Der Atlas Deutsche Demokratische Republik

Summary

The "Atlas of the German Democratic Republic" is a national atlas compiled by the Academy of Sciences of the GDR in cooperation with the VEB Hermann Haack publishing house, under the leadership of a commission chaired by Prof. Edgar Lehmann. The atlas aims to systematically present the regional structures of nature, economy, and society in the GDR, serving both informational and cognitive purposes. It contains 106 maps organized into seven groups, covering natural conditions, population and settlements, industry, agriculture and forestry, transport and trade, and education and social welfare, with scales ranging from 1:750,000 to 1:2,000,000. The compilation involved about 200 authors and nearly 20 cartographers, based on years of research, with emphasis on integrated and typified representations to avoid excessive fragmentation. The atlas was published in two installments, with legends translated into Russian, English, French, and Spanish to enhance international accessibility. The article also details design principles, such as the economic overview map, which uses selected indicators and complex-analytical methods to depict regional economic structures in harmony with detailed thematic maps. The atlas not only provides comprehensive information for domestic and international users but also advanced thematic cartography in the GDR.