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Enclaves, loaned territories, disputed areas and microstates: This is the series that looks at places with absurd borders.

More absurd geopolitics: A new season of Crazy Borders

The series that looks at 10 places with complicated and absurd borders.

Crazy Borders

Current Highlights

From Lucrezia Borgia to Malinche to Marie Curie: Women’s contributions have often been downplayed or misrepresented in the history books. Duels of History (re)tells their stories.

Re-telling history from a new perspective

Women’s contributions to history have often been downplayed or misrepresented. Duels of History (re)tells their stories.

Duels of History

Domino Effect tells the stories of four people in Germany, France and the West Bank, whose lives suddenly turn upside down when they go viral on social media. Their moment of fame – or infamy – sparks debated about terrorism, violence against women, freedom of expression and activism.

Domino Effect tells the stories of four people whose lives suddenly turn upside down when they go viral on social media.

Domino Effect

The Lost Ones are stories of people who were born in the wrong place at the wrong time. Their individual fates give insight into big, dramatic events in world history.

Stories of the Forgotten

The Lost Ones

A light-hearted look at stories of conflict in international affairs from the Crimean crisis, North Korean nuclear threats and Trump's ever-present tweets.

A light-hearted look at stories of conflict in international affairs from the Crimean crisis to Northern Ireland, North Korean nuclear threats to Donald Trump..

Stories of Conflict

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After the fall of the Berlin Wall, citizens of East Germany had to get used to a new way of consuming, working, and living. New-found freedoms were a breath of fresh air for many but in the chaos leading up to reunification with West Germany, the experience was also disconcerting.

Freedom and Anarchy

After the fall of the Berlin Wall, East Germans had to get used to a new way of consuming, working, and living. 

The Last Summer of the GDR

Rowing, and the eight in particular, has a long tradition that is not just about sport: political influence, relationships and women's fight for equal rights have also played a major role. This documentary follows the German men's eight as it prepares for Paris 2024 as well as the historic Boat Race between the universities of Oxford and Cambridge.

With all eyes on the Olympic Games in Paris, the documentary sheds light on the myth of the eight-man rowing team.

Eight on Board: A History of Rowing

Various symbols accompany protest movements and social change. But where do their origins lie? The peace sign is universal and yet few people know its origins. The rainbow flag symbolises hope, freedom, and resistance for queer people, while the raised fist is a sign against police violence and racism.

Where do protest symbols come from?

Striking symbols often accompany protest movements and social change. But how were they created?

I Saw the Sign

In April 1974, left-wing factions in the Portuguese military staged a coup against the authoritarian regime which had been in power for half a century. The uprising was largely peaceful and went down in history as the Carnation Revolution. But the path to a democratic Portugal was not easy and not without obstacles.

Carnations against Dictatorship

On the night of 24 April 1974, a peaceful uprising put an end to the Salazar dictatorship, paving the way for a democratic Portugal.

Portugal

The Marchioness Casati was admired throughout Europe for her incredible parties and expensive tastes. She was an eccentric patron of the arts, and her face appears again and again in the works of all the notable painters of her day. But she would rip through her inheritance by the age of fifty and end up wondering the streets of London, going though rubbish bins.

The Marchioness Casati went from living in a palace to eking out an existence on the streets of London

Luisa Casati, the Ruined Marchioness

Prospector Jakko Isola went to the icy wilderness of northern Finland in the hope of finding gold. What he found instead was inner peace in the beauty and tranquillity of the far North. That is until he finally did uncover gold…

Prospector Jakko Isola went to the icy wilderness of northern Finland in the hope of finding gold. He found enlightenment instead.

Jaakko Isola's Search for Riches

In 1924, a woman entered the capital of Tibet after having travelled thousands of kilometres on foot. It was the first time a foreigner had crossed the border of the sacred city. This mythical feat, one of many by Alexandra David-Néel, made the reputation of this explorer, writer, anarchist, feminist and traveller.

In 1924, a woman entered the capital of Tibet after having travelled thousands of kilometres on foot. It was the first time a foreigner had crossed the border of the sacred city. 

Alexandra David-Neel: An Adventurer in Tibet

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Historians reveal the fascinating history of objects: Documents, materials, devices or clothes, everything has a tale to tell.

Making History

A coming together of nations in peaceful competition, respect and harmony? Or a ruthless geopolitical tussle for the top spot where doping becomes the norm? A history of the Olympic games in 5 minutes.

The Olympic Games

A coming together of nations in peaceful competition, respect and harmony? Or a ruthless geopolitical tussle for the top spot where doping becomes the norm? 

Forget about polar bears and their pristine icy wilderness. As the icecap melts with climate change the arctic is becoming a strategic region for maritime traffic, oil and gas.

An Arctic Cold War

As the icecap melts with climate change the arctic is becoming a strategic region for maritime traffic, oil and gas.

Why did French President Jacques Chirac chase Israeli police from a church in Jerusalem? Strangely for a secular nation, France owns property in the Holy Lands which the country ealously guards.

