„We Do Not Construct Typical Table Games for the Blind“. Volker Lendeckel about retrofitted table games

With magnets and transparent film Volker and Erika from Neuwied, Germany, have been retrofitting table games for blind people since 20 years. The 62-year old early retired talked with REHACARE.de about how it happened that blind and seeing people go to jail together or push each other down from the field.

15.06.2008

Erika and Volker Lendeckel enjoy their
time-consuming hobby © Lendeckel

REHACARE.de: Mr Lendeckel, how did you strike on the idea of retrofitting table games?
Volker Lendeckel: My wife is blind and she wanted to be able to play the same games with our children they learned in the kindergarten. Since we both were pedagogical qualified personnel at a school for the blind we tried how we could realize it. It took the longest time till we knew which materials we could use so that both seeing and blind people could play the games without any restriction.

REHACARE.de: How do you build a table game from a normal one?
Volker Lendeckel: In order not to let token get out of place I attach a metal plate under the field and magnets on the tokens. Over the field there is a transparent film in which we set reliefs with the help of a machine. With it blind people can feel out the route. The coloured tokens also get a relief - blue has a wave form, yellow has little squares.

REHACARE.de: But there is more …
Volker Lendeckel: With the transparent film also people who are able to see can perceive details. Some of them do not even see the difference since we do not change the game itself. In usual table games for blind persons this is different, they are not quite attractive. So we do not construct typical table games for the blind but those which blind and seeing people can play together. This was and still is the most important aspect to us.

REHACARE.de: Which kind of table games do you retrofit?
Volker Lendeckel: Almost all of them - from The Amazing Labyrinth to Sudoku. We do not retrofit games which are very big and have many piece parts. Blind persons cannot feel them out. During the last 20 years I have surely retrofitted a hundred different games.

REHACARE.de: The crafting certainly needs a lot of time.
Volker Lendeckel: For the most complex table game – monopoly – I need a whole day. Biddings are ready in a few hours.

REHACARE.de: There is no one else in Europe who retrofits table games. Why?
Volker Lendeckel: The market is not big enough. Additionally I would have to employ people to produce more games. This would make the games more expensive and this is something we do not want. Every game is sold at cost price – from 17 to 100 Euros. We do not intent profit from it because auxiliary means for blind people are already expensive.

REHACARE.de: And nonetheless it is fun for you?
Volker Lendeckel: I have always loved crafting. It is a challenge to find out how we can retrofit it the best way. We are proud to build such table games as the only ones in Europe. The greatest fun is when customers call us and are happy about the games and that they really function. Most of our nearly 1000 customers buy again and again.

REHACARE.de: This year you are celebrating your 20-year existence. What are your plans for the future?
Volker Lendeckel: We want to equip the rules of the table games also with other languages.

Natascha Mörs

REHACARE.de

- More about the retrofitted table games at: www.velen-spiele.de