Here in Hombruch, Dortmund, imagine a time long before today. This area was once a vast forest. It was a “hoher Bruch” or high moor. Hombruch’s story began in 1395. Count Dietrich von der Mark mentioned “dat Hombroick.”
Hombruch changed over centuries. The preußische Staat owned much of the forest. They also owned the mills here. In 1827, the forest was auctioned. Friedrich Harkort and Baron von Romberg bought large parts.
Harkort started the “Harkorter Eisenhütte” in 1834. Sadly, it went bankrupt by 1838. Hombruch then became part of Amt Hörde in 1845. Later, it was part of Amt Barop. In 1929, Hombruch became part of Dortmund.
Coal mining began early here. Stollen Clausthal started in 1730. Louise mine followed in 1752. In 1809, an innovative shaft was dug. It was north of the road to Witten.
Deep mining started in 1844. Zeche Louise Tiefbau had an 88-meter shaft. Zeche Glückauf-Tiefbau followed with a 234-meter shaft. The von Romberg family mined coal since 1616. They were in Brünninghausen. Mining also occurred in Kruckel and Löttringhausen. Many small mines closed by the 1860s. They lacked resources and rail access.
Hombruch industrialized after 1848. The Bergisch-Märkische railway arrived. It transported coal. Wilhelm Hammacher sen. moved his ironworks here. In 1869, 270 workers made 7200 tons of rolled sheet metal. These workers formed Hombruch’s Catholic community. The Clemenskirche was built in 1871. The Marienhospital opened in 1873.
Coking plants arose in the 1870s. Louise Tiefbau became a major coke producer. The Hörder Kreisbahn connected Hombruch in 1898. Baroper Maschinenbau AG was founded in 1872. It built steam engines. The steel mill closed in 1881. Workers returned to Warstein.
Hermann Kehl reopened the works in 1884. It was now a rolling mill. Siemens-Martin ovens were added in 1905. These made steel production possible. The plant expanded to Zeche Louise Tiefbau in 1913.
In 1893, Hombruch had 3547 miners. Affordable cooperative houses were built from 1896. Before World War I, coal production peaked. A cable car linked mines to the Union factory. It transported coke.
French troops occupied Hombruch from 1923 to 1924. They seized restaurants and schools. The mining era ended after 1920. Mines and coking plants closed. Zeche Vereinigte Wiendahlsbank closed in 1924. Zeche Glückauf-Tiefbau closed in 1925.
A large spoil heap remains from Zeche Glückauf Tiefbau. It is over 40 meters high. Baroper Maschinenbau AG closed in 1928. The coking plant shut down in 1930. The Reichsarbeitsdienst dismantled the mines in 1933/34. Hoesch AG took over the rolling mill in 1938. Pipe production started in 1957/58. The Hoesch pipe mill closed in 1989. Hombruch became largely industry-free.
Bombs damaged Hombruch in 1944. Both churches and the Marienhospital were hit. Hombruch became a district in 1975. In 2023, Hombruch had 11,875 residents. Hombruch’s income is below Dortmund’s average.
Today, visit the Hombruch pedestrian zone. There is a market on Wednesdays and Saturdays. See the churches. Enjoy the skate park. Hombruch offers much to explore. The district of Hombruch is an area with a rich history and many stories.