The ancient Dream of flight

"In this world there are only two tragedies. One is not getting what one wants, and the other is getting it. The last is much the worst; the last is a real tragedy!"

Oscar Wilde

model of the fanciful airship "Minerva" from 1784

Witches ride on broomsticks through the air, legends and fables are full of winged peoples, a proud griffin can be seen on Anklam's coat of arms, the sky is the natural home of the gods. To fly was always more than just a technical problem. Facts, data and pictures enable us to write the short story of human flight. Hereafter the long prehistory of fantastic projects, astonishing ideas and adventurous attempts comes to an end.

The Berlin model builder H. Serowski and others have constructed conceptual models from projects handed over to them. The oldest recorded 'flight through the air' is dated around 2200 years before our time. Quotes at the walls of the exhibition show that apart from technicians, philosophers and artists of all times have also been preoccupied with the dream of flying.

"la Paserola (big bird)" 1709
Project of the clergyman Bartholomeo Lourenco de Gusmão (Portugal)

vacuum airship of the Italian Francesco Lana de Terzi, 1670