The caption on the only known contemporary portrait of the mathematician reads: ANNO 1550 ADAM RIES SEINS ALTERS IM LVIII.

The location of his birth, Staffelstein, can be determined with certainty, since he gives information about himself in the preface to his book, Coß.

The first time that Adam Ries was mentioned in a document was on 22 April 1517, when he appeared before the Council of Staffelstein because of a dispute over an inheritance.

While Abraham and Jacob died in their home town in 1604, Adam is supposed to have settled in the Harz mountains.

The fourth son, Isaac, moved to Leipzig, where he was active as a Visierer (a master of weights and measures).

On the occasion of the 400th birthday of Adam Ries, the Annaberg Historical Society decided in 1891 to put up a monument to the mathematician.

In 1943, the bronze bust was melted to make armaments and it was replaced ten years later by a sandstone copy.

At the end of the 1970s, this was completely removed from the town because of fears that its condition would continue to deteriorate due to the material.

After severe damage by vandalism in 1992, it was once again reconstructed through the initiative of the Adam Ries Association, and it was once again placed before the church on the 100th anniversary of the first dedication.