The Dutch State Mines celebrated their golden jubilee in 1952, under the motto ‘Limburg Coal Country’. Fifty years after the announcement in 1965 of the closing of the coal mines, the coal mining history of Limburg is celebrated once again in the Year of the Mines 2015. A book on different aspects of the Limburg coal mining history, edited by Prof Ad Knotter, has been published in cooperation with the Social History Centre for Limburg (SHCL).
Discussed are, amongst other things, mining pioneer Ego van der Elst (1836-1893), the history of the Laura & Vereeniging company, coal mining during the German occupation of 1940-1944, foreign workers in the mines, miners working across the border in the Liège coal mines, the go-slow of the Catholic miners’ union in 1957, and living together in the miners’ community Lauradorp.
‘Limburg kolenland. Over de geschiedenis van de Limburgse kolenmijnbouw.’ is published by WBooks/Sociaal Historisch Centrum voor Limburg, 2015.
About the Editor: Ad Knotter is extraordinary professor of Comparative Regional History at Maastricht University and director of the Social History Centre for Limburg.
