Dresden Science Night (June 26, 2026)

On June 26, 2026, the 23rd Dresden Science Night will take place under the theme “Where Curiosity Creates Knowledge.” The Research Center for Comparative History of Religious Orders (FOVOG) will be present throughout the evening at the Lecture Hall Center (HSZ/0103/U) with the event “Monk, Don’t Get Angry. “Monasteries in Games and Modern Media” in the Auditorium Center (HSZ/0103/U). The event is organized in cooperation with the Junior Professorship in Didactics of History.

The Spielsalon 2026 invites you to discover history and literature through play:
At the “History” game tables, you can learn about monasteries through play. Together, let’s discover that medieval monasteries were not only centers of faith and knowledge, but are also perfectly suited for games. In a monastery, life is governed by strict rules—just as every game has its own rules.
Mysterious abbeys, beer-brewing monks, warrior nuns, vanished books. Using various analog and digital games as examples, we will demonstrate how monasteries can be portrayed in these contexts.

Our program is diverse.

At the game table of the“LIS 2.0. Literature Games Online”project by the Center for Central and Eastern European Studies, discovering literature becomes a (digital) breeze: Through exciting stories, we get to know authors from the Saxon-Czech border region and discover literary genres and eras. By solving tricky game challenges and taking part in the quiz, you can show what you’ve learned.

In a comic book corner—in addition to a PowerPoint presentation prepared by students on monasteries in comics—there’s an opportunity to sit down away from the hustle and bustle of the Long Night and browse through comics. The comics are aimed at younger readers (Mosaik, Spuk im Kloster) as well as older ones (Francis, Brother of the Universe), and offer a selection in both German and English.

Starting at 6:00 PM, visitors can participate in one of six game sessions every hour to try out the board game “The Name of the Rose.” Each session will be followed by a brief discussion of the gaming experience and an assessment of how monastic life is portrayed in games.

In addition to these analog formats, there will also be an opportunity to explore the portrayal of monasteries in digital media through two digital games (“Kingdom Come Deliverance” and “Pentiment”). Here, guests can explore virtual monasteries and learn about monastic life through conversation.

You can find more information about the event here.