© 2025
St. Katharinen- und Weißfrauenstift –
Stiftung des öffentlichen Rechts
The St. Katharinen- und Weißfrauenstift goes back to the middle ages, starting with just two nunneries: „Weißfrauen“ and „Katharinen“.
Patrician Wicker Frosch and Katharina zum Rebstock provided both nunneries with Land to help support women in need. The St. Katharinen- und Weißfrauenstift, which emerged from both nunneries in 1877, is still committed to this task today.
Conventuals, who later became known as canonesses, have been receiving foundation annuities since the beginning of the 19th century. The care office and the foundation supervision supplemented this charitable mission in 1962 with the "granting of homes". This goal is fulfilled with modern residential facilities and the continuous further development thereof. The St. Katharinen and Weißfrauenstift combines an awareness of tradition and focus on the future, as its history shows in the following.
As early as 1227, Pope Gregory IX founded the Order of the "Repentants" – the "Penitent Sisters of Saint Magdalene" – for fallen girls who had strayed from the path of virtue but were prepared to repent. Because of their white dresses, the women who lived in accordance with the rules of Saint Augustine soon became known as "Weißfrauen" (White Women).
Thanks to many donations, the first White Women's monastery in Germany was established in the west end of Frankfurt.
The monastery was destroyed by a fire. Following reconstruction, it was no longer a place where "fallen women" repented their sins, but a place where members of the upper classes could accommodate their unmarried relatives and therefore show them their appreciation.
Completion of the Katharinen nunnery, founded by patrician Wicker Frosch, the cantor of the Bartholomäusstift (St. Bartholomew's foundation), on a plot of land provided by the city in front of what was then the Gateway to Bockenheim.
During the course of the Reformation, the counsil supervising both nunneries abolished the Catholic nature instead transforming these to secular homes for women oft he Lutheran faith who were less well-off in in need of care.
During the reign of Karl Theodor von Dalberg, the Grand Duke of Frankfurt and Prince Primate, the community life of the conventuals was dissolved. From then on, they received solely an annuity.
The administrations of the two nunneries were combined.
„St. Katharinen- und Weißfrauenstift“ is officialy formed by public law after the fusion of the accounting offices both nunneries.
The foundation’s assets grew considerably, with the conventuals increasing from 33 in 1833, to over 300.
Aquisition of Eschenheimer Anlage 31a in Nordend, Frankfurt
St. Katharinen- und Weißfrauenstift aquire the „Erbbaublock“ site in Gallus, in the district of Frankfurt.
During the Second World War, the foundation suffered significant damage to it’s property, but was fortunatly able to maintain her independence throughout the entire period of the Third Reich.
The administration department participates in the construction of Housing for Senior Citizens and extended the charitable funds accordingly.
The St. Katharinen- und Weißfrauenstift plans to construct her own housings complexes in order to meet the increasing demand.
The single Bedroom apartments in the Eschenheimer Anlage 31a are now ready for their first Residants.
Inauguration of the senior citizens‘ housing complex in Heddernheim.
The Eschenheimer Anlage 31a premises are adapted to accommodate the administration offices and apartments.
The Foundation’s administration offices are moved to Eschenheimer Anlage 31a.
Completion of the senior citizens' housing complex in Schwarzburgstrasse in the North End of Frankfurt.
The construction of the senior citizens' housing complex on Goldbergweg in Frankfurt-Oberrad is completed.
The Foundation began to redevelop the „Erbbaublock“ in Gallus.
A mobile social assistance service ist established to provide the canonesses with a larger range of services inkluding housekeeping.
The Foundation grows to accommodate more members, reaching out to catholic women in addition to their Protestant members.
The St. Katharinen- und Weißfrauenstift establish a limited company together with the Teutonic Order, to open a retirement Home within the Housing Complex in Oberrad.
Construction starts for a housing Complex in Frankfurt-Niederursel offering serviced living.
The Board Committee relinquish the „Vision of St. Katharinen- und Weißfrauenstift in 2010“ developed by her employees.
The St. Katharina Mobile Homecare commence services
The foundation now owned a total of around 600 hectares of land, and the number of canonesses had passed the 700 mark.
