The article aims to determine the cultural context in which students studied at the Dr. Hoch'sches Conservatorium in Frankfurt am Main, a typical German music school, and to see whether there were South African born students who might have benefited from the stimulating milieu during the first forty years between 1878 and 1918. Important sources on the Conservatory (for example the annual Conservatory reports) and on culture in Frankfurt during the period under investigation can be found in the archives of the Johann Wolfgang Goethe University and in the Institut für Stadtgeschichte (Institute for City History). The Conservatory's big drawing-card was the famous pianist Clara Schumann (1819-1896) who taught there between 1878 and 1891. The students referred to are Hetti Goldschmidt (born in Cape Town, studied 1888-1889, or only 1889), Cäcilie Manikus (Cape Town, 1899-1901), Lydia van Raalte (Bethlehem, 1904-1905), Frank Struben, (Cape Town, 1907-1909) and Helmuth Rolfes (Kimberley, 1908-1909).
Dit was die doel van die artikel om die kulturele konteks te bepaal waarbinne studente aan die Dr. Hoch'sches Conservatorium in Frankfurt am Main, 'n tipiese Duitse musiekskool, studeer het, en om dan ook vas te stel of daar Suid-Afrikaansgebore studente was wat in die eerste veertig jaar tussen 1878 en 1918 die voordele van die stimulerende milieu geniet het. Belangrike bronne oor die Konservatorium (byvoorbeeld die Konservatoriumjaarboeke) en oor die kultuurlewe in Frankfurt gedurende die tydperk onder bespreking, kan in die argief van die Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universiteit en in die Institut für Stadtgeschichte (Instituut vir stadgeskiedenis) geraadpleeg word. Die groot trekpleister van die Konservatorium was die beroemde pianis Clara Schumann (1819-1896) wat tussen 1878 en 1891 daar les gegee het. Die Suid-Afrikaansgebore studente waarna verwys word, is Hetti Goldschmidt (gebore in Kaapstad, studeer 1888-1889, of moontlik slegs 1889), Cäcilie Manikus (Kaapstad, 1899-1901), Lydia van Raalte (Bethlehem, 1904-1905), Frank Struben, (Kaapstad, 1907-1909) en Helmuth Rolfes (Kimberley, 1908-1909).
