Zum Greifen / Leopold Sonnemann
Zum Greifen
The most dominant building is the former Zum Greifen inn, which gave the street its name. Craft business, the fire station and the community detention centre were also located here.6, 7
The Zum Greifen inn probably already existed in the 16th century. A plaque on the partly renovated, partly rebuilt property mentions the year 1596, but this is not documented. An inn has been run there since that time.
The property was sold by the municipality in 2005. Extensive renovation work transformed the barn and the former inn with outbuilding, which housed hotel rooms, into a smart residential building with 4 residential units.
The inn extension, which was made around 1800, depicts a griffin, a mythical creature with a lion’s body, four clawed feet, wings and an eagle’s head.
In 1844, there are reports of merry revellers, meaning students from the nearby university town of Würzburg who had set up a room as a pub.
as a pub.
The Griffin, which according to the above description of the village is enthroned ‘like a citadel’ in the centre of the village, could certainly tell of hard times, of war and famine, but also of merry goings-on in the large dance hall, of weddings and church fair dances.
Kolibri dance hall
The Kolibri dance hall on the upper floor of the Greifen was known far beyond the village boundaries. It was set up in 1865 as part of the extension of the inn building. A special feature in the 1960s were four grottos made of papier-mâché, which were decorated with motifs from the underwater world.
Leopold Sonnemann
The street above this square is named after Leopold Sonnemann (1831-1909), the founder of the Frankfurt newspaper and liberal member of the Reichstag, who was born in Höchberg and spent part of his childhood in Höchberg. There is a memorial plaque on the house where he was born, which is now Sonnemannstraße 62. 8, 9
The Höchberg state secondary school was also named after him. His father Meyer Sonnemann had settled in Höchberg in 1830. In 1840 Meyer Sonnemann left Höchberg and moved to Offenbach with his family.