The Europeans | European news, politics and culture

This week we're delighted to have an excuse to talk about Dominic's favourite salty cheese. Halloumi has just been recognised as a product unique to Cyprus — something that eurocrats have hailed as a positive step towards reconciliation on the divided Mediterranean island. Is there any truth to that? Cypriot podcaster Natalie Lamprou is here for a great chat about cheese, politics and Cypriot identity. We're also talking about the French mayor running a town from his jail cell, and the German gymnasts taking a stand against sexualisation in sport. This is our first-ever episode as part of Sphera, a new collective of brilliant independent media outlets from across Europe. We are excited to be a part of it! Sign up to follow Sphera on Instagram, TikTok and more: https://linktr.ee/Sphera You can find Natalie's podcast Evris here and read her beautiful piece about Cypriot identity here. This week's Isolation Inspiration: Romanian documentary Collective, virtual reality experience Pollinator Park, and the Feel Good Film Festival. Thanks for listening! If you enjoy our podcast and would like to help us keep making it, we'd love it if you'd consider chipping in a few euros / dollars / pounds a month at patreon.com/europeanspodcast. You can also help new listeners find the show by leaving us a review. Producer: Katz Laszlo Assistant producers: Andrei Popoviciu and Priyanka Shankar Music: Jim Barne and Mariska Martina This podcast is a proud partner of Are We Europe. If you enjoy beautiful, border-breaking journalism, check out their website and buy their latest magazine. Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | [email protected]

It's a green-themed episode this week: we're talking about why Germany's Greens are the party of the moment, and taking a look at the environmentalists now running the Danish territory of Greenland. Plus, Katy's been chatting to the Polish artist Joanna Rajkowska about why she put a giant palm tree on a Warsaw roundabout. You can visit the palm tree here and read an interview with Joanna by friend of the show Ania Jakubek here. Joanna's latest work, Rhizopolis, sadly can't be visited right now because of the pandemic, but you can check out this beautiful environmental work on her website. This week's Isolation Inspiration: Anne+ and The Good Life Elsewhere by Vladimir Lorchenkov. Thanks for listening! If you enjoy our podcast and would like to help us keep making it, we'd love it if you'd consider chipping in a few euros / dollars / pounds a month at patreon.com/europeanspodcast. You can also help new listeners find the show by leaving us a review! Producer: Katz Laszlo Assistant producers: Andrei Popoviciu and Priyanka Shankar Music: Jim Barne and Mariska Martina This podcast is a proud partner of Are We Europe. If you enjoy beautiful, border-breaking journalism, check out their website and buy their latest magazine. Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | [email protected]

Why are so many British people completely clueless when it comes to understanding Northern Ireland, given that it's part of the UK? After days of rioting in Northern Irish towns and cities, we speak to historian Tim Mc Inerney, co-host of the excellent podcast The Irish Passport, about the strange island-of-Ireland-shaped hole in many Brits' understanding of their own history. We're also talking about Czech vaccines, Spanish vultures, and Brigadier Broccoli, the Swiss army cat. You should all listen to The Irish Passport! Find it in all the usual places, as well as here on their website. This week's Isolation Inspiration: Louis Theroux: Shooting Joe Exotic and "Jemima!" from jingle man Jim Barne and his writing partner Kit Buchan. Thanks for listening! If you enjoy our podcast and would like to help us keep making it, we'd love it if you'd consider chipping in a few euros / dollars / pounds a month at patreon.com/europeanspodcast. Producer: Katz Laszlo Assistant producers: Andrei Popoviciu and Priyanka Shankar This podcast is a proud partner of Are We Europe. If you enjoy beautiful, border-breaking journalism, check out their website and buy their latest magazine. Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | [email protected]

All aboard! We love trains here at The Europeans, but your ability to get around the continent by rail depends a lot on where you live. This week we're chatting to Italian data journalist Lorenzo Ferrari about why Vienna has a ton of international train connections and Albania has... zero. We're also talking about Kosovo's super-popular new female president, the Netherlands' less-popular PM, and a Swiss underwear controversy. You can check out Lorenzo's investigation into the state of international rail in Europe here. This week's Isolation Inspiration: Are We Europe's new magazine and West Cork. Thanks for listening! If you enjoy our podcast and would like to help us keep making it, we'd love it if you'd consider chipping in a few euros / dollars / pounds a month at patreon.com/europeanspodcast. Producer: Katz Laszlo Assistant producers: Andrei Popoviciu and Priyanka Shankar Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | [email protected]

This week, the young Romanian activist who has the patriarchy shaking in its boots. Sofia Scarlat founded Romania's first ever gender equality organisation for teenagers; in a country where the very idea of sex education has come under fierce debate, Girl Up Romania's Instagram account has become a vital source of information for young women. We chat to Sofia about her hopes for a gender equality revolution; we're also talking about the cultural appropriation of Portuguese sweaters, Roman traffic cops, and why it's illegal to call the Polish president a moron. You can check out Sofia's excellent TED Talk here, and read Politico Europe's round-up of where it's illegal to insult the head of state here. This week's Isolation Inspiration: 'Rembrandt in the Blood' from The Daily, and French TikTok accounts Lulucaskip, Maitresse Adeline and Loïc Suberville. Thanks for listening! If you enjoy our podcast and would like to help us keep making it, we'd love it if you'd consider chipping in a few euros / dollars / pounds a month at patreon.com/europeanspodcast. Producer: Katz Laszlo Assistant producers: Andrei Popoviciu and Priyanka Shankar Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | [email protected]

