Lina Rothschild

This history spot in Frankfurt records Lina Rothschild, born Lina Lichtenstein in Hanau, and her family’s life in the city. Lina married Bernhard Rothschild and raised daughters. Bernhard and his brother Isidor ran Samuel Rothschild Söhne, a Frankfurt business dealing in linen and manufactured goods. The family lived on Herderstraße and Wittelsbacher Allee. Their daughters attended Philanthropin, a Jewish reform school, while the family joined Frankfurt’s German Odd Fellow community. Their friendships included the Salomon family.

In Bornheimer Hang, the Rothschilds lived within Neues Frankfurt, the urban planning project associated with Ernst May. Karl-Albert-Straße 25 became their address. The Nazi era brought persecution, separation, emigration and loss to Lina, Bernhard, their daughters and grandchildren. Else emigrated from Hamburg to Argentina. Lina and Bernhard later travelled through Berlin and Lisbon, but Bernhard died during the voyage to safety. Lina reached Buenos Aires and lived with Else. Small brass Stolpersteine in front of the former Karl-Albert-Straße home commemorate Lina, Bernhard and Else. They connect individual lives with Frankfurt’s Jewish history.