Founded in 1923, the Institute for Social Research has stood from then on for a critical theory of society that confronts the prevailing social conditions with their unrealized possibilities. The IfS pursues a cooperative, public, and intervening approach to social science, also seeking for exchange with a local audience. At the 2og, this exchange takes place through the »Housing Laboratory«, which functions as an intersection between transdisciplinary housing research and civil society, and through open discussion meetings.

Contact:
Contact Person IfS: Moritz Sohn (sohn@em.uni-frankfurt.de)
Contact Person Wohnlabor: Felix Wiegand (fe.wiegand@em.uni-frankfurt.de)

The Institute for Social-Ecological Research (ISOE) is one of the leading institutes in sustainability research. We develop scientific foundations and forward-looking concepts for social-ecological transformations. Together with our partners in science and society, we create spaces for change toward sustainability. Whether through the Citizens’ University or other events, we bring people together—for open dialogue, shared learning, and lasting sustainable change.

Phone: +49 (0) 69 707 6919-10

Interzone provides a platform for artistic production and interdisciplinary exchange, with a focus on post-migrant aesthetics. The operation of studios as well as the organization of exhibitions and events actively engages with the development of the cultural campus.

The study group firmly anchors the culture of remembrance within the project. Through lectures, exhibitions, and innovative educational formats, it highlights the historical significance of the Dondorf printing house and draws connections to current debates on democracy and resistance.

Phone: +49170 189 4607

Since 1979, we have been researching and sharing local history, bringing people together in the neighborhood, and raising awareness of the importance of the past. We explore historical topics such as Jewish life and the Stolpersteine ​​(stumbling stones) in the district, the life's work of Heinrich Ludwig, the Bockenheim district historian, and the history of the buildings, parks, and streets.

Between April and October each year, we offer guided tours of the district on various topics. Part of our work also includes building and maintaining an archive of everyday life and history in Bockenheim. We collect current and historical photographs, ration cards, maps, old movie tickets, documents, as well as memories, stories, and anecdotes about community life, squares, and streets. Our first book was published in 1980, followed by further publications and exhibitions about Bockenheim's past. We collaborate with educational institutions, institutes, and schools in our work.

Another aspect of our work is the preservation of memorials and monuments in Bockenheim. Besides the Dondorf printing works, this includes burial sites, such as the grave of Heinrich Ludwig, and stumbling stones, such as that of Martin Brown.

The archive opens its unique collection on the protest history of the 1960s and 1970s to the public. Presentations and exhibitions make the materials of social movements accessible for current debates and research.

Aelita e. V. was founded in the course of moving into the second floor of the Dondorf-Druckerei in the context of the Arbeitskreis kritische Gesellschaftstheorie (Working Group on Critical Social Theory).
The renaming also marks a shift in focus: events that aim to intervene in social conditions will continue to be organised within the context of the working group. In future, the association will also publish the journal detour. Texte zur Gegenwart (detour. Texts on the Present). The first issue is scheduled to appear in autumn 2026.

For cooperation enquiries and further information, please send us an email:
aelita@systemli.org

Spirax e.V. connects music, community, and curated archival work. At 2og:dondorf, we develop projects that promote creative participation, make cultural diversity audible, and bring people together in their uniqueness.

+49 176 20111373
We also open by appointment.

Ort3 gUG (limited liability) is the non-profit sponsoring organization that serves as the organizational and legal backbone of 2og:dondorf. As the main tenant and coordinator of the overall project, it enables collaborative work on the floor.

Ort3 gUG acts as a central interface, facilitating dialogue between the participating initiatives, the Schirn Kunsthalle, and the municipal authorities. It provides the structural framework that allows the model project to successfully implement its content-driven vision and realize its social impact.

Our central community space is open daily from 10 a.m. and offers a versatile environment for working, relaxing, socializing, and spending time. It is also available for private or public events, workshops, lectures, exhibitions, and hybrid formats.

Space & Layout

• Size: 170 m² of usable floor space, plus a foyer and an adjacent kitchenette.
• Capacity: Up to 199 guests.
• Accessibility: Entire floor accessible via elevator.

Design: Open layout, ideal for flexible uses ranging from casual gatherings to formal events.

Furniture & Seating

• Five flexible seating groups with low tables.
• 70 chairs (additional chairs available on request) and 15 stools.
• Photos of the overall layout and fully seated arrangements available on request info@ort3.de

Acoustic & Stage Equipment

• All information available on request info@ort3.de
• Photos of the stage, PA system, and lighting available on request info@ort3.de

Kitchen & Community Island

• Fully equipped kitchen for up to 100 guests. Catering requests via Café B
• available.
• Community Island: Directly connected to the kitchen, seating up to 20 people (14 stools).

Photos of kitchen and island available on request.

Restrooms & Sanitary Facilities

Spacious unisex restroom with 3 stalls, 1 accessible stall, 4 urinals, and a separate wash area with 2 sinks.

Photos of facilities and design available on request.

Following the closing event of the German Architecture Museum on the topic of "Better Building with Existing Structures" on January 15, 2023, Willy Breder, Konrad Götz, Cordula Kähler, Daniel Keppel, and Norbert Saßmannshausen founded the Dondorf Printing House Initiative (IDD). Their goal was to save the historic factory building and ensure its important history for Frankfurt and the Bockenheim district remained accessible and researchable. Their first action was to publish the demolition plans drawn up at the time by the Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics (MPIEA). The initiative quickly gained further members.

On April 24, 2023, the local council for district 2 held a public meeting in the New Mensa (student cafeteria). Thanks to the expertise of the architects present and the protests of local residents, the MPIEA's attempt to legitimize its demolition plans failed. Instead, new arguments for preservation were formulated. Architects for Future criticized the demolition and new construction plans as being harmful to the climate due to the wasted embodied energy. The collective "Druckerei für Alle" (Printing House for All) demands that the building be transformed into a cultural center.

The IDD (Independent Design Department) launches a targeted campaign to engage the city's public.

During the Kulturcampus Open Air Festival on June 24, 2023, the building is occupied. This allows interested members of Frankfurt's civil society to view the premises and assess their condition. After 19 days, the police clear the building. The university president has the doors and windows bricked up.

However, this does not deter the collective "Die Druckerei" from reoccupying the brick building. With the occupation of the roof and its subsequent eviction in December 2023, the conflict gains nationwide attention.

In January 2024, the MPIEA (Max Planck Institute for Environmental, Environmental and Cultural Affairs) announces its relinquishment of the property. In June, the state government, together with the city's departments and the director of the Schirn Kunsthalle, made a welcome decision: While the Kunsthalle's premises at Römerberg are being renovated, it will use the historic Dondorf printing works building as a temporary location. The city is making the second floor, designated 2og:dondorf, available to initiatives and institutions from Bockenheim. The IDD (Industrial Heritage Development Agency) currently sees both of its goals achieved: preserving the existing building and using it for the common good.

However, political majorities can change. Demolition advocates are trying to gain influence. The initiatives on the second floor, however, remain undeterred. The historical initiatives continue their historical research and commemorative work. Besides the IDD, these include the Friends of Bockenheim Association (Freunde Bockenheims e.V.), which cooperates with the Industrial Heritage Trail (Route der Industriekultur), the Archive of the Revolt (Archiv der Revolte e.V.), and the Study Group on German Resistance 1933-1945 (Studienkreis Deutscher Widerstand 1933-1945 e.V.).