Stollen

Is the preservation of tradition a source of great honor or a potential cause for misfortune? This is the ongoing debate among the residents of Pöhla village. Despite the severe health implications, the mining traditions of the Ore Mountains persist three decades after the fall of the Berlin Wall. The closure of the last uranium mines in 1992, which had left an indelible mark on the region and its inhabitants over eight centuries, compelled people to forge a new identity centered around tourism. Particularly during Advent, the "Christmas Land" amalgamates ancient customs with economic interests, encompassing activities such as baking stollen, communal singing for the Mettenschicht in the mine, and the observance of the Christmas mass. However, beneath the serene surface lies the backdrop of strenuous labor. Caught between the prospect of being designated a World Heritage Site and the establishment of a pilot plant for tin and tungsten mining, STOLLEN narrates the unique narrative of this season, both above and below ground. In doing so, it sketches the psychological profile of a region grappling with its identity as of 2019.