Yesterday, the last active coal mine Germany stopped all mining activity. The pitmen brought up the last piece of coal ever to be dug in Germany. It is only fitting and appropriate that this happened in the Ruhr Valley, the heart of German coal mining industry. This is a collection of photographs of the shaft towers here in the Ruhr Valley in Germany. With a nod of respect for the pitmen and all that they have done in the last centuries post this image here. “Glück auf!”, as the pitmen say in Germany.