Transcripts For BBCNEWS Witness 20170429

Are back at the British Library in london. We have got another five witnesses who have shared their personal memories of history. This month on the programme, the israeli lawyer who prosecuted the architect of the holocaust. A chinese archaeologist who worked on the statues of the terracotta army. And the son of Charlie Chaplin invites us into his home. But first, we are going back to the 1980s. The beginning of the hiv aids outbreak. At that time, stigma about the condition was rife. But in 1987, Princess Diana agreed to make a highly symbolic visit to the first hiv aids unit in britain. Our first witness, the first hiv aids unit in britain. Ourfirst witness, John The First hiv aids unit in britain. Our first witness, john oreilly, was a nurse at the unit who welcomed one of the most famous women in the world. For every person affected by hiv aids around the world, it was a major moment. It was amazing. Officially, the princess was simply opening the first hiv aids ward in britain. But more significantly, she demonstrated her confidence that aids cannot be taken in by casual contact. People were frightened. Really frightened. We didnt know what it was to begin with. There was a lot of aids homophobia. The media we re a lot of aids homophobia. The media were unkind, particularly the tabloid press. I hated all of that kind of misinformation. The headlines were scaremongering, ignorant, misleading the general public. As far as i am concerned, the gay plague was homophobia, not the gay plague was homophobia, not the virus. I did not tell anybody what i did. I could not even tell fellow nurses and doctors what i did. Ijust said i did not feel safe at the little sex hospital. None of us at the little sex hospital. None of us did. Middlesex. We couldnt attract staff because people were frightened. The unit has created other pressures in the hospital. Staff treating People With Aids are at subject to extra strain. We have to be careful with blood and body fluids, obviously, because that is the way it is transmitted to be obviously, if we are dealing with those things, we will use gloves if necessary. But were not going out of our way use spacesuits and the rest because it is totally unnecessary. My opinion of her was she was warm, sophisticated, elegant, and smart. I warmed to her instantly to be see took our consultants down a peg or two, Who Condescendingly said, do you know what this is . He was holding up an x ray of a chest. She just very politely said, i am patron of the british heart and lung foundation, of course i know what an extra is. I thought good on her, i like that. An x ray. Thought good on her, i like that. An xray. Just one question dominated the whole day. Would see 01 dominated the whole day. Would see or wood and see where gloves . Would she or wouldnt she . See showed she cared because she took everyones hand. Chicane in without gloves and shook our patience hands, as well as ours. It was moving. The board can take 12 patients. They were hiding from the media unhappy with how they were portrayed in the media. One agree to a picture of the princess shaking his hands to prove you cannot catch aids through casual contact. His hands to prove you cannot catch aids through casual contactm his hands to prove you cannot catch aids through casual contact. It did not take much convincing for him. He was dying. He thought, well, so what . I will do it. And the night it aired, igot what . I will do it. And the night it aired, i got lots of notes pushed my door. It was very, very moving. And i never got any negative reaction. For a royal to shake a patients hands, anyone on the street could do the same. It educated people. I think Princess Dianas departure has done the worldly lot of harm, i think. He now works as a psychotherapist in london. Next to a story from world war two. This is not about battles, it is about the many women who met and married foreign servicemen when they were serving in europe. In 1916, thousands of war brides sailed from Britain To Canada to be reunited with their husbands and begin there new lives. Betty hawkins was one of them. Since 1939, 34,000 british girls have made canadians. Many of them have already been sent to canada by the department of immigration. We left our families and our relatives, our friends, for one man that we were in love with. It was a marvellous thing the canadian government did. And, i mean, they moved 47,000 women, and over 22,000 children as well. When the war started, we thought london was going to be subject to mitch creek. If you dont know what that is, it is having hundreds of bombers coming overand is, it is having hundreds of bombers coming over and dropping bombs. Blitzkrieg. The bombs were terrifying because you could hear them coming. And this one came down with the engine isjust roaring. And it hits the houses at the back of us. it hits the houses at the back of us. Hit. The canadians, of course, us. Hit. The canadians, of course , are us. Hit. The canadians, of course, are part of the commonwealth. Another ship tying itself up at the british board. See the canadian troops started coming over. the canadian troops started coming over. so. The canadian troops started coming over. So. They talk to everybody. That is the canadian way. This canadian soldier they became my husband was a very nice looking guy. That. Husband was a very nice looking guy. That. I husband was a very nice looking guy. That. I was 18 or 19 years old when i met him. It was a case of in young, being in love. He asked me to marry him. I asked my mother. She seemed to think it was a good idea. More wives are off to their land of opportunity across the sea. More wives are off to their land of opportunity across the seam more wives are off to their land of opportunity across the sea. It was a one way trip we didnt know these men very well when we agreed to marry them. Everyone is safely stored above the ship. It took ten days to sail over. We wondered what it was going to be like, of course. 