At Escape Game

Pupils have to escape from parliament

Each group had 90 minutes to solve the 7 puzzles. The floor in the imposing columned hall was transformed into an oversized board game.

(Bild: Christoph Engelmaier)

There is now a new puzzle game with democracy questions in the impressive setting of Parliament - the Second President of the National Council Doris Bures (SPÖ) is there as the "game master" and gives clues via video

For more than nine hours on Thursday, Parliament became the setting for an unusual game called "On the trail of democracy". In the escape game, in the middle of the venerable halls on the Ring, 66 pupils from various Viennese secondary and vocational schools had to solve a total of seven democracy puzzles. The rooms used for the seven puzzle stations were the Plenarium, the Hall of Columns, the National Council Chamber, the Federal Council Chamber, the Federal Assembly Chamber and the library.

An escape game is a realistic game in which participants work together to solve puzzles in order to escape from a closed room or a series of rooms.

In the completely darkened library in Parliament, the students first had to grope in the dark to find various clues to get to the reading room, where the final puzzle was revealed in the light of a floor lamp.

(Bild: Christoph Engelmaier)

In one of the puzzles, the 24 pillars in the parliament's portico bear the names of various fundamental rights and freedoms that make up a liberal democracy. The floor is transformed into an oversized board game. The first-time voters were supported by the Second President of the National Council, Doris Bures (SPÖ), who gave instructions on the tasks via video link as the "game master". She was also the one who invited them to play the game. In any case, the interest in it was "huge".

I really enjoyed the escape game. It was exciting and you can't do it without teamwork. This is my first time voting in the National Council elections, so I'm already very excited.

Nuria Lechner (16), Schülerin

Bild: Christoph Engelmaier

The escape game was fun. Some of the tasks were even a bit difficult. I don't yet know which party I will vote for in the National Council elections. I still need to find out.

Lena Stelzmüller (16), Schülerin

Bild: Christoph Engelmaier

66 pupils slipped into the role of democracy researchers. Instructions were given via video by the Second President of the National Council, Doris Bures (SPÖ). The first successful group was then able to meet her in person.

(Bild: Christoph Engelmaier)

But why did the impetus come from Bures of all people? "I am trying to ensure that there is no scorched earth policy, but that different political opinions in a discourse can also lead to better ideas - a kind of competition of good ideas. If we try to develop things together that have a positive effect for the young and the old, then we should also look for what we have in common and not what divides us," said Bures to "Krone". Does she also mean her own party, the SPÖ? Short answer: "I actually mean everyone."