Nuclear war in the nursery? - Playing as a political issue

Accompanying program to the special exhibition ColdWarGames

As part of the special exhibition ColdWarGames, the Computer Games Museum and the Allied Museum invite you to a lecture evening with the historian and expert on Cold War culture Joachim Brenner (University of Heidelberg). Under the title Nuclear War in the Children's Room? - Playing as a political issue , the speaker will look for traces of nuclear war in everyday life and shed light on how attempts were made during the Cold War in the West and East to prepare children for life in the nuclear age. In addition to children's books and comics from West and East Germany, the focus will be on games and toys - from nuclear war simulations to toy reactors.

It will be shown how, on the one hand, fears and hopes about the future associated with the "atom" and war, technology and the environment shaped children's cultures and childhoods and, on the other hand, how playing itself became a political issue. The question of whether children actually play nuclear war became the subject of parliamentary debates, state regulations and civil society protests.

Participation is free of charge.

Registration is required at: Translated with DeepL

Meeting point: Allied Museum

Next date:

• Date Friday, 24/April/2026 19:00 bis 21:00
• Venue AlliiertenMuseum e.V.
• Address Clayallee 135, 14195 Berlin-Zehlendorf