For decades, Eastern Europe has suffered a massive brain drain of people heading abroad in search of opportunity. But something remarkable happened during the pandemic: huge numbers started coming back. Can they be convinced to stay? This week we speak to urban researcher Ognyan Georgiev about his fascinating work tracking Bulgaria's returnees — and we get his predictions for which European cities are going to be the coolest in 20 years time. We're also talking about sexism in German football, Iceland's spectacular volcano eruption, and why Finland has yet again been named the world's happiest country. This week's Isolation Inspiration: Oscar-nominated Romanian film Collective; My Family And Other Animals; and the fabulous music of our Patreon supporter (and newest jingle composer) Mariska Martina: instagram.com/mariskamartina Thanks for listening! If you enjoy our podcast and would like to help us keep making it, we'd love it if you'd consider chipping in a few euros / dollars / pounds a month at patreon.com/europeanspodcast. Producer: Katz Laszlo Assistant producers: Andrei Popoviciu and Priyanka Shankar Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | [email protected]

Pretty much everyone has their face covered in public these days, and yet Switzerland is set to become the latest European country to ban (non-Covid) face coverings in public — including Muslim garments like the niqab and burqa. Given that barely any Swiss women wear these, what exactly is going on here? This week we speak to Inès El-Shikh of the Foulards Violets feminist group about what this referendum campaign has felt like for Muslim women. Also this week: Eurovision! We've been scrutinising the rather threatening lyrics of the Belarusian band kicked out for being too political. Plus, an ancient Roman coffee table and France's reckoning with the past. This week's Isolation Inspiration: White Rabbit Red Rabbit; And Then We Danced; and Are We Europe's delightful recipe cards, a perk of their awesome membership programme. Thanks for listening! If you enjoy our podcast and would like to help us keep making it, we'd love it if you'd consider chipping in a few euros / dollars / pounds a month at patreon.com/europeanspodcast. Producer: Katz Laszlo Assistant producers: Priyanka Shankar and Andrei Popoviciu Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | [email protected]

To mark International Women's Day this week, we speak to one of this continent's most courageous activists: Marta Lempart of the Women's Strike, the movement that that has organised massive street protests in recent months against Poland's incredibly restrictive abortion laws. We're also talking about Berlin's gender-neutral acting prize, Fidesz, and the power of oranges. This week's Isolation Inspiration: "It's A Sin", "African Europeans: An Untold History" and El País' long-read about José Epita Mbombo. Thanks for listening! If you enjoy our podcast and would like to help us keep making it, we'd love it if you'd consider chipping in a few euros / dollars / pounds a month at patreon.com/europeanspodcast. Producer: Katz Laszlo Assistant producers: Andrei Popoviciu and Priyanka Shankar Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | [email protected]

We've got a musical episode for you this week: a Catalan rapper jailed for controversial lyrics and tweets, an ancient French instrument, and some vintage Dutch pop. Plus the historian Timothy Garton Ash is here to explain why he thinks we need a more "polyphonic" Europe. Timothy and his team at University of Oxford want to hear your stories! Take part in their Europe's Stories project here. This week's Isolation Inspiration: Capitani on Netflix, Mangrove on Amazon Prime / the BBC, "Ding-a-Dong" by Teach-In. Thanks for listening! If you like our podcast and want to help us keep making it, we'd be hugely grateful if you'd consider chipping in a few euros / dollars / pounds a month at patreon.com/europeanspodcast. Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | [email protected]

A lot of this continent's favourite food comes originally from its former colonies — often with tweaks to suit European tastes. This week we talk to the superstar chef Asma Khan about food that has crossed borders, as well as her bid to banish macho culture from the restaurant industry. We're also talking about Super Mario, Greece's student protests, and an extremely old nun. Thanks for listening! If you like our show and would like to help us keep making it, we'd be hugely grateful if you'd consider chipping in a few euros/dollars/pounds a month at patreon.com/europeanspodcast. Producer: Katz Laszlo Assistant producers: Andrei Popoviciu and Priyanka Shankar Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | [email protected]

Why has a book about eels become a smash-hit in Sweden and beyond? This week we talk to Patrik Svensson, author of The Gospel of the Eels, about these strange and wonderful creatures and their epic annual migration from Europe to the Sargasso Sea. We're also talking about the Balkans' #MeToo uprising, Germany's mass coming-out, and the world's greatest Zoom meeting. Isolation Inspiration: Italian Netflix comedy Rose Island (L'incredibile storia dell'Isola delle Rose), and live dance performance Our House Is On Fire, amplifying the words of Greta Thunberg, on Thursday February 11. Thanks for listening! If you like our podcast and would like to help us keep making it, you can chip in a few euros/dollars/pounds at patreon.com/europeanspodcast.com. We're hugely grateful for your support! Producer: Katz Laszlo Assistant producer: Andrei Popoviciu Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | [email protected]

