The History Listen

Laya Semler was the last Jew sent to a concentration camp from Wennigsen, Germany, in 1945. Her non-Jewish husband Adolf was sent to slave labour for not denouncing her.  Both survived. Now, Wennigsen has invited their Australian family back, to commemorate Laya and Adolf’s incredible story of courage and love.  In Part 1, their great-grandchildren discovered a town perhaps finally ready to accept the extent of its role in the Nazi regime. In Part 2, they will experience that history face-to-face. They experience that history face-to-face -- when they visit the slave labour camp, only recently unearthed, where Adolf was held.  And where they must reckon with horrors that will shock even the German historians guiding them.       Michaela Kalowski, Joanna's husband John Hempton, Joanna Kalowski and Rick Kalowski Guests: Joanna Kalowski - internationally recognised mediator and granddaughter of Laya and Adolf Semler Michael Wittich - historian for the town of Wennigsen Christina Muller - city councillor in Wennigsen Jutta Henza - historian of the Stolen Gustav slave labour camp Credits: Writers: Rick Kalowski and Michaela Kalowski Presenters: Michaela Kalowski and Rick Kalowski Producer: Claudia Taranto Sound Engineer: Hamish Camilleri Research assistance : Tadhg Kalowski

In 1945, Laya Semler became the last Jew sent to a concentration camp from Wennigsen, Germany.  Her non-Jewish husband Adolf chose slave labour rather than abandon her.  They both survived. In 2022, the village of Wennigsen invited their Australian family back to commemorate Laya and Adolf’s bravery. Told by their great-grandchildren, Laya and Adolf’s story is testament to the power love has to bridge even the greatest differences.  But it’s also the story of a town only just coming to terms with the truth of its past.  A truth that, as Laya and Adolf’s descendants discover first-hand, not everyone in the town is ready to accept...   Joanna Kalowski at the opening of the new street in Wennigsen, Germany, named after her grandmother Laya Semler Guests: Joanna Kalowski - internationally recognised mediator and granddaughter of Laya and Adolf Semler Michael Wittich - historian for the town of Wennigsen Franz Blazek - former mayor of Wennigsen Silke Stremlau - resident of Wennigsen Credits: Writers: Rick Kalowski and Michaela Kalowski Presenters: Michaela Kalowski and Rick Kalowski Producer: Claudia Taranto Sound Engineer: Hamish Camilleri Research assistance : Tadhg Kalowski

Fifty years ago, in the early hours of Christmas Day 1974, Cyclone Tracy killed 66 people and decimated the city of Garramilla/Darwin. Afterwards more than 30,000 residents were evacuated, many never returning to Darwin.  Writing down memories of the event helped some survivors of the cyclone process the experience. Hear a handful of these stories, set in crumbling houses, airborne cars, a busy restaurant and an overcrowded hospital, all set to the terrifying real-life soundtrack of Cyclone Tracy.   (image courtesy of the NT Archive : LANT LJ Adams NTRS 3129 P2, item 1 Caption "Chris Adams looking at Cyclone Tracy destruction, 26 December 1974")

It’s the early 1900s and a gang of men moves through the gritty streets of inner-city North Melbourne: they dress sharp and inspire fear wherever they go. This gang, the Crutchy Push ruled the streets of North Melbourne over a ten year period, from late 1890s. And the reason for their curious name? All the members of this gang were amputees: mostly one-legged, and they used a crutch - and not just for walking! To mark the International Day for People With Disability, Melbourne-based writer and disability advocate  Kaitlyn Blythe digs up the little-known story of the gang and its’ charismatic leader Valentine Keating, and explores how it busts a lot of myths about disabled people in Australian history.   Guests: Brendan Gleeson Tansy Bradshaw   Readings  -  Toby Truslove    Credits: Producer -  Kaitlyn Blythe  Sound design and production -  Matthew Crawford Supervising Producer -  Michelle Rayner        

It’s March 25th, 1999, and Australia’s most remarkable prison escape has just taken place, after a helicopter hovers above the recreation grounds at the Silverwater maximum security prison, in Sydney. In the blink of an eye, a prisoner runs towards the chopper, climbs onboard, and is on his way to freedom. This is the story of that airborne escapee, John Killick, a man who spent much of his life leading the authorities on a merry dance. Somehow he survived his dangerous escapades and many prison stints. Today, in his early 80s, John is a writer, a public speaker. and a counsellor to ex-crims.   Credits: Producer: Brian McKenzie Sound Engineer: Tim Symonds