Bizim Radyo

Research, Sound Design, Exhibition Design

During the Cold War, both Western states and the Soviet Union, their allies and communist groups used radio to spread their values and ideas. The Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) also operated two secret stations via its foreign office in Leipzig during the GDR era. The first and better-known station, Bizim Radyo (Our Radio), was founded in 1958 and was initially run by the lyricist Nâzım Hikmet. The original aim was to mobilize the population in Turkey to resist, because thanks to its solid infrastructure, the station reached places that state radio could not. However, the content also met with interest among the newly arrived workers from Turkey in West Germany. In addition to news, the broadcasts also included political analysis, music and cultural contributions. Shortly before the fall of the Berlin Wall, the station disbanded in 1989. Most of the former staff returned to Turkey or continued their exile elsewhere, while a few people and stories remained in East Germany. Today, Bizim Radyo is largely unknown to the German public, although it represents an important East German migration story that reflects transnational political struggles.

Kaya Peters' master's project in the Media Art / Media Design course at the Chair of Experimental Radio is a scientific and artistic examination of the invisible legacy of this radio station. To this end, a documentary radio play was developed and produced from the biographies of some of the employees and other archive material, with the aim of making the lost voices audible again.

In the multimedia exhibition, the radio play, together with accompanying photographs and texts, sets out to trace the stories of the radio station.
Who were the employees of this radio station? What were their dreams and hopes? And how can we remember them today?

Cast and participants in the radio play
Sasun Sayan, Füsun Cibir, Taies Farzan, Yılmaz Atmaca, Sebastian Kowski, Eda Aydın, Leon Kostner, David Frommhold, Amir Shokati