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Commemoration of the mine accident: 60 years after the Sodingen tragedy
On July 22, 2025, a memorial event will take place in Herne to mark the 60th anniversary of the Sodingen mine accident.
Commemoration of the mine accident: 60 years after the Sodingen tragedy
On July 22, 2025, an important day of remembrance will be celebrated in Cologne, which marks the 60th anniversary of the mining accident at the Mont-Cenis colliery in Sodingen. This tragedy, which claimed the lives of nine courageous miners on July 22, 1965, will be honored with a memorial service at the Holthauser Cemetery. The city has worked hard to prepare to give the victims the honor they deserve. How Radio Herne reports, the memorial was recently redesigned. A new barrier-free entrance to the stone monument has been created and a sandstone plaque now bears the names of the deceased.
But the Mont-Cenis colliery is not only known for this accident. The place has a turbulent past marked by other tragic incidents. As is well known, an explosion on June 20, 1921, just four years after the Sodingen accident, claimed the lives of 85 miners. Herne then – today reports that the accident was considered one of the worst mining disasters of the year, and the electric coal was the cause. This led to an intensive debate in the German Reichstag, in which not only the causes of the accident but also the deficiencies in the safety precautions were heavily criticized.
The consequences of the disasters
Safety standards in mining have changed significantly over the years. Loud People in mining The dramatic mass accidents of the 1950s, such as the firedamp explosion at the Nordstern colliery in 1955 with 14 deaths, have been greatly reduced thanks to modern safety precautions and special mine rescue teams. These weirs are essential for rescuing miners and combating the causes of accidents.
Today's memorial event not only provides a space for mourning and remembrance, but also an opportunity to reflect on the progress made in mining safety. At 11 a.m. the community gathers at the funeral hall on Friedhofstrasse to remember the deceased together and to show due respect. The redesign of the memorial and the events of the coming days are a clear sign that the memory of these tragedies lives on and the lessons from them must not be forgotten.
In a city as strongly influenced by its mining heritage as Cologne, these commemorations become an integral part of its identity. They remind us not only of the dangers of mining, but also of the need for constant vigilance and improvement of working conditions in this dangerous profession.