Wie de Fische in Schacht nein kamn

How the fish ended up in the mine – An audio piece about the transformation of landscape, culture and everyday life in the Mansfeld region

260 million years ago, the Mansfeld copper shale was formed in the Zechstein Sea through sedimentation and desiccation. By 1990, around 109 million tonnes of it had been mined. This human feat left a deep mark on the local mindset and landscape, thereby shaping the Mansfeld region.

Gathering various voices and perspectives, the narrative moves from time immemorial, through the daily routine of underground work, to the structural upheaval of 1990. From there, it continues to the present day – and beyond. In doing so, it follows the changing character of the region and records both old and new testimonies of the times.
The piece reflects the author’s exploration, begun in 2021, of the region between Arnstedt, Wettlerode and Eisleben. Following the film portrait Wuktur Strandel (2022), this audio piece now delves deeper, placing the perspectives of local figures at the centre and seeking to make the content accessible to a wide range of interested listeners.

The audio piece was created as Ludwig Kloiber’s bachelor’s thesis in the Photography specialisation within Communication Design at Burg Giebichenstein University of Art and Design Halle.
It can be heard and experienced in its extended chapter version at the Mansfeld Museum in Humboldt Castle – Schloßstr. 7, 06333 Hettstedt.