Lecture on the Courrières mine disaster: Dr. Tschirbs in Bochum!

Lecture on the Courrières mine disaster: Dr. Tschirbs in Bochum!

A remarkable evening is ahead, as on Thursday, November 6th, history buffs can look forward to a captivating lecture about one of Europe's largest mining disasters. Dr. Rudolf Tschirbs will give a deep insight into the catastrophic events of the Courrières mine disaster at 6 p.m. in the Bochum city library. This took place on March 10, 1906 in the Pas-de-Calais department in France and cost the lives of a total of 1,099 people, including many children. This makes it the largest mining disaster in European history Bochum.de reported.

The tragedy occurred at 6:30 a.m. when a devastating coal dust explosion rocked the shafts of the Compagnie des mines de Courrières. These explosive events not only left 1,099 dead, but also generated remarkable international media coverage, particularly in Germany. To illustrate the dimensions of the disaster: around 1,800 miners worked in the shafts and many were seriously injured or forgotten in the explosion. In the following days, rescue teams, including from the Ruhr area, were sent to rescue survivors, of course under difficult conditions as the local relief workers were overwhelmed.

A glimpse into history

Dr. Rudolf Tschirbs, a renowned historian, has spent years dealing with the history of mining on a regional and international level. His expertise will be presented as part of the House of Knowledge event series on the topic of “Security”, which is organized jointly by the German-French Society Bochum-Ruhr e. V., the Bochum City Library and UniverCity Bochum e. V. is organized. Participation in the event is free of charge and registration is not required.

History lovers will also not miss the artistic examination of the catastrophe, which is discussed in the lecture. Among other things, the first film “Le Feu à la mine” from 1911 and the graphic novel “Sang noir: La catastrophe de Courrières-Version” by Jean-Luc Loyer are discussed. Georg Wilhelm Pabst's 1931 film “Comradeship” will also be part of the discussion, which sheds light on interpersonal solidarity during these serious crises.

A lasting legacy

A key aspect of the Courrières mining disaster was the international response. Parts of the German rescue team also hit the headlines because they set off for France on March 11, 1906 under the leadership of Georg Albrecht Meyer and Hugo Koch. Their courageous efforts were recognized by many, including French politician Jean Jaurès. The accident had far-reaching effects on both countries and even led to a twin town relationship between Herne and Hénin, which was established in 1954.

Let's think about the causes: There had already been a mine fire on March 5th and the mine management had refused to sprinkle the shaft. Many miners worked with miner's lamps that had an open flame - a devastating risk that eventually led to disaster.

Tragedies like Courrières are monuments to our history and remind us not to lose sight of mining safety and conditions for workers. One can only hope that Dr. Tschirbs will raise awareness of this industrial history and its impact on people. For anyone interested, here are links to further information: Wikipedia and Cuentosabes.