“Steele’s black gold” is not a modern gangster movie. It is how the coal mined here at Zeche Johann Deimelsberg Sculpture was known.
Welcome. The Zeche Johann Deimelsberg Sculpture stands as a reminder of Essen’s rich mining history. This area was once a vital part of the Ruhr region’s industrial heartland.
The story of Zeche Johann Deimelsberg is intertwined with two mines. These are the Zeche Deimelsberg and Zeche Johann. These mines merged between 1885 and 1887. Both had been mining coal west of Steele for a long time.
Mining in this area goes way back. A Deimelsberg Stollen is mentioned as early as the 16th century. By 1749, the Deimelsberg Stollen was officially documented. It became an Erbstollen in 1829.
In 1794, Johann Jacob Deimelsberg and four others received permission to mine six seams. These seams were between 11 and 36 inches thick. The stollen’s entrance was near the Grendbach stream.
In 1853, the first vertical shaft was sunk directly at Deimelsberg. After 1870, the mine was known as Ver. Deimelsberg. Deimelsberg Shaft 1 was sunk near Westfalenstrasse. In 1876, Deimelsberg Shaft 2 was sunk at Laurentiusweg. After Shaft 2 opened, Shaft 1 was abandoned. Only coal processing continued there. Production reached 90.000 tons of lean coal per year.
Zeche Johann was founded in 1809. It initially mined coal near Steele’s west end using inclined shafts. From 1859, it expanded its mining area. It then became known as Ver. Johann.
In 1873, the first vertical shaft was sunk near Steeler Westbahnhof. After a ventilation shaft was added, production soon reached 130.000 tons of coal per year. After the two mines merged in 1887, production gradually shifted to the Johann mine. A briquette factory was built at Johann Shaft in 1893.
In 1906, Johann Shaft 2 was sunk next to Johann Shaft 1. After it was finished, Deimelsberg Shaft 2 was permanently abandoned and filled. Johann Shaft 1 got a new winding tower. In 1910, the mining area of the closed Zeche Vereinigte Charlotte was added.
In 1928, the Johann 1/2 production plant closed. The mine was shut down on August 31, 1928. The shafts were filled and the surface facilities demolished. From 1952, the neighboring Zeche Katharina developed and mined the field.
Now, consider this: In April 1942, around 300 Jewish residents of Essen were gathered at the Holbeckshof barracks. This served as a transit camp. The camp was guarded. However, residents could move around outside during the day with restrictions. On July 20, 1942, 170 Jews were deported to the Theresienstadt Ghetto.
Today, the Zeche Johann Deimelsberg Sculpture stands as a symbol. It reminds us of Essen’s industrial past. It also highlights the darker chapters of history that occurred on this very ground. It is important to remember and learn from these events.
The Zeche Johann Deimelsberg Sculpture is more than just a monument. It represents the resilience and transformation of Essen and its people. It is a reminder of the past and a symbol of hope for the future.