pictures above © Jan Lemitz

Then we headed to our main destination, the Hambach open-cast mine. The afternoon was originally set to include a descent into the Garzweiler open-cast mine itself. However, due to heavy rainfall, we took a bus tour that ended at the Terra Nova open-cast mine viewpoint instead, guided by a RWE representative. Our guide provided information on the scale of extraction, the engineering behind it, and the unique properties of the material. From this vantage point, we looked out over a surreal, almost lunar landscape: vast, empty, and unsettlingly quiet. As he described the enormous machinery (which looked like toys from the viewpoint) and the company's performance as a whole, questions about the region's future were raised. The guide outlined corporate perspectives on resettlement and renaturation projects, that had been carried out since the beginning of opencast mining.

This fact-filled tour, characterised by a rather cool business perspective, sparked initial ideas and discussion topics, which were then countered by a much more personal and activist approach at our next stop. It offered a more personal, on-the-ground perspective — highlighting the environmental and social impacts of mining, beyond the official narrative.

We visited Manheim, a district in the Rhein-Erft district west of Cologne, currently undergoing partial demolition or resettlement due to lignite mining. This offered us a firsthand look at how such places are transforming in the context of energy extraction and structural change, and how art can reflect, question, accompany and offer resistance to these processes. Our guide, Silke Schatz, is an artist whose practice foregrounds social, architectural, historical, and political themes. Since August 2021, her project Manheim-alt has provided a poignant lens on the village’s transformation, and its implications for home, nature, industry, and memory.

Silke Schatz shared insights into what Manheim represents today and the role activists and local communities play in shaping its future. She explained the complex history of the village and how the remnants of the old Manheim become symbolic sites for discussions about energy, climate policy, and social change. Her explanations helped us understand the tensions between preservation and redevelopment, and how art can illuminate these debates rather than simply document them. She also showed us the group meeting point of the activist camp and offered a window into the daily life and objectives of local actors on the ground. Afterwards we walked toward the edge of the forest ("Sündenwäldchen"), continuing our dialogue in a setting that underscored the spatial and emotional dimensions of the site.

Back at Hombroich, the day ended with a shared dinner and stories from Inge Broska, artist and lifelong resident of the region. She was raised in the no longer existing village of Otzenrath. After the excavation of her home, she has relocated to Jüchen-Hochneukirch. It was then that she started to collect relicts from the destroyed localities. Today, she calls her home in Jüchen-Hochneukirch a “Hausmuseum” – a house museum where she preserves artefacts of her childhood home. Her reflections brought a human dimension to the broader themes we had been exploring. Together with Broska we watched SLOW VIOLENCE by Studio Lemercier. The film opens with playful shots of the forest and then shows the destruction of landmarks and nature in increasingly drastic images. It also depicts both the work in the open-cast mine itself and the active resistance in impressive aerial shots. This prompted a productive debate on the role of art in activist practice, stylistic choices, and whose voices are represented.

Day two began with a visit to Broska’s “Hausmuseum”, a deeply personal archive of life in the mining zone, filled with fragments of resistance and remembrance. Rather than walking through the rooms as a group, we did so individually in order to form our own personal impressions. In doing so, we each discovered different artefacts and details, which we then discussed with each other. It turned out that the Hausmuseum first and foremost is a place that provides visibility. Visibility for what (almost) would have been lost. For the resistance that has always existed in the region, which has been a constant throughout history. For the many personal fates connected with this large-scale industry and for the transgenerational exchange that seeks to ensure that these fates are not forgotten.

In 2025, the Hausmuseum is also part of the Borderland Residencies network. Marie Gavois and Michel Klöfkorn are artists in residence at the Hausmuseum.

pictures above © Jan Lemitz

From there, we made our way to Keyenberg, A village right on the border of the open-cast mine. Like many other places in the area before it, it was to be demolished in order to extract the lignite that lies beneath the buildings, some of which are centuries old. This had far-reaching consequences for the local population. Since demolition had been hanging over the town like the sword of Damocles for decades, renovation work was often not carried out. Gradually, residents sold their houses and land. Cemetery graves were relocated and the church was deconsecrated. Over 80% had sold their houses when the decision was made not to demolish the village after all. An unthinkable situation. Walking through the village, you feel like you're in a ghost town. However, notices on windows and information boards make it clear that “this place is inhabited. Please be considerate of the residents.”
We were welcomed by representatives of the Landfolge Garzweiler special-purpose association, who presented their plans for the Kreyenberg art colony to us on site. This is a location in a former square farmstead that is to be extensively renovated and will in future serve as a cultural center for the village, offering artist residencies, exhibitions, and other conceivable formats. It is a place that shows that life goes on here. Kreyenberg thus symbolizes the dilemma facing the region, but also the new opportunities arising from the upheaval. 

Afterwards, we went on to Kuckum, where we enjoyed pizza and drinks while listening to two presentations about the region. Volker Mielchen explained the current situation in the region, highlighting the opportunities available and the direction in which things are heading, with particular regard to the creation of a large lake at the site of the current Garzweiler open-cast mine. Antje Grothus, Environmentalist, politician, member of the North Rhine-Westphalia state parliament, and former member of the Coal Commission, then presented her work and view of the situation on site. She told us that for decades, the local population in the lignite mining region had been resisting and protesting, but they were becoming increasingly demotivated and felt they were not being heard. The work of the mostly young activists gave the local people hope again. Together, they took to the streets, became politicised and ultimately succeeded in stopping the mining. This inspiring story sparked discussions within the group about how to raise the profile of these activist struggles and how to involve previously neglected groups into the new resettlement plans. The exchange offered hopeful glimpses into how art, community, and sustainable planning might shape a different future for this deeply scarred – but far from defeated – region.

The two-day field trip vividly illustrated how deeply the Borderland EuRegion has been shaped by coal mining. For centuries, it not only sculpted the region’s appearance but also the lives of thousands tied to the industry. Even when traces fade in some places, they endure—especially where art and artistic practice open new perspectives and illuminate the processes at work. At the same time, we learned that the voices of local people must stay central: their experiences, memories, and viewpoints should be foregrounded and clearly heard.