Early workers colonies in the Ruhr Area: Hordel, Hessler and Katernberg

As mentioned before, the industrialisation of the Ruhr Area was extensive and lead to a rapid (sub)urbanisation and urban sprawl. As it became clear to the industrialists setting up collieries, tin mines, glass factories, steel works, chemical plants and the like in the middle of rural areas that housing provision was a necessity, workers colonies quickly sprung up around the many industrial sites.  From 1880 onwards the owners of (potential) industrial sites also acquire land around the actual site required for the new factory or mine to be able to realise housing.

The area between Wattenscheid, Bochum and Herne was given into concession for mining in the 19th century. Prospecting lead to the discovery of coal in 1844 (Herne), 1846 (Bochum) and 1840 (Wattenscheid). Prospecting started after the discovery and exploitation of surface coal in 1722 between Wattenscheid and Gelsenkirchen (at that time still a part of the town of Wattenscheid). As coal mining was an industrial activity that demanded both heavy investment and technical skill in sinking the pits, some collieries took decades to realise. So between 1848 and 1938 many pits were sunk around the hamlet of Hordel that stood isolated at the centre of these mining concessions.

This sketch of the area around the hamlet of Hordel (H) around 1900 with the mansion house Dahlhausen (M) and the water mill (W) shows the dominance of mining. The hamlet has become encircled by spoil heaps, collieries, railways and colonies. Each colliery built its own colony. Colliery Hanover (H1) built the old colony with semidetached housing along a street (1) and a series of parallel Mulhouse Quadragles (2). The new colony (3) consists of a mix of both types. Near the second site (H2) another colony was built: Kolonie Hannover (4). The nearby Siedlung Günnigsfeld (5) belonged to another mine: Zeche Centrum. The Colliery Königsgrube (KG) stood next to Hanover 1 and had several colonies: Alte Kolonie (64), Siedlung Im Lakenbruch (7), Bergmannkolonie (8) and Schübbekolonie (9). Not far from these cemntra colonies a public park Volksgarten Eickel (VE) was built in 1892. It also lay close to the Zeche Hannibal (HA) in Riemke. This colliery had sites (1-3) with some streets of dedicated workers housing in the Kolonie Hannibal (10). Most of the housing was later realised in a garden city: Siedlung Dahlhauserheide (SDH). The Kolonie Pluto (11) was built for the colliery of the same name: Zeche Pluto (ZP). Other nearby collieries were: Zeche Carolinenglück (CG), Zeche Alma (ZA) and Zeche Hibernia (ZH).

Around Gelsenkirchen coal was discovered in 1840. Most of what is now part of this city used to be rolling countryside dotted with villages hamlets and a castle here and there. Nearly all of the districts of Gelsenkirchen have evolved out of from or around collieries and other heavy industry (chemical plants and glass factories). Hessler directly northwest of the city centre is a good example. Prospecting for coal started in the March of Hessler in 1850 and showed deposits that could be exploited around this small hamlet. The concessions were joined in 1855 to form the Wilhelmine-Victoria Colliery. In 1856 work started on sinking the first pit. Groundwater problems meant that it would take until 1863 before production started. Near the second pit the company built the Kolonie Klapheckenhof, a workers colony that grew by adding parallel rows of Mulhouse Quadrangles from 1873.  In 1886 the colliery is bought by the owner of the Hibernia Mining Company an work starts on a third pit near the second one already in operation. As a result the Kolonie Grawenhof was built in 1885 on the other side of the spoil heap. The colliery was closed in 1960.

The colonies of the Wilhelmine-Victoria Colliery are still standing. They were built around the spoil heap (SH) that was raised alongside the railway (in red). This railway is no longer in existence. The westerly row of the colony Klapheckenhof (KHH - named after a farm that stood here before) was the first to be built. A few years later another row of Mulhouse Quadrangles was built, followed a few years later again by a third row. The gardens are on the other side of the narrow path. A second colony was built south of the spoil heap on the site of the former Grawenhof, the name reflects the medieval owner the Count of Mark. This colony Grawenhof (GH) comprises of a single row of Mulhouse Quadrangles between two kinked parths. Beyond the spoil heap a semidetached house for the overseers (O) was built, together with a bathhouse (BH) an a hostel for single workers (H).  

