Cold War Conversations

Alexander ‘Sasha’ Goncharov was born in Leningrad but early in this life moved to Ukraine. After leaving school he was drafted into the Soviet Military and was based in Sevastopol where he worked in Naval Aviation servicing anti-ship weapons systems. At the end of this period, Sasha decided to stay in the military to make it a full-time career. He was sent to Moscow where he trained as a full-time linguist. He was posted to Syria and Libya facilitating interactions between local forces and their Soviet advisors.

Now if this podcast was a magazine you wouldn’t mind paying a few quid or dollars a week so I’m asking you to support us for the bargain price of $3 a month. In the last few weeks John Newlove and Mike Hart have joined in helping to cover the show’s increasing costs and keep us on the air, plus they’ve got the sought after CWC coaster too.

Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/

So back to today’s episode – Alexander left the Russian military as a Lt Colonel and is the Co-Organiser of an Anglo-Russian charity which looks to bring Russians who fought in World War II to the UK to visit. 

We welcome Lt Colonel Alexander Goncharov to our Cold War conversation...

There’s further information on this episode in our show notes, which can also be found as a link in your podcast app. https://coldwarconversations.com/episode95/

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Can’t you wait for next week’s episode? Do visit our facebook discussion group where guests and listeners continue the Cold War Conversation. https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/

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In this episode, we hear from Craig McCracken who spoke to us in episode 3. This time he tells us about the strange world of football in Cold War Romania and even if you are not interested in football it’s a fascinating chat about Cold War Romania.

Craig runs the website, Beyond the Last Man, described as 20th century football writing and nostalgia in a skilled and cultured groove. He really knows his stuff.

Are you liking the podcast and want to help? Well, for the price of a couple of coffees a month you can help cover the show’s increasing costs and keep us on the air, plus you get the sought after CWC coaster too.

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So back to today’s episode, we talk of the early Cold War years where pre-war clubs were dissolved in favour of the big two (Steaua & Dinamo) through to the societal breakdown of the 1980s with defections, corruption, zombie clubs and an unlikely European Cup success.

I’m delighted to welcome back Craig McCracken to our Cold War Conversation…

As you can hear Craig really knows his stuff and I highly recommend a visit to his web site, Beyond The Last Man for numerous Cold War Football stories. We have a link to his site and various Romanian football videos in our show notes at https://coldwarconversations.com/episode94/ which will show in your podcast app. 

If you can’t wait for the next episode do visit our facebook discussion group where our guests and listeners like yourselves continue the Cold War Conversation. Just search Cold War Conversations.https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/

Thank you very much listening, it is really appreciated – goodbye!

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Our interview today is with Frederick Taylor, the author of one of my favourite books on the Berlin Wall. Using official history, archive research and personal stories he has produced one of the definitive books on the Berlin Wall.

BUY THE BOOK AND SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE

Now if you like the podcast you can help to support us for the price of a couple of coffees a month. You’ll be helping to cover the show’s increasing costs and keep us on the air, plus you get the sought after CWC coaster too.

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So back to today’s episode - James speaks with Fred who provides some great accounts of his personal experiences in Berlin as well as the story of the Berlin Wall and its eventual destruction. 

We welcome Fred Taylor to our Cold War conversation…

There’s further information on this episode in our show notes, which can also be found as a link in here your podcast app. https://coldwarconversations.com/episode93/

If you like what you are hearing sign up to our email list at https://coldwarconversations.com/

Radio GDR

If you are interested in East Germany we can highly recommend our friends over at Radio GDR.

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We speak again with Gillian, who was our guest in episodes 42 & 48. Gillian was in Berlin the night of 9th November 1989 and describes what she saw.

Now if you like the podcast you can help to support us for the price of a couple of coffees a month. You’ll be helping to cover the show’s increasing costs and keep us on the air, plus you get the sought after CWC coaster too.

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So back to today’s episode – Gillian gives us the viewpoint of a US student in Berlin on that pivotal night on 20th Century history. She tell us of her first discovery that this was going to be a night to remember and the sights and sounds of that night. 

We welcome Gillian back to our Cold War conversation…

We have further photos and information on this episode in our show notes which will show as a link in your podcast app. https://coldwarconversations.com/episode92/

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Alastair took up a teaching post in Halle, East Germany in August 1989 and continued to work in Halle for the next 9 years, seeing the unraveling of the GDR first hand. 

Now if you like the podcast you can help to support us for the price of a couple of coffees a month. You’ll be helping to cover the show’s increasing costs and keep us on the air, plus you get the sought after CWC coaster too.

Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/

So back to today’s episode – Alastair arrived just in time to see the early protests and the opening of the border with West Germany. He recounts the Wende with some great stories detailing the impact of the Wende and the effects of reunification.

We welcome Alastair to our Cold War conversation…

If you like what you are hearing sign up to our email list at coldwarconversations.com.

