“The Island” is a documentary-dramatized podcast dedicated to the “Belene” camp - the largest and longest-functioning camp for political opponents of the communist regime in Bulgaria. The five-episode series is a joint production of The Urban Detective and Sofia Platform Foundation, with the support of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.

The podcast combines documentary testimonies, archival materials, and conversations with researchers, eyewitnesses, and descendants of survivors. It was created to support anyone who has decided to visit the camp - physically or virtually. The series can also be used as an audio guide that provides broader historical context beyond the brief introduction given during a visit to Persin Island.

“The Island” builds on the long-standing work of Sofia Platform Foundation to preserve and transmit the memory of the “Belene” camp through on-site trainings, interactive formats, and educational initiatives. The series is a natural continuation of Urban Detective’s mission to tell significant urban stories – about architecture, cultural history, myths, and memory - through the human voices that bring them to life.

---

Goals

• To preserve and promote the testimonies of survivors of the “Belene” camp;

• To place the topic of the repressions of the communist regime in a contemporary public context;

• To encourage critical thinking and conversation about memory, responsibility, and historical legacy;

• To create an accessible audio narrative that connects the place, the history, and personal destinies.

---

Activities

• Research and selection of archival materials and excerpts from interviews with survivors from the belene.camp archive;

• Recording interviews with researchers and descendants;

• Documentary-dramaturgical editing and production of five episodes;

• Distribution of the series on YouTube and social media;

• Creation and publication of a dedicated internal page for the podcast series on the belene.camp website, presenting the project and embedding all episodes for listening;

• Linking the audio content with the educational and on-site initiatives of Sofia Platform Foundation with teachers, pupils, and students;

• Recommending the series with every guided tour reservation made through the belene.camp website.

---

Partners

• The Urban Detective
• Konrad Adenauer Foundation

With the support of the Embassy of Germany in Sofia