Picture this a quiet Essen street. A park stretches before you. Unassuming yet significant. This is the site of Eintracht Tiefbau 1. Here stood a coal mine a vital part of Essen’s industrial past.
Eintracht Tiefbau 1 wasn’t just any mine. It was the result of consolidating several smaller operations. These included the Eintracht Stollen a shaft in operation since 1765. The mine expanded. It grew over the years. More coal was needed. More workers too.
By 1856 Eintracht Tiefbau 1 had formed. A new era of deep mining began. Shaft 1 was sunk in the same year. It became operational in 1858. Later in the 1860s they added Shaft Justus. This shaft didn’t last long however. It quickly proved unproductive.
The mine underwent significant changes around 1890. It became clear the mine mainly produced lean coal. This coal wasn’t ideal for coking. A coke plant existed for a while but it closed in 1894. A briquette factory opened on Shaft 1 instead. It catered to the changing demands.
A second major shaft Shaft 3 was sunk between 1910 and 1912. This one became the main haulage shaft. The mine was very productive at this point. Employment peaked at over 2000. Annual output reached 630000 tons.
Eintracht Tiefbau 1 had its share of surprises. In 1987 the fill in Shaft 3 suddenly collapsed. It dropped 380 meters. They needed 20000 tons of material to fill it again. A massive 60-meter-thick concrete plug sealed the shaft. This secured the area permanently.
Today Eintracht Tiefbau 1’s above-ground structures are gone. Only subtle clues remain. You can see manhole covers and signage marking the locations of Shafts 1 and 3. These remain reminders of its immense history. Remember Eintracht Tiefbau 1’s story. It’s woven into the very fabric of Essen. The mine’s legacy lives on even after its closure in 1925.