Museum Uranbergbau Schlema


Useful Information

Location: Bergstraße 22, 08301 Aue-Bad Schlema.
(50°35'58.98"N, 12°40'28.00"E)
Open: All year Tue-Thu 9-17, Fri-Sun 10-16.
Closed Christi Himmelfahrt, Buß- und Bettag, 24-DEC to 31-DEC.
[2022]
Fee: Adults EUR 5, Children (6-16) 2, Children (0-5) free, Students EUR 3, Disabled EUR 4, Overnight guests EUR 4, Families (2+*) EUR 10.
[2022]
Classification: MineUranium Mine TopicSDAG Wismut
Light: LightIncandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:
Guided tours: self guided
Photography: allowed
Accessibility: yes
Bibliography:
Address: Museum Uranbergbau, Bergstraße 22, 08301 Schlema, Tel: +49-3771-290223, Fax: +49-3771-290216. E-mail: contact
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

22-JUL-1996 museum opened on the 8. Deutscher Bergmannstag (8th German Miners Day).

Geology


Description

The village of Oberschlema has an extraordinary spring, which contains the radioactive element radium. Actually, the springs are the worlds most concentrated radium springs. They have been of great importance for centuries.

Radioactive elements are dangerous. The high radiation destroys body cells and DNA, causes cancer and causes genetic defects. Nevertheless, there are numerous other important features of radioactive elements. The most significant is probably the curative effect, the radioactive springs were used to cure many illnesses. Until today, we use radioactivity to cure e.g. cancer. The village became the Radiumbad Oberschlema and is a spa until today, now with a modern clinic and spa.

But soon other possibilities of radium were discovered. The element could be used to create an intensive blue pigment, which was of great importance for the colour industry. It was used to create the typical blue drawings on porcelain from Meißen, and it was used to dye cloths, because a little blue made them look whiter. Beneath the spa, a Blaufarbenwerk (blue colour factory) developed and became famous.

And the last chapter in the history of the area was the mid-20th century and the Wismut AG. This was the mining company of the German Democratic Republic, which produced radioactive elements for the Russian weapon industry. For some time, it was the third-biggest producer of uranium on earth. Most of the production was mined near Ronnberg, Gera, in Thuringia, but there was mining in the Erzgebirge too.

The museum is located in the Kulturhaus Aktivist, which is quite appropriate as it was the cultural centre of the uranium miners of Wismut. Various thematic areas provide information on all aspects of uranium mining, including topics that go far beyond local conditions. Topics include the discovery of uranium and radioactivity, uranium ore mining, and the rehabilitation of the uranium mining landscape. But also the local mining, the local traditions and customs of the miners, and radium bath Oberschlema and more are thematized. And finally, a variety of didactic programmes for schools are offered.