Here in Frankfurt’s Gallus district, a unique housing complex stands. It is the Friedrich-Ebert-Siedlung. This settlement whispers tales of a city reborn. It speaks of innovative urban planning.
The Friedrich-Ebert-Siedlung emerged from a pressing need. In the 1920s, Frankfurt faced a severe housing shortage. City Councillor Ernst May conceived “Neues Frankfurt”. It was an ambitious program to create new housing developments. The goal was to alleviate the crisis. Other projects included Römerstadt and Praunheim. A 25-hectare area in Gallus was designated for housing. It lay on the edge of the Griesheim parade ground.
Construction of the Friedrich-Ebert-Siedlung began in 1925. It continued until 1930. Gartenstadt AG, now ABG Frankfurt Holding, carried out the project. The settlement occupied about 10 hectares. Social housing funds financed it. Ernst May and architects Walter Schwagenscheidt and Herbert Boehm designed it. Construction halted with the outbreak of World War II.
Frankfurt’s Mayor Walter Kolb inaugurated 171 rebuilt apartments on May 17, 1948. This event occurred one day before the reopening of the Paulskirche. It symbolized the city’s commitment to addressing the housing crisis.
The area south of Tevesstrasse expanded between 1950 and 1956. Both construction phases provided homes for about 3,360 residents. They lived in 2,135 apartments as of 2008.
The Friedrich-Ebert-Siedlung is surrounded by diverse areas. To the west are small gardens and the A5 motorway. Industrial and railway areas line the south along Kleyerstrasse. The Taunus Railway runs to the east.
The Friedrich-Ebert-Siedlung connects to the city via Mainzer Landstrasse. This road links to the wider road network. Tram lines offer public transport access. Ackermannstrasse and Sondershausen Strasse lead to the inner streets. These include Cordierstrasse, Herxheimerstrasse, Tevesstrasse and Steuernagelstrasse.
The Friedrich-Ebert-Siedlung mainly features a row building design. This reflects the urban planning ideals of its time. It aimed for a rational layout. The goal was well-lit apartments and economical construction. The settlement consists of 347 buildings. Building rows run north-south. They are perpendicular to access roads. Footpaths connect them. Apartments face east and west. Single-family houses line Mainzer Landstrasse. They have two floors facing the street. The garden side has three floors. Multi-family buildings typically have four to five floors.
The northern part of the settlement includes the Ackermannwiese sports field. It also contains the historic Ackermann School and Bürgermeister-Grimm-School. The former Protestant Church is on the western edge. The Serbian Orthodox Church now uses it. Two daycare centers are on Ackermannstrasse. Two green spaces divide the buildings in the southern part. They run east-west.
The naming of the Friedrich-Ebert-Siedlung is a political statement. After Friedrich Ebert’s death in 1925, numerous housing estates were named after him. These projects represented social democratic ideals. They aimed to provide affordable housing.
These modern apartments symbolized a commitment to the labor movement. They also showed support for the Republic. In 1949, the settlement was renamed to its original name.