The Fulda University, State and City Library (HLSB) is launching a new citizen science project in autumn 2025. The project is centred around the work "Nur ein Hundeleben" by the Fulda author, lawyer and benefactor Adam Joseph Schwank (1820-1902). The book is about his dog Sitta and is written in the German Kurrent script, which hardly anyone can read or write today. We want to change that!

The project is made up of three pillars:

The workshops

The HLSB offers workshops for interested people in which there is a short introduction to the subject of historical manuscripts and the basics of Kurrent script are taught. The content is presented in a playful and interactive way. This also gives non-experts the opportunity to familiarise themselves with old manuscripts and get to know the historical holdings of the HLSB.

The game

As part of the workshops, but also playable independently of them, the HLSB has had a browser-based 2D pixel educational game specially developed. It is also entitled “Nur ein Hundeleben”.
In this free game, the player controls Schwank and his dog Sitta through Fulda. Characters and words that appear in Kurrent must be transcribed. This earns you points. If you collect enough points, you progress to new, more difficult levels until you become a Kurrent expert. Who knows, maybe you have unexpected talents and can even crack the high score? But don't worry, it all starts quite simply and there are various ways to help you.

Join in and transcribe

Once you've acquired a taste for it, you can try your hand at the historical treasures of the HLSB using your newly learnt skills. You can transcribe directly using the join-in function in FulDig, the HLSB's digital collection. All you need is a free account and a little patience and time to transcribe.