MAXIMILIAN MANN PHOTOGRAPHY

LE MONDE 11/2022 

The last village before the mine



The Tagebau Garzweiler, a large surface mine in North Rhine-Westphalia, is operated by RWE for lignite extraction. RWE plans to expand the mine by demolishing the village of Lützerath, similar to the earlier destruction of the nearby village of Immerath. Lützerath, November 12, 2022.
Marita Dresen poses for a portrait in her garden in Alt-Kuckum on November 12, 2022. As one of the last remaining residents, she has fought against the demolition of the village by RWE, which planned to relocate its inhabitants to Neu-Kuckum. A co-founder of the "Alle Dörfer bleiben" (All Villages Remain) movement, Dresen has spent her entire life in Kuckum. The village is no longer slated for dismantling, allowing her to remain in her home.
On November 12, 2022, an alliance of environmental and climate policy organizations organized a demonstration at the Garzweiler II open-pit mine in Lützerath. Around 2,000 climate activists gathered to protest the planned expansion of the mine and its impact on local villages and the environment.
A wooden house built by activists in Lützerath serves as a symbol of resistance against the planned expansion of the Garzweiler open-pit mine. The activists aim to prevent RWE from dredging the village for lignite extraction, highlighting the ongoing struggle to protect the environment and local communities.
Alma, a French activist, poses for a portrait. She has been active for 15 years and moved to Lützerath in early 2020. Previously involved in the successful campaign to save the Hambach Forest from being cleared, she now fights to prevent Lützerath from being demolished by RWE for lignite mining. Photographed on November 12, 2022.
The Tagebau Garzweiler, a surface mine in North Rhine-Westphalia. It is operated by RWE and used for mining lignite. Photographed on 12.11.2022
On November 12, 2022, an alliance of environmental and climate policy organizations called for a demonstration in Lützerath at the Garzweiler II open-pit mine. Approximately 2,000 climate activists responded to the call, traveling to Lützerath to protest the expansion of the mine and its environmental impact.
According to police reports, around 100 climate activists are residing in tents, caravans, and tree houses in the largely deserted village of Lützerath. Their aim is to prevent the village from being demolished for the expansion of the Garzweiler open-pit lignite mine by RWE. Lützerath, November 12, 2022.
Leo Chuwugozie, an 18-year-old German, began his activism with Fridays for Future protests. Now volunteering with an organization in Berlin, he visits Lützerath about once a month to support the activists. Through his involvement, he has improved his skills in speech writing and social media management. He views Lützerath as an example of how the principles of a new society could function.Lützerath, November 12, 2022.

On November 12, 2022, around 2,000 climate activists gathered in Lützerath to protest the expansion of the Garzweiler II open-pit mine, following a call from environmental and climate policy organizations.









In this occupied hamlet, which has become a significant symbol in the fight against climate change, activists are working to prevent the ongoing extraction of lignite in the Rhineland region. They are fighting against the expansion of the last open-cast coal mine in the area, calling for a more sustainable energy policy. Their actions in Lützerath reflect their resistance to the devastating effects of fossil fuels on the climate and the environment.

Text: Cécile Boutelet
Editor: Patrice Birot


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