A Journey Into History

From industrial revolution to UNESCO World Heritage Site

Franz Haniel (1779 to 1868), portraitUNESCO World Heritage Zollverein

1847

The merchant and industrial pioneer Franz Haniel from Ruhrort had the first shaft of the future Zollverein Coal Mine sunk in the area that is now known as Essen-Katernberg – a real technical challenge in the 1840s. 

View of Zollverein Shaft 1/2, which started coal extraction in March 1851.UNESCO World Heritage Zollverein

Franz Haniel named the mine field and the later shaft facility after the German customs union “Deutscher Zollverein”, which had come into force in 1834. Besides the detection of particularly sought-after fat coal, the connection to the new Cologne-Minden railway line was also an important advantage of the location for the entrepreneur.

Hegemannshof estate in EssenUNESCO World Heritage Zollverein

1856

The owners, the Haniel Family, had the first housing estate built for the colliery’s workforce. 

Mineworkers’ house of Ottekampshof estate on Joseph-Oertgen-Weg (today Essen-Katernberg) around 1900UNESCO World Heritage Zollverein

In 1860, the first tenants moved into the Hegemannshof estate, which was expanded over the following four decades. 

Ottekampshof estate. In the background: the third shaft facility Zollverein 4/5, 1907UNESCO World Heritage Zollverein

In addition to Hegemannshof, further settlements emerged, including amongst others the colonies of Ottekampfshof (photo), Kolonie III, Stiftsdamenwald and Theobaldstraße. 
Each of the settlement houses had a shed and a large garden for the families' self-supply. 

The second Zollverein Shaft 3/7 with the two pithead frames 3 (left) and 7 (centre), 1896UNESCO World Heritage Zollverein

1880-1901

Until the turn of the 19th to the 20th century, the demand for “black gold” continued to grow. New industries emerged, and the railway network was steadily expanded. The development of all new industries depended on coal as a source of energy. 

The sinking crew in front of Zollverein Shaft 6 on 4th June 1896.UNESCO World Heritage Zollverein

Between 1880 and 1895, a total of three pits were planned and built at the Zollverein coal field: Shaft 3/7 as from 1880, Shaft 4/5 as from 1891 and Shaft 6/9 as from 1895.
Between 1880 and 1901, Zollverein was the most productive coal mine in the Ruhr District. As from 1890, one million tons of pure hard coal were extracted per year. In 1900, more than 5,000 miners worked at the Zollverein Coal Mine. 

The old coking plant of Shaft 1/2/8 in the 1920sUNESCO World Heritage Zollverein

1857-1914 Zollverein coking plants

Three of the four Zollverein shaft facilities operated their own coking plants from 1857, where the mine product coking coal was refined into sought-after coke, the fuel and reductant for iron and steel production. From the 1880s, the by-products tar, ammonia, benzene and sulphuric acid could be extracted from the coke oven gas. 

Miner’s apprentices at the sorting belt, around 1930UNESCO World Heritage Zollverein

1914-1918

The First World War began: 27 percent of all men employed in the Ruhr mining industry were called up for military service, while others left the mining sector for jobs in the less dangerous and better paid arms industry.
There was a shortage of labour in the Ruhr coal mining industry. 

Female coke oven workers at the Mathias Stinnes Coal Mine, Essen-KarnapUNESCO World Heritage Zollverein

As hard coal was indispensable for military transports and armament requirements, women, young people, older miners and for the first time also forced labourers were deployed at the coal mines and coking plants during the war.

Poster of the German Ministry of Economics after the resolution of the Weimar National Assembly to socialize coal mining. Spring 1919UNESCO World Heritage Zollverein

1918-1926

After four years of war, during which little investments had been made in the meanwhile obsolete Zollverein facilities, the company faced the economic challenge of increasing production output. The population in the Ruhr area suffered from hunger and cold. 80,000 miners went on strike in the Ruhr District.
At the same time, the Haniel company began to fear the nationalization of pure mining operations, such as the Zollverein Coal Mine, which was made possible by the November Revolution.

Opening of the railway line connecting Zollverein with the Rhine-Herne Canal. 1st July 1922.UNESCO World Heritage Zollverein

The steel company Phönix AG was again looking for a mine to supply its plants with coal.
In 1920, the Haniel company formed a syndicate with Phönix: after 73 years in the Haniel family business, Zollverein became a metallurgical mine.  
After the merger, investments were again made in the modernisation of Zollverein and the further expansion of Zollverein’s transport connections.

