J o h a n n e s Michael Zahn, 29 ٭.September 1671 in Greußen † 28 August 1745 in Gehren, is considered the creator of our family coat of arms. He studied theology in Leipzig and in Wittenberg, where he earned a master's degree on April 30, 1700. Since 1710 he is pastor in Wasserthaleben.

With Johann Michael begins the uninterrupted series of four pastors Zahn in Wasserthaleben:

1710 to 1744 – Johannes Michael

1745 to 1794 – Volkmar Christian

1795 to 1845 – Johann Gottlieb

1845 to 1857 – Friedrich August

Initially, the coat of arms featured Christ nailed to the cross. The great-grandson of Johann Michael, Franz Ludwig Zahn, later replaced the corpus with the serpent nailed to the cross. He thereby refers to Moses 4, ch 21, verses 8 and 9:

8. And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a serpent of brass, and set it up for a sign: he that is bitten, and looketh upon it, the same shall live.
9. And Moses made a serpent of brass, and set it for a sign: and if a serpent bit any man, he looked upon the serpent of brass, and lived.

The Greek inscription "MέsίthV ІhsoύV μoi zάn" means: "the mediator Jesus is life to me" - the initial letters MJMZ result: Magister Johann Michael Zahn.

The three stars on the coat of arms mean: Franz Ludwig Zahn is the third son of Johann G o t t l i e b Zahn.

As far as we know, the family of Franz Ludwig Zahn is the only one among the Zahn families that still uses the coat of arms today.