Blick von Frankfurt auf Sachsenhausen 1889

Peter Becker captured this view of Frankfurt from Sachsenhausen in a delicate watercolor. Born in Frankfurt in 1828, Becker lived through a period of immense social change, witnessing the rise of industrialization and the stirrings of German nationalism. The image shows a bustling city with a clear class structure. The bridge, a physical connection between Frankfurt and Sachsenhausen, also highlights their differences. Frankfurt, with its towering church, was a center of commerce and power, while Sachsenhausen was traditionally a working-class district. The bridge itself is a stage where we see figures from different social strata, each with their own path and purpose. As you reflect on Becker's Frankfurt, consider how this image captures a society on the cusp of transformation. Think about the everyday lives of people who lived there and how their identities were shaped by the city's social and economic forces.