Zeche Hugo - chains

Zeche Hugo is a former coal mine located in Gelsenkirchen, Germany (relatively near Düsseldorf). Established in 1873 the mine continued to operate until 2000, at which time the coal seam under Gelsenkirchen had been almost fully exploited. At it's height in the 1960's it employed 5000 and excavated 3.5 millions tons a year. It operated out of 8 shafts and eventually reached a depth of 1200 metres.

Zeche Hugo is famous for its large hall of 'bird cages', officially known as 'Kaue', they were used to hold workers clothing and possessions during their shifts. As the mine worked into the latter half of the 20th century, a large proportion of the workforce consisted of immigrants, mostly of Turkish descent.