The Walter Show
2025
The Man in the Iron Mask, witch hunts, stamp forgers, the eruption of Mount Vesuvius and the destruction of Pompeii… What these historical events have in common is that they all captured the attention of Walter Benjamin, the philosopher, writer, and essayist, who looked at history as a kind of performance—one that tells us something about people and society, past and present. Benjamin brought these stories together in a special radio program, The Hour for Youth, which he produced and broadcast in Germany in the late 1920s and early 1930s.
In The Walter Show, we trace selected episodes from Benjamin’s broadcasts and explore his unique way of looking at history. Each episode features a guest from the performing arts whose practice has a particular connection to the subject at hand, opening a conversation about performance, creation, and the fascinating spectacle of life itself.
Credits
Created and hosted by Uri Duvdevani
Guests: Ira Avneri, Adina Bar-On, Yair Lipshitz, Shelly Palmon, Ofri Cnaani, Ido Feder, Naomi Yoeli, Menachem Goldenberg, Hadas Ofrat, Amit Drori, Michal Samama, Hanan Elstein
Filming and editing: Arik Futterman
Sound recording: Ehud Lax
Haturim team: Dan Orimian, Polly Geltzer, Sivan Buchheim
Hebrew translations of texts from Radio Benjamin, published by 9 Lives press:
Music: Yarden Levi-Ellentuck and Ehud Lax, “Elila”
The podcast was recorded and filmed at Haturim Performing Arts Center and is available on Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube.
