Friedhof Höchst

Beneath the rustling leaves of Friedhof Höchst, stories whisper from the silent stones. Friedhof Höchst, a sprawling 16.8 hectares, holds not just graves, but the echoes of Frankfurt’s past. Established in 1924, Friedhof Höchst is one of Frankfurt’s six Waldfriedhöfe, or woodland cemeteries. This serene final resting place offers a variety of burial options, from traditional earth graves to urn plots, even a dedicated Muslim burial ground. Among the approximately 15,900 graves, 314 belong to those lost in war, a poignant reminder of history’s harsh realities. Friedhof Höchst wasn’t Höchst’s first burial ground. The earliest cemetery was located around the Justinuskirche. Primarily for prominent citizens, this cemetery was abandoned in 1810. A new cemetery, established on what is now Luciusstrasse, also proved too small as Höchst expanded after 1870. This led to the opening of the “old” Friedhof Höchst in the Sossenheimer district in 1885, covering 2.4 hectares. Further annexations of Unterliederbach, Zeilsheim, and Sindlingen into Höchst by 1917 further increased the demand. This eventually led to the establishment of the present-day Friedhof Höchst in the 1920s, designed in part by renowned city architect Paul Wempe. The Trauerhalle, or mourning hall, at Friedhof Höchst offers seating for 70, a space for collective grief and remembrance. Among the notable figures interred here are Chlodwig Poth, the satirist and cartoonist, along with Günter Sare, Hermann Schmitt-Vockenhausen, and Friedrich Stolz. Visiting Friedhof Höchst, you can find it nestled below the A66 autobahn, readily accessible by both car and public transport. Bus lines 50 and 58, stopping at “Höchster Friedhof,” bring you directly to the main entrance on the south side of the cemetery. Friedhof Höchst offers a place of quiet contemplation, a green oasis where the past meets the present, and the stories of Frankfurt’s citizens continue to resonate.