You Are Our Only True Link with the Free World, 2025 - ongoing
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) was established during the Cold War but is now facing closure following an order signed by American President Donald Trump on March 14, 2025.
The title of my project "You Are Our Only True Link with the Free World" is a phrase from a letter reportedly sent from communist Poland to Radio Free Europe (RFE) in the 1950s. In this project, I explore the archives of this international broadcaster, which operated under the influence of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) from 1949 to 1971. During that period, the CIA supervised and financed RFE. Afterwards, the radio station received support from the U.S. Congress through an annual grant.
RFE/RL has been the most effective propaganda tool for the United States in Europe for a long time. Therefore, I am interested in offering new insights into RFE/RL’s photographs and archival materials.
Photographs played a vital role during the Cold War. For this reason, the RFE Public Affairs Department utilised photography for both propaganda—such as portraits of well-known actors, musicians, and astronauts who visited the RFE/ RL studio—and documentation, including images from balloon-leaflet operations. Due to the secrecy surrounding radio activities and the remote border areas wheresome RFE/RL operations occurred, only a select few were able to witness these events firsthand. As a result, photographs were created to bridge this gap. These images are an essential source of information about the special operations organised by American radio in Europe. They act as remnants of the Cold War, reframing the past to address important questions about the present and future.