Europe has big plans to regulate the giant internet companies that shape our lives. But just how much will they force the likes of Google and Facebook to behave? This week we ring up Andrii Degeler, host of the Tech.eu podcast, to explain the whole thing without putting us to sleep. We're also talking about the French village with an astonishing history of helping the persecuted; bingeing on movies on a lonely Swedish island; and why the EU's design might make it harder to fight poverty. Listen to the Tech.eu podcast here (https://podcast.tech.eu/) and find out more about how Le Chambon-sur-Lignon helped Jewish refugees during the Holocaust here (https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/le-chambon-sur-lignon). This week's Isolation Inspiration: Orff-Schulwerk: Gassenhauer (https://open.spotify.com/track/1sbtYPTZ2TW5T54JZaIshg?si=-bSHVY3nSNyn98LtKt3O4Q) from Klassix for Kidz (!) and Danish Netflix comedy Rita. If you enjoy our podcast and want to help us keep making it, we'd be hugely grateful if you could chip in a few euros, dollars or pounds a month at patreon.com/europeanspodcast. You can also support our friends at the beautiful magazine Are We Europe, who have just launched a new membership drive. Find out more: https://2021.areweeurope.com Thanks for listening! Producer: Katz Laszlo Assistant producers: Priyanka Shankar and Andrei Popoviciu Twitter @europeanspod | Instagram @europeanspodcast | Facebook The Europeans Podcast | [email protected]

The oil giant Shell is Europe's biggest company — and it's facing an absolutely massive court case over climate justice. This week we speak to Anoek Nuyens, one of the women behind an extraordinary piece of theatre about Shell that laid bare the "crisis of responsibility" at the heart of global climate policy. We're also talking about Russia's opposition protests and the horrifying case of a TikTok challenge gone wrong in Italy. To find out more about This Is What A Generation Sounds Like, the new podcast series we're making with our friends at Are We Europe, check out our website: europeanspodcast.com/call-for-stories-allianz-kulturstiftung. And why not get yourself 50 percent off Are We Europe's excellent new magazine? Enter EUROPEANS at checkout. This week's Isolation Inspiration: Call My Agent, Moonstruck, Dating Amber. Thanks for listening. If you like our podcast and want to help us keep making it, you can chip in a few euros/dollars/pounds a month at patreon.com/europeanspodcast. Producer: Katz Laszlo Assistant producer: Priyanka Shankar Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | [email protected]

The 'Ndrangheta has become one of the most powerful and dangerous crime syndicates in the world. But how does the mafia actually operate? This week, as a massive trial of suspected 'Ndrangheta members gets underway in Italy, we delve into the inner workings of Europe's organised crime scene with the criminologist Federico Varese. We're also dishing up edible insects, the many European governments on the verge of collapse this week, and the magical power of seagrass. Isolation Inspiration: Federico's fascinating book Mafia Life; French Netflix show Lupin; nepotistic but excellent theatre livestream The end of Eddy. Thanks for listening! If you enjoy The Europeans and want to help us keep making it, we'd be hugely grateful if you'd consider chipping in a few euros/dollars/pounds at patreon.com/europeanspodcast. Edited by Katz Laszlo. Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | [email protected]

Happy New Year, Europeans and europhiles! We're back with a brand new episode featuring everything from ancient fast food to naughty aristocrats. Since Angela Merkel's party starts choosing her successor this weekend, German journalist Wolfgang Munchau is here to reflect on what kind of a hole the Queen of Europe will leave in our continent. We're also taking a look at Norway's split personality when it comes to the climate, and why Amsterdam cannabis tourism may become a thing of the past. Wolfgang is the director of Eurointelligence. Check out his podcast! This week's cutting-edge Isolation Inspiration: Fleabag (2016), The Bureau (2015), Bridgerton. Thanks for listening! If you like our podcast and want to help us keep making it, you can chip in a few euros/dollars/pounds a week at patreon.com/europeanspodcast. This episode was edited by Katz Laszlo. Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | [email protected]

For our last episode of the year, we take you to a supermarket in the Dublin suburbs in 2006. We also discuss a string of mysterious explosions at Polish grocery stores in the Netherlands, doing a deal with Viktor Orbán, and the secret to happiness in Europe. This week's beautiful story was written by Richy Craven, read by Darach Ó Séaghdha, and produced by Katz Laszlo. If you enjoyed it, please consider donating to Barnardos. You can check out Darach's podcast, Motherfoclóir, here, and listen to the sweet sounds of Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin and Ultan O'Brien here. Other music from Lena Orsa and Timbre at Freesound. This week's Isolation Inspiration: The Great, Catherine The Great, The Romanovs, Handel's Messiah from VOCES8, To Catch A Thief and ÜberWeihnachten. Thank you so much for listening to The Europeans in 2020. We've loved making the show. If you'd like to help us keep going in 2021, you can chip in a few euros/dollars/pounds a month at patreon.com/europeanspodcast. Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | [email protected]

Philip recently found out that his classmate was a member of a far-right group. This is what happened when the two of them sat down to talk. This podcast was made possible by our Patreon supporters. If you'd like to help us keep making The Europeans, you can support us here: patreon.com/europeanspodcast. Reporting by Philip Pollak; production by Katy Lee and Dominic Kraemer; editing by Katy Lee; artwork by Rosa ter Kuile; music by Jim Barne. With huge thanks to Natalie Nougayrède and Emily Schultheis for their editorial advice. The original Hungarian audio and an annotated English transcript can be found here (password-protected). Thanks for listening. Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | [email protected]

