Grube Feggendorfer Stolln

Useful Information

Location:	Deisterstraße, 31867 Lauenau-Feggendorf. A2 exit Lauenau, in Lauenaui turn left towards Rodenberg, then right to Feggendorf. Follow the main road to the other end of the village. Parking at the forest, 800 m walk to the mine. (52.291564, 9.409701)
Open:	APR to SEP Sun 11, 14. [2023]
Fee:	donation requested. Adults EUR 10, Children EUR 7. [2023]
Classification:	Coal Mine
Light:	Miners lamps provided
Dimension:	T=9 °C, A=255 m asl.
Guided tours:	D=45 min.
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Förderverein Feggendorfer Stolln e. V., Finkenweg 9, 31867 Lauenau, Tel: +49-173-7818181. E-mail: Schaumburger Land Tourismusmarketing e.V., Lange Str. 45, 31675 Bückeburg, Tel: +49-5722-890550, Fax: +49-5722-890552. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1738	start of mining of the seam in the area.
31-OCT-1831	Feggendorfer Stolln started.
1832	after 103 m coal seam reached and begin of extraction.
1862	breakthrough to the neighbouring Hohenbostel mine, improvement of ventilation.
1879	closed due to sales difficulties.
1917	reopened due to World War I.
23-APR-1947	official closure by Preußag AG.
1952	end of the mining of Hausbrand and Deputatkohle, building demolished.
MAR-2003	start of renovation by the Heimat- und Museumsverein Lauenau und Umgebung e.V..
2004	show mine approved by the Clausthal-Zellerfeld State Mining Authority.
APR-2005	opened as a show mine.
2006	Förderverein Feggendorfer Stolln founded.
2009	first visitor trail completed.
2013	construction of the new colliery house.

Geology

Description

The coal mine Feggendorfer Stollen is a typical example for the mining of the Deister area. It was renovated and secured, but not developed as a show mine. The trails are not paved and there is no electric light. Visitors are equipped with helmet, miners lamp, miners cloak, and rubber boots. This makes tours a little difficult and the visit is not possible for anyone. Additionally, it restricts the group size to 10 persons.

The mine primarily provided coal for smiths and coal ovens in the area around Lauenau. At first the annual production was about 840 t of coal, later it increased to 1,600t/a. But after the Grafschaft Schaumburg became a member of the preußischer Zollverein, a toll union, it was not any more a market. There were competing mines nearby and coal from Westphalia, which was much cheaper, was now transported by the new railroad. The mine was closed during the depression (1873-95) which followed the German Gründerzeit (1870-73).

The mine was reopened due to the First World War in 1917. At the end of the war the need of coal was high, and obviously it stayed high enough for the continuation of the mining during post-war inflation, times of unemployment, the regime of the Nazis and the Second World War. Two years after this war, in 1947, the mining was finally ended. Five more years some locals were allowed to mine minor amounts for personal used, based on old treaties called Deputatkohle (concessionary coal) or Hausbrand (domestic fuel). After this time the mine was completely closed.

Since 2003 a local club called Heimat- und Museumsverein Lauenau und Umgebung e.V. works at the mine. They reopened the tunnel and secured it, and only one year later in 2004 they received the license to open a show mine from the Landesbergamt Clausthal-Zellerfeld. After some more work the mine was opened in 2005. Since then, it is managed and opened to the public by the work of the club.