France's Holy Lands

Why did French President Jacques Chirac chase Israeli police from a church in Jerusalem? 

In one day in April 1974, the Carnation Revolution in Portugal put an end to the Salazar dictatorship and five centuries of colonisation. This documentary is a blow-by-blow account of this momentous day that marked a turning point in the history of a nation and its people.

A blow-by-blow account of one momentous day that marked a turning point in the history of a nation and its people.

Portugal: April 1974

The Lost Ones are stories of people who were born in the wrong place at the wrong time.

From the first English colonisation to the latest difficult negotiations over the British-Irish border, the story of the Northern Irish conflict

Ireland: Colonisation to Brexit

From the first English colonisation to the latest difficult negotiations over the British-Irish border, the story of the Northern Irish conflict.

Ten years after the sack of Troy, Zeus is alone on Olympus, with only his daughter Athena remaining at his side. She tries to convince her father to help Odysseus, the last Greek fighter who has not yet returned home to Ithaca.

On Odysseus' Trail

Goddess Athena urges Zeus to help Odysseus, the last Greek fighter who has not yet returned home to Ithaca

Great Myths - The Odyssey (1/10)

Did you know that the last war between France and Spain took place in the 1970s? It was the war of the stop signs in Llívia, a Spanish town - but in France, in the Pyrenees. This bizarre quirk is due to a treaty signed centuries ago. This really is a case for Crazy Borders! 

Llivia, Between France and Spain

Did you know that the last war between France and Spain took place in the 1970s?

Why does a Russian region in the far east have Yiddish as an official language? The region of Birobidzhan was the Soviet Union’s plan for a Jewish homeland within the socialist world.

Birobidzhan: A Jewish State in the USSR

Why does a Russian region in the far east have Yiddish as an official language? 

Devastated by the meaningless of the war on Troy, Odysseus is angry at the Gods for having stood by and let the carnage unfurl. All he wants to do is go home. But his journey will be an odyssey...

The Man Who Defied the Gods

Devastated by the meaningless of the war on Troy, Odysseus is angry at the Gods for having stood by and let the carnage unfurl

Great Myths - The Odyssey (2/10)

The village and West Berlin exclave of Steinstücken was less than a kilometre from West Berlin, surrounding by the GDR. During the height of the Cold War, they had real problems…

Steinstücken: A West Berlin Exclave in East Germany

During the height of the Cold War, a German village with just one fridge had problems... 

An enclave of one country in an enclave of another country, itself within an enclave… This oddity was located on the border between India and Bangladesh in the mad patchwork of enclaves in Cooch Behar. This is a case for Crazy Borders!

Enclave Chaos in Cooch Bechar

An enclave of one country in an enclave of another country, itself within an enclave…

Kowloon Walled City in Hong Kong was the most densely populated area on Earth. 33,000 people settled on 2.5 hectares of land that was disputed between Chinese and British - meaning neither country asserted its authority there. This vertical slum was a hotbed of crime, but also full of factories, cheap shops and a strong community. This is a case for Crazy Borders. 

Kowloon: The Lawless Super City

This vertical slum was a hotbed of crime, but also full of factories, cheap shops and a strong community.

Sleep in one country and have lunch in the neighbouring country? This is possible at the Hotel Arbez on the Franco-Swiss border - a self-proclaimed micronation with its own coat of arms.

Hotel Arbez: A Chocolate Frontier

Welcome to the Hotel Arbez, it’s a lovely place straddling the Franco-Swiss border.

Turkey is often seen as a bridge between East and West. But at the moment this bridge seems unstable with war in the Middle East, a refugee crisis, and an increasingly bellicose president Erdogan. Understanding Turkey today in five minutes.

Turkey and its Neighbours

Did the sentencing to death of Jiang Qing, the widow of Mao Zedong, founder of the People's Republic of China, enable the Chinese Communist Party led by Deng Xiaoping to absolve itself of the crimes of the Great Helmsman? Accused of counter-revolutionary crimes after Mao's death, she embodied the hard left of the Chinese Communist Party, which Deng is determined to get rid of to make way for his modernisation plan

Jiang Qing vs Deng Xiaoping

Jiang Qing represented the old ways of the Chinese Communist Party, so she had to go.

Why are two Royal Marines standing guard on this tiny rock covered in bird droppings? Around Rockall, the continental shelf is disputed by British, Irish, Danish and Icelandic governments. Unless Greenpeace get in on the act... This is a clear case for Crazy Borders!

Rockall: A North Atlantic Dispute

Why are two Royal Marines standing guard on this tiny rock in the North Atlantic covered in bird droppings? 

Most popular

Odysseus and his companions are trapped in the Cyclops’ cave. But he is a man with a plan. He carves out a stake and, after having drunk Polyphemus under the table, drives it into his one eye. But outwitting the monster is just one of many challenges that awaits him and his men. 

The Cyclops' Curse

Odysseus and his companions are trapped in the Cyclops’ cave. But he is a man with a plan...

