Episodi

  • The hacksaw blade that offered escape, and death

    The hacksaw blade that offered escape, and death
    Sep 26 2026
    In occupied France, a captured agent faces an impossible choice: betray his country to save himself, or remain silent and face death.

    The hacksaw blade that offered escape, and death

    This episode recounts the extraordinary life of Frank Pickersgill, a scholar turned secret agent, and the harrowing decisions he faced during World War II. It explores the profound question of what it means to hold silent when your life, and the lives of thousands, hang in the balance.

    Person: Frank Pickersgill
    Date: August 8, 1944
    Location: Paris, France
    Event: Prisoner transport

    - Frank Pickersgill, a Canadian graduate student fluent in multiple languages, was captured by Germans after parachuting into occupied France.
    - While interned at Stalag 220, Pickersgill used a hacksaw blade, smuggled in a loaf of bread, to escape through a window.
    - After his escape, he traveled through Lyon, Lisbon, and London, where he turned down a desk job to join the Special Operations Executive.
    - Pickersgill was assigned the code name Bertrand and parachuted back into France with fellow agent Ken Macalister and two SOE contacts.
    - Their mission was compromised when their car was stopped at a German checkpoint, leading to their capture and imprisonment.

    To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
    Mostra di più Mostra meno
    14 min
  • A man crushed poison glass with his teeth rather than return to Germany

    A man crushed poison glass with his teeth rather than return to Germany
    Sep 25 2026
    A man who survived a world war and British prison chooses a glass phial of prussic acid over returning home to Germany. What would you do?

    A man crushed poison glass with his teeth rather than return to Germany

    This episode explores the life of Hermann Görtz, a decorated soldier and doctor of international law, who made a desperate choice rather than face repatriation. It delves into the events that led him to this moment, and the complex motivations behind his final act.

    Person: Hermann Görtz
    Date: May 23, 1947
    Location: Dublin Castle, Ireland
    Age: 56
    Means: Prussic acid

    - Hermann Görtz was born in Lübeck in 1890 and served on the Eastern Front in Class War I, earning the Iron Cross First Class.
    - After the war, he joined the Freikorps before earning a doctorate in international law and visiting Ireland in 1927.
    - In 1935, while working for German intelligence in Britain, he was arrested for espionage after a landlady's misunderstanding about a motorbike led police to discover secret documents.
    - He served four years in Maidstone Prison, was released in 1939, and then parachuted into Ballivor, County Meath, Ireland, in 1940 with £20,000 in cash for a mission.
    - Görtz spent nineteen months as a fugitive in Ireland, moving between at least twelve verified addresses, relying on the trust of those who harbored him.

    To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
    Mostra di più Mostra meno
    20 min
  • The Rector, The Gulag, and The Missing Beethoven

    The Rector, The Gulag, and The Missing Beethoven
    Sep 24 2026
    A music rector builds a forced labor camp theater, but the state erases him in a single afternoon. His Beethoven manuscript vanishes.

    The Rector, The Gulag, and The Missing Beethoven

    This episode explores the life of Bolesław Przybyszewski, a man whose identity was interpreted in vastly different ways by those who knew him, and how the state's machinery ultimately defined his fate. What does it mean when your life's work is erased, not for what you did, but for who you were?

    Person: Bolesław Przybyszewski
    Date: August 21, 1937
    Location: USSR
    Status: Sentenced to death and executed
    Event: State execution during the Great Purge

    - Bolesław Przybyszewski was sentenced to death and executed on the same day by the Military Collegium of the Supreme Court of the USSR.
    - Before his execution, he spent years building a high-standard theater inside a forced labor camp.
    - He previously directed the Moscow Conservatory and was writing a manuscript about Beethoven that was never found.
    - Born in Berlin, he was the illegitimate son of Polish writer Stanisław Przybyszewski and was raised by his paternal grandparents after his mother's suicide.
    - As rector of the Moscow Conservatory, he implemented "proletarization," prioritizing class background over musical ability and integrating Marxist theory into the curriculum.

    To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
    Mostra di più Mostra meno
    21 min
  • He Shot Down the Only POW Who Escaped Back to Germany

    He Shot Down the Only POW Who Escaped Back to Germany
    Sep 23 2026
    A Spitfire pilot in Kent watches an unarmed cook reach a downed Bf 109 - what would you have done?

    He Shot Down the Only POW Who Escaped Back to Germany

    In this episode, we follow Basil Gerald "Stapme" Stapleton from his signing with the Royal Air Force at eighteen through the violent months of summer 1940, and the day he forced a Bf 109 into a Kent field. The narrative traces the immediate combat, the field rescue, and the long delay before Stapme learns the downed pilot's identity - raising the moral and practical questions of aerial warfare.

    Person: Basil Gerald Stapleton (Stapme)
    Date: 5 September 1940
    Location: Kent field; RAF Hornchurch; RAF Montrose
    Event: Bf 109 forced to land after low-level Spitfire attack
    Person: Franz von Werra (downed pilot; later escaped POW)

    - Stapme joined the RAF in January 1939 at age eighteen and was posted to No. 600 and No. 603 Squadrons at RAF Montrose by October.
    - By 27-31 August 1940 the squadron moved to RAF Hornchurch and suffered multiple pilot losses during intense Battle of Britain operations.
    - On 5 September 1940 Stapme engaged a Bf 109, kept bursts tight at low level, and forced it to a force-landing in a Kent field without destroying the airframe.
    - The first person to reach the downed German was an unarmed cook from a nearby searchlight battery who ran across the field to the aircraft.
    - The captured pilot was Franz von Werra, who would later become the only German POW to escape Allied captivity and return to Germany.

