Adi Helfenbein

Adi Helfenbein, born in 1923 in Unterliederbach and raised in Schwanheim, was a German painter and graphic artist. He died at the age of 96 on 22 May 2020 in Königstein.

Helfenbein began his artistic training at the Kunstgewerbeschule in Offenbach and continued it at the Städelschule in Frankfurt. He initially worked as a graphic designer at Hoechst AG, but found his passion for painting in his free time, particularly for historical depictions.

Helfenbein has been a freelance painter since 1988. His paintings are known for their detailed depiction of history, especially of Frankfurt’s West and Old Town. One well-known work is his depiction of the launching of the Dornier DO X flying boat on 8 October 1932, based on an old photograph and historical postcards.

Helfenbein was also involved in the Schwanheimer Gesellschaft Prof. Dr Wilhelm Kobelt and headed the Schwanheimer Museum working group. He designed large reliefs for the museum, depicting scenes from the Ice Age and Stone Age, and contributed to the design of the Hoechst AG company museum and the museum of the Höchster Verein für Geschichte und Altertumskunde in Höchster Schloss. He also published picture portfolios for the benefit of the Stiftergemeinschaft Justinuskirche and painted for the Leberecht Foundation.

Adi Helfenbein exhibited in various neighbourhood home museums until he was very old. His works, often described as ‘late impressionistic’, show people and scenes from times gone by in order to visualise history. He died after a short stay in hospital after feeling unwell.