Great Myths - The Odyssey (3/10)

In Ithaca, Queen Penelope has been putting up with the advances of suitors who covet her hand, and her husband's throne. As she thinks of ways to put them off, Odysseus is still on his long journey back home, and must now face off against the witch Circe. 

Circe, The Witch-Goddess

Odysseus is missing presumed dead, and his wife is under pressure to remarry. This as he faces off against the witch Circe  

Great Myths - The Odyssey (4/10)

A year has passed.  It is time for Odysseus and his men to leave the witch Circe’s island and return to Ithaca. To do so, they must first go to meet the prophet Tiresias in the Underworld. Only he can tell them what to do to appease Poseidon's wrath so that they can return to the seas. But by going to Hell, Odysseus now runs the risk of provoking the almighty Zeus.

The Journey into Hell

Odysseus must set sail and for that, he has to appease Poseidon. He heads to the underworld to find out how

Great Myths - The Odyssey (5/10)

Odysseus delves into the depths of the Underworld, where he meets the souls of the Greek heroes who fought with him in the city of Troy. He manages to return to his ship, but now his crew must face sirens and sea monsters.

The Siren's Song

Odysseus delves into the depths of the Underworld... 

Great Myths - The Odyssey (6/10)

Odysseus' fleet tries to avoid Charybdis, but then Scylla, a horrible multi-headed creature, destroys three of his ships. The crew are desperate for rest on the island of Helios, which is now in sight. But they'll never make it off the island.

Zeus' Punishment

Fleeing sea monsters, the crew seek rest and shelter on an island, but it's there that they'll meet their doom

Great Myths - The Odyssey (7/10)

Odysseus has been living peacefully with Calypso for seven years. But he's tormented with the memories of the family waiting for him back home, and the Gods want him to go back. He decides to leave, but Poseidon is still obsessed with revenge. His journey back won't be smooth sailing.

Set Sails for Ithaca

Odysseus has been living peacefully with Calypso, but he's tormented with thoughts of the family he left behind

Great Myths - The Odyssey (8/10)

Queen Penelope is betrayed by one of her servants, who tells her many suitors that she's been stalling them this entire time. They lock her up as Odysseus finally goes home - albeit in disguise.

The King's Scar

Queen Penelope is betrayed by one of her servants, who tells her many suitors that she's been stalling them

Great Myths - The Odyssey (9/10)

Penelope is now forced to choose a husband among the suitors. She offers them a test to decide who among them is the most worthy: with the bow of Odysseus, they must shoot an arrow and pass it through twelve axe heads. But none succeed, until the beggar tries his luck. He is successful, and reveals his true face: he is Odysseus, the legitimate king of Ithaca.

Twilight of the Gods

Penelope is now forced to choose a husband among the suitors...

Great Myths - The Odyssey (10/10)

A small island in the Rio de la Plata is shared by Argentina and Uruguay. But why does this binational island have two different names?

Martin Garcia & Timoteo Dominguez - One Island - Two Countries

A thin strip of Belgian territory in the German countryside which marks out five German enclaves? How did the Vennbahn, actually a cycle lane, come into being?

The Vennbahn: German or Belgian?

How did a Belgian cycle lane come to exist within Germany?

On a map, the village of Nahwa looks like a fried egg: An Emirati enclave in the Omani territory of Mahda, itself landlocked in the United Arab Emirates. The reason for this? The choice of local people decades ago at a time when water was more precious than oil.

Nahwa and Madha: An Enclave within an Enclave

An Emirati village surrounded by an Omani enclave was mapped out at time when water was more valuable than oil.

A territory whose inhabitants were stateless? That's what happenede in the territory of Moresnet, co-managed by Germany and Belgium. A tax haven with a major zinc mine, which was also a den of smugglers…

Neutral Moresnet

A tax haven with a major zinc mine, which was also a den of smugglers…

Most recent

In Groß-Umstadt, a small town in the Oberwald region of central Germany, a community of Portuguese workers arrived in the 1960s. Legend has it that a young Portuguese man was travelling through the area in 1962 when his motorbike broke down… and he never left, becoming the first Portuguese person to settle there. This documentary looks at the immigrant story between Portugal and Germany.

The story of post-war Portuguese migration to the small town of Groß-Umstadt in central Germany.

The First Portuguese in a German Town

With independence came partition, as the new nations of India and Pakistan came into being as British rule ended. But these young nations quickly came to blows and the contested region of Kashmir was stuck right in the middle.

India vs Pakistan

With independence came partition, as the news nations of India and Pakistan came into being as British rule ended. But these young nations quickly came to blows and the contested region of Kashmir was stuck right in the middle.

For 35 years President Tito kept Yugoslavia’s diverse population living in peace. But after the fall of communism thinks started to fall apart.

Yugoslavia: War of the Exes

For 35 years President Tito kept Yugoslavia’s diverse population living in peace. But after the fall of communism thinks started to fall apart.  

Forget bombardments, skirmishes, ambushes and attacks: The future of warfare is online.

Cyberwarfare

Understanding the European union and how it came to be can seem difficult. Here is an attempt to explain everything in six minutes.