36 The Settlement „Am Eickhagen“

On the northern edge of the village, seven new settlement houses were built between 1947 and 1950 for the workers of the mining company; they joined the four houses already built in the 1930s. The new factory houses each contained four flats: Two flats on the 1st floor and two attic flats. Each flat had four rooms, a toilet, a storeroom and a laundry room in the basement.

In the immediate post-war period, the Ramsbeck mining industry experienced a significant upswing, as there was a great demand for mineral resources. Stolberger Zink AG was therefore interested in having its employees live as close as possible to their workplaces; it wanted to secure a steady supply of experienced workers and employees. Not only local miners, but also displaced families from the German eastern territories found relatively modern and inexpensive housing here. In the 1950s and 1960s, the mining and processing methods were brought up to the latest technical standards. During this time, the miners‘ wages also rose sharply.

Today, the settlement houses are privately owned and most of them are inhabited by the descendants of former Turkish workers. They have also set up their own prayer room there. Although new homes have been built around the settlement, the terraced houses „Am Eickhagen“ stand out clearly. They belong to the architectural testimonies of a long industrial history in this rural area.