At the age of fourteen he entered the Latin School of Leutkirch and attended successively those of Ehingen and Tübingen.
The communities are, beginning in the north and going clockwise, Eberhardzell and Rot an der Rot in the county Biberach, and Aitrach, Aichstetten, Leutkirch im Allgäu, Kißlegg, Wolfegg and Bad Waldsee in the county Ravensburg.
Westallgäu extends to the north to, amongst others, the towns of Leutkirch, Wangen and Isny.