English
The initator was most likely my decision in 2007 to create a small family-tree. Little did I know that this decision would lead me to a by now quite significant family-tree and to this family crest.
But the main trigger came from Mr. Horst Otremba of Triefenstein. In spring 2008 he did show me the picture to the left. This picture shows the family-crest of Michael Herberich. Michael did add this crest in 1698 to his newly built house. Once I was able to establish that this family-crest did actually belong to one of my ancestors I tried to find out if this family-crest had already been registered to us. For this I got in contact with Mr. Claus J. Billet, a renowned herald.
Unfortunately, Mr. Billet had to inform me shortly afterwards that this family-crest is already registered to the Hill family.
Although Mr. Billet did mention to me that if we would modify the colouring-scheme we might be able to use this design in the slightly altered version - but this would not be fully in line with German heraldics. My disappointment was huge, but a modification of an already existing family-crest that belongs to a family that is not related to us Herberichs was a solution that I could not accept.
My initial disappointment was quickly wiped away by my ambition to create a new and unique family-crest that would also describe us Herberichs of Lengfurt really adequately. As a result Mr. Billet created a family-crest which is flawlessly following the German heraldic rules and that describes the Herberich-family of Lengfurt very well.
If you belong to my clan and if you want to carry this family-crest then get in touch with me. I will be happy to inform you and forward the required material to you.
Note: Our family-crest is registered at the Heraldische Gemeinschaft Westfalen under registration-number 8106508.