German Empire topographic maps produced between 1875 and 1931 by the Prussian State Recording and later the Reich Office for Land Recording. The collection consists of measuring table sheets at a scale of 1:25,000, featuring contour lines and a normal-zero reference. These maps were created to satisfy civilian demand and formed the basis for subsequent map scales.
Use Cases
- Analyze historical landforms and elevation changes based on contour line representation.
- Study the development of civilian infrastructure and settlements based on the map work intended for civilian demand.
- Compare cartographic styles and techniques based on the transition from single-coloured to multi-coloured prints.
- Georeference historical features based on the precise 1:25,000 scale and normal-zero reference.
Strengths
- Covers a significant historical period from 1875 to 1931.
- Provides a large-scale topographic base at 1:25,000.
- Includes contour lines and a standardized vertical datum (normal-zero).
Limitations
- Last updated 1935-01-01 00:00:00; freshness should be verified.
- Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
- Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
Provenance
- Source
- Bundesamt für Kartographie und Geodäsie
- Collection Method
- Topographic surveying and cartographic production by Prussian State Recording and Reich Office for Land Recording.
- Time Range
- 1875 to 1931
- Geography
- German Empire