Discover the history of the oldest workers' settlement in the Ruhr area!

Discover the history of the oldest workers' settlement in the Ruhr area!

On Sunday, March 9, 2025, a moderated outdoor walk is offered by the oldest workers' settlement in the Ruhr area, the Eisenheim colony. All details are currently accessible to interested parties and promise an exciting insight into the history of the region. The walk begins at 2:30 p.m. and takes about 90 minutes. It takes place at the Museum Eisenheim, Berliner Straße 10a in Oberhausen, and requires prior registration. Online tickets are available for € 6 per person at www.shop.industriemusum.lvr.de . The number of participants is limited to a maximum of 15 people. For more information, the Kulturinfo Rheinland is available on 02234-9921-555.

The walk addresses the establishment of the settlement by the Hütten union Jacobi, Haniel and Huyssen in 1846. This settlement was a home for many people during the heyday of the ruhr industry. In the 1970s, the residents fought against the demolition of their equal residential complex and finally reached monument protection, which has established the settlement to date as an important relic of industrial culture.

history of the workers' settlements

The workers' settlements in the Ruhr area were created out of social hardship in the 19th and early 20th centuries when there was a dramatic lack of housing. The settlements were built near Zechen, at the time that was used for agriculture to meet the increasing demand for workers. Many of these workers came from the eastern regions of Europe and were looking for a new home in the aspiring coal and steel industry. These structural changes led to the fact that plant owners began to create living space in order to bind qualified workers and their families to their companies.

The Eisenheim colony is considered the oldest colliery colony, in which the typical two -story brick houses were built, each housed four apartments with their own entrances. Over time, the houses received pre- and back gardens that were used for the cultivation of vegetables and the keeping of animals. This development led to every fifth worker lived in one of 25,000 settlement apartments around 1900.

The role of industrial culture

In the context of industrial culture, the Ruhr area, also known as the area or pot, is a region that was once characterized by its flowering industry. Until the 19th century, this region was particularly agricultural and only developed a common identity through technical innovations, such as the steam engine. The first iron hut, the St. Anony hut, was founded in 1758 and marked the beginning of the iron industry on the Lippe and Emscher. The development was rapid, and the construction of traffic routes such as the Dortmund-Ems Canal and the Rhein-Herne Canal was significantly influenced by industrial calm life.

The creation of work and the construction of factory settlements was part of a greater change that intervened deeply into the social structure of the region. These settlements, often referred to as "colonies", were not only simple accommodations, but should also improve the life of workers by integrating social institutions such as welfare houses and kindergartens. Today, many of these workers' settlements enjoy a status as a coveted living space because they have been well preserved or restored and thus preserve a piece of history for future generations.