![The dream of flying: in the 18th century people were captivated by balloon flight, and the Swiss were no exception.](https://blog.nationalmuseum.ch/app/uploads/ballon-titel-300x225.jpg)
The ballooning pioneer you’ve never heard of
In 1784, Anton Tschann from Balsthal successfully launched a hot-air balloon into the sky – the first Swiss to do so. Later on, however, others claimed the glory...
![Portrait of Jean-Pierre Blanchard, 1785.](https://blog.nationalmuseum.ch/app/uploads/blanchard-268x300.jpg)
![Blanchard’s balloon flight in Basel in 1788.](https://blog.nationalmuseum.ch/app/uploads/ballonfahrt-basel-300x249.jpg)
Balloon flights were in fact banned
![The Tschann brothers’ balloon ascent in Solothurn, 1784.](https://blog.nationalmuseum.ch/app/uploads/ballon-tschann-214x300.jpg)
![The French had their embassy in Solothurn for a good 200 years. View of the city, late 18th century.](https://blog.nationalmuseum.ch/app/uploads/solothurn-2-e1616569496996-300x191.jpg)
![Advertisement by the Tschann brothers in the NZZ, 1788.](https://blog.nationalmuseum.ch/app/uploads/nzz-inserat-2-300x279.jpg)
![Postcard featuring the Tschann brothers, 1957.](https://blog.nationalmuseum.ch/app/uploads/gebruder-tschann-300x207.jpg)
In 1784, Anton Tschann from Balsthal successfully launched a hot-air balloon into the sky – the first Swiss to do so. Later on, however, others claimed the glory...