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70 Years of DW

Chancellor Scholz congratulates DW and thanks for '70 years in which your broadcaster has made a significant contribution to democracy'

At a ceremony on May 10 in the German Bundestag to mark DW's 70th anniversary, the chancellor pledges continued support for the foreign broadcaster in a congratulatory message.

Press kit: 70 years of DW

Founded 70 years ago on May 3, 1953, DW is an international broadcaster offering digital multimedia content in 32 languages. On this page you will find information and pictures about DW then and now.

70 Years of DW: The road to becoming an international source of information

1953: DW begins broadcasting

On May 3, 1953, DW is heard via shortwave for the first time. The program begins with an address by the Federal President of Germany, Theodor Heuss. He opens the broadcast with an address to the "dear and honored listeners in far-off lands." DW is tasked with communicating the new, democratic Germany and provide a voice in the media for the country's readmission to the international community.
70 Years of DW: The road to becoming an international source of information

1957: Launch of language courses

"Learn German with Deutsche Welle" is the message that four broadcast languages communicate in October. It marks the kick-off for the successful German as a foreign language courses offered via radio, and later via TV and social media. Promoting German has been part of DW's mission since 2005. DW later created an interactive online "classroom". The series "Nico's Weg" (2019) is especially popular.
70 Years of DW: The road to becoming an international source of information

1962: Start of Spanish and Portuguese radio programming

In July 1962, Spanish for Latin America and Portuguese for Brazil are added to the foreign language program. The radio program for Latin America starts during the Stroessner dictatorship in Paraguay and the early days of the Castro dictatorship in Cuba. DW also becomes an important independent mouthpiece on the continent during the military dictatorship in Brazil (1964 - 1985).
70 Years of DW: The road to becoming an international source of information

1963: Launch of Kiswahili and Haussa for Africa

The wave of independence that swept across Africa in the 1960s also brought innovations for DW's language newsrooms. After first reporting in English and then French, DW taps new target audiences in 1963: With Kiswahili and Haussa, DW reports for the first time in African languages. The photo shows the DW Kisuaheli editorial team in 1963.
70 Years of DW: The road to becoming an international source of information

1968: The birth of crisis radio

Warsaw Pact troops put an end to the "Prague Spring" in Czechoslovakia in August 1968. DW responds to the political crisis by significantly expanding its programming in Eastern European broadcast languages - "DW Crisis Radio" is born. Throughout its history, DW has repeatedly responded to significant events by expanding its programming to inform its target groups.
70 Years of DW: The road to becoming an international source of information

1999: Search operation during the Kosovo War

During the Kosovo War, DW Albanian opens a service to help those affected by the war find family members. From April to October, over 800,000 people contact the editorial office. DW's service is very successful, as indicated by a survey at the time: it lists more results than the International Red Cross.
70 Years of DW: The road to becoming an international source of information

2000: Foundation of the Ukrainian editorial office

In March, DW Ukrainian launches a shortwave radio program. The turmoil surrounding the "Orange Revolution" in Ukraine shows that the country is looking to Europe. As a result of the Maidan protests and Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014, violating international law, the program lineup is expanded, as are especially the online offering and social media.
70 Years of DW: The road to becoming an international source of information

2001: Downfall of the Taliban in Afghanistan

When the Taliban government is overthrown in 2001, DW and DW Akademie help with the reconstruction effort by offering a TV program as well as journalistic training programs. When the Taliban return to power in 2021, DW responds quickly with an evacuation program and the reintroduction of shortwave. The photo shows the making of the program "DW Aashti", which is produced in Dari and Pashto.
70 Years of DW: The road to becoming an international source of information

From 2010: Arab Spring

DW uses social media to reach young target audiences on the ground and exchange information with users. DW's journalistic offerings feature numerous democracy activists from countries such as Egypt, Syria and Tunisia. The activists include Yemeni Nobel Peace Prize laureate Tawakkul Karman, the first Arab woman to receive it.
70 Years of DW: The road to becoming an international source of information

