Museum an der Kreuzkirche

In the middle of Preungesheim, next to the Kreuzkirche at Weinstraße 27, the Museum an der Kreuzkirche presents the local history of the district. The exhibition space is located in the converted ground floor of the former parsonage dating from 1742; the museum was opened in 2015 by the Preungesheimer Kultur- und Geschichtsverein with the support of the Kreuzgemeinde.

Its holdings have historical precedents: after a special exhibition for the 1,200th‑anniversary celebration in 1972, a small presentation was created in the 1970s in the basement of the church tower. These exhibits were put into storage during later church renovations and, together with collections that have been systematically expanded since then, form the core of the museum.

The permanent exhibition extends from the Middle Ages to the end of the Second World War. Medieval urban history is represented by archaeological evidence, including excavation results from 1998–2002 that document early building phases of the Preungesheim church; the first documentary mention of the place dates to 772. Also presented are local noble families, medieval wall paintings and findings related to the Teutonic Order.

Confessional conflicts resulting from shifting regimes, the effects of the Reformation phases and wartime burdens from the Thirty Years’ War into the 18th century are addressed. The participation of many Preungesheim residents in conflicts such as the American Revolutionary War can be traced through extensive sources. The exhibition also displays objects from the estate of the pastor Johannes Carl (in office 1861–1887).

The significance of the Teutonic Order for Preungesheim from the 13th century until 1809 is illustrated through architectural traces and cultural artifacts, for example remains of a historical library, 18th‑century liturgical objects and finds related to domestic life.

For the period from 1871 to 1945, photographs, documents and field postcards document social development, the military hospital in the First World War, National Socialist propaganda and destructions in the Second World War. The transformation from an agriculturally shaped village into a Frankfurt district, the impact of the construction of the penal institution (1882–87) on the townscape and population, as well as the diverse club life of the 19th century, are illustrated by everyday objects and historical flags.