Franz Staab was born on 21 November 1942 in
Budenheim. He married Jane Darby, née Anderson, with whom he had one son and one daughter. Staab completed his studies and doctorate at the
University of Mainz, where he worked as a research assistant and university assistant from 1971 to 1985. His dissertation (with Alfons Becker) was published in 1972 under the title Untersuchungen zur Gesellschaft am Mittelrhein in der Karolingerzeit (
tr. "Investigations into the Society on the Middle Rhine in the Carolingian period"). His written habilitation of 1984, Das Erzstift Mainz im 10. und 11. Jahrhundert (
tr. "The Mainz Archdiocele in 10th and 11th and 11th Century") was published in 2008 by the Vereinigung der Heimatfreunde am Mittelrhein. After a professorship in Mainz from 1985 to 1987 he became a professor at the University of Education in
Landau (since 1990
University of Koblenz-Landau). and vice-chairman of the (
"Historical Association of the Palatinate") from 1997. From 2001 until his death, he also served as President of the (
"Society for Middle Rhine Church History"); he is also listed as an author in the
Neue Deutsche Biographie. As a wine historian Franz Staab introduced experimental historical research on wine, reviewing the production of wines as documented in ancient writings and suggesting means of reproducing ancient types of wine. Staab was buried in
Hauptfriedhof Mainz, Mainz's main cemetery. From the estate of Franz Staab, the Mainz City Library acquired approximately 1500 books. ==Writings==