2017: InfoMigrants online platform

InfoMigrants provides information for migrants and refugees, now in six languages: English, Arabic, French, Dari, Pashto and Bengali. DW cooperates with France Médias Monde and Italian news agency ANSA on this EU project. It provides independent, reliable information for people thinking about leaving their country, for those on their way to Europe, and for others who have already arrived.
70 Years of DW: The road to becoming an international source of information

2019: DW Bengali coverage of the refugee situation on the Balkan route

In 2019, many migrants from so-called safe countries such as Bangladesh and India use the Balkan route. They are subjected to extortion and humiliation, including torture. DW Bengali reports from the Bosnian-Croatian border on refugees from South Asia, who are barely featured in the news. In Bangladesh, the reports spark widespread discussion.
70 Years of DW: The road to becoming an international source of information

2021: DW now in 32 languages

With the relaunch of DW Hungarian, DW is targeting a region where independent media are increasingly put under pressure. The offering is aimed at a young target audience. DW Tamil's offering is also aimed at young people, especially women, and focuses on technology, health and the environment. The popular format EcoIndia is also available in Tamil. The picture shows protesters in Hungary.
70 Years of DW: The road to becoming an international source of information

2022: Ukraine war – DW broadcasting ban in Russia and move to Riga

Due to its ban in Russia, DW no longer reports from Moscow, but from a new studio in the Latvian capital of Riga. Russian and Ukrainian coverage is expanded: Starting in March 2023, the Russian news program DW Novosti is produced daily. Around 20 local journalists work in Kyiv, in addition to DW correspondents, editors and camera operators. Security personnel is involved at all times.

Corporate news

New leadership duo at DW Corporate Communications

DW Personenfoto | Corporate Communications | Paul Zimmer & Carla Hagemann

As of May 15, Carla Hagemann and Paul Zimmer will lead the Corporate Communications team in a top-sharing model. They succeed Christoph Jumpelt and Vera Tellmann.

DW journalist Bülent Mumay sentenced in Turkey

An Istanbul court handed journalist Bülent Mumay a suspended one year and eight months prison sentence over publishing information about a construction company, defying a court order.

HER - Women in Asia is back with Season 3

DW is back with a third season of HER - Women in Asia on April 24. The award-winning series tells stories of female protagonists from around seven Asian countries and regions.

Radical approaches to saving journalism: A global perspective

In a side event to this year's World Press Freedom Day Conference, experts from around the world will look at systemic solutions to journalism's business model crisis and discuss what helps journalism survive and thrive.

DW and BBC appeal for protection of journalists reporting on Iran at UN Rights Council in Geneva

DW Yalda Zarbakhch bei einem Side Event beim UN Menschenrechtsrat in Genf

At a side event to the session on March 17, serious concerns were raised regarding Iran's significant increase in threats directed towards BBC News Persian and Deutsche Welle staff since September 2022.

'Death squad': Inside Bangladesh's Rapid Action Battalion

Members of the Rapid Action Battalion stand guard outside a militant group's hideout

Bangladesh's elite counterterrorism force is committing extrajudicial killings, DW and Netra News reveal in a new investigation. High-ranking officials are approving the executions, according to insiders.

Jaafar Abdul-Karim makes guest appearance on Zeit Online podcast

In a recent episode of the podcast "Frisch an die Arbeit" by Zeit Online, Jaafar Abdul-Karim talks about the success of his show, Jaafar Talk, as well as about his personal experiences and his professional career.

Barrier-free offer from Distribution Asia, DW Hindi and Indian partners

DW Hindi and Distribution Asia, together with Indian partners Josh App, India's leading short video app, and Dailyhunt, India's largest content and news aggregator, have developed a short format in Hindi sign language.

ENTR: Expansion of successful pan-European media initiative

In 2021, DW and France Médias Monde launched the multilingual digital media initiative ENTR in cooperation with other media organizations in six European countries. The project now covers ten EU languages.

Popular Turkish-language format +90 expands to TikTok

The social media format +90 debuts on TikTok, delivering distinctive output on social and regional themes whilst offering Turkish-speaking viewers a new destination to engage with constructive journalistic content.

Past statements and responses