In Germany’s financial capital, traditional water houses bring people of all classes together – Washington Examiner
Frankfurt, Germany, known for its financial significance and distinctive high-rise skyline, is also home to a unique social tradition embodied by its “Wasserhäuschen,” or water houses. These small kiosks have served the city as the late 19th century,originally providing bottled mineral water in an era when drinking unboiled tap water was unsafe. They have evolved over the years to offer not only water but also beer, snacks, newspapers, and café services.
The charm of these water houses lies in their role as communal spaces where people from all walks of life—young and old, affluent and less lucky—gather together.Laura Poellath, a student working at one such establishment, describes them as a “living room in the city,” highlighting their function as social meeting points that foster inclusivity. Despite a decline from around 800 kiosks to about 300 today, largely due to urban development, these establishments remain vital for the community, providing a democratic space free from judgment, where everyone can connect.
Photographer Stefan Hoening emphasizes the egalitarian nature of water houses, asserting that they are places where individuals, irrespective of background or income, can interact comfortably. Hubert Gloss, a tour guide, echoes this sentiment, underscoring the importance of these spaces to the city’s social fabric.
In Germany’s financial capital, traditional water houses bring people of all classes together
FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Frankfurt has become Germany’s financial capital, known for the country’s only high-rise skyline. But look closer to the ground and you’ll find a tradition that brings rich and poor, bankers and punks, together.
Back when drinking unboiled tap water wasn’t advisable, the little kiosks offered bottles of mineral water. They thrived as they weren’t subject to the official closing hours imposed on shops. These days, there’s more on offer at the water houses: a quick beer, candy, the newspaper, cigarettes, sometimes cafe service, with tables and the odd sofa on the sidewalk.
The humble “Wasserhäuschen,” or little water houses, have been a distinctive feature of the city since they started springing up in the second half of the 19th century.
Back when drinking unboiled tap water wasn’t advisable, the little kiosks offered bottles of mineral water. They encouraged workers, with the city’s approval, to drink affordable water rather than beer and schnapps.
They thrived as they weren’t subject to the official closing hours imposed on shops. And they were useful supply stations again in the immediate aftermath of the destruction of World War II.
These days, there’s more on offer at the water houses: a quick beer, candy, the newspaper, cigarettes, sometimes cafe service, with tables and the odd sofa on the sidewalk.
Laura Poellath, a 27-year-old student who works at the “Fein” water house, says the little kiosks are “like a living room in the city.”
“The people are very varied, from young to old, all the different groups are here,” she says.
“Water houses are social meeting points,” says Hubert Gloss, who offers tours of the houses that are spread around the city. “They are accessible; everyone is welcome here, it’s a democratic place … without these meeting points, the city would lose something in human terms.”
There were once 800 of the freestanding kiosks, but their numbers have diminished as a result of new building and other factors, Gloss says. City authorities say there are now about 300, most of them leased by breweries or distributors of drinks to their operators.
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Photographer Stefan Hoening says today’s water houses are a place where “everyone, no matter where they come from and no matter what their pay grade, can come together and feel at ease without being judged.”
“That’s the good thing about water houses,” the 42-year-old says. “With kiosks, you usually go there, buy something and go back home. Here, people from all the different classes meet.”
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