When George Orwell Came to Stuttgart: Dr. Geoff Rodoreda (#54) episode artwork

EPISODE · Dec 17, 2025 · 49 MIN

When George Orwell Came to Stuttgart: Dr. Geoff Rodoreda (#54)

from Made in Science – The official podcast of the University of Stuttgart · host Universität Stuttgart

Few people know that George Orwell once walked across a small footbridge in Stuttgart and that the experience may have shaped one of the most influential dystopias ever written. In this episode of Made in Science host Wolfgang Holtkamp talks to Dr Geoff Rodoreda, literary scholar and former journalist, about Orwell’s little-known three months as a war correspondent in 1945 and his visit to Stuttgart just after its “liberation”. Rodoreda explains how archival work, field trips to Paris, London and the Neckar riverbank, and even a surviving footbridge helped him reconstruct Orwell’s time in Germany and why he sees echoes of these experiences in "1984". In the second half, the conversation turns to contemporary Australian and Indigenous literature, truth-telling about colonial violence, and what German students can learn from these stories about coming to terms with a difficult past.

Few people know that George Orwell once walked across a small footbridge in Stuttgart and that the experience may have shaped one of the most influential dystopias ever written. In this episode of Made in Science host Wolfgang Holtkamp talks to Dr Geoff Rodoreda, literary scholar and former journalist, about Orwell’s little-known three months as a war correspondent in 1945 and his visit to Stuttgart just after its “liberation”. Rodoreda explains how archival work, field trips to Paris, London and the Neckar riverbank, and even a surviving footbridge helped him reconstruct Orwell’s time in Germany and why he sees echoes of these experiences in "1984". In the second half, the conversation turns to contemporary Australian and Indigenous literature, truth-telling about colonial violence, and what German students can learn from these stories about coming to terms with a difficult past.

NOW PLAYING

When George Orwell Came to Stuttgart: Dr. Geoff Rodoreda (#54)

0:00 49:06

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Made in Science – The official podcast of the University of Stuttgart?

This episode is 49 minutes long.

When was this Made in Science – The official podcast of the University of Stuttgart episode published?

This episode was published on December 17, 2025.

What is this episode about?

Few people know that George Orwell once walked across a small footbridge in Stuttgart and that the experience may have shaped one of the most influential dystopias ever written. In this episode of Made in Science host Wolfgang Holtkamp talks to Dr...

Is there a transcript available for this episode?

Yes, a full transcript is available for this episode. You can read the complete transcript on the episode page.

Can I download this Made in Science – The official podcast of the University of Stuttgart episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.
URL copied to clipboard!