In the past few years, the interest shown on the international level in the exploration of the European colonial powers´ history of cartography has strongly stimulated studies on the emergence, evolution, achievements of German colonial cartography. In an interdisciplinary approach, the political, technical, organisational, and financial general conditions for the surveying, topographic reconnaissance, and mapping and charting of the German colonies in Africa (Togo, Kamerun, Deutsch-Ostafrika, and Deutsch-Südwestafrika), in the South Seas (Deutsch-Neuguinea and Deutsch-Samoa), and in East China (Kiautschou region) were to be investigated and the requirements for topographic maps, nautical charts, and general maps identified. For any questions that could not be definitely answered on the basis of the comprehensive technical literature, official sources - above all those available in the Bundesarchiv - had to be consulted. The maps held by the Berlin Staatsbibliothek were drawn on for verifying contradictory statements/views of postwar authors and for confirming the outstanding achievements of the cartographers. This thesis documents for the first time the enormous collaborative accomplishments of all those involved in the surveying, topographic reconnaissance, and mapping and charting of the German colonies, i.e. of an area five times the size of the German Empire´s territory. Although no efficient civilian or military specialist organisation was available to this end, the initiative, dedication, conscientiousness, perseverance, and enthusiasm of the trigonometers and topographers in the tropical and subtropical colonies and of the cartographers in the home country were exemplary. This is also reflected by the map examples accompanying this thesis; they show the typical map/chart style developed for colonial cartography in the German Empire.    «

In the past few years, the interest shown on the international level in the exploration of the European colonial powers´ history of cartography has strongly stimulated studies on the emergence, evolution, achievements of German colonial cartography. In an interdisciplinary approach, the political, technical, organisational, and financial general conditions for the surveying, topographic reconnaissance, and mapping and charting of the German colonies in Africa (Togo, Kamerun, Deutsch-Ostafrika, a...    »