Can you imagine the echoes of the past resonating around us here at the Rote Mühle? This isn’t just an old building. It’s a landmark with stories etched into every stone.
The Rote Mühle, also known as Rohmannsmühle, sits on the Ruhr’s left bank. It is about 1.5 kilometers northeast of Essen’s Heisingen district.
Back in 1685, Freiherr Bernhard von Vittinghoff gen. Schell had a grinding mill built here. It was for making gun barrels. But in 1752, it transformed into a grain mill. Johannes Rohmann was its first tenant miller.
Across the river from the Rote Mühle, a stone inn was built in 1752. This was because skippers weren’t allowed to travel the Ruhr at night.
During the Industrial Revolution, the Rote Mühle became a ferry landing. It carried miners from Heisingen to the Zeche Heinrich mine in Überruhr. The ferry house and lock were listed as historical monuments of the city of Essen. This happened on January 9, 1986, and September 23, 1992, respectively.
In 1774, Freiherr von Schell had a lock built on the river’s right bank. It was for coal shipping on the Ruhr. The lock chamber still exists. However, the lock gates became unnecessary due to the damming of Baldeney Lake. They were removed in 1964.
Today, the gastronomy at the lock keeper’s house is called Fährhaus Rote Mühle. The Kaiser Route, a long-distance cycle path from Aachen to Paderborn, passes right by the site. The old Rote Mühle building has housed the Kanu Klub Industrie Essen e. V. since 1950.
The Rote Mühle stands as a testament to Essen’s industrial past. It is a place where you can almost hear the shouts of the miners. You can also hear the clanging of tools.
If you listen closely, you might even hear the bell. It once signaled the departure of the ferry. Now, it tells the staff that a meal is ready.
The next time you hear a bell, remember the Rote Mühle. Remember its history and the people who passed through it. It’s a sound that connects us to the past.