Museum of Criminology

Detectives began to collect objects relating to criminal procedures and preliminary investigations in 1920 together with judicial officers and coroners. The collection was used for educational purposes by police forces, prosecutors and law students from then on. It was damaged during World War II whilst several objects were also stolen. Willy Klapproth, Frankfurt's chief of police at the time, continued to add to the collection and made it available for educational purposes from 1948 onwards whilst it opened to the general public when the police's headquarters were moved in 2003. The collection features historical uniforms dating back to 1900, implements used in smuggling, forgeries and robberies as well as illegal objects such as sword canes and guns disguised as biros. Further highlights include a number of illustrations and objects which featured in Frankfurt's famous criminal cases such as a murder with robbery in 1952, a bank robbery in Bockenheim and the murdering of two prostitutes in 1957 and 1966 respectively. The hammer, knife and clothing of the 'hammer murderer' who beat six homeless people to death in 1990 is also on display.