Coal mining in this region was first documented in 1446. In 1730, 18 coal miners were mentioned as working in this area. The coal mine we visited here is, of course, not that old. The mining company that operated it was founded around 1885. This shaft, the second of four in total, was deepened in 1920. Although heavy investment was still being made in the mine in the mid-1990s, the end was not long in sight. Declining coal subsidies had made far-reaching adjustment measures necessary in the mining industry in the Ruhr and Saar regions. Compared to other energy sources, German coal was no longer competitive. The initial outlay of the equivalent of 200 million euros was described as an "investment for the future" when the new main frame was completed in 1994. The company continued operating until 2000, but then had to close its doors irrevocably.