Book reviews: Atlas of Poland

Summary

The review assesses installments I–IV of Atlas Polski, listed as published in 1963–1966, each containing eight map sheets. Their coverage is predominantly physical geography; economic-geographical maps had not yet appeared. The reviewer notes that no fixed program or editorial board is stated, sheets are unnumbered, and thematic organization and quality are uneven, while valuing the collection as research material that could eventually underpin a conventional national atlas. Particular praise goes to geological maps compiled from 1:1 million source maps: W. Pożaryski and Z. Rühle’s map excluding Quaternary and Tertiary deposits depicts tectonic structure and permits reconstruction of Mesozoic surface relief, while E. Rühle and M. Sokołowska’s Quaternary map complements J. Kondracki’s geomorphological treatment. Kondracki’s extension beyond Poland’s borders facilitates comparison with German interpretations. The reviewer also singles out W. Szafer’s geobotanical regionalization in installment II. Muted printing, difficult-to-distinguish colors, and Polish-only explanations prompt recommendations for supplementary letter symbols and explanations in an international language. The reviewer regards the atlas as especially useful to geographers unable to read Polish scholarship.