This week, the Hollywood-worthy story of Janina Garbień. Her family hid a nine-year-old Jewish girl in their Warsaw home during the war; Janina would later fall in love with an Italian prisoner at a Nazi camp, lose him, and find him again. Ola Cichowlas tells us her grandmother's extraordinary tale. We also talk about a shocking case of police brutality and the controversy over France's security law. Plus, unfortunate village names and the truth about apples. Ola is Moscow correspondent for Agence France-Presse (AFP). You can follow her here and read a beautiful thread about her grandmother here. Katy guest-hosted the first episode of the new UN Women podcast Generations Talk Gender, featuring a conversation between a young Romanian feminist and a long-time activist in Serbia. Check it out here. Thanks for listening! If you enjoy this podcast and would like to help us keep making it, you can chip in a few euros/dollars/pounds at patreon.com/europeanspodcast. This week's Isolation Inspiration: Swedish comedy 'Love and Anarchy', Dutch TV show 'Een programma over de jaren negentig', and this accompanying 90s Eurodance playlist. Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | [email protected]

Moldova has just elected a pro-EU president, kicking out a favourite of Vladimir Putin's. This week, we wanted to talk to someone about daily life in a country that has seen a huge exodus to the rest of Europe; don't miss our moving conversation with Aliona Rotaru about what it's been like to stay behind. Also this week: naughty Dutch hackers, German glass ceilings, and Croatian winter warmers. Thanks for listening! If you enjoy our podcast and want to help us keep making it, you can chip in a few euros/dollars/pounds a month at patreon.com/europeanspodcast. Check out Are We Europe's beautiful multimedia project featuring Aliona, 'The Drums of Democracy'; read R. Daniel Kelemen's piece in Politico, 'Time to call Hungary and Poland's bluff'; and cosy up with AFP's video on Croatian codpieces. This week's Isolation Inspiration: 'Blindness' at Amsterdam's Royal Theater Carré, and Colette, a documentary from the Guardian. Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | [email protected]

France has one of the biggest Asian communities in Europe. So why aren't there more Asians on the French screen? This week we talk to Grace Ly, writer and co-host of the hit podcast Kiffe Ta Race, about food, stereotypes, identity, and why it's so hard to talk about racism in France. Also this week: Europe's anti-terrorism balancing act, a round-up of LGBTQ good news, and celeb dad hangouts. Thanks for listening! If you enjoy our show and want to help us keep making it, you can chip in a few euros/dollars/pounds a month at patreon.com/europeanspodcast. You follow Grace here and check out Kiffe Ta Race's crossover episode with Dipsaus, tackling racism in Europe, here. This week's Isolation Inspiration: Sofia Loren's new movie The Life Ahead, the Voila Europe theatre festival, and the BBC podcast Mayday. Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | [email protected]

This week's podcast is sponsored by Europe Talks. Sign up to have a conversation with a random European here! Now that we are FINALLY turning our attention to other things, this week we bring you the enjoyably chaotic story of Berlin's new airport. Jöran Mandik is one of the co-hosts of How To F#€k Up An Airport, an entire podcast series about the saga. We chatted about too-short escalators, human fire alarms, and scandalous overspending. Also this week: carrier pigeons, Denmark's vegetarian u-turn, and how to punish undemocratic governments. Thanks for listening! If you enjoy our show and want to help us keep running, you can chip in a few euros/dollars/pounds at patreon.com/europeanspodcast. How To F#€k Up An Airport is a series from Berlin's English-language news show, Radio Spaetkauf. Dominic has been listening to this Esther Perel interview. Katy has been watching The Queen's Gambit and enjoying this Twitter thread about the German filming location. Katy is speaking at Bulgaria's Listen Up podcasting festival next week! Get tickets here. Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | [email protected]

We're steering blissfully clear of the elephant in the global room this week: we're talking about books, sign language, and endemic corruption in Bulgaria. Investigative journalist Nikolay Staykov is here to explain why Bulgarians have protested for more than 100 nights against a government they compare to the mafia. We're also celebrating the Netherlands' life-saving whale sculpture and alternatives to Amazon. Thanks for listening! If you enjoy our podcast and want to help us keep making it, you can chip in a few euros/dollars/pounds at patreon.com/europeanspodcast. You can also leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. Nikolay is the co-founder of Bulgaria's Anti-Corruption Fund. Find out more here. Dominic has been listening to French and Saunders: Titting About. Katy has been watching this meme on repeat and listening to Bilal Göregen. Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | [email protected]

This week the journalist Arzu Geybulla is here to help us untangle the conflict that has broken out between Armenia and Azerbaijan; if you're confused about Nagorno-Karabakh, this is the podcast for you. We're also discussing Poland's abortion ban, the Pope's big move on same-sex civil unions, and Europe's latest weird art prank. Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this podcast and you have a few coins to spare, we'd love it if you'd consider chipping into our fund at patreon.com/europeanspodcast. Arzu recommends Black Garden by Thomas de Waal, as well as updates from Laurence Broers. You can also follow Arzu on Twitter here. Katy is watching Barbarians on Netflix. Dominic is watching Season 2 of Killing Eve. Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | [email protected]

