Kirchnerova from the Spejbl and Hurvinek theatre in Prague, Tomáš Pfejfer, curator at the Puppet Museum in Pilsen, and Nina Malikowa for sharing their knowledge about Josef Skupa and his performances during WWII. Thanks also to Leah Gaffen and Mirek Trejtner from Puppets in Prague for talking to us and inviting Piotr to their skeleton-making workshop. Lastly, a special thanks to Jitka Rohanova from the Polish Institute in Prague for her help in making the episode.
09/01/2022

CHAIN

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 & produced by Wojciech Oleksiak Edited by Adam Zulawski & Nitzan Reisner Hosted by Nitzan Reisner & Adam Zulawski Scoring & sound design by Wojciech Oleksiak
02/14/2019

HUNT

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 & Works section at Culture.pl and is our go-to voice for many of our videos. Credits Written & produced by Piotr Wołodźko Edited by Adam Żuławski Scoring & sound design by Wojciech Oleksiak Hosted by Nitzan Reisner & Adam Żuławski
01/17/2019

NAKED

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 & 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 & 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 & presented by Piotr Wołodźko Edited by Adam Żuławski Scoring & sound design by Wojciech Oleksiak Hosted by Nitzan Reisner & Adam Żuławski
09/02/2024

Długa 8A

One of the most important locations in Yiddish theatre. Michał Weichert, a lawyer, but also an avant-garde director and theatre theoretician, lived at 8a Długa Street from the mid-1930s. A figure of great merit for the history of Yiddish and Polish theatre, he founded the Young Theatre (Yung-Teater). Originally hailing from Galicia, the Polish territory partitioned by Austria-Hungary, Weichert settled in Warsaw only in 1918, as a mature man of 28. He came to the capital after a stay in Berlin, where he studied under the supervision of the famous director Max Reinhardt, a theatre reformer. In Warsaw, he had an intensive career as a publisher and director, as well as a pedagogue. From the early 1920s, Weichert organised experimental acting studios in the capital, the first Jewish acting schools of their kind. Their graduates formed the core of the Yung-Teater in 1932, which Weichert was director of until 1939. One of the seats of the Yung-Teater was located nearby, at 19 Długa Street, almost opposite 26 Długa Street, another building that is part of this series of Unseen. LINK TO 01-Dluga-26 How to listen: Unseen is available as a downloadable podcast, although it is best experienced through the Echoes geolocative storytelling app available for iOS and Android. After loading the app, search for soundwalks in Warsaw and you’ll find Unseen. Further reading: • Jewish Theatre in Poland: Fragments of an Illustrious History // on Culture.pl • Jung Jidysz // bio on Culture.pl • Where is Poland? // a multimedia guide about the era 1795-1918 when the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was partitioned by three neighbouring empires • 8 Remarkable Yiddish Books from Poland // on Culture.pl • From ‘Last Sunday’ to ‘Last Shabbos’: Poland’s Legendary Jewish Tangos// on Culture.pl • The Lost World of Yiddish Films in Poland // on Culture.pl • The Rise & Fall of Polish Song // on Culture.pl
10/07/2021

DAISIES

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 & produced by Piotr Wołodźko Edited by Wojciech Oleksiak & Adam Zulawski Hosted by Nitzan Reisner & Adam Zulawski Scoring & sound design by Wojciech Oleksiak
03/31/2021

STATELESS

In 1967, Marian Marzyński was a popular TV show host and filmmaker in Poland. But then a seemingly faraway military clash sparked an unexpected conflict within the Polish communist party that led its Jewish members to be accused of anti-Polish sentiments. The conflict developed into an anti-Semitic campaign that affected all of Polish Jewish society and led to the emigration of the majority of the remaining Polish Jews, whose numbers had already been dwindled due to the Holocaust. Emigrating away from an authoritarian regime, Marian was able to process the events around him by filming them from his perspective, something he was previously unable to do. He continues to film his personal stories today. Like our show? Sign up for our newsletter! Time stamps [00:11] 1968: a year of global unrest [02:08] Escape from the ghetto [03:17] Never forget to lie [07:13] The war is over. Jewish identity after the war [08:22] Marian becomes a journalist [10:28] Internationalism vs. nationalism [10:46] The Six-Day War [12:08] Censoring 'Dziady' in the National Theatre [12:39] The mechanisms of hostility [14:55] Marian decides to leave [16:16] First stop: Denmark [17:29] Marian films emigration [18:38] Who were we? [19:45] What is emigration? [20:13] Film-making after emigration [21:30] Moving to the USA [23:06] Humour [24:12] Marian’s returns to Poland [25:40] The inner child Further reading Marian’s website Interview with Marian Marzyński about his film 'Shtetl' // on PBS.org Further watching Life on Marz // Marian Marzyński's film on Vimeo.com Skibet/Hatikvah // Marian Marzyński's film on Vimeo.com Jewish Blues // Marian Marzyński's film on Vimeo.com Shtetl // Marian Marzyński's film on Vimeo.com Credits Written & produced by Monika Proba Edited by Wojtek Oleksiak, Adam Zulawski & Nitzan Reisner Hosted by Nitzan Reisner & Adam Zulawski Scoring & sound design by Wojciech Oleksiak
05/26/2020

Wstęp

Transformacje. Lato 89. Podcast portalu Culture.pl, w którym prezentujemy Wam osobiste historie świadków rozpadu Bloku wschodniego. Premiera 4 czerwca 2020.
07/16/2020

PURE

Chernobyl had cast a shadow over our childhoods. It was reportedly the cause of all the chronic diseases we’d struggled with. In the summer of 2018, we went there. We wanted to walk into the belly of the beast, to debunk any nonsense around it. To hear about the doom, catastrophes, and everyday struggles. But what we came back with was something else entirely – a beautiful and uplifting tale about love. Love for home, love for nature, love for people. Something stronger than the biggest nuclear accident in the history of humankind. With uncertain times ahead of us all… it has given us the hope that we can overcome a whole lot, if only we care. Like our show? Sign up for our newsletter! If you happen to be a Russian speaker, you can listen to the original (Russian) version of this episode. Time stamps [00:00] Why we went to Chernobyl [05:50] We find Evgeny, a former teacher [07:57] ‘In 1986, nobody expected it...‘ [09:11] People weren’t informed about the disaster [10:11] The evacuation of Chernobyl [11:55] Evgeny returns to Chernobyl for the first time [14:19] Evacuation centre dilemmas [16:45] Chernobyl clean up [20:45] Evgeny returns for good (and bad) [24:40] Did other people try to come back? [25:49] Living in Chernobyl in 2018 More about Chernobyl 4 rooms // a sound art project showing you what the empty spaces of Chernobyl sound like Drone fly-by // see Chernobyl’s abandoned places for yourself from a bird’s-eye perspective Haunting Images // a photo gallery with photos taken by Lasse Damgaard The Babushkas of Chernobyl // a documentary movie about a group of older ladies living in a distant corner of the exclusion zone Credits Written & produced by Żenia Klimakin & Wojciech Oleksiak Edited by Nick White & Adam Zulawski Hosted by Nitzan Reisner, Adam Zulawski & Wojciech Oleksiak Scoring & sound design by Wojciech Oleksiak Guitars by Michał Przerwa-Tetmajer Special thanks: State Agency of Ukraine on Exclusion Zone Management, Ygor Egorov, Serhyi Dmytriyev, Julia Kononenko

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