Post-mining subcultures

In 2024, it will be 50 years since the last Limburg mine closed its doors. In the decennia after 1974, vast new build coloured Heerlen and its surroundings grey. But out of the cracks of the drab concrete grew something new: from jet black to fluorescent green. In this post-industrial Parkstad, young people illuminated their lives and surroundings with numerous subcultures.

From January 2024, we will share monthly stories of dissent: from flower power to political punk, from Heerlen hip-hop to the gabber scene at the end of the millennium.

Image: Masja van Kleef