Under the Map of Germany

Guntram Henrik Herb

At the close of First World War, propaganda mapping played a crucial role in the creation of a consensus about German national territory. "Under the Map of Germany" provides a detailed analysis of the history and techniques of mapping in inter-war Germany. Using extensive archival documentation--including many previously undiscovered maps--to chart the development of alternative concepts of national territory brought about during the Weimar Republic, the author reveals how an effective propaganda mapping network had been established and a consensus reached about the extent of the Greater German nation "before" the rise of Nazism. Challenging the belief that national self-determination is a just cause, "Under the Map of Germany" reveals that national territories are not tangible entities that can be clearly delimited, but are artificial constructs open to a wide range of interpretations.

Introduction 1. Nationalism, Territory, Maps and Propaganda 2. Cartography and National Territory at the End of the First World War 3. A Concern for Accuracy 5. Coordination of Cartographic Revisionism The Stiftung fur Deutsche Volks-Und Kulturbodenforschung 6. Maps as Weapons The Development of Suggestive Cartography 7. Creating a Unified Message 8. Concepts of National Territory in the Third Reich 9. Maps and Nazi Propaganda Conclusion Primary Sources Bibliography