Тhe first episode of the documentary series “The Island” is now available. The podcast offers a different way of talking about the past – not as a collection of dry facts, but as an experience where human stories, historical context, and personal perspectives intersect. The series consists of five episodes, released weekly. 

The project is a joint production of the Sofia Platform Foundation and the Urban Detective podcast, with the support of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation. 

“The Island” approaches the Belene labor camp not as an isolated historical event, but as a process – a system that changes over time, closes, reopens, and leaves long-lasting traces on individuals and society. The episodes explore how repression emerges, how it functions, and how its effects continue to resonate decades later. 

The podcast combines testimonies of survivors, historical analysis, sound design, and the perspective of a new generation seeking to understand the traces of the past. The episodes feature authentic interviews recorded by the Sofia Platform Foundation between 2022 and 2024 as part of the project Stories from Belene. Many of the witnesses are no longer alive. 

“The Island” traces the boundary between memory and history: personal recollections are not always the complete truth, yet without them history remains without a human voice. 

Episodes of “The Island” will be available on belene.camp, as well as on the Urban Detective channels on YouTube, Spotify, and major podcast platforms.

The podcast was created to support anyone who has chosen to visit the camp, whether physically or virtually. The series can also be used as an audio guide, offering deeper context beyond the brief introduction provided during visits to Persin Island.

This is not a podcast for quick listening, but an invitation to reflect on history – our personal, family, and collective past, whose consequences continue to resonate today. 

Listen to Episode 1, “The Road to Belene” now: 
   
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“The Island” is part of the broader work of the Sofia Platform Foundation focused on understanding the communist past. On belene.camp, visitors can learn more about the Belene labor camp, ask questions to survivors, explore an interactive map of Persin Island, and book a guided visit on site.

“The Island” was created by Ana Blagova and Yana Punkina, initiated and recorded by Sofia Platform Foundation. Additional recordings: Ana Blagova and Yana Punkina. Consultant: Sofia Platform. Editing: Yana Punkina. Music: Angel Dodov, Yoana Robova, and Petar Parmakov. Sound design and post-production: Yoana Robova and Petar Parmakov.
Artwork: Boyana Pavlova. Photo used in the Episode 1 visual: Evgeni Khaldei / Wikimedia Commons.