The founder was born Peter Wirth on 15 October 1830 in Niederbreitbach, Germany, the youngest of four children.
He was born Peter Wirth in the town of Niederbreitbach, then in the Rhine Province of the Kingdom of Prussia, on 15 October 1830, the fourth child of Theodor Wirth and Katharina Andries.
Niederbreitbach is a municipality and officially recognised climatic health-resort in the district of Neuwied, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.