Franz Saalfelder was an officer of the house guard at Schloss Schwarzburg and in the service of Graf (Count) Ludwig Günther of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. He was a witness to the Ring of Fire. Franz saw part of the valley of the Schwarza and the road to Rudolstadt replaced by Grantville and its surrounding lands. The change of landscape created a pit and consequently, a part of the remaining village of Schwarzburg, was now perched precariously atop the new and unstable cliff-face, subsequently sliding into it. Saalfelder noted it was fortunate that not many people were present in the village, but feared the worst.