Ruhr District

Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)

the principal industrial and mining district of Ge Germany, located in the Prussian province of Westfalen and Rhenish Prussia. It contains the Ruhr coal fields, which yield vast quantities of a superior grade of coal. The coal industry, which has been highly developed, has resulted in the establish ment of vast industrial enterprises, especially in connection with the metallurgical and textile industries. The most important towns are Dortmund, Hoerde, Witten, Bochum, Gelsenkirchen, Essen, Muelheim, Oberhausen, and Duisburg. Large quantities of coal, in normal times, are exported to Belgium, France, and Luxembourg, and through the Dortmund- Ems Canal to the North Sea ports. The district is one of the wealthiest of Central Europe. In March, 1920, after the collapse of the Kapp coup d'état, uprisings risings of a serious nature occurred in the district. They were the result of the general strike which was declared by the Ebert government in order to suppress the reactionary movement started by Dr. Kapp and his adherents. However, after the collapse of this movement, the general strike, which was called off in the other parts of Germany, was continued in the Ruhr District and before long assumed dangerous proportions. Groups of armed workingmen led by radicals attempted to secure control of the industrial establishments. The uprising, however, was not all of a purely economic nature, but to a certain extent was influenced by internal and foreign politics. Eventually the Ebert government by the use of armed forces, succeeded in sup suppressing the revolt. The occupation of the Ruhr District was mentioned at various times since the as a possibility in order to force Germany to give more prompt and strict adherence to the peace terms. The district was especially affected by the Peace Treaty and the negotiations following the latter, because of the fact that the majority jority of the coal which Germany was forced to deliver to France came from its mines.