Consider this: a peaceful haven amidst the urban landscape. This is the Friedhof Fechenheim, a place of history and reflection. The Friedhof Fechenheim serves as a poignant reminder of life’s cyclical nature.
The Friedhof Fechenheim in Frankfurt-Fechenheim began in 1845. It was created by the independent community of Fechenheim. Before that, the dead were buried in the Kirchhof. You’ll find it on the high bank of the Main.
After Frankfurt annexed Fechenheim in 1928, the Friedhof Fechenheim took on its current form. The neoclassical Trauerhalle was constructed from 1926 to 1929. Today, the Friedhof Fechenheim spans 6.4 hectares.
The Trauerhalle, the war memorial, and some graves are landmarked. The neoclassical Trauerhalle stands at the head of Steinäckerstraße. It showcases an impressive facade facing away from the Friedhof Fechenheim and towards the street. The centrally built extension with four monumental columns is striking. It supports a pointed roof. The facade’s symmetry is deceiving because the building has an L-shaped layout. The rectangular main hall is accompanied by adjoining rooms.
The war memorial sits near the Friedhof Fechenheim wall along the Main. It consists of a green space with symmetrically arranged stone crosses marking graves. A massive three-part monument rises in the center. The Fechenheim Veterans Association commissioned the monument. Construction started in 1938. Professor Richard Lisker from the Städel School offered artistic guidance. Sculptor Hermann Becker completed the work. Max Bromme designed the green spaces.
Several graves on the Friedhof Fechenheim are also landmarked. The Kullmann-Ewald grave, created in 1911 by H. Schäfer, features a broad gravestone with a central aedicule. It is made of polished dark granite in Renaissance style. The Siebel-Zengel grave, dating back to 1905, is an elaborate wall tomb of light sandstone. The Kühn grave, from 1914, is a limestone cube topped with a helmet sculpture. It commemorates Karl Christian Kühn, a teacher from Fechenheim who died early in World War I. The Müller-Kühn grave, a 1923 wall stele, shows expressionistic forms in limestone. The Klee grave, a wall monument from 1904, is an aedicule with polished black granite wing panels. The Meyer grave, from 1929, consists of a limestone aedicule framed by half-height wall panels.
Visiting the Friedhof Fechenheim offers a look into Frankfurt’s past. It reveals how the community honored its dead. As you wander through the Friedhof Fechenheim, consider the lives and stories etched in stone.