The mining site Garzweiler am Rhein, Germany started in 1950. It does not stop expanding now, eating nearby forests and... villages. Expropriation of almost 10,000 people. The world's largest open-air mine encroaches on the ground, following to the oldest mining sites extinction.
Ecologists demonstrate. Nothing stops the mine. Otzenrath is the next village on the list, other have been devoured already before. Exodus started already.
We visited, not really explored this village with this very special atmosphere. Inhabitants are either gone, or are just waiting in the middle of ruins and pillagers until they get a new house in an artificial new town a few kilometers further.
Some snapshots: graveyard half-expropriated. Inhabitants appearing suddenly from the ruins to attend the mass in the Catholic church, because the Orthodox one has been already shut down. Locals repairing their windows blown out by vandals. Funny little touristic trains full of Germans carrying cameras.
Having enough of it, we left quickly to Liège with our Cave-Clan Australian colleagues for an healthier exploration, the Valdor hospital.
I visited the mine last weekend. It now totally covers the place where Otzenrath used to be. My GPS still shows its streets and lanes, no village name, though (time to update the maps, I reckon ) If you are still looking for a ghost town, it is worth to visit Pesch. That's the next village along the mine, and residents have already moved away. Looks pretty creepy, and not yet vandalised. It is accessible from the motorway 61, as the road between Otzenrath and Pesch is no more. Take the exit MG Wanlo, and then head to Immerath, Pesch is the next village (the name sign already gone)
Since I’ve just started exploring this seemed a nice opportunity to try out my camera. The trip took me about 1,5 hours just to discover that the town now is completely gone. Only one empty house remains. The village Pesch is next, already half of the houses are empty, and just a few people live there. I’m thinking of going back in a few months when I think all of the villagers are gone. Too bad there was nothing left, got a good view of the enormous mine and big machinery.
At day the towns Otzenrath and spenrath are very frigthening but at Night you´ll see that these towns are living. In Otzenrath are two or three Hoses where People still live. And around them demolition and leaved houses. And i Drove through Otzenrath, then i turned left on my way to spenrath.. but suddenly the street was closed.. And I thought :" what the hell is this in front of me!!!" and then I have seen what it was.... One of the large mining machines destroyed the street. only 100m away from me. The sound that came from this machine was frightening me. It looks like a Dinosaur made of steel. So i Turned away from this frightening place. ANd I drove trought otzenrath again.. and then there was a little chapel. I think it was the chapel of the former cemetery of Otzenrath. But the cemetery is gone. Nothing there. Not even a stone or a sign .
Greetings dennis. nice page,
I see the place here but this wasnt enough so i go there man i love this place but the police is realy nearvy dear-greets from the abyss
hi
thx for great side! i was last friday in this area. few houses demolished in spenrath....and more destroyed in the street by youth-gangs..
look for my fotopage: pics from 4 years garzweiler II
cheers,mickey
Come and visit germany - the place where business is much more important than history, culture and personal rights
Hey all together the pictures is very cool i mean not cool awesome the Page is very scary and whit much love to the pictures i love your work out the world in the usa belgium germany overall thanks for this website xD
Sorry my englisch is not so Good i,am 16 years Old Sorry!
The village on the picture is Jüchen. Otzenrath lies more to the south, below the place you describe, that's Holtz. Otzenrath is now gone, Holtz is still there, but not for long. We went there 3 months ago, and Otzenrath was almost gone.
This makes me sick. I thought things lke this only happened in the USA. These people are destroying a piece of history.
Hello all together, the marks in this picture are false. Otzenrath is next to the middle of the picture, at the left side of the motorway. Ca. 2cm under "y" of highway. This picture is a few jears old. The hole is now completly at the border of the former motorway.
Asbestos in the air... this was dangerous, hope you had a mask or so
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