“Atlases, maps and globes from Berlin” – The geographical sciences and publishers in Berlin
21 – 23.04.2023 – Berlin State Library
Around 1700, the city of Berlin, as a small residential city, did not yet play a role among the scientific and publishing cities of Germany. This only changed with the founding of the Electoral Academy of Sciences (later the Royal Prussian Academy) in 1709, the University in 1810 and the Society for Geography in 1828. Names such as Euler, Humboldt, Kiepert, Ritter and Sotzmann are examples of this development.
The Atlastage aims to examine Berlin’s development into an important city of geographical sciences. With the kind support of the Berlin State Library, in particular the map department, we will take a look at the existing collections and the work of Berlin cartographers. In lectures and working groups, the relevant publishing activities will be examined in the light of the atlases and maps produced in Berlin. We will focus on the following topics, among others:
- Berlin Globes – selected publishers and a guided tour through the Berlin Globes Collection of the Berlin State Library will provide an insight into the development of globe production in Berlin in the 19th century.
- Heinrich Kiepert – and his son Richard shaped the development of cartography in the 19th century, closely associated with the Dietrich Reimer publishing house. The estate of both cartographers can be found in the Berlin State Library.
- The brothers Peter J. and Paul Oestergaard – With various publishing houses, in particular the Columbus publishing house, they set new trends in cartography in Berlin at the beginning of the 20th century. The work of the publishing house and the diverse cartographic cooperations are traced using exemplary material.
Further workshops on special cartographic topics, including the collection of the Geographical Games of the State Library, as well as an extensive exhibition of material by Berlin cartographers round off the program.
The International Atlas Days are aimed at interested parties, experts and collectors of atlases with a focus on the 19. and 20th century. Cartographic and bibliophile aspects are considered in equal measure.
Program
Lectures
Joachim Klein – Atlas Geographicus by Leonhard Euler
Robert Michel – Berlin publishers and cartographers:
Eric Losang – Berlin Geographers and Cartographers: Heinrich Kiepert – Attempt at a work-oriented short biography
Reinhard Urbanke – Berlin Geographers and Cartographers: Peter Jessen + Paul Oestergaard (Columbus Verlag)
