Remembering with games

The computer game "Spuren auf Papier" deals with the sensitive topic of the murders of the sick during the Nazi era. In an accessible and empathetic way, players experience the story of the fictitious Anna. She is a patient in the Wehnen sanatorium and nursing home and suffers from a manic-depressive illness. The game is aimed primarily at young players from the 9th grade upwards. "Spuren auf Papier" can be played free of charge on the pages of the Wehnen Memorial.

"With a detective's sense of intuition, the players gain insight into the patient's history," explains Hannah Sandstede, the historian accompanying the project. There are numerous facts to be discovered about the historical events at the Wehnen sanatorium and nursing home. Further, the game provides background knowledge about national socialist healthcare policy. Meanwhile, game players experience a captivating story in combination with original documents.

The historical content and the puzzle game mechanics are closely interwoven. Through clever interaction and thoughtful combination, gamers unlock the context of the content. Furthermore, they advance the story and uncover more and more secrets. In this way, players discover the horrors that took place in the sanatoriums and nursing homes during the Nazi era - in a gentle and tactful way.