Stola No. 1 Jáchymov; © Jan Albrecht

The Erzgebirge / Krušnohoří Mining Region – a serial cultural landscape

The unique cultural landscape of the Erzgebirge / Krušnohoří region is inseparably linked to mining. Since the first discovery of silver ores in 1168, mining and metallurgy have shaped the technical, economic, social and ecological achievements of the region. Today, the surface mine buildings, the adits and shafts underground, human-made water ditches and ponds, historic old towns, heap landscapes and mining traditions bear witness to this once splendid era.

We Are World Heritage

The important periods selected to represent the German-Czech World Heritage site of the Ore Mountains were represented in 17 German and five Czech mining cultural landscapes which included monuments both above and below ground. With its positive image, high reputation worldwide and educational potential, World Heritage designation offers promising opportunities for future regional development through modern and innovative approaches to protection, preservation and transboundary presentation.

©Jan Albrecht

Project Videos

Intro

The two participating students: Saphira Tölg (Hufeland-Oberschule Plauen, DE) und Martin Ondrus (PHG Gymnasium Prag, CZ) present the objectives of the project in their native language.

Franz Beyer

Mr. Beyer is 70 years old and a former miner of the tin mine Ehrenfriedersdorf / Annaberg as well as the former chief of mine rescue. He studied Engineering and was trained as a miner. In the mine of Ehrenfrie-dersdorf / Annaberg as head of the mine rescue he was dedicated to rescue and recovery of injured miners. Franz Beyer was a "real miner" who witnessed different eras of the mining period in Annaberg. As head of the rescue department, his work was based on the helpfulness and solidarity of the miners. He was therefore very familiar with their everyday dangers and challenges.

Igor Grund

Mr. Grund is 50 years old, a former worker of Brigade Wismut and member of the association "Altbergbau". He was trained as a miner (German translation: Hauer) and like his father, he worked for the mining company Wismut SDAG. At Wismut SDAG, he worked in the uranium mines of the former GDR. He experienced first-hand how mining in the Ore Mountain came to an end and how Wismut was converted into a renovation company in 1991 after the reunification. As a result of the radical social and technical changes of the reunification within the region, he was forced to shift into several different careers.

Marc Schwan

Mr. Schwan is 57 years old and was the first chairman of the association Altbergbau "Markus-Röhling-Stolln" Frohnau e.V., the visitor centre of Markus-Röhling-Stolln. In the former GDR, he was a forest worker, grave-digger and heavily involved in political work during the unification. After unification he mainly took over volunteer duties. Together with former miners, he developed the concept of the visitor mine Markus-Röhling-Stolln, which opened in 1994. He is responsible for the tour program in the mine and inspires visitors of all generations to learn about the technology and history of the tunnel.

vlog

Martin Ondrus (PHG Gymnasium, Prag, CZ), a workshop pariticipant from the Czech Republic, talks about the history of mining in the Mining Area Erzgebirge / Krušnohoří and takes us behind the scenes of the project.

Outro

A short thank you from the participating students: Nancy-Marie Günzel (Oberschule Eibenstock, DE) und Jacub Machač (Gymnázium, Mladá Boleslav, CZ).

TEACHING MATERIAL

TEACHING UNIT Erzgebirge – History

Authors: Dr. Larissa Eikermann / Friederike Hansell

TEACHING UNIT Erzgebirge – Technology

Authors: Dr. Larissa Eikermann / Friederike Hansell

TEACHING UNIT Erzgebirge – World Heritage Education

Authors: Dr. Larissa Eikermann / Friederike Hansell

Kahled Daoud, Valentin Perevalov, Saphira Tölg

Information Desk

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