Train to Sachsenhausen (mobile)

Publisher: Charles Games s.r.o. · Studio: Charles Games · Creator: Charles Games (Prague) avec l'ONG Živá paměť

Anecdote

The third instalment in Charles Games' memorial cycle, Train to Sachsenhausen addresses a tragic and little-known episode: the closure of Czech universities on 17 November 1939 by the occupation authorities, the student demonstrations that followed, and the deportation of nearly twelve hundred students to the Sachsenhausen concentration camp. The title was produced in collaboration with the non-profit organisation Živá paměť and funded by the EVZ Foundation as part of the Young People Remember programme. The approach combines absolute documentary rigour with an emotionally powerful narrative framework. The player takes on the role of a young student caught up in the turmoil, through carefully scripted chosen dialogues and explorations. Sessions average twenty to thirty minutes per chapter, an ideal format for respectful discovery. The title incorporates a genuine virtual museum compiled by professional historians, bringing together authentic survivor testimonies, period documents, and photographs. The elegant comics art direction evokes authored European graphic novels. Available on iOS, Android, and PC at a very affordable premium price, the title has been translated into around ten languages, including French. Charles Games once again demonstrates its method of collaboration with academic institutions, a guarantee of historical quality. Train to Sachsenhausen won the BIG Impact: Best Social Questions Game Award at the BIG Festival 2023, a well-deserved international recognition. The title is recommended in Czech school curricula and more broadly among European educational tools. Giving a voice to the deported students — many of whom never returned — constitutes an essential act of remembrance. For teachers, museums, and memorial institutions, the title is a valuable resource. Charles Games demonstrates once again the importance of video games as a vehicle for historical memory.

Popularity & reception

Awards — BIG Festival 2023 – BIG Impact: Best Social Questions Game · EVZ Foundation support – Young People Remember programme · Produced with the association Živá paměť · Recommended by Czech and European educational institutions

CZ🇩🇪 Germany