This week Dominic is furious about the EU vote on whether or not veggie burgers can be called veggie burgers, so we're distracting him with languages. Interpreter extraordinaire Alexander Drechsel is here to discuss the weird English dialect that has developed in Brussels, and whether the EU of the future will be anglophone. Plus, Sarkozy, Sweden's big-spending military, and adorable nuns. Thanks for listening! If you like the show and have a couple of euros / dollars / pounds to spare each month, you can support us at patreon.com/europeanspodcast. Alex is on Twitter @adrechsel, and you can get tickets for his November 18 debate on the role of English in the EU here. Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | [email protected]

Ok, ok, the title of this episode might be a bit of a stretch, but she WAS prime minister for a day. This week we chatted to 16-year-old Aava Murto about what happened when she got to replace Finland's Prime Minister Sanna Marin for 24 hours. Also this week: the downfall of Greece's Golden Dawn neo-Nazis, Bulgaria's anti-corruption protests, and Iga Swiatek's brilliant French Open performance. Thanks for listening! If you like our show and want to help us keep making it, you can chip in a few euros / pounds / dollars a month at patreon.com/europeanspodcast. How Norway makes rule of law offenders pay - Politico This week's isolation inspiration: Mary Wollestonecraft - Letters Written in Sweden, Norway and Denmark; Michelle Buteau - Welcome to Buteaupia Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | [email protected]

We've got a food-themed episode for you this week: bread, meat, and oat milk ethics. We're talking to the documentary-maker Fredrik Gertten about why Swedish vegan company Oatly may be making a deal with the devil. We're also discussing why Subway bread isn't bread (in Ireland at least) and asking why the wurst may be over in Germany. Plus, foul-mouthed parrots. Because everyone needs foul-mouthed parrots. Thanks for listening! If you like our show and want to help us keep making it, you can chip in a few euros / pounds / dollars a month at patreon.com/europeanspodcast. Watch Fredrik's award-winning documentary Push here, and listen to his podcast here. This week's isolation inspiration: Notes to Self by Emilie Pine; Kidnapping (ARTE). Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | [email protected]

This week, the game that unites this continent. We're talking to Eniola Aluko, former England and Juventus striker, about her experience as a black woman in European football. We're also talking about what it's like to recover from a Russian Novichok poisoning; Europe's latest refugee plan; and clever puffins. Thanks for listening! If you'd like to help us keep making The Europeans, you can chip in a couple of euros/dollars/pounds a month to our Patreon fund: patreon.com/europeanspodcast. You can watch Eni speaking at the Forum on European Culture here, and check out her book here. This week's Isolation Inspiration: Hanna, The Vampire Ship, and the latest issue of Are We Europe. Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | [email protected]

Could Europe do with a 19th-century reboot? This week we're talking to Simon Strauss, millennial star of the German literary world, about why he thinks Romanticism is the future. We also hear about a lovely project he's launched to collect the stories of ageing Europeans. Plus: Ursula's big day, eco-burials, and what Tchaikovsky got in the post. Simon's smash-hit novel, Seven Nights, is now available in English: https://rare-bird-books.myshopify.com/products/seven-nights Read his 2018 keynote from the Forum on European Culture: https://cultureforum.eu/report2018/wp-content/uploads/Day-3_keynote-simon-strauss.pdf And check out the European Archive of Voices: https://usefenut.myhostpoint.ch/european-archive-of-voices/ This week's Isolation Inspiration: Why Did You Betray Me? https://www.decomposedshow.org/episode/2019/04/30/why-did-you-betray-me-tchaikovsky La Haine https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/la_haine Thanks for listening. If you like our show and would like to help us keep making it, we'd be really grateful if you could chip in a few dollars a month at https://patreon.com/europeanspodcast. Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | [email protected]

Women are kicking ass in Belarus right now, and this week we're catching up with the journalist Hanna Liubakova about why — and where the protest movement is going. We're also talking about the fire at Greece's Moria refugee camp and the mess that is Europe's refugee policy. Plus: greener energy choices in Portugal and the French film behind the #CancelNetflix hashtag. Follow Hanna on Twitter for essential updates on Belarus: https://twitter.com/HannaLiubakova The Forum on European Culture runs in Amsterdam/online from September 17-20. Check out the line-up here: https://cultureforum.eu Thanks for listening! If you'd like to help us keep making this show, please consider chipping in a couple of dollars or euros a month at https://patreon.com/europeanspodcast. Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | [email protected]

We're back from our summer break and here to bring you all the European Things that have been missing from your life. This week, the Italian novelist Francesca Melandri on what happened when her beautiful Letter From The Future went viral; we also chat about how Italy deals (or doesn't) with the past. Also this week: theatrical freedom in Hungary, extremely slow music, and a fly-swatting disaster. Francesca is speaking at the Forum on European Culture next week. Get the full programme here: https://cultureforum.eu Thanks for listening! If you like our show and want to help us keep running, you can donate a couple of euros/dollars a month at patreon.com/europeanspodcast. Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | [email protected]