Around Katernberg located halfway between Gelsenkirchen and Essen coal was discovered around 1842. The Haniel family, who had built one of the earliest workers colonies - 1846 Eisenheim in Sterkrade- founded the Zeche Zollverein in 1847 in Katernberg. It would grow to be one of the biggest mining concerns in the Ruhr Area with 12 pits on four sites. The remnants of these collieries have been declared a UNESCO Heritage Site. The first colony was built on land bought by Franz Haniel in 1856. On this Hegemannshof a long street (Victoriastrasse) and a row of streets with Mulhouse Quadrangles would be built from 1860 onwards. Another long street was built parallel on the edge of the land holdings this colony is now known as the only remaining section of the Hegemannshof, but was built in 1890 as a separate project (Meerbruchsiedlung) with rows of Mulhouse Quadrangles along a central street. The pits 4/5 were sunk between 1891-96 built on twin pit system on the border with Hessler. This was near the main street of the village and an already existing colony comprising of a single long street named after the main engineer of the company Josef Oertgen, built in 1873. The colony Ottekampshof was built as two streets with Mulhouse Quadrangles on each side. It was modelled after the Kolonie Schlägel und Eisen near pit 3, built in 1880.

Mining dominated the area between Altenessen and Gelsenkirchen from 1850 until about 1970; the colliery sites are shown in yellow. The small village of Katernberg was surrounded on all sides by collieries, in particular those of the Zeche Zollverein. Colonies were built near each site; the first were developed near the original site (ZV1/2/11). This housing was torn down to make way for the new Coke furnaces (Kokerei Zollverein - ZV-K) in 1957. Near the Katernberg main street  the colony Hegemannshof was built; this was later dubbed Kolonie 1. It comprises of the first section (1) on the Victoriastrasse, the second section Hegemannshof (2), the third section Barkhofsiedlung (3) -north of the Glass works (GH) and the Meerbruchsiedlung (4). A new church (+) was built for the miners dedicated to their patron saint Joseph. The Kolonie Ottekampshof  was colony number 2, comprising of the Alte Kolonie (5) and the Neue Kolonie (6). This colony was located near pits 4/5/11. A new colony with semidetached houses was built near pits 1/2/11 in 1912: Siedlung Theobaldstrasse (7). Similarly near pits 3/7/10, colony 3 was built comprising of Siedlung Schlägel und Eisen (8) and Siedlung Beisen (9). Pit 6/9 also had a colony built nearby. Like Beisen and Theobaldstrasse this colony was built after 1900 with semidetached dwellings. It is known as the Siedlung Stifstsdamenwald (10).

Apart from these housing projects for miners, the company also provided housing for middle management and engineers. These were placed separately or erected at the beginning of the streets built for the workers. This model pioneered by Haniel was copied in many other places in the Ruhr Area, but also in Heerlen, Landgraaf, Genk-Zwartberg, Genk-Waterschei, Eisden, etcetera. Some of these colonies remain, but if they are not listed they have often been "improved" beyond recognition by the present owners.

The remnants of Friedrichshof, Essen

A few blocks of the Friedrichshof estate still stand. These Gartenhof-type buildings are situated along the Kaupenstrasse and Hölderlinstrasse. These buildings are the only remnants of the second building phase of this estate. Of the first building phase, with a formal square on the Mörikenstrasse, nothing remains.

The distinctive architecture of the Friedrichshof in the typical Landhaus Architektur is made all the more clear in the contrast with the later replacement blocks of flats (on the left of the picture). The Gartenhof blocks of the Friedrichshof Estate are more horizontal in design than those of the Alfredshof.

