| Station X | |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| No. of episodes | 4 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer | John Smithson |
| Original release | |
| Network | Channel 4 |
| Release | January 19, 1999 |
| Infobox instructions (only shown in preview) | |
| The Enigma cipher machine |
|---|
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| Enigma machine |
| Breaking Enigma |
| Related |
Station X is a British television documentary series detailing the story of how Germany's Enigma code was broken. It was broadcast on Channel 4 in 1999.[1] John Smithson was executive producer. It was accompanied by the "Channel 4 Books" publication Station X: The Codebreakers of Bletchley Park (1998), authored by Michael Smith which became a UK Number 1 bestseller.[clarification needed] The first episode aired on Channel 4 on 19 January 1999.[2] Tim Gardam, Channel 4's director of programmes, insisted that Station X be broadcast at the peak viewing time.[1]
The programme maker Peter Bate used full-scale reconstructions. Instead of a chronological narrative; Bate relied on short dramatised shots and anecdotes by various Bletchley veterans.[3][4] Those featured included Peter Calvocoressi, Ralph Bennett, Mavis Batey, John Herivel, Lord Briggs, Donald Michie, Shaun Wylie, Leslie Yoxall and Alan Rogers. The story covered the contributions of various real life characters including Hans-Thilo Schmidt, Marian Rejewski, Henryk Zygalski, Jerzy Różycki, Geoffrey Tandy, Dilly Knox, Josh Cooper and Andrew Cunningham.
The stories covered various aspects of the breaking of the Enigma naval codes, the captures from the U-boat U-110 and other relevant material from German weather ship Lauenburg and München and the German armed trawler Krebs during the Lofoten raid.
- ^ a b Brown, Maggie, The Guardian, 15 March 1999
- ^ Sheffield, Emily. My grandmother, my hero, Evening Standard, 15 January 1999
- ^ Hanks, Robert. Television Review The Independent 20 January 1999
- ^ Burge, Jim. Essay: On the reconstruction... , The Independent, 14 February 1999