We have further photos and information on this episode in our show notes  which will show as a link in your podcast app here. https://coldwarconversations.com/episode91

Radio GDR

If you are interested in East Germany we can highly recommend our friends over at Radio GDR.

Support the project! https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/

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Our interview today is in a different format. Cold war Conversations is working with the Imperial War Museum on a project called Voices of the Wall. We will be capturing personal testimonies of people’s experiences of the Cold War which will later become part of the podcast.

Therefore, this episode is a composite of previous and unheard interviews of how people heard about the momentous opening of the Berlin Wall 30 year to the date this podcast is published.

Now I can see a large increase in listeners of late with some of you binge listening the entire back catalogue. If this podcast was a magazine you wouldn’t mind paying a few quid or dollars a week so I’m asking you to support us for the bargain price of $3 a month. In the last few weeks Anders Ollson, Gregory Morrow, Michael Noble, Bernd Wagegg Mark Wiegers, Brian Carroll, and Scott Gregory have joined in helping to cover the show’s increasing costs and keep us on the air, plus they’ve got the sought after CWC coaster too.

Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/

So back to today’s episode – We have some great some stories from that momentous day in 1989 

Welcome to our Cold War conversation

There’s further information on this episode and other other Berlin Wall episodes in our show notes, which can also be found as a link in your podcast app. https://coldwarconversations.com/episode90/

Support the project! https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/

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Our interview today is with Iain MacGregor, the author of a new book on Checkpoint Charlie. Weaving together personal testimonies, this book is described as a gripping narrative with vivid interviews with those on all sides whose lives were directly affected by that grim symbol of the East-West divide that poisoned Europe for almost half a century.

BUY THE BOOK AND SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE

Now if you like the podcast you can help to support us from $3 a month. You’ll be helping to cover the show’s increasing costs and keep us on the air, plus you get the sought after CWC coaster too.

Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/

So back to today’s episode – Iain MacGregor tells us about some great stories from the history of Checkpoint Charlie featuring a number of guests from the podcast as well as a number of stories unknown to me. 

We welcome Iain Macgregor to our Cold War conversation…

There’s further information on this episode in our show notes, which can also be found as a link in your podcast app here https://coldwarconversations.com/episode89

Radio GDR

If you are interested in East Germany we can highly recommend our friends over at Radio GDR.

Support the project! https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/

Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/ColdWarPod

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/

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In this episode, we continue Andrej’s story with his sometimes, harrowing memories of how he became a child refugee in West Germany. 

Now if you like what your hearing then for the price of a couple of coffees a month you’ll be helping to cover the show’s increasing costs and keep us on the air, plus you get the sought after CWC coaster too.

Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/

So back to today’s episode – Andrej starts with the gradual building of unrest in East Germany and his family’s dramatic move to West Germany. It’s a sad story in parts, but ultimately you hear of Andrej’s triumph over adversity working for the US Forces in Germany.

We welcome back Andrej to our Cold War conversation…

I do hope you found Andrej’s story interesting. We have further photos and information in our show notes which are at https://coldwarconversations.com/episode88/ or will show as a link in some podcast apps. 

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Dr Peter Johnston is the Head of Collections Research and Academic Access at the National Army Museum in London and the author of a lavishly illustrated military and social history of the British forces in Germany during the Cold War.

BUY THE BOOK AND SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE

Now if you like the podcast you can help to support us for the price of a couple of coffees a month. You’ll be helping to cover the show’s increasing costs and keep us on the air, plus you get the sought after CWC coaster too.

Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/

So back to today’s episode - James speaks with Peter who provides some great accounts of the experiences of British soldiers Germany.

We welcome Peter to our Cold War conversation…

We have further photos, videos and information on this episode in our show notes here https://coldwarconversations.com/episode87/

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Andrej's father served with the Soviet Army in Germany. He grew up on a military base and shares his childhood memories as East Germany began to disintegrate.

So would you like one of those Cold War Conversations coasters you keep hearing me talk about? Well it's easy, just sign up to https://www.patreon.com/coldwarpod and for the price of a couple of coffees a month you'll be helping to cover the costs of the show and keep us on the air plus you get that sought after coaster of to you just go to

Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/

So back to you today's episode. Andrej's father was a lieutenant in Signals and Andrej provides a fascinating child's eye view of life on the base and in his East German kindergarten as well as insight into the changing mood of some of the East German population to the Soviets as the GDR began to disintegrate.

Next week they'll be a second episode with Andrej where we hear his experiences as a child refugee in West Germany after the Wall fell. Do make you are subscribed via your favorite podcast app so you don't miss that.

I'm delighted to welcome Andrej to our Cold War Conversation...

I do hope you found Andrej’s story interesting. We have further photos, videos and information in our show notes which are at https://coldwarconversations.com/episode86/ or will show as a link in some podcast apps. 

Radio GDR

If you are interested in East Germany we can highly recommend our friends over at Radio GDR.

Support the project! https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/

Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/ColdWarPod

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/

Youtube https://youtube.com/@ColdWarConversations

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