From 1878 to 1909, the German states of Prussia, Bavaria, Württemberg, and Saxony produced a uniform topographic map series covering the Reich territory. The map of the German Empire at 1:100,000 scale comprises 675 sheets, each covering an area of approximately 35 km by 28 km. The Bundesamt für Kartographie und Geodäsie provides this map series, which was considered the primary general staff map for a long period.
Use Cases
- Analyze historical land use and settlement patterns based on the detailed topographic features.
- Study the evolution of cartographic techniques and national mapping standards based on the described polyhedral projection and sheet layout.
- Georeference historical events or infrastructure projects using the precise 1:100,000 scale map sheets.
Strengths
- The map series consists of 675 individual sheets, providing extensive coverage.
- Each sheet covers a defined area of approximately 35 km by 28 km, offering consistent spatial granularity.
- It represents a standardized national mapping effort initiated in 1878 and completed by 1909.
Limitations
- Last updated 1924-12-31 00:00:00; freshness should be verified.
- Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
- The description mentions the multi-colored edition was not completed, which may limit visual analysis compared to modern maps.
Provenance
- Source
- Bundesamt für Kartographie und Geodäsie
- Collection Method
- Produced by the states of Prussia, Bavaria, Württemberg, and Saxony as a uniform Reichskartewerk.
- Time Range
- 1878-1909
- Freshness
- 1924-12-31
- Geography
- German Empire territory