The architecture, again by Schmohl of the Baubüro Krupp, does know vertical accents, mostly in the shape of gable ends and turrets. Here the two gable ends flank  loggias. Special attention has been paid to the gables at the end of each block. These are often shapely with a scalloped edge (shown on the right).

Part of the Hölderlinstrasse still has the original blocks on either side, giving a good impression of the original intentions. There was a green verge planted with trees. Now the streets are dominated by cars, the communal gardens are, however, free from parking.

Hanging bays -or oriels- have been used to great effect to break the boxiness of the blocks and add interest on the otherwise long facades. Note how the decorative brick band runs along the bottom of the oriel. With the refurbishment of the flats new balconies have been added. As these could not be safely fixed to the building they have been constructed as a separate construction.

On the Fredrichshof Estate no gates were built to give access to the communal gardens within the super blocks, instead the buildings form separated sections with extra attention paid to the corners. Here the corners have little turrets.

The entrance on the corner with the stairwell in the turret (left) is a variation on the normal entrance treatment with an awning over a door that gives access to a  stairwell.

The communal gardens are basically small parks with trees, shrubs, grass, and the occasional playground.

The remnants of Alfredshof, Essen

Only a small section of Alfredshof 2 remains, situated around the junction of the Keplerstrasse and Simonstrasse. It is a typical Gartenhof with three storey apartment buildings wrapping around communal garden with gates and passages in between.

One of the corners of the so-called Simonsblock shows the Landhaus Architektur of Schmohl in a scenic amalgamation of gable ends dormers, turrets, banding, balconies and window bays.

The evangelical church was also bombed so a new building was erected in a modernist vernacular with a lively clock tower (left). The entrance to the inner garden of the block west of the Simonstrasse is formed by this decorative gable end set back at the corner.

A look back at the street from underneath the passage. The passage deliberately has a dark colour to maximise the effect of light and dark.

The architecture of the long blocks emphasises the vertical with the use of gable ends, window bays and the arrangement of windows in vertical lines. The architecture is very eclectic, mixing various style references into a new type with a distinctive feel.The entrances always get special treatment.

The streets are now dominated by parked cars. Originally the wide streets had green verges planted with trees between the road and the pavements on either side. The trees first planted were mainly fruit trees, but these didn't grow that well between the high blocks.

Between seperate blocks (with their own adress) these gates wer used as a way of creating a continuous building line edging either the street or the communal garden. These gardens were mostly laid to gras with trees and shrubs planted around the edges. Some gardens had statues, a fountain or a playground.

The lenght of these blocks can be clearly seen on the edge of the three remaining Gartenhöfe where long facades line the street.

Remnants of Krupp company workers' colonies in Essen

Apart from the 5 vanished workers colonies located around the Krupp Steel Works discussed before there are 3 more nineteenth century company housing projects by Krupp that have for the most part disappeared. The remnants of the Siedlung Altenhof I can be found near the Grugapark. Of the Siedlung Alfredshof and Siedlung Friedrichshof, both located in Essen-Holsterhausen, only small portions remain.

As a result of financing problems Alfred Krupp stopped the house building by the Krupp company in 1874. When his son Friedrich Alfred takes over after the death of his father in 1887 it will take 4 years before work on new housing starts. Planning for new housing, however, starts almost immediately after he takes over.

Parallel with the planning of the Siedlung Altenhof the Company Housing Department draws up plans for an unnamed housing project which are publicised as the Siedlung Holsterhausen in the 1891 publication Wohlfahrtseinrichtungen der Kruppwerke in Essen (Welfare facilities of the Krupp Works in Essen). In 1893 work starts on erecting the buildings. The housing estate was renamed Alfredshof in honour of Alfred Krupp. Between 1893 and 1918 1.700 rented accommodation was built in several building campaigns. All housing in the first building phases were designed by Robert Schmohl, the head of the Baubüro Krupp.

