Following the move of the Frankfurt Police to their new headquarters in Adickesallee in the year 2003, a new concept was also developed for the so-called “teaching materials collection”. Within the scope of PR work of the Police, access to the collection is no longer restricted to criminologists but it is now also open to interested members of the public. The idea had often been contemplated, but it first became feasible in the new building with its greatly improved space concept. Now, these partly historical exhibits can be viewed in around 30 display cabinets on an area covering 200 m2.
The collection includes uniforms dating back to the year 1900, artefacts such as forger utensils, thieves’ aprons, containers for smuggled goods and illegal items like flick-knives and shooting ballpoint pens, curiosities like “fake” pistols made in prison from tubes and a functioning firearm made of balsawood. Also of interest are pictures and exhibits from some of Frankfurt’s most famous crimes since World War II. For example, from the first robbery with murder in the year 1952, a bank robbery in the “Deutsche Effekten- und Wechselbank” in Bockenheim, the murder of the two prostitutes Rosemarie Nitribitt in 1957 and Helga Matura in 1966 and robberies by the “Basketmaker Gang” in 1968, whose boss “Henry” Jäger wrote his first novel in prison.
There are also items recollecting the violent conflicts that arose due to the construction of Runway 18 West, which climaxed with the sad death of two police officers in the year 1987.
On display also are the hammer, knife and clothing of the so-called “hammer killer”, who murdered six vagrants in 1990, and items of the man who attempted to blackmail the Thomy Company for millions between 1996 and 1998.