Frankfurt

Today was the day to explore the Frankfurt of Freida Steinhauer and Anni Ries Keller — Ralph’s and Heidi’s mothers who left Frankfurt before World War II. Both Freida and Anni were born in Frankfurt in 1911 and left for America in the 1930’s. 

Freida Steinhauer Klingbeil worked at Karl Kahn on Kaiserstraße 68, right down the street from the Frankfurt Central Rail Station (Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof) before she left Frankfurt in 1933 to join her two brothers in New York City. 

Anni Ries Keller often ate at the restaurant Zum Standesämtchen, across from the Frankfurt City Hall, in Frankfurt’s Old Town. We had an enjoyable lunch in the restaurant which dates from 1902. 

Before our well deserved lunch, we walked along the Main River to our restaurant. 

After lunch, we went in search of Ralph’s and Heidi’s grandparents’ graves. Frankfurt has many large cemeteries. Among them, is the Old Jewish Cemetery and the New Jewish Cemetery. 

Louis Steinhauer, baker and veteran of World War I, died in 1936. He is buried in the New Jewish Cemetery. 

Heidi’s grandfather, Heinrich Keller, is buried in the Old Jewish Cemetery. He died in 1935. Several other members of the Keller family are also buried and remembered in this area of the Cemetery. 



In front one gravestone of the Keller family has been erected this plaque—

It remembers a cousin of Heidi’s father, Alfred Keller, who was “deported” in 1945 and “murdered”.

 

The translation is as follows:

In eternal memory of my beloved husband and our victimized father Alfred Keller born 16 August. 1872 in Offenbach [and] deported 1943 and murdered [Auschwitz]. 

This has been quite a day. While walking amongst the many gravestones of  the cemeteries, I was struck by all these Jewish families of Frankfurt that were and aren’t any more. 

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