The first section of this large estate of company housing was built between 1893 and 1899 with mainly family housing. Some were detached dwellings (for white collar workers), most consisted of several houses within one building. Schmohl included a number of Mulhouse Quadrangles that he mixed with semidetached houses. The idea was to break away from the crowded urban environment and provide the workers with air and space. Also a garden was seen as a good way to let the workers, whom had often migrated to the city from the countryside, integrate better into their new living environment. The ideal was never to create a rural idyll but rather to realise cost-effective company housing. Later this kind of loose housing is mistaken for an example of garden city movement housing. It predates the book by Ebenezer Howard so this can't be the case!

Between 1907 and 1919 the estate was doubled by the new Alfredshof built further east. This section was very urban and was comprised of Superblocks (Gartenhöfe) of middle-rise apartments in large complexes around a communal garden. A separate park was provided for relaxation and exercise. Also the Krupp family donated a plot of land to the Evangelical Church for a new church building. Parts of the Alfredshof 1 that had not been built on were developed in the same style and with long rows of terraced housing.

Alfredshof 1 and 2 around 1940 with central in Alfredshof 1 a large public square (or market) with the company store (1). Originally beyond the kolonie a school (2) was built with a house for the headteacher (3). In the Alfrespark a music hall (4) was built. On the other side of the park villa's (5) edge the central green space. On the other side a beer hall (6) was built. On this side the estate joined Luisenhof 1 (L1) and Luisenhof 2 (L2). At the heart of Albertshof 2 we find the ensemble (7) of church, community hall and vicarage. On the edge of the estate a large company store (8) and a Wirtschaft (9).

The company housing of the Alfredshof 1 and 2 was exemplary at the time of completion. Each house or dwelling had a kitchen, toilet and separate bedrooms. The front doors were located in such a way as to never face another entrance to exaggerate the individual character of each dwelling. Special functional, robust and unembellished furniture was mass-produced. Located next to the steel works both housing estates were heavily bombed during WW2. So at present only the so-called Simson-Block of Alfredshof 2 still stands. The rest of the estate was rebuilt in de late 1950s as the Siedlung Alfredspark with blocks of flats. At the same time the central Sachsenstrasse of Alfredshof 1 was replaced by a dual carriage motorway. This also required a part of the destroyed housing estate.

The change in ideas concerning social housing for workers is visible in Alfredshof 1 where a change took place from the loose layout with family housing set in private gardens to an urban setup with apartmentblocks that wrap around communal gardens. The original layout of the streets was very formal - as can be expected from nineteenth century urban design - with a central square public open space and 8 streets radiating out from here.

Of the Siedlung Friedrichshof , named after Friedrich Alfred Krupp, more sections are still standing. But these are mere remnants of this large housing estate built between 1899 and 1900 and enlarged shortly after between 1904 and 1906. On a 2,64 hectare site 525 dwellings were realised in three storey apartment blocks. The houses were comfortable for the time, with a kitchen sitting room, dining room, larder and toilet. The buildings were positioned to be flooded with daylight and had windows that could be opened to let the fresh air in. The communal facilities included a bath house, library, company shop, beer hall and schools.

The first building phase was designed in a highly ornamental Heimatstil (Homeland Style) with half-timbered walls, dormers, hipped roofs and decorative roofhoods. The high demand for housing meant that a different approach was chosen by the Baubüro to provide as many comfortable dwellings as possible on the site. So the ideal of an open housing estate (like Altenhof 1 and Alfredshof 1) was abandoned in favour of a denser development comprising of apartment blocks. The first building phase saw several multiangular blocks built around communal gardens and playgrounds. As such these blocks are predecessors of the super blocks built after 1904. These apartment buildings were basically U-shaped complexes, again 3 storeys in height, that wrapped around a communal garden. Of these Gartenhöfe built in a decorative combination of brick and roughcast a few section still remain. All other housing in this estate was to severely damaged by bombing and was replaced by blocks of flats in the 1950s.