You enter Konrad Adenauer’s study. A large dog is lying, of all things, on the documents you need.
It’s a Rottweiler called Caesar. Adenauer’s favourite. Luckily, you picked up that sausage from the Parisian patisserie earlier.
You use it to lure the dog away. You grab the important documents. The game brings history to life. Adenauer was considered an exceptionally great dog lover, and Caesar really did exist.
CRISP and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation have jointly developed a free browser game. It takes you through three key scenes from Konrad Adenauer’s political life. You negotiate the European Coal and Steel Community in Paris in 1950. You fight for Germany’s sovereignty in Bonn in 1952, and you negotiate with Khrushchev in Moscow in 1955 over the return of the last German prisoners of war.
The game is played using a point-and-click interface. You’ll explore hand-drawn locations and collect authentic historical sources. For instance, you’ll search for historical evidence that can help you in the negotiations in a Parisian patisserie, in Adenauer’s garden or on the special train to Moscow. Each scene combines gameplay mechanics with a real piece of post-war history. But collecting is just the preparation.
At the end of each scene, a final boss awaits. You can only defeat them with your own arguments. You’ll face the press at the Élysée Palace, debate the issue of German sovereignty with the Allied High Commissioners, and ask Khrushchev to release the last German prisoners of war. Your discussion partners are controlled by an AI. It listens, weighs up the options and decides whether your arguments hold water and whether you succeed. This allows you to experience how AI can be used responsibly in political education.
On 26 June, we will be presenting the game at the nationwide Digital Day. It ties in with this year’s focus topic: ‘Digital Security: Understanding. Communicating. Trust.” It is suitable for young people aged 16 and over, adults, teachers and anyone with an interest in history, games or AI in education. No prior knowledge is required. The game is played directly in the browser in German.
Try it out for yourself now: Adenauer. The interactive browser game
