 The lift was the biggest and most spectacular structure on the old Dortmund-Ems-Kanal.It was inaugurated by Kaiser Wilhelm II on 11 August 1899.The lift was able to accommodate the then usual Boat on the Dortmund-Ems-Kanal, 67 metres long, 8.2 metres wide, with a draft of 2 metres and lift it through a height of 14 metres to the level of the Dortmund Port.