“Amalie shaft in Essen? Never heard of it.” Some might say that. But stand here with me. The Zeche Amalie was once a vital part of Essen’s coal mining history.
Let’s dive into the story of Zeche Amalie. It began as a small shaft sunk around 1842. The Amalie shaft was used for the colliery Sälzer Amalie. The colliery stopped winding coal in 1966. Today, Zeche Amalie serves a crucial role. It supports pumping for the few remaining collieries.
The Gewerkschaft Ver. Sälzer & Neuack started a small shaft in the Amalie field in 1842. They decided to develop this field with its own hoisting system. In 1849, the Gewerkschaft Amalie was established. The Gewerkschaft Ver. Sälzer & Neuack held the majority of shares.
From 1850 to 1854, the Amalie 1 shaft was sunk in Bergeborbeck on Pferdebahnstraße. It was designed as a hoisting shaft. A Malakow tower was added. In 1853, “Helene Amalie” became one of the first Ruhr mines using pit ponies for underground transport. The old Amalia shaft was located halfway between Amalie 1 and the Huyssen shaft. It became a ventilation shaft without hoisting equipment for Zeche Amalie.
In 1868, Gewerkschaft Amalie increased its capital. They wanted to develop the eastern field near Altenessen. In 1870, the Helene shaft was sunk as a separate hoisting system on Twentmannstraße. The Gewerkschaft changed its name to Gewerkschaft Vereinigte Helene & Amalie. It acted as a joint operating company. However, both mines were managed as independent operating facilities. A coking plant near Amalie shaft was commissioned in 1871.
In 1895, Gewerkschaft Ver. Helene & Amalie joined the Rheinisch-Westfälischen Kohlensyndikat. From then on, both mines were managed and expanded as a joint operating facility. Amalie shaft received a hoisting frame installed on the shaft tower. From 1902 to 1906, the Marie shaft was sunk next to Amalie shaft. It served as an independent hoisting and manriding shaft. In 1910, a briquette factory for household coal briquettes was built at Amalie/Marie shaft.
Around 1914 to 1915, the administration building was constructed. Architect Edmund Körner designed it. Severe war damage meant the rebuilt building only retained some of the original artistic design. In 2021, the shaft frame and shaft hall were listed as historical monuments. The administration building was classified as building substance worth preserving.
The small ventilation shaft Amalia was abandoned in 1919. In 1921, an agreement was made between Gewerkschaft Ver. Helene & Amalie and Friedrich Krupp AG. The Zeche Ver. Helene & Amalie produced 950,000 tons of coal annually. It had 4,900 employees. From 1922 to 1926, a small ventilation shaft named Barbara was sunk. This was between the Amalie and Helene shafts. It was equipped with a small hoisting system.
In 1927, the mine was fully integrated into the Krupp Group. Together with Zeche Vereinigte Sälzer & Neuack, Friedrich Krupp AG Bergwerke Essen was formed. There was a concentration and reorientation of the production strategy. The Amalie shaft was backfilled and then re-sunk in 1929. In 1934, a new full-walled support frame was erected above the shaft. Afterwards, Zeche Helene was separated and managed as an independent production facility.
Amalie/Marie shaft, Barbara shaft, and the Huyssen/Schmits shaft were merged. They formed the new Sälzer-Amalie composite mine.
After the Sälzer-Amalie mine closed in 1966, the Barbara shaft was backfilled and demolished. The Amalie and Marie shafts remained open. They were used as water management shafts for the surrounding mines. In 1982, the Marie shaft’s hoisting frame was replaced with a small auxiliary hoist.
In early 2008, the power plant was demolished. This made room for construction work. It was part of the Krupp Belt urban development project. On May 17, 2008, the 126-meter-high chimney was demolished.
Though its coal-winding days are over, Zeche Amalie continues to quietly serve. It is a reminder of Essen’s industrial past. It plays a vital role in managing water levels in the mines. A silent guardian watching over the city’s heritage.