13 From the Local History of Ramsbeck

At this point of the mining hiking trail – with the wide, beautiful view of the centre of Ramsbeck – it is worth taking a brief look at the history of the village.

Ramsbeck is undoubtedly older than the written sources confirm. The name suggests it: „Ram“ is the Celtic name for ore and „beck(e)“ means stream. The first written reference to the village („Rambesbike“) dates back to 1313. The beginnings of mining lie in the darkness of history, but according to the latest research, they can be dated to the turn of the first millennium. Mining was first mentioned in a document in 1518. In 1559, the archbishops of the Electorate of Cologne – interested in Ramsbeck’s lead and zinc ore with its silver content – granted Ramsbeck a series of privileges, the so-called „mining freedom“.

The Ramsbeck coat of arms
Mallet and iron are symbols of the ore mining.
The black cross in silver reminds us of the former belonging to the Electorate of Cologne.

Industrial mining began in 1812 through the „Ramsbeck Union“. In 1854, mostly foreign speculators wanted to build a huge industrial centre in Ramsbeck, called „Westphalian California“ (as an allusion to the Californian Gold Rush). After a short apparent flourishing, the whole enterprise collapsed; hardship and misery remained. A new board of directors subsequently put the Ramsbeck mining industry on a more solid footing. Although top mining achievements were made in Ramsbeck in the years after the Second World War, the company had to close on 31 January 1974 for production and trade reasons.

With a local development plan, a restructuring into a holiday resort took place within a short time. A decisive factor was the conversion of the mining operation into a museum. Today, Ramsbeck is a popular holiday destination with its good infrastructure, all service providers, designated hiking trails and being close to the „FORT FUN“ theme park.