Tour poster: Shadows of the Steelworks: The Eisenheim Experiment
Red Thread OriginalOberhausen
All tours in Oberhausen

Self-guided audio tour

Oberhausen

Shadows of the Steelworks The Eisenheim Experiment

History & MemorySocial Fabric & Everyday Life
Distance
4.2 km
Duration
116 min
Route
5 stops

Step into the Ruhr's oldest worker colony and uncover the hidden cost of a 'perfect' community. On this immersive journey through Siedlung Eisenheim, you will explore the fascinating duality of 19th-century industrial paternalism.

Max Krämer
Your guide Max Krämer History & Memory
Audio sample

What awaits you on this Red Thread tour

Step into the Ruhr's oldest worker colony and uncover the hidden cost of a 'perfect' community. On this immersive journey through Siedlung Eisenheim, you will explore the fascinating duality of 19th-century industrial paternalism. Discover how innovative architecture, subsistence gardens, and even pigeon racing were meticulously designed to control, sustain, and pacify the working class—and how those very workers eventually rose up to reclaim their homes and their history.

Your in-app experience

This is how the Red Thread app brings your tour to life.

Red Thread guides you through the city's stories that you won't find in any guidebook. Authentically and compellingly told by our experts and locals.

Home
01

Home

Get inspired and choose a story that fits your location and your mood.

Search for tours directly
02

Search for tours directly

Use the map to find tours in your city or at a specific address.

Redeem in the app
03

Redeem in the app

Redeem purchased tours or City Passes in the app using a voucher code or QR code.

Start well prepared
04

Start well prepared

Explore the route, stops, and many additional features for your experience.

Listen where it happened
05

Listen where it happened

Hear the stories where they happened.

Ask your guide
06

Ask your guide

Get extra context, deeper details, or useful tips nearby.

Collect discoveries
07

Collect discoveries

Build your travel passport and explore fascinating insights.

Itinerary

1

TOUR START

Fichtestraße Kreuzhäuser

The oldest surviving house type from 1846, showcasing cramped but innovative living conditions.

3.73 km • 57 min
During your walk

Interlude

A deep dive into the ideology of the Gutehoffnungshütte and their vision of the perfect worker.

2

STOP 2

LVR-Industriemuseum Museum Eisenheim

The former washhouse, now a museum, highlighting communal hygiene and the 1970s grassroots protest.

LVR-Industriemuseum Museum Eisenheim

Image by Smial on Wikimedia Commons (FAL)

0.23 km • 4 min
3

STOP 3

Werrastraße Gardens & Sheds

Backyard gardens and sheds revealing the necessity of self-sufficiency and the 'Bergmannskuh'.

Werrastraße Gardens & Sheds

Image by Grischo on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

0.12 km • 2 min
4

STOP 4

Eisenheimstraße School Area

The site of the company school, where education was used to shape obedient future workers.

Eisenheimstraße School Area

Image by Grischo on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

0.10 km • 1 min
5

END

Taubenschlag at the Allotments

The pigeon lofts representing the workers' emotional escape and the fight to preserve their community.

Where the tour takes place

Starting point and rough tour area – the exact route unfolds in the app.

Good to know

  • Ideal for History buffs, architecture enthusiasts, sociologists, and urban explorers fascinated by the hidden human stories behind industrialization.
  • Best time Late afternoon, when the golden hour light hits the historic brickwork and the allotment gardens feel most alive.
  • What to bring Comfortable walking shoes are a must for the cobblestones and garden paths.
  • Museum Visit Check the LVR-Industriemuseum opening hours in advance if you wish to see the interiors.
  • Pacing Take your time in the garden areas; the details are in the weathered sheds.
  • Weather Bring an umbrella if it looks cloudy, as there is little shelter between stops.
  • Photography The Kreuzhäuser brickwork looks spectacular in the late afternoon sun.
  • Your voucher You can redeem your voucher for two years from purchase. Once redeemed, you have 14 days of access and can enjoy the tour as often as you like during that time.

Your guide

Max Krämer
Audio sample
0:000:00

Max Krämer

  • History & Memory
  • Northern Germany

Historian with a passion for urban places of remembrance. Has worked in archives and museums for years; shows the traces of revolutions, monuments, and colonial pasts in today's streets.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get to the tour after buying?

You see your voucher code right after payment – and you also receive it at the email address you entered at checkout. Redeem that code in the Red Thread app; that's where the tour starts.

When does my access start?

Only when you redeem the code in the app, not at purchase. From redemption you have 14 days of access to the tour.

Do I need the Red Thread app?

Yes. The free Red Thread app turns your tour into a vivid experience: with audio, a map, and thoughtful prompts, it guides you from place to place in an engaging and entertaining way. It's available free for iOS and Android.

Discover more tours in Oberhausen

Experience Oberhausen from more surprising perspectives.

See more tours in Oberhausen
Now only €3.99 incl. VAT

One-time purchase – no subscription, no ongoing commitments.