Hüttenstollen Osterwald

Useful Information

Location:	Salzhemmendorf, Ortsteil Osterwald. A7 (E45) exit Hildesheim, B1 west, in Oldendorf turn right to Osterwald. (52° 6'51.36"N, 9°37'33.42"E)
Open:	Museum: MAR to OCT Wed 15-18, Sun 13:15, 14:30 (with mine tour). Mine: MAR to OCT Sun 13:15, 14:30. [2011]
Fee:	Mine with museum: Adults EUR 4, Children EUR 2. Museum: Adults EUR 2, Children EUR 1. [2011]
Classification:	Coal Mine
Light:	Incandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:
Guided tours:
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address:	Besucherbergwerk Hüttenstollen, Steigerbrink 25, 31020 Salzhemmendorf, Tel: +49-5153-964846, Fax: +49-5153-964846.
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

1584	Herzog Julius von Braunschweig starts mining for coal in the Osterwald.
1586	first written mentioned.
1685	leased to the Hemmendorfer Salzwerk.
1694	lease ends.
1701	Osterwalder Glashütte founded.
1740	mine modernized.
1746	sart of the Wasserstollen (adit).
1767	adit completed.
1810	new coal discovered at the Hohen-Warte.
1833	mine modernized.
1842	five new tunnels, 300 miners work at Osterwald.
1866	owned by the Prussians, Tiefbauschacht started.
1898	Tiefbauschacht completed.
1899	sold to the Fabrik für Feuer- und Säurefeste Produkte at Vassendar am Rhein.
1901	bankruptcy, mine taken over by Siemens. Numer of miners increases from 150 to 175.
1926	"Gustav-Stollen" closed.
1945	new coal layer discovered at Plattenbrink.
1948	Hüttenstollen closed.
1953	mining ends.

Geology

The coal mined at Osterwald is called Wealdenkohle (Wealden coal), as it was formed during the Wealden, the lower Cretaceous. Coal from this era is found all over northern Germany, the center is in the Weser-Ems area. The coal is the remains of huge basin with moor and a tropic to subtropic forest of cypress like trees, ginkos, conifers, ferns and palm trees. This bog was now and then covered by sand, produced by rivers from the area of Osnabrück. The covered peat was the transformed into coal by coalification.

Description

The coal at Osterwald was found in five recoverable seams, which were between 35 cm and 70 cm thick. The coal was removed manually, while the surrounding rocks were left untouched, so it was mined lying on the floor. Only the access tunnels had normal height, which allowed easy acces and the transport of the coal in miners trains.

Benath the show mine, only a few steps from the adit mouth exists a small museum. It shows the Gezähe, the tools of the miners. They are completed by the machinery outside. There is also a small exhibition about the history of the small village Osterwald.