In mining history, "the last wagon" (known in German as "Der letzte Wagen" or "Die letzte Lore") is a deeply emotional symbol. It marks the end of an era — the very moment a coal mine closes down forever. Every mine in the Ruhr area had this historic day. For Gelsenkirchen, this happened on December 19, 2008, at the Westerholt colliery (Zeche Westerholt). The last wagon of coal was brought up, and coal mining in the city ended for good.