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The Ruhr valley in Germany is colloquially known as the Ruhrpott and is known as Ruhrgebiet in German. One of the most important industrial hubs in Germany, the region of Ruhrgebiet is situated in the North Rhine-Westphalia. Flanked by the rivers Rhine to the west, Ruhr to the south, and Lippe to the north, this region houses some of the biggest and booming industries in Germany.
The history of the Ruhrpott region can be traced back to the coal mining and steel industry that had started gaining its foothold. Rich in natural resources like coal and iron ore, the region was sure to make a marked difference in the history of industrialization in Germany. Adding to the interest of the industrial sectors, these resources were abundant and easily accessible, meaning huge profit at the cost of low investment. Hence, mining was the chief source of income for the regional industrial areas. Presently, the Ruhrpott also harbors industrial belts standing on a healthy blend of energy production, modern service industries and environmental technologies.
The affluence and the economic boom in the region didn't come at the cost of nothing. The history of the Ruhr valley reverberates the sacrifices of numerous workers, during the economic crisis caused due to the crisis of coal, in the 1960s. A bulk of miners lost their jobs and were subjected to starvation and death. Enormous number of coal mines were shut down in Ruhrpott, as a result of which their was a growing outcry of social unrest.
It did not take long to brush away the clouds of despair hovering over the region after this incident. The region regained its reign as an industrial power among all the Germany regions. Industries were re-established and the hard work and the diligence of the people fructified into large bulk profits. The industrial ruins were converted into museums and cultural venues, commemorating the history. Among the best industrial cultural venues to be visited in the Ruhrpott region, are the pre-historic mines of 'Zeche Zollverein' and 'Gasometer Oberhausen', which is known for its can like shape.
Industrial hub it is, but Ruhrpott attracted the limelight as an anthropological hub too, soon after the discovery of the remains of a dead man in 1856. This particular incident happened while mining in the 'Neandertal' site in the Ruhr valley. Further investigation proved that the remains were that of the Cro Magnon man, a predecessor of modern man.
