The Frankfurt Eintracht, the Rüsselsheim car manufacturer Opel – the fact that so many institutions in the Rhine-Main region are celebrating their 125th anniversary these days is no coincidence. The period around the turn of the century was a phase of extraordinary economic and social prosperity. Frankfurt developed into a metropolis; the population grew from around 230,000 to almost 335,00 people between 1895 and 1905. The need for living space was correspondingly great; unlike today, one has to speak of a real housing shortage. On March 18, 1899, eleven citizens of the city responded to this by founding a cooperative: the Civil Service Housing Association (BWV). In the spirit of self-help, self-responsibility and self-management, the association committed itself to creating living space for its members.
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