The History Podcast — "The House at Number 48: 10. The Last Eisner"
BBC Radio 4 | Release Date: October 24, 2025

Overview

In the moving final episode of "The House at Number 48" series, host Charlie Northcote follows Antony Easton as he completes a decade-long quest to uncover his family’s hidden history. After his father’s death reveals a suitcase of cryptic clues, Antony tracks stolen family assets, confronts layers of identity, and—at last—secures the restitution of a treasured painting lost during the Holocaust. As artifacts and documentation emerge, so do new understandings of legacy, trauma, and renewal within the Easton (Eisner) family.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Confrontation at the Brohan Museum ([01:09]–[03:44])

• Antony and Jana’s Meeting: Antony visits Berlin, determined to reclaim a family painting, “Eisenwasswerk,” confiscated by the Nazis and now displayed in the Brohan Museum. Armed with a vital document from 1938 marked with a swastika, Antony and his researcher, Jana, attend a tense boardroom meeting with museum officials.
  • “It was a February day…we were sitting on this dynamite piece of information that they knew nothing about.” — Anthony Easton ([01:09])
• Revelatory Evidence: Jana presents the critical sales document.
  • “Four or five jaws were dropping to the floor. The stenographer had stopped typing.” — Anthony Easton ([02:53])
• Outcome: After initial shock, the museum promises restitution of the painting to Antony’s family—over 60 years after its loss.
  • “That was a good moment in my life…we realized that the whole meeting had changed its course.” — Anthony Easton ([03:24])

Restitution and Family Reunification ([03:44]–[06:57])

• Art and Heirlooms Returned: Alongside news of the painting’s return, Antony also receives his grandmother’s cookbook. He presents it as a surprise to his niece, Celia.
  • “Hilgard’s recipe book.” — Anthony Easton ([05:14])
  • Celia reacts emotionally to the family artifact rediscovered after so many years.
• Changing Perceptions of Family: Memories of Antony and Nicola’s secretive, irritable father are re-framed in light of his traumatic childhood—surviving Nazi persecution and rebuilding his life in Britain.
  • “He was a kid in Germany and he was an adult in the UK…he suffered…but he didn’t let that stop him. I think that’s really admirable…this is a hug for my dad.” — Anthony Easton ([06:57])

The Eisner Name Endures ([07:47]–[09:27])

• Legacy and Naming: The Eisner name, erased when their father Peter changed his name, is revived when Celia’s grandson receives ‘Eisner’ as a middle name.
  • “She decided to give him his middle name as Eisner…so that this is his legacy…he’s taken on the name Eisner, which we’ve never had.” — Celia ([07:59])
  • “That name will still be around with him and people will say, that’s an interesting middle name. What’s the story there?” — Anthony Easton ([09:28])

A New Generation’s Perspective ([09:45]–[11:49])

• Ripple Effects: Celia, representing a generation further removed, speaks on the transformation in her relationship to her family’s history and her gratitude for Antony’s research.
  • “It’s quite strange to find all this out about someone that you knew but then you didn’t know…I feel kind of sad and also so grateful to Ant for finding all this out.” — Celia ([10:07])
• The Suitcase’s Meaning: Antony reflects on the possible intention behind his father’s cryptic suitcase—a potential time capsule meant to guide the next generation back to their roots.

The Secret Life of Peter Easton ([11:49]–[15:57])

• Unexpected Revelations: Among the documents, Antony uncovers a file labeled “British Intelligence.” After a successful Freedom of Information request, the family learns their father was involved with MI5 and East Africa Command.
  • “He’d become a sergeant in the Intelligence. In the Intelligence.” — Anthony Easton ([13:54])
  • “He was a spy.” — Celia ([14:17])
• Hidden Service and Sealed Records: The family discovers that more details of Peter’s (aka Rudolf Hans Eisner) wartime service remain sealed for up to 115 years, offering tantalizing clues about the years he kept hidden from his children.

Epiphany, Closure, and Continuity ([15:57]–[16:49])

• Antony’s Journey: The real restoration is not of the lost fortune, but of memory, identity, and pride in his family’s resilience—culminating in the return of the painting and deeper empathy among family members.
  • “You made…you pulled it off. How does it feel? Feels time for a beer. That’s a good old English answer for you might want to be a German.” — Antony Easton, with wry humor ([16:33])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “What’s the word? Catatonic. Four or five jaws were dropping to the floor. The stenographer had stopped typing.” — Anthony Easton ([02:53])
• “That was a picture. At that point, I think I probably looked at Jana…and we realized the whole meeting had changed its course.” — Anthony Easton ([03:24])
• “Hilgard’s recipe book…That’s your grandmother’s handwriting.” — Charlie Northcote & Celia ([05:18])
• “But maybe there’s also a positive spin on it…in which it was actually a renewal and a rebirth, in a sense.” — Charlie Northcote ([06:32])
• “That name will still be around with him and people will say, that’s an interesting middle name. What’s the story there? Yeah, maybe that’s all one can do, really, you know.” — Anthony Easton ([09:28])
• “He was a spy.” — Celia ([14:17])
• “I keep going because someone has to hold the line between grieve and revenge.” — Anthony Easton ([18:15])

Timestamps – Important Segments

• [01:09] — Museum confrontation in Berlin
• [02:53] — Unveiling the swastika-stamped sales document
• [03:44] — News that the painting and cookbook will return
• [05:11] — Discovery of Hildegard's recipe book
• [06:57] — Re-evaluating their father’s trauma and resilience
• [07:59] — Eisner name restored with new generation
• [10:07] — Next generation's reaction to family revelations
• [13:04] — Discovery and opening of British Intelligence files
• [15:30]–[15:57] — National Archives and sealed records
• [16:33] — Resolution and family celebration

Conclusion

"The Last Eisner" is a poignant close to a journey spanning continents and generations. Antony Easton's dogged search for the truth brings not only lost artworks but living identity back to his family. As family secrets unfold—some of which may never be fully revealed—the episode celebrates remembrance, resilience, and the power of reclaiming one’s story against the sweep of history.