This collection of fifteen special maps of the Kingdom of Prussia from around 1878 represents a significant testament to Prussian cartography and military history in the late 19th century. These maps were produced by the Department of the Royal Prussian Land Survey in Berlin, an institution that played a central role in the systematic surveying and cartographic documentation of Prussian territory.
The Prussian Land Survey had its roots in the military necessities of the 18th century. Following the experiences of the Silesian Wars, Frederick the Great recognized the strategic importance of accurate maps for military operations. The systematic trigonometric survey of Prussia began in the early 19th century and was intensified after the Napoleonic Wars. The maps presented here at a scale of 1:100,000 belong to the so-called “Large General Staff Map” or “Map of the German Empire,” which was systematically produced from the 1870s onwards.
The geographical distribution of the map sheets is of particular interest: they concentrate on Schleswig-Holstein and northern Lower Saxony, territories that came under Prussian control following the Second Schleswig War of 1864 and the Austro-Prussian War of 1866. Locations such as Itzehoe, Segeberg, Lübeck, Ratzeburg, and Lauenburg formed strategically important points in this newly acquired region. The inclusion of Stade, Buxtehude, and Harburg demonstrates the military significance of the Elbe River as a transportation and defensive line.
The scale of 1:100,000 was particularly suitable for military purposes. It provided sufficient detail for planning troop movements, identifying terrain features, and strategic analysis, while remaining clear enough for operational planning at corps and division level. Prussian General Staff maps of this period were technically advanced and employed precise geodetic surveys based on a nationwide triangulation network.
Of particular military-historical significance is the accompanying larger map of the Lockstedt Training Area at a scale of 1:25,000. The Lockstedt training area in Schleswig-Holstein was established in the 1870s and served for the training and instruction of Prussian troops. Following the founding of the Empire in 1871 and the experiences of the Franco-Prussian War, the Prussian-German military leadership recognized the necessity of systematic troop training in realistic terrain. Such detailed training area maps were essential for planning maneuvers, coordinating units, and terrain familiarization.
The ownership stamps on some maps indicate that these were part of a military or governmental map collection. In the Prussian military system, maps were strictly controlled documents. They were inventoried, their distribution was registered, and obsolete editions had to be returned. Marking with stamps was standard practice for all military cartographic materials.
The inclusion of the Black Forest Association map of the Baden section (sheet Achern-Oberkirch) at a scale of 1:35,000 may initially seem surprising, but is explained by military interest in detailed cartographic material of all German regions. The Black Forest as a low mountain range was of strategic importance, and civilian hiking maps from the Black Forest Association, founded in 1864, often provided valuable topographic details.
The railway and travel map by Professor Liebenow at a scale of 1:2,000,000 complements the collection with an overview map. Professor Liebenow, as a Privy Councillor a high-ranking Prussian official, represents the close connection between science, cartography, and state administration in the German Empire. Railway maps were of immense military importance, as the rapid mobilization and transport of troops by rail was a cornerstone of Prussian-German military strategy after 1871. The Schlieffen Plan and other operational plans were fundamentally based on the possibilities of rail transport.
The indicated condition of 2-3 with age-related staining is typical for maps of this age. Paper maps from the period before the introduction of acid-free paper are susceptible to yellowing, foxing, and other aging phenomena. Military maps were used intensively, often in the field under adverse conditions, which further complicated their preservation.
This map collection offers a fascinating insight into Prussian military cartography of the Bismarck era and documents the systematic surveying and military penetration of northern Germany following Prussian expansion in the 1860s.
