Throughout the Middle Ages, Obernzenn was influenced by various noble families and was part of the Holy Roman Empire.

It developed as a small but significant agricultural community with a number of notable buildings, including the Church of St. Peter and Paul and the Zenn Castle.

Johann Appler, born in 1892, was a member of the Schutzstaffel (SS), the paramilitary organization under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party.

His assignment in Obernzenn involved overseeing operations related to the administration and enforcement of Nazi policies.

These actions were part of a broader, clandestine initiative aimed at exploring the limits of chemical dependency, with potential applications for controlling both human and animal behavior.