In this final installment of European love letters, we're travelling from Hungary to Germany, Germany to Russia, and across the border to Norway. We're celebrating the books that stay with us for a lifetime — and books that seem to have a life of their own. And we're heading to the Arctic with an extremely stubborn grandmother. The Chain is presented by Mick ter Reehorst and is a collaboration with Are We Europe as part of the Summer of Solidarity, a pop-up collaborative journalism project. Find out more at https://www.summerofsolidarity.eu. The stories you heard were written by Philip Pollak, Viola Theunissen and Nina Lamparski. Mixing and sound design was by Katz Laszlo, production by Dominic Kraemer, and editing by Katy Lee. Music and sound effects from Blue Dot Sessions and Freesound.org. You also heard the Fourth Movement of Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 6 in B minor, and Divertimento from his Suite No.1, Op.43, via Musopen. https://europeanspodcast.com | https://www.areweeurope.com

We're hopping from Sweden to France, France to Spain, and Spain to Austria for part two of The Chain, a series of love-letters from Europeans to each other's countries. This week we're climbing a volcano, feasting on chocolate cake, and seeing Europe through a dog's eyes. The Chain is presented by Mick ter Reehorst and is a collaboration with Are We Europe as part of the Summer of Solidarity, a pop-up collaborative journalism project. Find out more at https://www.summerofsolidarity.eu. The stories you heard were written by Julie Lindahl, Sedera Ranaivoarinosy and Marta Santiváñez. Lisa Klevermark was the voice of Ellie. Mixing and sound design was by Katz Laszlo, production by Dominic Kraemer, and editing by Katy Lee. Music and sound effects from Blue Dot Sessions and Freesound.org. The final waltz was Johann Strauss' G’schichten aus dem Wienerwald, played by the Wiener Johann Strauss Orchester. https://europeanspodcast.com | https://www.areweeurope.com

Introducing The Chain: a series of love-letters from Europeans to each other's countries. This week we're hopping from Romania to the Netherlands, the Netherlands to Italy, Italy to Bosnia and Herzegovina. We'll hear about a mountain, a monument from a non-existent country, and a life-changing conversation in a soap shop. The Chain is presented by Mick ter Reehorst and is a collaboration with Are We Europe as part of the Summer of Solidarity, a pop-up collaborative journalism project. Find out more at https://www.summerofsolidarity.eu. The stories you heard were written and recorded by Andreea Sirbu, Thomas van Neerbos and Veronica Tosetti, and produced by Dominic Kraemer, Katz Laszlo and Katy Lee. Music and sound effects from Blue Dot Sessions and Freesound (including Richard Laiepce, antigonia, genghis attenborough, and Katz' own field recordings). https://europeanspodcast.com | https://www.areweeurope.com

In our last episode before a little summer break, we're zooming out and taking a look at the state of Europe with Natalie Nougayrède. The Guardian columnist and former Le Monde editor is spearheading Summer of Solidarity, a collaborative journalism project celebrating human stories across Europe. We chat about the 'othering' of Central and Eastern Europeans and the case for a pan-European media outlet. Also this week: Poland's election, problematic metro names, and the power of bison. We want your stories for our special summer episodes! Find out more: https://europeanspodcast.com/the-chain Explore the Summer of Solidarity, including some great Spotify playlists, at https://www.summerofsolidarity.eu Thanks for listening! If you like the show and want to help us keep making it, you can chip in as little as $2 month at https://www.patreon.com/europeanspodcast. Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | [email protected]

Why has George Soros inspired conspiracy theories involving everything from the Holocaust to Beyoncé? This week we're talking to Emily Tamkin, author of 'The Influence of Soros', about why the Hungarian-born billionaire is such a source of fascination and controversy. Also this week: Belgium faces its past; Latvia faces Russian 'propaganda' efforts; and Parisian jazz goes solo. Thanks for listening! If you like our show and want to make sure we can keep making it, you can chip in a couple of dollars a month at patreon.com/europeanspodcast. Emily's book is out now: https://www.harpercollins.com/9780062972637/the-influence-of-soros/ 'Russia's RT Network: Is It More BBC or KGB?' - https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/08/world/europe/russias-rt-network-is-it-more-bbc-or-kgb.html 'RT, Sputnik and Russia's New Theory of War' - https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/13/magazine/rt-sputnik-and-russias-new-theory-of-war.html Malin Broman x 8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWwLSsfdmNk Floor Is Lava https://www.netflix.com/title/81006858 Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | [email protected]

Igor Levit, as the New Yorker put it, "Is Like No Other Pianist". This week we chatted to the German-Russian superstar about playing for 15 hours straight, why he staged 50 concerts from his living room, and Germany's ongoing struggle against systemic racism. We're also talking about France's "green wave" and Romania's very expensive super-church. Thanks for listening! If you like the show, you can chip in a few dollars a month to help us keep running at patreon.com/europeanspodcast. Follow Igor on Twitter and Instagram and watch his epic performance of Erik Satie's Vexations here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uu_03mUPgHU Eurovision Song Contest - The Story of Fire Saga: https://www.netflix.com/title/80244088 The Fog of Srebrenica: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/thefogofsrebrenica Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | [email protected]