18,000 adopted daughters willing to learn about canadian life. We did not no way thing except that canada was vast. All we could see was snow. When i first came to this house, there was no running water, there was no electricity, there was no bathroom. We didnt have a lot of money. Ken had to work away quite a lot. I will admit, money. Ken had to work away quite a lot. Iwilladmit, that money. Ken had to work away quite a lot. I will admit, that is probably why i had eight children. When husbands work away, youre glad to see them when they come back. There was a lot of us who were very brave. It was, well, i would say an adventure. Betty hawkins talking to witness in canada. Now to one of the greatest archaeological finds of the 20th century. In the spring of 1974, a group of people in china accidentally uncovered the site of the vast terracotta army. 0ur accidentally uncovered the site of the vast terracotta army. Our next witness is an archaeologist who has devoted her career to these life size warriors. Devoted her career to these lifesize warriors. A vast army being unearthed from the tomb it has laid for more than 2000 years. Laid for more than 2000 years. Laid in. And she still works in the site of the army in china. Remember, you can watch witness every month on the bbc news channel and you can catch up on all of the films along with more than 1000 Radio Programmes in our on line archive. Just go to bbc news. The nazi who planned the holocaust in 1951 was put on trial in jerusalem. Gabriela was a young israeli lawyer at the time and was chosen as one of the prosecutors in a trial attracting worldwide attention. Gabriel. Ina nice in a nice week of this trial, i can ta ke in a nice week of this trial, i can take this stand in the bullet proof dock. He was the head of what is cold the jewish dock. He was the head of what is Cold Thejewish Department Of The Ss and the gestapo. Eichmann took the stand. It was cold operation eichmann, the murder of the jews in europe. Hitler and the people who Made The Order to kill all thejews in1941, Made The Order to kill all thejews in 1941, they of course were more guilty. But eichmann was in charge of the whole of the carrying out of the holocaust. In 1960, eichmann was cold by israeli agents. And he was brought to israel. Two days after he arrived in israel, the Minister Of Justice cold me and he said, i imagine you will be one of the prosecutors in the trial. But would you be prepared to be in charge of the investigation . The whole world spoke about it in all the newspapers. You could see that eichmann was proud about anything he did in Orderto Eichmann was proud about anything he did in order to prevent the saving ofa did in order to prevent the saving of a single do. And then they took my mother, and she said let us go before her. They cold mother and shot her, too. Called. Before her. They cold mother and shot her, too. Called. There was a man in israel. I put him on the stage and asked what happened to his family. He said he had no idea what auschwitz meant. He said, my wife, when we came there, were sent to the left. We found out later that was the gas chambers. And they had a little daughter, to a half years old, and of course, they also said to the left. And then they asked about his profession. Many said he was an engineer in the army. They sent into the right to some work. And he had a boy. Halep was the . 13. The commander said he had to speak to the commander in chief. It took a few minutes, and many said the boy, one after your mother. I saw the witness, back there, with with tears in his eyes. And he said he could not see his wife any more. She was one not see his wife any more. She was one swallowed not see his wife any more. She was one swallowed up in the crowd. The sun, too. But the little daughter had a red coat, and that Little Red Dot getting smaller and smaller. Son. This is how my family disappeared from a light. At that time, my daughter was exactly 2 and a half old. I had bought hera red coat too weeks before that. And when the witness said that about the red coat, it suddenly cut off my voice completely. I certainly could not utter a sound. Suddenly. Until this day, i can be in a restaurant, i can be on the street, and certainly feel my heart beating, and certainly feel my heart beating, and a turnaround and they see a little boy or a little girl in red coat. Suddenly feel my heart bleeding. Beating. Coat. Suddenly feel my heart bleeding. Beating. The format is really prosecutor, gabriel bach, speaking to us injerusalem. In 1872, Charlie Chaplin returned to america after two decades in next in switzerland. For a final film this month, witness has been to his former home on late geneva, to meet his son, eugene. Charlie chaplin, my father, it was a pioneer in silent movies. He understood and saw the potential of filmmaking. He made about 80 films. By the age of 23, he was world famous. This is the house where i grew up. But it is a museum 110w. Where i grew up. But it is a museum now. I was born here, and