This end of the village of Immerath is peaceful, with birds chirping in the gables of empty houses. But off in the distance, the sound of excavators tearing down walls and smashing stones betray that calm. The open-pit lignite mine Garzweiler II is just a stone's throw away from Immerath, and soon the village will be no more.

Immerath was once a lively community with a sports club, church and several kindergartens. Today, the homes have been barricaded or bricked up. Down one abandoned street, a gutted car sits in the open garage of a family home covered in ivy. At the other end of the road, demolition work has already begun.

Read more: RWE agrees to halt logging in Hambach Forest

The last residents had to leave their homes behind in 2017. Since then, the village has been standing empty, surrounded by fields, a cemetery and heavy equipment belonging to energy company RWE, which has been expanding its mining operations in the area for decades.

Since the end of World War II, dozens of centuries-old villages have fallen victim to open-pit cast mining in Germany's coal heartland. And there's no end in sight. In the next nine years, more villages in the Rhineland will first be abandoned and then razed to the ground.

'This is our home, my homeland!'

"These ghost villages remind me of the aftermath of civil wars, where entire cities were simply bombed out of existence," says David Dresen, as he walks across the meadow behind his family's house toward the chicken coop.

Dresen and his family have been told they must leave their home in the next decade

Dresen's family has been living in Kuckum, about 6 kilometers (4 miles) northwest of Immerath, for generations. Since 1862, they've raised livestock and grown vegetables on their 14,000 square meter property (about 16,700 square yards).

But Kuckum is one of five villages in the area slated to be cleared for coal mining by 2028.

As compensation, RWE has offered the Dresen family a plot of land that corresponds to just one-seventh of their current land area. Voluntarily leaving their house is "out of the question" for the Dresens.

"This is our home, my homeland!" says Dresen, 27, who has joined up with the Germany-wide coalition "Alle Dörfer Bleiben" (All Villages Remain) to bring attention to forced relocation by the coal industry. They've organized huge protests and launched lawsuits — but so far, they haven't been successful.

Read more: Eastern German states demand €60 billion for coal phaseout

Demanding a coal phaseout: In the thick of Hambach Hambi stays: Local slogan, global movement At least 6,000 people gathered in the heart of western German coal country Saturday to demand an end to coal use. People from around the world joined forces with a local movement that started back in 2012 with a handful of activists trying to stop the expansion of a brown coal mine and save the last 200 hectares of the millennia-old Hambach Forest. The message was clear: Coal is a global problem.

Demanding a coal phaseout: In the thick of Hambach Old and young stand together The protestors spanned many ages and walks of life. There were young activists dressed in wigs or hazmat suits, but also families and the elderly. People with reduced mobility followed the march at their own pace. A nine-year-old boy was keen to voice his view on the dirty fossil fuel, telling DW he was worried about his future but expected the authorities to do the right thing and give up coal.

Demanding a coal phaseout: In the thick of Hambach Time for action Demonstrators split up, some continuing the authorized protest while others took direct action to block coal infrastructure. A hundred people tried to stop the diggers at two nearby coal mines; close to 40 people were arrested. Trying to reach the train line, another 1,000 protestors ended up on the nearby A4 highway, resulting in around 250 arrests. Both the diggers and traffic were stopped.

Demanding a coal phaseout: In the thick of Hambach Next stop: Coal transport lines A third group was determined to block the railway transporting coal from the Hambach mine to the three power plants where it is destined to be burned. They had their work cut out, with police attempting to block the activists from approaching the railway. In the end they had to change their route several times, running through fields and navigating dense forest to reach their target.

Demanding a coal phaseout: In the thick of Hambach A tense ride On route to the rail lines, there were no major clashes with police but the atmosphere was extremely tense. Police officers on horseback followed protesters up to the edge of the forest, preventing them from changing course. Outbreaks of nerves rippled through activists and horses — without it being clear who triggered what.

