Old Röchling limestone quarry
As the ironworks industry on the Saar became increasingly stronger at the beginning of the last century, the need for lime also increased. The lime supply to the region's largest iron and steelworks of that time, the “Völklinger Hütte”, owned by the Röchling family, initially came almost exclusively from smaller Lorraine limestone quarries located further away, which became increasingly less economical over time due to unfavorable freight conditions became. In 1912, in search of cheaper locations, the Völklinger Hütte acquired the site of the limestone quarry operated by the Überherrner limeworks "Fischer & Co". With the purchase of the still visible quarry site, its expansion to a total of 50 hectares and the complex construction of a transport cable car that led from the local limestone quarry down into the valley to the lime works in Überhern, Röchling's company ensured the supply of lime for decades. The limestone lorry from that time is a reminder of the laborious work of limestone quarrying and of the many men from the surrounding towns on both sides of the border who worked here in the old quarry until the Berus opencast limestone mine was closed in 1950. However, the lime kiln at the Überherrn lime works continued to operate for another 11 years until it was finally shut down in 1961. Source: Text information board