When I realized how important coal mining was to the German war effort, I began searching out coal mines. The Colliery Schlagel & Eisen is near Westerholt Germany.
On April 2, 1945 the 75th infantry Division was moved to an assembly area near Westerholt Germany which is a short distance south of Marl Germany which the Division had helped capture the day before.
Colliery Schlagel & Eisen was a significant German coal mine known for its impressive industrial architecture, especially Shaft 7, and its role in the Ruhr region’s mining history, now preserved as a cultural monument with unique buildings, showcasing Bauhaus-influenced designs, and a reminder of industrial heritage in a city which was for a long time the largest mining center in Europe.
The mine was crucial to the German war effort and suffered from allied bombing, with its head frames and infrastructure damaged. Some of the older parts of Westerholt survived unlike many other German towns. The region’s coal supported the war, while notable figures like fighter ace Adolf Galland hailed from Westerholt, and the nearby Westerholt cemetery holds victims of Nazi tyranny, highlighting the broader impact of the war on the area.
When I sketched the mine the fall colors had started to turn. The maple tree had bright red leaves.The same color could be seen in the rust of the old buildings. The mine is a memorial today. I considered going inside. but there were so many signs that said verboten.