Deimelsberg Schacht 2

Hidden beneath a seemingly ordinary manhole cover lies a piece of Essen’s industrial past: Deimelsberg Schacht 2. This unassuming marker belies the once bustling activity of a major coal mine. Deimelsberg Schacht 2, established in 1866, played a vital role in Steele’s coal production. The original Deimelsberg mine began modestly in the 17th century as a small drift mine. It operated on a smaller scale until around 1811, spending the next decade preparing for larger-scale extraction. By 1827, the old, collapsed tunnels were reopened and extended. The name Deimelsberg likely originates from a footpath north of the mine. As the demand for coal increased, the mine transitioned from drift mining to deep shaft mining in 1853. The first shaft, Deimelsberg Schacht 1, was constructed in the Ruhr valley. However, the challenging conditions in the valley, including flooding and a fire, led to the construction of Deimelsberg Schacht 2 on higher ground near Steeler Straße in 1866. This new shaft allowed for deeper and more efficient coal extraction. Deimelsberg Schacht 1 was subsequently closed, its shafts filled, and the surface infrastructure demolished by 1900. The mine’s operations eventually merged with the nearby Zeche Johann, consolidating their efforts into a larger and more modern double shaft facility near Steele-West station. However, the economic hardships of the 1920s, coupled with difficulties in selling lean coal, forced the closure of Johann Deimelsberg in 1928, despite public outcry. Today, only a few remnants of the mine remain, including a preserved administrative building from the early deep mining era in the Ruhr valley. Deimelsberg Schacht 2 itself is sealed beneath the manhole cover, a silent testament to Essen’s rich mining heritage.