Overview of the mining claims and steel mills integrated into Vereinigte Stahlwerke AG as of December 1929UNESCO World Heritage Zollverein

In 1926, Phönix AG was incorporated into Vereinigte Stahlwerke AG in the context of a major merger process. As from then, The Zollverein coal mine belonged to the world's second largest steel trust and was administered by the Gelsenkirchen mining group.

Aerial view of the Zollverein Shaft XII shortly after the start of operationsUNESCO World Heritage Zollverein

1932

With Zollverein XII, the coal mine got a new central shaft facility: on 1st February 1932, this “colliery of superlatives“ started operations and took over the central coal production of almost all Zollverein shafts.

Prestigious entrance in front of the new central shaft Zollverein XIIUNESCO World Heritage Zollverein

With a daily output of up to 12,000 tonnes of pure hard coal, the 55-metre-high twin pithead frame hoisted three to four times the amount of an average coal mine in the Ruhr Area.

Zollverein was not only one of the most efficient and modern coal mines in the world, but also attracted attention because of its architectural style: The architects Fritz Schupp and Martin Kremmer designed this model complex in the style of New Objectivity by arranging twenty steel framework cubes and cuboids along two axes.

Architect Fritz Schupp (1896-1974), From the collection of: UNESCO World Heritage Zollverein
,
Architect Martin Kremmer (1894-1945), From the collection of: UNESCO World Heritage Zollverein
Show lessRead more

Boiler house, Zollverein Coal Mine, 1932UNESCO World Heritage Zollverein

The clear structure and the functional arrangement of the buildings reflect how the processes are structured inside them. Arranged along two axes, the chimney of the boiler house (photo) and the pithead frame are the highlights of the huge building complex.

Aerial view of what is now the UNESCO World Heritage Site from 5th April 1943UNESCO World Heritage Zollverein

1939-1945

View of the Zollverein site during the Second World War. Single bomb damages are visible. The Krupp factories in the centre of Essen were the focus of allied air raids, while the Zollverein facilities in the north of the city were spared, except for isolated building damage.

Forced labourers at the Emscher-Lippe Coal Mine, DattelnUNESCO World Heritage Zollverein

Once again, miners were sent to the war front. As from 1941, the absent mineworkers were almost exclusively replaced by forced labourers, mainly from the USSR, Poland, France and Italy.


Most of them had to work in the Ruhr mining industry under inhumane conditions. Many forced labourers did not survive their deployment or remained permanently unfit for work afterwards.

US Military Governor Lucius D. Clay (centre) and his British counterpart Brian Robertson (on the left) on the occasion of a visit to the Constantin der Große Coal Mine in BochumUNESCO World Heritage Zollverein

The annual output of the Zollverein Coal Mine in 1945 was only 869,000 tons, roughly equivalent to the annual output of 1888. So coal extraction had to be boosted for reconstructing the country.

Women collected fallen down pieces of coal at the tips and along railway tracks.UNESCO World Heritage Zollverein

Fallen off the train: women collected fallen down pieces of coal at the tips and along railway tracks. After the war, everything was scarce – including heating material. The illegal procurement of coal was officially tolerated in the harsh post-war winters.

Miner with mining hammer in the 1950sUNESCO World Heritage Zollverein

1945-1961

After the end of the war, coal extraction and processing at Zollverein gained momentum again – in the 1950s, it reached peak performance again.
Miner with mining hammer; as from the 1950s, this type of coal mining was replaced by large-scale machines… 

Coal ploughUNESCO World Heritage Zollverein

… e. g. the coal plough.

The Zollverein Coking Plant under construction, around 1958/1959UNESCO World Heritage Zollverein

As from 1961, Zollverein became the site of a modern central coking plant, which was built only a few hundred metres from Zollverein Shaft XII and Shaft 1/2/8.

Europe‘s largest central coking plant. Aerial photo from the 1970s.UNESCO World Heritage Zollverein

In September 1961, the first coke was “squeezed” out of the oven; after an extension, the Zollverein Coking Plant was the largest central coking plant in Europe as from 1973.

Pensioners in front of the Scholven Coal Mine in GelsenkirchenUNESCO World Heritage Zollverein

1957-1968

The year 1957 marked the turning point in German hard coal production. Coal became increasingly replaced by crude oil.
In 1958, 9.5 million tons of coal were stored on coal tips, and rising.
In the 1960s, numerous mines were closed down. 

