Albrecht Ludwig Berblinger was born in Elm today June 24, 1770. On May 31, 1811 he undertook a spectacular attempt to fly from the Adlerbastei in Ulm with his self-built flying machine. However, the attempt sadly failed and Berblinger plunged into the Danube, due to unfavorable wind conditions. Albrecht Ludwig Berblinger had the heart of an inventor - he invented a working prosthetic leg for humans and made a significant contribution to the pioneering of aviation. The tailor of Ulm, who dreamed that man could fly, was a true visionary.
Ulm 1592
Said the Tailor to the Bishop:
Believe me, I can fly.
Watch me while I try.
And he stood with things
That looked like wings
On the great church roof-
That is quite absurd
A wicked, foolish lie,
For man will never fly,
A man is not a bird,
Said the Bishop to the Tailor.
Said the People to the Bishop:
The Tailor is quite dead,
He was a stupid head.
His wings are rumpled
And he lies all crumpled
On the hard church square.
The bells ring out in praise
That man is not a bird
It was a wicked, foolish lie,
Mankind will never fly,
Said the Bishop to the People.
(Bertolt Brecht)
The Gothic Ulm Cathedral soars above the Danube River with the world's tallest church spire, towering 530 feet above the ground. Climbing the 768 steps to the top of the main spire rewards one with beautiful panoramas across Swabia and neighboring Bavaria. The massive Gothic cathedral was begun in 1377 and was completed 1890. The cathedral was a silent witness to Albrecht’s attempt to fly.
I think it's great that, in the first illustration, Berblinger still has his tailor scissors in his pocket. It's as if he carried with him that part of his self he wished to transcend even as he dared to break free and take to the sky. Thanks for sharing this wonderful story. Happy birthday, Albrecht. May all our dreams soar.
Bless every artist, every Icarus in the world.