Rauxel

In 1860, a whisper of coal rustled through the fields surrounding the villages of Rauxel and Ickern. Several independent mining companies, driven by the promise of buried treasure, began their subterranean explorations. This marked the beginning of Rauxel’s transformation. The year 1871 saw the birth of the Victor colliery, forever changing the landscape of Rauxel. The clang of machinery and the rhythmic thud of pickaxes against stone echoed through the valley. Rauxel, once a quiet village, was now a hub of industrial activity. The discovery of coal didn’t just bring industry to Rauxel. It brought people, stories, and a new identity. In 1908, the nearby village of Ickern joined the chorus of industry with its own colliery. The two villages, bound by the black gold beneath their feet, became increasingly intertwined. This connection solidified in 1917 when the Victor and Ickern collieries merged under a single management. The Förderverbund Victor-Ickern, established in 1922, further cemented their shared destiny. Rauxel wasn’t just a mining town. It was also a place of power. In 1923, industrialist Peter Klöckner brought the Victor and Ickern collieries, along with other mining operations, under the umbrella of Klöckner-Werke AG Rauxel-Berlin. Rauxel became the company’s headquarters for many years. The Ruhr occupation of 1923 saw French troops marching into Rauxel, occupying the collieries for a year. This occupation marked a turbulent chapter in Rauxel’s history. The echoes of those times still resonate within the very stones of this place. On April 1, 1926, Rauxel’s independent story came to a close. The town, along with Castrop and other surrounding communities, merged to form the city of Castrop-Rauxel. Initially part of the Dortmund district, Castrop-Rauxel became an independent city on April 1, 1928. Rauxel, once a humble village, had become an integral part of a bustling city. The Kommunalreform in Nordrhein-Westfalen in 1975 brought another shift. Castrop-Rauxel lost its independent city status and became part of the Recklinghausen district. Rauxel, along with the rest of the city, transitioned from the Arnsberg government district to Münster. Even within a larger administrative structure, Rauxel retained its unique character. A more recent landmark, the Oberste Vöhde housing estate, built in 1992, stands as a testament to Rauxel’s ongoing evolution. Rauxel is a testament to the transformative power of industry. From a quiet village to a bustling mining hub and now a Stadtteil of Castrop-Rauxel, Rauxel’s journey is etched in the very fabric of its being. As you stand here, imagine the echoes of pickaxes, the rumble of machinery, and the footsteps of those who shaped this place.