Radio in the Second World War: voices, audiences and evidence
Broadcasts could inform, persuade or mislead. Understanding a wartime recording begins with its maker, intended audience and historical setting.
One technology, different purposes
Radio during the Second World War included public broadcasting, propaganda, monitoring and communications. A civilian programme and a point-to-point military message used related technology for different tasks. Their histories should be examined separately.
Research hosted by Imperial War Museums discusses both openly identified propaganda and broadcasts whose origin was concealed. This makes the source of a message part of the historical question, not a detail we can ignore.
Read the catalogue before pressing play
IWM's Sound 15003 is associated with Deutscher Freiheitssender 29.8 and dated 3 October 1939. The record identifies a production context and keywords. It does not mean every statement within a broadcast is established fact.
Useful questions include: who created it, for whom, under what conditions, and with which purpose? What does another independent source say about the same event? Is the item an original recording, a later compilation or a personal recollection?
Listening responsibly
A historical voice can be emotionally powerful while still needing explanation. We link to the holding institution rather than present an unattributed extract as a neutral account. Any future audio exhibit should identify its date, origin and context, and provide a transcript when available.