Hidden in plain sight, Alt-Scharnhorst whispers stories of Dortmund’s industrial past. Alt-Scharnhorst isn’t ancient as the name suggests. It grew from the mining settlements of the Zeche Scharnhorst colliery. This colliery, named after Prussian General Gerhard von Scharnhorst, shaped the district’s identity. Imagine rows of modest miners’ homes, springing up around the bustling colliery. The colliery, now just a memory marked by a restored wall, once employed over 2,500 people at its peak. Alt-Scharnhorst’s story continued after the war. The MSA-Siedlung, a housing development funded by the Marshall Plan, brought new life to the area in the 1950s. Over 1,300 homes, a mix of single-family houses, smaller apartment buildings, and row houses, filled the landscape. Today, Alt-Scharnhorst stands as a testament to its evolving history. The area, once dominated by the colliery, is now a diverse mix of housing types. Alt-Scharnhorst, with a population nearing 9,000, is more than just buildings and streets. It’s a community woven from the threads of its industrial heritage and post-war renewal. The streets and houses whisper tales of miners, families, and the resilience of a community built on coal dust and hope.
Willy-Brandt-Gesamtschule
Established in 1988 the Willy-Brandt-Gesamtschule in Bochum is a significant landmark in German education. It was one of the first