2025 marked the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. To mark this occasion, the Peace Academy and a number of partner organizations organized a series of events in Kaiserslautern. At that time, however, a simulation game on the subject of "nuclear weapons" was also commissioned, which is specifically intended for use in schools in Rhineland-Palatinate and Baden-Württemberg. The game, called "Kernfrage: Deutschlands Weg zwischen Abschreckung und Abrüstung" (Nuclear issue: Germany's path between deterrence and disarmament), simulates the work of a commission of experts tasked with drawing up recommendations for the German government on the future of German policy with regard to nuclear weapons.

The game was developed by the company "Planpolitik" from Berlin and in coordination with the Rhineland-Palatinate regional association of the German Association for Political Education (DVPB), the social studies advisor for the Palatinate region and the "Peace Education Service Center" of the Baden-Württemberg State Center for Political Education.

On January 23, 2026, we subjected the simulation game to an extensive initial test at RPTU in Kaiserslautern with a group of mainly student teachers, led by Dr. Steffen Hagemann and Dr. Gregor Walter-Drop. This was very successful in that, on the one hand, it was great fun for the participants to take on their roles (which ranged from the Federal Chancellor to NATO and disarmament NGOs); on the other hand, the "game mechanics" (which are modeled on real consultation and lobbying processes) also proved their worth.

At the same time, the range of topics that can be covered in schools became clear. This ranges from fundamental elements of the topic of "peace" and "security policy" (in Germany, Europe and worldwide) to the specific topics of "nuclear weapons", "nuclear deterrence" and "nuclear non-proliferation" and is directly linked to highly topical debates. It can be used in the context of both social studies and history lessons, but also in physics or chemistry, provided that nuclear power and nuclear weapons are covered.

We will now revise the materials and are planning the first (pilot) implementations at schools in Rhineland-Palatinate in May 2026 (including the Otto-Hahn Gymnasium, Landau and the Wilhelm-Erb-Gymnasium, Winnweiler). The simulation game will be available to all secondary schools in Rhineland-Palatinate for the 2026/2027 school year. If you are interested, please contact the management of the Peace Academy directly.

2025 marked the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. To mark this occasion, the Peace Academy and a number of partner organizations organized a series of events in Kaiserslautern. At that time, however, a simulation game on the subject of "nuclear weapons" was also commissioned, which is specifically intended for use in schools in Rhineland-Palatinate and Baden-Württemberg. The game, called "Kernfrage: Deutschlands Weg zwischen Abschreckung und Abrüstung" (Nuclear issue: Germany's path between deterrence and disarmament), simulates the work of a commission of experts tasked with drawing up recommendations for the German government on the future of German policy with regard to nuclear weapons.

The game was developed by the company "Planpolitik" from Berlin and in coordination with the Rhineland-Palatinate regional association of the German Association for Political Education (DVPB), the social studies advisor for the Palatinate region and the "Peace Education Service Center" of the Baden-Württemberg State Center for Political Education.

On January 23, 2026, we subjected the simulation game to an extensive initial test at RPTU in Kaiserslautern with a group of mainly student teachers, led by Dr. Steffen Hagemann and Dr. Gregor Walter-Drop. This was very successful in that, on the one hand, it was great fun for the participants to take on their roles (which ranged from the Federal Chancellor to NATO and disarmament NGOs); on the other hand, the "game mechanics" (which are modeled on real consultation and lobbying processes) also proved their worth.

At the same time, the range of topics that can be covered in schools became clear. This ranges from fundamental elements of the topic of "peace" and "security policy" (in Germany, Europe and worldwide) to the specific topics of "nuclear weapons", "nuclear deterrence" and "nuclear non-proliferation" and is directly linked to highly topical debates. It can be used in the context of both social studies and history lessons, but also in physics or chemistry, provided that nuclear power and nuclear weapons are covered.

We will now revise the materials and are planning the first (pilot) implementations at schools in Rhineland-Palatinate in May 2026 (including the Otto-Hahn Gymnasium, Landau and the Wilhelm-Erb-Gymnasium, Winnweiler). The simulation game will be available to all secondary schools in Rhineland-Palatinate for the 2026/2027 school year. If you are interested, please contact the management of the Peace Academy directly.