Gustav Mesmer was born on 16 January 1903 as the fifth of ten children. In 1929 he was accidentally brought into a psychiatric hospital. His isolation was to last for 35 years. His dream of being able to fly from one village to another occupied his days. He was steadfest in tinkering, constructing and sketching his aircrafts. Soon Mesmer was fondly referred to as "Icarus of the Lauter Valley".