The Polytechnische Gesellschaft was founded by committed Frankfurt citizens in 1816. Since then, the citizens' organisation, of which Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Baron von und zum Stein were members, has worked to support the city of Frankfurt and its citizens. The organisation has a long tradition of initiatives such as the founding of the Frankfurter Sparkasse in 1822, the first Sunday School for journeymen, school meals for workers' children, educational courses for women and the Museum für Angewandte Kunst.

The Polytechnische Gesellschaft invested most of the revenue from the sale of the Frankfurter Sparkasse to the Landesbank Hessen-Thüringen (Helaba) in 2005 in setting up the Stiftung Polytechnische Gesellschaft Frankfurt am Main.  By agreeing to this sale, the members of the Polytechnische Gesellschaft, the "polytechnicians", themselves became donors.

For more information: www.polytechnische.de