The Niederursel senior citizens‘ housing complex with 79 apartments is completed. The St. Katharinen- und Weißfrauenstift now has a total of five Housing Complexes, the application for building permisson is submitted for a sixth Complex in Sossenheim.
Renovations begin on the Eva-von-Metzler-Haus in Frankfurt-Heddernheim
The Office Unit is extendend to include the newly established Social Workers department.
In June, the senior citizens‘ complex in Oberrad celebrates it’s 25th anniversary.
The fully refurbished and improved Eva-von-Metzler-Haus is reopened.
The groundbreaking ceremony in Sossenheim with it’s „Neighbourly living“ concept takes place in Spring.
The foundation's double anniversary is celebrated: 775 years of the Weißfrauenkloster and 650 years of the Katharinenkloster. To mark the anniversary, a foundation film was produced and a present-day chronicle, "Aging with Life" by Thomas Bauer, was published.
The area surrounding the large Opel Car Dealership Building that was locally known as „Opel roundabout“ was officially renamed "Katharinenkreisel" (Katharina Roundabout) by the city of Frankfurt after Katharina zum Rebstock.
On the 11th of October, the housing complex in Sossenheim was opened in close proximity to the „Victor-Gollancz-Haus Intercultural Senior Citizens‘ Care Centre“ a Frankfurter Association offering Care fort he elderly and Disabled.
At the end of the year, the 1000th canoness was welcomed.
The visiting service is launched: Volunteers from the foundation visited canonesses in care homes who would otherwise receive very few visitors.
The foundation celebrated two anniversaries in September: five years of the Niederursel senior citizens' housing complex, and ten years of the care facility in the Oberrad.
Together with the St. Katharinen Hospital, the foundation established the first Hospice in Frankfurt, which was opened after the ceremonial inauguration on April 22. (www.hospiz-sankt-katharina.de)
The foundation was now caring for more than 1,100 canonesses.
The St. Katharinen- und Weißfrauenstift launched a new idea called the „Wohnküche“, unique to any assisted living facilities nationwide. The „Wohnküche“ was a place for the elderly and tenants of the Niederursel complex to meet during the day, especially for those who were in need of support to help organise and structure their daily routines.
The number of volunteers in the visiting service has doubled. The volunteers visit canonesses, read aloud, tell stories, play, run small errands and are available as contacts.
The foundation „Allgemeine Almosenkasten“ transfered their Management over to St. Katharinen- und Weißfrauenstift, which through this, were now able to also support those who could not become canonesses.
The nursing home within the housing complex in Oberrad was renamed and became St. Katharinen- und Weißfrauen Altenhilfe GmbH by acquiring the shares of the Teutonic Order.
Planning commences to fully refurbish and reconstruct the housing complex in Oberrad to expand the nursing home and improve it’s energy efficiency.
Start of renovation of the leasehold block. The measures will be completed in 2016.
The first construction phase in Oberrad is completed.
Reopening ceremony of the housing complex in Oberrad.
10th anniversary of the senior citizens' housing complex in Sossenheim.
The foundation welcomed the first tenant in the housing complex in the city centre.
Planning begins for the demolition and reconstruction of the Nordend housing complex.
Acquisition of Hotel Pauli in Gallusviertel as accommodation for women who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. Due to the refugee crisis, the foundation made the premises available to the Evangelical Association for Housing Assistance for Refugees as temporary accommodation. This made it possible for the premises to continue to be used until renovations were completed.
During this time the foundation also generated temporary accommodation within the housing complex in Nordend for the Evangelical Association for Refugees.
The foundation acquires „Hof zum Rebstock“ Braubachstraße 15 and a house in the Braubachstraße 21 in Frankfurts Old Town. Both buildings will function as administrative headquarters.
The historical roots played a major part in the aquisition both buildings.
The mobile social assistance service was integrated into the Homecare service.
Acquisition of additional properties in the „Erbbaublock“.
The administraion Offices are relocated to „Hof zum Rebstcok“ in the Braubachstraße.
The newly reconstructed, stylish, fully Wheelchair accessible housing-complex in the Schwarzburgstraße offering 31 1-Bedroom Flats, welcomes it’s first Tennants. The highly successful „neighbourly Living“ concept in Sossenheim was also implemented in this housing Complex.
© 2025
St. Katharinen- und Weißfrauenstift –
Stiftung des öffentlichen Rechts