deutsch   disclaimer   hide


 

 

 


 
The Return of a Legend: Preserving Sonic History

CC-BY-SA 2.5 thisisbossi (modified by Fuchur CC-BY-SA 2.5)Welcome back to swissradio.ch. What began in 2002 as a pioneering internet radio station has evolved into a lifelong mission to rescue, preserve, and broadcast the world's earliest sound recordings. Today, we are independent, re-energized, and building a brand-new digital archive that brings history back to life.
Our Journey: From RadioCrazy to a Living Archive

CC-BY-SA 2.5 thisisbossi (modified by Fuchur CC-BY-SA 2.5) In August 2002, Swiss Internet Radio launched from Berlin under the name RadioCrazy Classical & Jazz powered by the historical private record collection of Swiss music historian Carl Flisch-Aghayan. Originally featuring a fully hosted program broadcast between Berlin and Dortmund, the station quickly gathered a passionate global audience.

As listenership soared, the shifting regulatory landscape and rising broadcasting fees from GEMA and GVL prompted a strategic relocation to Switzerland. This move laid the cornerstone for the Swiss Internet Radio Association (IG Schweizer Internetradio) in August 2004, an initiative that pioneered advocacy for amateur broadcasters in Switzerland and Liechtenstein.

Driven by a passion for open-access cultural heritage, the Public Domain Project was launched in 2009 — a historic initiative that even earned the support and sponsorship of Wikimedia Deutschland.
A New Chapter for Sound Preservation

CC-BY-SA 2.5 thisisbossi (modified by Fuchur CC-BY-SA 2.5)In 2019, founder Carl Flisch-Aghayan concluded his collaboration with his former foundation to focus entirely on building a completely new, private archive. Today, this independent collection houses a monumental assembly of the world's very first audio recordings, uniquely positioning it as one of the most comprehensive acoustic heritages in existence.

We noticed that thousands of you still visit swissradio.ch every single month, looking for the dedication and curation that started it all. We heard you. Out of love for the music and respect for our listeners, we are breathing new life into this domain. The journey continues — stay tuned for the relaunch of our broadcasts.