Foundation of Ruhrkohle AG in Essen on 27th November 1968UNESCO World Heritage Zollverein

In 1968, Ruhrkohle AG was finally founded to handle the phase-out of German coal mining in the long term – and above all in a socially acceptable way.
52 coal mines and 29 coking plants, including the Zollverein Coal Mine and Coking Plant, were transferred to the ownership of Ruhrkohle AG. 

The mayors of the cities of Essen and Gelsenkirchen hung up their city coats of arms right below the city border at a depth of 1,040 metres.UNESCO World Heritage Zollverein

1974-1986

As part of the consolidation measures of Ruhrkohle AG, the Zollverein Coal Mine took over the coal extraction and coal processing activities of two other collieries: in 1974 Zollverein entered into an alliance with the Holland Coal Mine in Wattenscheid (today: Bochum-Wattenscheid); after the latter had been closed down, Zollverein formed another alliance with the Nordstern Coal Mine (Gelsenkirchen-Horst) as from 1983.

The last shift at Zollverein 3/7/10 on 23rd December 1986: miners on their way to the pithead bath.UNESCO World Heritage Zollverein

In 1983, it was decided that the Zollverein Coal Mine was to be closed down. On the evening of 23rd December 1986 – after 135 years – the Zollverein Coal Mine belonged to the past. The steel and mining town of Essen had lost its last coal mine.   

Main entrance to Zollverein Shaft XII, 1986UNESCO World Heritage Zollverein

1987-1993

The State of North Rhine-Westphalia acquired the property of Zollverein Shaft XII and commissioned a utilisation concept.
One week before its closure, the State of North Rhine-Westphalia put Zollverein Shaft XII under a preservation order, thus saving the coal mine from demolition.

Conversion of the former central workshop into an event hall in 1991.UNESCO World Heritage Zollverein


Conversion of the former central workshop into an event hall in 1991. After its refurbishment, the hall was used for exhibitions and concerts.


During the International Building Exhibition (IBA) Emscher Park (1989-1999), the redevelopment of Zollverein Shaft XII was declared a flagship project.

Keramische Werkstatt MargaretenhöheUNESCO World Heritage Zollverein

In the 1990s, galleries, cultural institutions and freelance artists and designers moved into the refurbished former above-ground facilities.

Coke oven workers on the way to their last shift at the Zollverein Coking Plant, June 1993UNESCO World Heritage Zollverein

1993-2000

In February 1993, the workforce of the Zollverein Coking Plant was informed about the imminent closure of the plant. When the last coke was ”squeezed out” on 30th June 1993, the mood was depressed. Unlike after the closure of the Zollverein Coal Mine a few years earlier, not all staff members were kept employed.

View of the ”black side” of the Zollverein Coking Plant.UNESCO World Heritage Zollverein

After the failed attempt to sell the facilities including their relocation to China, the coking plant was renovated as from 1998.
In 2000, the Zollverein Coking Plant was also awarded monument status. 

Casino ZollvereinUNESCO World Heritage Zollverein

Zollverein Shaft XII got two new visitor attractions: Casino Zollverein in 1993 and the Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen in 1996.

View of the boiler house during its conversion into the Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen (1993-1996)UNESCO World Heritage Zollverein

Especially the conversion of the former boiler house by the offices of Foster and Partners (London) as well as Böll and Krabel (Essen) attracted much attention.

Today, visitors can explore the exhibitions of the Red Dot Design Museum.UNESCO World Heritage Zollverein

Today, visitors can explore the exhibitions of the Red Dot Design Museum.

Certificate from the UNESCO, the official inscription took place two days after the proclamation.UNESCO World Heritage Zollverein

2001

At the 25th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee on 14th December, Zollverein Shaft XII, Shaft 1/2/8 and the Zollverein Coking Plant were unanimously designated as the 25th World Heritage Site in Germany – for the Ruhr Area, this was a so far unprecedented distinction.

Zollverein Shaft XIIUNESCO World Heritage Zollverein

The jury of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee substantiated the inscription of the Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex in Essen on the World Heritage List as a remarkable industrial monument by stating that “[...] its buildings are outstanding examples of the application of the design concepts of the Modern Movement in architecture in a wholly industrial context.”

Form follows function: along the production axis of Zollverein Shaft XII, the “path of coal” can be traced from its extraction to the finished product.UNESCO World Heritage Zollverein

Zollverein Shaft XII also documents “a crucial period in the development of traditional heavy industries in Europe, when sympathetic and positive use was made of architectural designs of outstanding quality.“

Zollverein Shaft XIIUNESCO World Heritage Zollverein

View of the former production axis, each building had a function in the coal preparation process.

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
Explore more
Google apps