Witness History
Apr 11, 2025
In December 1989, Germany’s ‘Green Belt’ was born.
For more than 40 years, the country had been split by a 1,400km border and, in the decades the so-called ‘death zone’ had existed, life flourished everywhere.
In 1989, communism crumbled and, as soon as the borders opened, Kai Frobel knew he needed to act fast to stop farmers and developers. He called a meeting on 9 December, hoping a few people might come along.
Around 400 people from both sides of the border joined Kai to help create what would become known as Germany’s ‘Green Belt’, securing life in a place which had been associated with death for decades.
Professor Kai Frobel tells Laura Jones about growing up near the fortified GDR border and why it’s such a special place for rare species of birds and animals.
Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more.
Recent episodes explore everything from football in Brazil, the history of the ‘Indian Titanic’ and the invention of air fryers, to Public Enemy’s Fight The Power, subway art and the political crisis in Georgia. We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: visionary architect Antoni Gaudi and the design of the Sagrada Familia; Michael Jordan and his bespoke Nike trainers; Princess Diana at the Taj Mahal; and Görel Hanser, manager of legendary Swedish pop band Abba on the influence they’ve had on the music industry. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the time an Iraqi journalist hurled his shoes at the President of the United States in protest of America’s occupation of Iraq; the creation of the Hollywood commercial that changed advertising forever; and the ascent of the first Aboriginal MP.
(Photo: Kai Frobel on the former border between East and West Germany. Credit: BUND Kompetenzzentrum)
