Fraa Rauscher

Fraa Rauscher is a Frankfurt monument dedicated to a figure from local folklore and known as a city original. The character is regarded as fictional. Her name connects the figure with young, fermenting apple wine associated with Sachsenhausen. That drink can cause a stir when people consume too much. A nineteenth-century story places Fraa Rauscher in the street with a bump on her head, prompting speculation about her husband and apple wine. The story appeared humorously in a local police report. Kurt Eugen Strouhs and Norbert Bruchhäuser later turned the incident into a song associated with Frankfurt apple wine. The song became well known in Frankfurt. Georg Krämer created the fountain in Klappergasse in 1961, where the figure playfully spits water at unsuspecting tourists. The monument surprises passing visitors. The character also appears in local football traditions and gives its name to a type of apple wine. Her story remains tied to Frankfurt’s culture. The monument is wheelchair accessible and reflects the city’s playful sense of humour. Fraa Rauscher brings folklore, apple wine and street theatre together in one Frankfurt landmark.