Industriemuseum Zeche Hannover

Industrial Museum Zeche Hannover


Useful Information

Location: Bochum-Hordel.
(51.504467, 7.164923)
Open: All year Wed-Sat 14-18, Sun, Hol 11-18.
[2022]
Fee: free.
[2022]
Classification: MineCoal Mine ExplainMalakowturm ExplainKoepe-Winder
Light: LightIncandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:
Guided tours: self guided
Photography: allowed
Accessibility: no
Bibliography:
Address: Industriemuseum Zeche Hannover, Günnigfelder Str. 251, 44793 Bochum, Tel: +49-234-2825390. E-mail: contact
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
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History

14-JUN-1847 mining permit granted to the domain owner Karl Richard vom Hymmen and the merchant Julius Möller.
1856 the Hannoversche Bergwerksgesellschaft Hostmann & Co. AG buys the mining rights.
1858 two shafts dug.
1858 Malakow tower built.
1860 sold to the Hannoversche Bergwerksgesellschaft Böstighaus & Co. because of financial difficulties.
1870 start of production in shaft 1.
27-JUN-1872 mine taken over by Alfred Krupp.
1892 Doppelkolben-Dampffördermaschine, a steam engine for hauling heavy loads, installed.
1973 closed as last mine of Bochum.

Description

100 years ago, the Zeche Hannover (Hannover Colliery) was the most modern mine of Germany. Today it is part of the Westfälisches Industriemuseum, (Westfalian Industry Museum). The area contains the engine house with the steam engine, the Malakow tower and the nearby air shafts. The 33 m high Malakow tower is the oldest preserved tower of this kind in the whole area. A Malakow tower is a special design of towers which was used for hoist frames between 1855 and 1880, named after Fort Malakow near Sewastopol.

The first mining permit was granted in 1847, and a first bore discovered coal in a depth of 92 m. But the work was ended because of the political situation of the time. In 1854 the next bore was made, the first shaft started and the mine sold. in 1859 and in 1869 two massive towers called Malakow towers were constructed above the shafts. Water inrush delayed the works, financial difficulties caused another change in ownership. The production of the colliery began as late as 1870 from the bottom of shaft 1 162 m below surface. The war in 1870/71 created demand and economic boost, and the colliery was profitable for the first time.

But the heyday of the mine started 1872, with the purchase of the mine by Alfred Krupp. The shafts were deepened to 304 m below the surface, the headframes were modernized and enlarged. 1873 two more shafts were started. But only one year later, in 1874 the coal prices fell again and a period of decline began. This colliery was less influenced by this than other collieries in the area, because the owner Krupp continually needed coal for his furnaces.

A technical innovation with worldwide effect was invented here, the so-called Koepe-Förderung (Koepe-winder). Carl Friedrich Koepe was the director of the mine, and he developed a new system for the mine elevator. Previously a single cage was mounted at the end of the steel cable, the steam engine had to lift the cable, the cage, and the payload. By using two cages, fixed at the opposite ends of a single cable which was running around the hoisting drum the weight of the cages was neutralized. A second rope, fixed at the bottom of the cages and hanging free neutralized the weight of the changing amount of rope. As a result only the weight of the payload had to be lifted, much less energy was needed and the rope was much less abraded, it had a much longer service life and the danger of a tearing of the rope much lower.

Today the underground mine is not accessible any more, only the surface buildings and machinery. But a special children's mine was created, which includes a realistic reconstruction of a mine tunnel.