The Velsen Adventure Mine Association

The Velsen Adventure Mine is more than just a disused mine - it is a living piece of industrial culture, a place full of memories and stories. This is where the heart of an entire region beats, where mining tradition becomes tangible and can be experienced.
We have come together to ensure that this unique monument does not disappear forever: People with passion, solidarity and the determination to make the Velsen Adventure Mine accessible for future generations.

Our orientation

The aim of our association is the preservation and further development of the Velsen adventure mine and the listed ensemble of the former Velsen mine.
We want to preserve this unique technical monument, make it accessible to the public and at the same time keep the Franco-German history of the mine alive. In this way, we contribute to historical remembrance, reconciliation and the communication of mining traditions.

The founding idea

On June 26, 2011, RAG Montan Immobilien announced that it would close the Velsen adventure mine at the end of the year - if no new sponsor could be found.
The consequence would have been the final backfilling of the mine: The mine would have been completely backfilled with concrete, making it inaccessible forever.

To prevent this, committed supporters founded the Erlebnisbergwerk Velsen e.V. association on August 31, 2011. Shortly afterwards, on September 7, 2011, we received the provisional certificate of non-profit status.

Charitable status and tasks

The association pursues exclusively and directly charitable purposes. It promotes:
Monument protection and preservation (§ 52 para. 2 no. 6 AO)
Mining customs (§ 52 Para. 2 No. 23 AO)
The implementation takes place in particular through
Guided tours through the adventure mine
Imparting mining knowledge and traditions
Events on the subject of mining
Our work is selfless: all funds are used exclusively for the purposes set out in the statutes. Members do not receive any financial benefits.
Since its foundation, the association has been entered in the register of associations at Saarbrücken District Court (VR 5258) and is authorized to issue donation receipts.

A piece of industrial culture under monument protection

An important milestone was reached on November 18, 2019: the underground area of the Velsen Adventure Mine was placed under protection by the Saarland Monument Council.
This means that the adventure mine is officially recognized as a technical monument - an achievement that we are very proud of.

Continuous growth

The number of members has grown steadily over the years. In 2020, the association already had over 400 members.
Since March 2022, we have also owned the entire underground and surface complex of the Velsen Adventure Mine. This means we have a responsibility to preserve this special heritage for future generations.