Friedrich Froebel was born in Oberweissbach, Thuringia

When I was a child, Lina Froebel sang to me in German, and told stories from her native Thuringia about my ancestors.

This Adel family from Franconia is associated with Arnstadt, which according to legend was foundered by Merovech guided by two eagles. Merovech (Latin: Meroveus or Merovius) was a leader of the Salian Franks, who fought with the Roman general Aetius to defeat the Huns under Attila on the Catalaunian fields in 451 in Gaul. Arnstadt was the garrison that protected this ancient trade route across Europe for centuries and became known the Gateway to the Thuringian Forest, Das Tor zum Thüringer Wald.

The first Frankish royal dynasty called themselves Merovingians, descendants of Meroveus, which is a Latinization of the Old High German given name Marwig, which means “famed fight” (cf. māri “famous” + wīg “fight”)

In 726, Arnstadt passed to the Abbey of Echternach, which was later known as the Abbey Hersfeld. The Holy Roman Emperor Otto I decided on 17 December 954 that the Liebfrauenkirche (Church of our Lady) would be built after he made peace in Arnstadt with his rebellious sons, one of whom he appointed archbishop of Mainz.

By the 12th century a part of Arnstadt was under the rule of the Counts of Kevernburg and later passed to the counts of Schwarzburg.

On the red shield of Franconia is displayed a silver axe. The red and silver buffalo horns mean strength and fortitude, while the three crossed banderoles are a reward for valiant service.