Born in 1919 in Wurzen near Leipzig, Dr. Erika Pohl-Ströher grew up in Rothenkirchen in the Vogtland region. Her grandfather, the hairdresser Franz Ströher, ran a hair care products business there.

After the Second World War, the family moved to Darmstadt and continued the family business, "Wella," which later became a global corporation. In 2003, the family sold its shares in the company.

Erika Ströher studied biology and chemistry at the Friedrich Schiller University in Jena and earned her doctorate in biology. She married Gerhard Pohl, and together they had five children. As early as the 1970s, the Pohl-Ströher family moved to Ferpicloz, Switzerland. Erika Pohl-Ströher died there in 2016, shortly before her 98th birthday.

Dr. Erika Pohl-Ströher's greatest passion was minerals: With approximately 80,000 specimens, she amassed one of the world's largest private collections.

She organized her mineral collection by region and continent, focusing on the aesthetics of the minerals. Thanks to her international network of exchange partners and dealers, Ms. Pohl-Ströher acquired new and attractive specimens.

Together with her children, Ms. Pohl-Ströher decided to bequeath her collection to TUBAF. For this purpose, the Pohl-Ströher Mineral Foundation was established in Switzerland, and a permanent loan agreement was signed in 2004. The collection comprises approximately 20,000 mineral specimens from around the world. TUBAF provides scientific support for the collection, utilizes it for research and teaching, and exhibits parts of it here at terra mineralia in Freudenstein Castle and at the Mineralogical Collection of Germany in the Krügerhaus. This foundation enhances Freiberg as a center of scientific research.

... Including the Mineralogical Collection in the Abraham-Gottlob-Werner building, TUBAF has the largest mineralogical exhibition complex in the world.

Ms. Pohl-Ströher inherited her father Karl Ströher's passion for collecting. He was a renowned art patron. From her youth, she was interested in minerals. She pursued this passion when her children were older. She then also devoted herself to her great love of Ore Mountain folk art, toys, and Easter eggs. Erika Pohl-Ströher amassed the world's largest private collection of Ore Mountain folk art. This includes carved and turned miners and angels, as well as Christmas pyramids, pyramids, and historical toys.

The "Manufaktur der Träume" (Factory of Dreams) in Annaberg-Buchholz and the Pohl-Ströher Depot in Gelenau display a large part of these collections.

Many cultural traditions of the mining region developed from the mining community. Miners' parades, song traditions, and folk art are therefore part of the World Heritage.

Collecting minerals is a relatively recent mining tradition. It is not a World Heritage Site. Nevertheless, there are many mineral collectors in the Ore Mountains who are organized in clubs.