switzerland. I am the number five of the act gives me father had. In the 19505, it the act gives me father had. In the 1950s, it was a witch hunt against the liberals in america, and my father, he was accused of being a sympathiser to communists. Plus had problems with his private life. So when he went to europe, he received a telegram, saying that they revoked his these are and that he had to go in front of a moral committee, if you want. Hello. My name is tom donkin. We ta ke hello. My name is tom donkin. We take you live to harrisburg interrupting the programme. President trump is at a rally there. He is marking his 100th day in others. We cross light and listen to what the president has to say. Cioss what the president has to say. Cross live. Thank you. Usa usa thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, it is truly great to be back in the wonderful, beautiful, state of pennsylvania. I love this state, and i love the people of this state. It is special. And it carried us to a big, Beautiful Victory on november eight. I want to recognise some of our friends that have helped us so much. Congressmen scott berridge. Perry. A couple of my originals, mike kelly, who i watch on television, he was great. Where is the . Where is the . He. Boy, we you great on television this morning . And of course, another one of our originals, rizman tom rayner. Thank you. Congressmen. Thank you. As you know, there is another big gathering taking place tonight in washington, dc. Congressman. Did you hear about it . Booing. A large group of Hollywood Actors and washington media are consoling each other in a Hotel Ballroom in our nations capital, right now. They are gathered together for the white house correspondents dinner, without the president. Cheering. Correspondents dinner. Could not possibly be more thrilled than to be more than 100 miles away from washington swamp, spending my evening with all of you and with a much, much larger crowd, and much better people. Right . Right . Cheering. Usa usa and look at the media, back there. They would actually rather be here, i would have to tell you. Thats right. Media outlets like cnn and msnbc are fa ke Media Outlets like cnn and msnbc are fake news. They can use. Fake news. And they are sitting, and they are wishing, and washington. They are wishing, and washington. They are watching right now, they are watching. And they would love to be with us right here tonight. But they are trapped at the dinner, which will be very, very boring, but next year, maybe we will make it more exciting for them in washington, and we will show up. We have eight good chance of showing up here again next year, too. A good. The truth is there is no place would rather be than right here in pennsylvania to celebrate our 100 day milestone to reflect on an incredible journey together and to get ready for the great, Great Battles to come, and that we will win, and every case, 0k . That we will win, and every case, ok . We will win. Because make no mistake, we are just ok . We will win. Because make no mistake, we arejust beginning in oui mistake, we arejust beginning in ourfight to mistake, we arejust beginning in our fight to make America Great again. Now, before we talk about my first 100 days, which has been very exciting, and very productive, lets rate the medias100 days. Should we do that . Because, as you know, they area do that . Because, as you know, they are a disgrace. According to a morning consort poll, more than half of americans say the media are out of americans say the media are out of touch with everyday americans. And they have proven that. Consult. According to Media Research centre, 89 of the medias coverage of our administration has been negative and purposefully negative. And perhaps that is because, according to the centre for public integrity, 96 ofjournalists who made donations in the last election gave in to our opponent. Has anybody remember who that was . . Centre for public integrity. That was some opponent. Finally, according to a poll last year from the associated press, only 6 of americans have a lot of confidence in america. That is very bad. That is much lower than congress, by the way. Associated press. But i will give you an example of something really incredible. Thats right. Yet them out of you. Get them out. Get. Out of here. Them out of you. Get them out. Get. Out of here. Usa usa thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Cheering. Do we love our Law Enforcement or white . What . And i want to thank the fire marshals. They have a lot of people standing outside. We really maxed out. We broke the all time record for this arena. How old is this arena . We broke the alltime record. You are listening to President Donald Trump addressing Supporters Ata donald trump addressing supporters at a rally in pennsylvania. A swing state he won in the election last year. State he won in the election last yea r. Lets state he won in the election last year. Lets continue to listen into the president as he marks his 100 daysin the president as he marks his 100 days in office. Pretty soon they will only be on internet. The paper is getting smaller and smaller. You ever notice . Starting to look like a comic look. But i will tell you, because i watched and i used to be in the real estate business, they sold their beautiful New York Times building in manhattan. A cathedral to journalism. Building in manhattan. A cathedral tojournalism. Such a beautiful, beautiful building. For around 130 million and a group that bought it