Demanding a coal phaseout: In the thick of Hambach The path narrows Once the protesters entered the forest, the situation became more fraught. They had to walk carefully to avoid tripping over branches while dodging the police — who physically shoved them as they approached — or each other as, from time to time, the crowd suddenly surged without warning.

Demanding a coal phaseout: In the thick of Hambach Sticking close together In the midst of the chaos, activists called for calm, shouting to one another to stick together and remain peaceful. They held on to each other so no one would fall, get lost, or get caught by the police. Others conferred over the best route to proceed toward the rail line.

Demanding a coal phaseout: In the thick of Hambach On target Eventually, thousands of protesters arrived at the rail lines. Police officers initially tried to prevent them from climbing down on the tracks, but they were outnumbered. Activists had hung guide ropes down the slopes beforehand, but most people simply slid, ran or tumbled down the bank. Within just a few minutes, the railway was engulfed in a crowd of protestors.

Demanding a coal phaseout: In the thick of Hambach Sit-in for a break After an exhausting two-hour scramble, protesters sat down for a rest. The weather was bitingly cold, but there was an air of cheer as the crowd made itself comfortable on the tracks. For now at least, the energy companies couldn't transport coal from mines to their power plants — a victory celebrated under the watchful eyes of police on the hills above.

Demanding a coal phaseout: In the thick of Hambach A 24-hour victory The police warned that the direct action was illegal, and offered protesters the chance to abandon their blockade without penalties. But most stayed put overnight. Organizers said their protest blocked coal infrastructure for around 24 hours — which they judged a success. The last 50 to leave the protest had chained themselves to the tracks and had to be forcibly evicted one by one. Author: Irene Banos Ruiz



How much coal is left?

Germany is planning to phase out coal mining in the next decade, meaning the days are numbered for open-pit mines like Garzweiler II. And a recent study by the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW) has determined the mining areas that have already been approved contain sufficient coal for the country's energy needs, meaning the threatened villages could be preserved. Nevertheless, more than 1,000 people are still scheduled to be resettled in the Rhineland over the next 10 years.

RWE said the DIW study made "unrealistic assumptions" and miscalculated the amount of coal reserves, calling it "simply wrong." In addition, RWE says the study misrepresented the issue of resettlement; the energy company said the resettlement process has already been underway for years, and most people have decided long ago to relocate. "Stopping the process now would be irresponsible," it says.

At a recent visit to the area, North Rhine-Westphalia State Premier Armin Laschet said the people due to be resettled needed to be "better looked after," and that he would take charge of the issue.

Watch video 02:48 Share Lusatia: The end of lignite Send Facebook google+ Whatsapp Tumblr linkedin stumble Digg reddit Newsvine Permalink https://p.dw.com/p/3D6u8 What comes after lignite coal mining?

One-third of homes are empty

But Barbara Oberherr, a resident of nearby Keyenberg, hasn't heard anything yet from the state. Not that she wants any help with relocation — she intends to stay put.

Oberherr's family has lived in Keyenberg for the last several hundred years. But by 2028, the windows of her house are meant to be walled up, in preparation for the excavators.

Leaving Keyenberg is a last resort for Barbara Oberherr

"It's extremely emotional for me," she tells DW. "It's home for my entire family. It's our history."

At first glance, Keyenberg still seems to be the typical quiet small town. It's hard to tell that one-third of the homes are already standing empty; several families have already sold their homes.

"RWE has already installed pumping systems on the outskirts of town, to begin the redevelopment," says Oberherr. "The noise makes it unpleasant to stay in the area. We're increasingly being displaced."

Read more: Berlin: 'Affordable' energy prices despite coal exit

She can only hope that the political decision-makers finally understand what the village means for the local people. "People just fade away in these new housing estates," she says. "Old people die faster there — they can't cope with these relocations."

Oberherr says she won't leave unless there is no other option. She doesn't want to stay in Keyenberg if it becomes a ghost town.

As for David Dresen's grandfather, he's already made his choice: he'd rather die than give up his house.