On February 20, 1946, the worst mining accident in German history occurred in Bergkamen. It was a shock for the entire region. 405 miners were killed in a firedamp explosion at a depth of 900 meters. The dramatic event is deeply etched in the collective memory of the entire Ruhr region. To this day, the name Bergkamen also stands for the dangers of working underground. At 12 noon, a firedamp explosion at a depth of 900 meters shook the entire "Grimberg 3/4" mine. A 300-meter-high jet of flame shot out of the entrance. This was followed by a coal dust explosion. 405 miners were killed. They left behind families - almost 300 women and more than 400 children. Families who, less than a year after the end of the war, were looking to the future with a little more optimism. Only 64 miners could be rescued. Wilm Huygen's documentary reconstructs the tragic accident of 1946 and traces the traces that the "Grimberg myth" has left on people and in the town to this day. With the help of contemporary witnesses, experts and extensive archive material, it becomes clear how the catastrophe could have happened. The years after the terrible stroke of fate were not any easier. They were times of solidarity and also of repression. The disaster remained omnipresent. Rows of houses where relatives lived were called "Widow's Street". Even though many of the orphans later refused to work underground under any circumstances, the event never left them. In the film, some of these children and also those of the survivors tell how they dealt with the biggest turning point in their lives and what became of them. Some of them stayed. Jürgen Lenz later even worked in the same mine as his father. However, only "above ground" - he had to promise his mother that. Others, like Doris Granata, now 89, moved far away to California. Of the nine former winding towers, only one remains today as a reminder of the dark past. Coal has not been mined for a long time. But the accident 75 years ago remains deeply in people's memories. The film makes the drama and particular tragedy of the disaster on "Grimberg 3/4" tangible in an emotional narrative. At the same time, it shows the extent and significance of this event for an entire city to this day. ???? Give us a like if you liked the video! ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ▶️ More videos from Heimatflimmern: • Heimatflimmern WDR ???? All videos of the programs in the media library: http://www.wdr.de/k/heimatflimmern_me... ℹ️ More about the program: https://www1.wdr.de/fernsehen/heimatf... ???? Heimatflimmern on Facebook: / heimatflimmern ???? More documentaries at @WDRDoku ???? Travel documentaries at @ARDReisen --- A film for Heimatflimmern by Wilm Huygen. Production company: 2pilots Filmproduction GmbH. This film was produced in 2021, all statements and facts correspond to the status at the time and have not been updated since then. Heimatflimmern is a documentary format that tells exciting stories from the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. #MineUnlucky #RuhrArea #Heimatflimmern #HistroyDoku #FireDampExplosion