The Abrafaxe Celebrate 50 Years with a Mining Adventure in The Blue Treasure
A beloved comic series is bringing mining history to life for readers of all ages. The Abrafaxe, a trio of adventurous characters, have marked 50 years of storytelling with a special edition set in the Ore Mountains. Their latest adventure, The Blue Treasure, explores the region's rich past while entertaining fans with humour and clever solutions.
The Abrafaxe first appeared in 1976 with The Secret of the Grotto as their debut full issue. Now, in The Blue Treasure, they journey to Schneeberg, a historic mining town in the early 19th century. The story follows their search for cobalt, a metal prized for its striking blue colour, during a time when the local mining industry faced decline.
The comic blends education with fun, guiding readers through real locations like the Wolfgang Maßen mine and the Siebenschlehen stamp mill. Along the way, the characters explain mining terms with wit, making complex history easy to grasp. Their adventure also highlights the trio's ingenuity as they design a new stamp mill to solve a technical challenge.
This special edition ties into the broader heritage of the Erzgebirge/Krušné Hory region, which became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2019. The designation recognises its centuries-long mining legacy, spanning from the 12th to the 19th century, across both Germany and the Czech Republic. Though the site covers multiple landscapes and towns, no other separate UNESCO listings exist exclusively for this region.
To promote awareness of the region's history, 50,000 copies of The Blue Treasure have been printed. The comic is available for free from the Schneeberg Mining Association and the town's tourist office, ensuring the story reaches a wide audience.
The release of The Blue Treasure aims to spark interest in the Ore Mountains' mining past. By combining adventure, humour, and real-world locations, the comic offers an engaging way to learn about the region's UNESCO-recognised heritage. Copies are now accessible to visitors and locals alike, supporting efforts to preserve and share this history.