    To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
    Mostra di più Mostra meno
    17 min
  • The loose buckle that asked if you would jump

    The loose buckle that asked if you would jump
    Sep 22 2026
    A pilot bails out of a burning bomber over occupied France, but his parachute harness is loose. He has four seconds to decide if he will jump.

    The loose buckle that asked if you would jump

    This episode recounts the story of Wally Kinnan, a B-17 pilot who faced an impossible choice during a bombing mission. It explores the profound question of what it costs to hold on for others when time is running out for yourself.

    Person: Henry Wallace Kinnan (Wally)
    Date: August 17, 1943
    Location: Eygalières, Vichy France
    Aircraft: B-17 Flying Fortress
    Squadron: 429th Bombardment Squadron, Second Bomb Group

    - Wally Kinnan, originally slated for fighter planes, was reassigned to bombers due to urgent pilot needs, placing him in a B-17 over southern France.
    - During a mission, his B-17 took hits over Eygalières, causing engine number four to catch fire and wounding the other pilot.
    - Kinnan remained at the controls of the burning aircraft, allowing his entire crew to escape before his own bail-out.
    - While crawling through the burning fuselage, his parachute snagged, forcing him to unbuckle it, and he never properly restrapped it before jumping.
    - After landing, injured and alone in occupied territory, Kinnan was captured by German soldiers who, by his own account, treated him with genuine care.

    To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
    Mostra di più Mostra meno
    18 min
  • If it were you on the roadside bench, would you walk past a dead comrade?

    If it were you on the roadside bench, would you walk past a dead comrade?
    Sep 21 2026
    Three men on a roadside stop stumble upon a body, only to realize it's a fallen comrade. What do you do when the freedom you fought for is snatched away?

    If it were you on the roadside bench, would you walk past a dead comrade?

    This episode recounts the extraordinary journey of Nils Jørgen Fuglesang, a Norwegian pilot who endured years of combat and imprisonment, only to face a final, deliberate act of violence. It asks what one does when every price has been paid, but the promised outcome never arrives.

    Person: Nils Jørgen Fuglesang
    Date: March 29, 1944
    Location: Field outside Kiel
    Event: Discovery of a body
    Age: 25

    - Nils Jørgen Fuglesang was born in Rasvåg, Norway, and studied economics in France before Germany's invasion of Norway in 1940.
    - He escaped Norway in March 1941, sailing to Shetland, and then to Canada to train as a pilot at "Little Norway."
    - By late 1941, he earned his wings and was promoted, eventually flying Spitfires with No. 332 Squadron RAF over occupied Europe.
    - In January 1943, he was credited with a probable kill against a Focke-Wulf Fw 190 and received the King Haakon the Seventh Freedom Medal.
    - On May 2, 1943, during a mission over southwest Holland, his Spitfire was hit by cannon fire not intended for him.

    To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
    Mostra di più Mostra meno
    19 min
  • The 12-Hour Escape That Broke a Nation

    The 12-Hour Escape That Broke a Nation
    Sep 20 2026
    Two bound men jump into a black river in North Vietnam at night, choosing a blind escape - what would you do to get out?

    The 12-Hour Escape That Broke a Nation

    In this episode, we follow the night George Thomas Thomas and his pilot Jack Fellowes chose to leap into the unknown rather than remain prisoners. It traces Thomas’s life from Boy Scout and Naval Flight Officer through mission fifty-five, captivity routines like “the wall,” and the planning that led to a river escape; what would you have held onto when everything was stripped away?

    Person: George Thomas Thomas
    Person: John H. Fellowes (Jack)
    Event: Ejection from A-6 Intruder after surface-to-air missile, 27 August 1966
    Location: North Vietnam (near Vinh, Nghệ An province)
    Period: 2,382 days in captivity (over six and a half years)

    - He was an Eagle Scout from Troop Thirty-Two and carried the Scout Oath as a sustaining promise during captivity.
    - Thomas served as a bombardier-navigator on the A-6 Intruder with Attack Squadron 65 aboard USS Constellation.
    - Mission 55: their A-6 lost its right wing to a missile; both men ejected and landed about a mile apart eighteen miles inland.
    - At the Zoo camp he endured “the wall,” standing with hands raised from 5:30 a.m, to 10 p.m. for two months while his injured knee became infected.
    - Two men removed cell hinges, crossed a roof at night, tied themselves with a rope and dropped into the Red River to attempt escape.

    To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
    Mostra di più Mostra meno
    23 min
  • The gymnastics horse that buried a man alive daily

    The gymnastics horse that buried a man alive daily
    Sep 19 2026
    A Royal Air Force navigator is captured and sent to an escape-proof POW camp. His only way out is a gymnastics horse.

    The gymnastics horse that buried a man alive daily

    This episode explores the incredible story of Eric Williams, a prisoner of war who devised an ingenious escape plan from Stalag Luft III. It delves into the unique challenges of the camp's design and the audacious method used to overcome them.

    Person: Eric Williams
    Date: December 17, 1942
    Location: Stalag Luft III, Sagan (now western Poland)
    Military Branch: Royal Air Force
    Rank: Flight Lieutenant

    - Eric Williams, a navigator for the RAF, was shot down over Germany and captured at 28 years old.
    - He was sent to Stalag Luft III, a POW camp specifically designed to prevent escapes, featuring sandy soil, raised barracks, and seismographs.
    - Williams conceived a plan to use a wooden gymnastics horse to mask the vibrations of digging a tunnel.
    - The horse was carried to the exact same spot in the yard daily, with prisoners vaulting over it to create rhythmic, repetitive noise.
    - Williams, Michael Codner, and Oliver Philpot were key figures in the plan, with Williams being the first to dig inside the horse.

    To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
    Mostra di più Mostra meno
    17 min