Marl and the region around Marl, had resources and heavy industries that played a vital role in Germany’s preparations for World War II. Coal was the life blood of Hitler’s war machine. The city was bombed heavily during World War II. About 75 percent of the area was destroyed; more than one-third of the coal mines discontinued operations or suffered heavy damage.
As the allies, including the 75th Infantry Division, approached the city, the Volksrom or German peoples army were called into the Brassert town square. Consisting of old men and young boys, many were unemployed, miners. The German army was planning to blow up the mine as part of Hitler’s Nero Decree. Adolf Hitler’s Nero Decree, an order issued on March 19, 1945, which commanded the systematic destruction of all German infrastructure. The approaching enemy would thus find nothing but “scorched earth.” Hitler justified this step as a military necessity, but his intention was to destroy the German population as punishment for its defeat. There was to be no future for the nation after National Socialism.
The Decree…
Our nation’s struggle for existence forces us to utilize all means, even within Reich territory, to weaken the fighting power of our enemy and to prevent further advances. Any opportunity to inflict lasting damage on the striking power of the enemy must be taken advantage of. It is a mistake to believe that undestroyed or only temporarily paralyzed traffic, communications, industrial, and supply installations will be useful to us again after the recapture of lost territories. During his retreat, the enemy will leave behind only scorched earth and will abandon all concern for the population.
I therefore command –
1. All military traffic, communications, industrial and supply installations as well as objects within Reich territory that might be used by the enemy in the continuation of his fight, either now or later, are to be destroyed.
2. It is the responsibility of the military command posts to execute this order to destroy all military objects, including traffic and communications installations.
The Gauleiters and Commissioners for Reich Defense are responsible for destroying the industrial and supply installations, as well as of other objects of valuable; the troops must give the Gauleiters and Commissioners for Reich Defense the assistance they need to carry out this task.
3. This command is to be transmitted to all troop commanders as promptly as possible; orders to the contrary are null and void.
– Adolf Hitler
Like many large industrial and mining sites in Germany during this period, the Brassert mine likely utilized forced labor, a widespread practice in the Nazi economy. Nazi commission retreated in haste not guaranteeing that the mine was fully demolished. Mines were also used to store looted art the Nazi’s had stolen. Mines were ideal since they had a constant temperature deep under ground.
The Bassert coal mine was founded in 1905, with production beginning in 1910,it employed 5,000 by the 1950s, and closed in 1972, with its land becoming commercial/recreational space.
As I sketched in the town square, people kept driving into the square to park and then walking over to a bank teller machine. It must have been pay day in town. The leaves were just starting to turn yellow. After I finished the sketch, I tried to find a restaurant to eat but I could only fond pizza shops.
On March 20, 1945 Marl was cleared.