Discover Historical Sites with the Frankfurt History App
Over 1,000 sites of National Socialism in Frankfurt am Main - now digitally accessible.
In November 2022, the Historical Museum Frankfurt launched the Frankfurt History App: it provides information about selected sites relating to National Socialism in Frankfurt am Main. Over 1,000 sites are covered under three themes: sites of resistance, sites of the “Volksgemeinschaft” (people’s community), and sites of persecution.
The app is part of the digital memorial platform “Frankfurt und der Nationalsozialismus”, developed jointly by the Historical Museum Frankfurt, the Jewish Museum Frankfurt and the Institut für Stadtgeschichte Frankfurt. It was technically implemented by berlinHistory e.V. and funded by the Foundation Remembrance, Responsibility and Future (EVZ) and the Federal Ministry of Finance.
I was responsible for the academic editing and historical research.
What Does the App Tell Me About the History of Frankfurt’s Jewish Community?
The sites of persecution include Jewish institutions as well as private homes and businesses. Well-known cases are featured, such as:
- Dr. Arthur von Weinberg (Villa Buchenrode, Niederräder Landstraße 38)
- Maximilian Freiherr von Goldschmidt-Rothschild (Rothschild Palace, Bockenheimer Landstraße 10)
But also previously lesser-known fates: for example, the Felsen family (Waldschmidtstraße 99).
A particularly striking example: the wine wholesale business of the Wiesengrund family was located at Schöne Aussicht 7 - Theodor Wiesengrund Adorno grew up there. In November 1938, the wine business was ransacked by the SA and SS. In April 1939, the couple was able to emigrate to the USA via Cuba.
What Does the App Tell Me About Forced Labour?
The interactive map makes the full extent of the camp system in Frankfurt visible. With approximately 600 documented sites, it becomes clear how deeply the system of forced labour penetrated Frankfurt’s everyday life - into factories, businesses, restaurants, schools.
Using the App
The Frankfurt History App is available free of charge for Android and iOS. It can be used independently, as well as in the context of guided tours and school projects.