This week we're celebrating those moments when Europeans are actually nice to each other. Rafael Loss, data wizard at the European Council on Foreign Relations, is on the line from Berlin to explain why he built an online tool to track solidarity during the C-word crisis. We're also talking about Serbia's elections, Croatian bees, and awake brain surgery. Thanks for listening! If you enjoy the show, please consider a small monthly donation to help keep us running: https://patreon.com/europeanspodcast The Silver Lining, the latest magazine from Are We Europe, is out now! Enter EUROPEANS at the checkout for 30% off: https://www.areweeurope.com/store/the-silver-lining Summer of Solidarity - explore all kinds of European stories here: https://www.summerofsolidarity.eu Check out Rafael's Solidarity Tracker: https://www.ecfr.eu/solidaritytracker On Sweden's sexual consent law - The Local: https://www.thelocal.se/20200616/how-swedens-new-consent-law-led-to-a-75-rise-in-rape-convictions Still Life On The Island: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cg00VY78QdQ&app=desktop Where's Simon? The London Symphony Orchestra: https://lso.co.uk/whats-on/alwaysplaying/digitalactivities/wheres-simon.html Dominic's colleague having awake brain surgery: https://youtu.be/obiARnsKUAo Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | [email protected]

Communist Bulgaria was home to a furtive cooking craze on a massive scale: women swapping recipes on scraps of paper, with strangers on trams, even at funerals. The historian and writer Albena Shkodrova sees this fascinating phenomenon as a form of subversion; we called her up to ask why. Also this week: Happy Birthday Schengen, an accidental invasion, and an end to Sweden's longest-running murder mystery. Thanks for listening! If you enjoy the show, you can chip in a couple of dollars a month to keep us running at https://patreon.com/europeanspodcast. You can also leave us a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review on Apple Podcasts! https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-europeans/id1315776736 Find out more about Albena's forthcoming books, 'Communist Gourmet' and 'Rebellious Cooks': https://www.albenashkodrova.com Who Killed The Prime Minister? - The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/news/2019/may/16/olof-palme-sweden-prime-minister-unsolved-murder-new-evidence On achève bien les gros - ARTE https://www.arte.tv/fr/videos/086161-000-A/on-acheve-bien-les-gros Lianne LaHavas - NPR Tiny Desk (Home) Concert https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qso4MRfidrw People of Europe - Susan Neiman https://www.facebook.com/debalie/videos/948520485598650 Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | [email protected]

Protests over the death of George Floyd have been spreading on this side of the Atlantic, from Britain to Hungary. This week we're talking about what makes the European anti-racism protests different, with the artist and cultural critic Quinsy Gario. We're also talking about Prague's mysterious poisoned suitcase, and a possible post-COVID rail revolution. Amsterdam protest recording by Katz Laszlo. Thanks for listening! If you like the show, you can chip in a couple of dollars a month to help us keep making it at https://www.patreon.com/europeanspodcast. You can also leave us a review at https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-europeans/id1315776736 On hydrogen and pasta: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/27/business/hydrogen-fuel-climate-change.html Isolation Inspiration: Afropean by Johny Pitts | Whisper of the Heart | Wind of Change Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | [email protected]

You can blame Dominic for the pun. This week, as tensions between the United States and China reach fever-pitch, we're asking: does Europe need to pick a side? Tom Wan, Research Director in European Politics at the Global Studies Institute in Hong Kong, is on the line to explain what's at stake in Europe's relationship with China. Also this week: reproductive rights, a badly-behaved prince, and what lies beneath the floorboards. In memory of Christo: https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2020/06/photos-works-of-christo/612484/ The Crowd: https://ochentastudio.com/ochenta-stories/2020/5/27/the-crowd Thanks for listening! If you liked the show and have a couple of dollars spare a month, you can help us keep making it at https://patreon.com/europeanspodcast. Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | [email protected]

The Italian journalist and travel writer Giovanni Vale is used to writing tourist guidebooks, but usually they're for countries that still exist. We rang him up to ask why he's turned his attention to 'extinguished' countries, starting with the Venetian Republic which sprawled across the Mediterranean for more than a millennium. Also this week: Polish punk and Europe's organic revolution. Giovanni's guide to the Venetian Republic is available for pre-order here: https://bit.ly/2zB1Rar Isolation Inspiration: Rabbit Hole - The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/column/rabbit-hole (Although) In Pieces, Yet One - Francesca Vincentie https://inpiecesyetone.com Inside Politics - all that bond stuff, explained https://bit.ly/2AcEPq6 Thanks for listening. If you like the show, you can help us keep making it by chipping in a few dollars a month at https://patreon.com/europeanspodcast. Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | [email protected]

Less than a fifth of the biographies on Wikipedia are those of women; Rebecca O'Neill is part of a movement to fix that. We talk to her about her quest to write famous Irish women into the Wikiverse, as well as how the site helps minority languages to stay alive. Also this week: Merkel rises above it, and theatre gets political in Albania. Find Rebecca's Wikipedia tutorials on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/smirkybec/videos And on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCME0KIqk13bdfdg_fqqYISA Thanks for listening! If you'd like to help us keep this podcast running, you can chip in a few dollars a month at https://patreon.com/europeanspodcast. Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | [email protected]

