About this episode

This episode explores the origins of Comic Con, the making of Oasis' Wonderwall, and various historical narratives including Auschwitz and Sweden's long paid holidays.

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service. We hear how a comic book fan and his friends began the very first comic convention in New York in 1964. Our guest is comic book expert Dr Barbara Postema, from the University Groningen in the Netherlands. Next, we hear how Oasis 1995 hit Wonderwall was made with the man who was the sound engineer on the record. Plus, the memories of the cellist of Auschwitz in World War Two and the final use of a barbaric execution method in Franco’s Spain. Sporting Witness takes us back to Hearts of Midlothian’s heartbreaking season of 1986. And finally, we learn how Sweden gave its workers some of the longest paid holidays in the world in 1970. Contributors: Bernie Bubnis – organiser of the first Comic Con Dr Barbara Postema - lecturer in the English programme at the University of Groningen Nick Brine – sound engineer on Oasis’ song Wonderwall Anita Lasker-Wallfisch – the cellist of Auschwitz Carme Puig Antich – brother of Salvador Puig Antich Gary Mackay and striker John ‘Robbo’ Robertson – former Hearts players Inga Persson - beneficiary of Sweden’s long summers (Photo: Oasis performing in…

People in this episode

Host: Max Pearson

Guests: Bernie Bubnis, Dr Barbara Postema, Nick Brine, Anita Lasker-Wallfisch

Topics covered

• Comic Con
• Oasis
• Wonderwall
• Auschwitz
• Franco's Spain
• Sweden's paid holidays
• Hearts of Midlothian

Keywords

• Comic Con
• Oasis
• Wonderwall
• Auschwitz
• Franco's Spain
• paid holidays
• history
• 1964
• 1995
• 1986

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: University Groningen

Books & works: Wonderwall

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