Last July, a group of fishermen near the coast of Norway were surprised to see a submarine burst out of the water in front of them. A terrible disaster had struck the Losharik, a highly advanced Russian vessel that had been lurking on the seafloor. But what happened? And what was the submarine doing so close to European shores? This mystery has fascinated the Norwegian journalist Thomas Nilsen, one of the authors of a New York Times investigation into the Losharik disaster. We talked to him about why Russia is so interested in what lies beneath these waters. Spoiler alert: your internet connection depends on it. Also this week: Finland's basic income experiment, a setback for German homophobes, and graffiti for the green-fingered. Thomas is the editor of the Barents Observer. Read his New York Times investigation: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/20/world/europe/russian-submarine-fire-losharik.html We're hosting an Online Pub Quiz for our Patreon supporters this week! To join the fun, you can sign up to support us here: https://www.patreon.com/europeanspodcast Isolation Inspiration: Trying: https://youtu.be/nGA_6WTD3vM Under Milk Wood: https://youtu.be/WJtzOD3KbLM Thanks for listening! Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | [email protected]

This week we've got a cultural bonanza for you. We're talking about Poland's Netflix tax and the new drive-in cinema in Vilnius, as well as all the TV and online concerts we've been bingeing on. Plus, a great interview with the French screenwriter Noé Debré about Parlement, the European satire we've been waiting for. Thanks to all the generous supporters who are helping us keep this podcast running right now. If you have a few dollars to spare a month, you can chip in at patreon.com/europeanspodcast. Watch Parlement here: https://www.france.tv/series-et-fictions/series-comedies/parlement Hope@Home: https://www.arte.tv/en/videos/RC-019356/hope-home Floyd on France: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=floyd+on+france Fleabag Live: https://www.sohotheatreondemand.com/show/FleabagFourPound Thanks for listening. Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | [email protected]

This week we bring you: coal, chess, and the circular economy. We speak to Esther Goodwin-Brown of Circle Economy about the economic model that's getting environmentalists all hot and bothered. We're also talking about why Europe's fallen out of love with the black stuff and why chess is getting a revamp. Plus, metal detectors — because what would this podcast be without metal detectors? Thanks for listening! If you like our show, you can help us keep it running by chipping in a couple of dollars a month at patreon.com/europeanspodcast. Isolation Inspiration: Frankenstein at the National Theatre https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/shows/nt-at-home-frankenstein Wordsworth 250 https://wordsworth250.org Parlement https://www.france.tv/series-et-fictions/series-comedies/parlement That climate litigation thing that Katy forgot about: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/24/dutch-officials-reveal-measures-to-cut-emissions-after-court-ruling Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | [email protected]

The superstar illustrator Christoph Niemann is on a mission to better understand Europe. 'In Praise of a Normal, Boring Country', the latest installment of his New York Times visual essay series, took him to Estonia. We rang him up in Berlin to talk about his trip and a bunch of other stuff. Also this week: Dominic gets to grips with debt mutualisation, and Katy gets to grips with mittens. Thanks for listening! If you like our show, you can help us keep making it at Patreon: https://patreon.com/europeanspodcast Read Christoph's lovely visual essay about Estonia here: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/03/25/magazine/dispatches-estonia.html Isolation Inspiration: Sunday Sketching by Christoph Niemann | Unorthodox on Netflix Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | [email protected]

There's a bunch of interesting stuff happening in Poland right now, so we rang up our favourite Polish journalist Ania Jakubek to untangle it for us. Also this week: blue tits, volcanoes, mutant enzymes and an Easter panda. Thanks for listening. If you like our show, you can help us keep making it at https://www.patreon.com/europeanspodcast. Isolation Inspiration: Ania's drawings: https://www.instagram.com/amjakubek Making An Opera: https://www.nporadio4.nl/podcasts/making-an-opera Are We Europe magazine: https://www.areweeurope.com/ Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | [email protected]

The Irish writer Mark O'Connell spent three years meeting people who are preparing for the end of the world. At a time when a lot of us have been gripped by a general sense of doom, we had a weirdly reassuring chat about the apocalypse. Also this week: big developments in Central Europe, bouncy pavements, and a celebration of the theremin. Mark's book, Notes from an Apocalypse, is out on April 14. This week's Isolation Inspiration: Cross-border romance (http://tiny.cc/jo5nmz listen from 24:50), Field Recordings (https://fieldrecordings.xyz/) and live jazz from Mariska Martina (http://tiny.cc/xr5nmz). Thanks for listening! If you like the show and have a few euros to spare, you can help us keep making it at patreon.com/europeanspodcast. Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | [email protected]

In this time of crisis, many, many people are watching marbles roll down miniature race tracks. We talk to Dion Bakker, one of the Dutch brothers behind the hit marble-racing YouTube channel that's filling the void left by cancelled sports events. We also catch up with atmospheric physicist Meganne Christian, who spent a year in Antarctica, to hear her tips on surviving isolation. Also this week: Viktor Orbán's terrifying power grab, and trees, lots of trees. Like the show? If you have a couple of spare dollars to spare each month, you can help us keep making it at patreon.com/europeanspodcast. Thanks for listening! Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | [email protected]

Calming things are much needed this week, so we're talking about lakes and we're talking about dogs. Our guest is the poet and author Kapka Kassabova, whose latest book To The Lake is a beautiful account of life on the borders of Greece, Albania and North Macedonia. We're also celebrating cleaner skies, human-canine relationships, and putting booze to good use. Thanks to the amazing people who support this podcast on Patreon, especially in these uncertain times. If you have a couple of dollars to spare each month, you can chip in at patreon.com/europeanspodcast. Watch Dominic's latest opera here! Thanks for listening. Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | [email protected]