Maps on old postcards look really cool, I think (see previous post). So I looked for another one, and found this postcard, dating from 1929. Coincidentally, it illustrates another area peripheral to Germany: the Free City of Danzig.
This city on the Baltic coast (presently the Polish city of Gdansk), was detached from Germany in 1919 by the Treaty of Versailles and became a Free City under the auspices of the League of Nations. It was hemmed in by the German exclave of East Prussia (to the east), the Baltic Sea (to the north) and Poland (to the south and west; a narrow Polish corridor to the Baltic separated Danzig from Germany to the west).
As Poland after World War One had wanted access to the Baltic, and therefore obtained the Polish Corridor. Additionally, Versailles stipulated that Danzig, majoritarily German, would manage its own internal affairs, but that its external affairs would be presided over by Poland.
Danzig and the Polish Corridor became focal points for Polish-German tensions, eventually culminating in the German invasion on September 1, 1939 – the start of World War Two. After the war, the German population of Danzig (and other eastern areas) was forcibly moved towards the west, and Danzig became the Polish city of Gdansk (later to gain international prominence as the birthplace of Lech Walesa’s Solidarity movement in the early 1980s).
This map on the reverse of a postcard shows the territorial area of the Free City of Danzig, and also a stamp issued by the Danzig government. It was taken from this website (click on country index, go to ‘Danzig’).
I love this blog – what a great idea. Have linked to you from my site.
Comment by snowqueen — November 29, 2006 @ 11:01 pm
[...] I came across this interesting blog, while surfing around. I found it to be one of the most creative blogs I ever came across. What a fantastic idea. A collection of bizarre maps from all over. [...]
Pingback by Strange maps « Development and Learning — November 30, 2006 @ 4:53 pm
Wonderful web site for any map fanatic like me. The more obscure the map, the better. I’ll continue to check it.
Comment by dstribling — December 4, 2006 @ 12:38 am
I was looking for a map of Danzig and surrounding area after I came across letters from distant relatives (grandmother’s family) who lived in Danzig prior to WWII.
Evidently some relative from America was going to visit them in 1928 and they gave directions to their village. “Take a bus from Danzig to Heumarkt to Grensdorf and from there it was only 6 kilometers to Boschpol” where this aunt lived. After WWII attempts were made through the Red Cross to locate these people but to no avail. I’m curious about the village and surrounding area and a map would be useful.
The above postcard map is good, but I would like to see something more detailed.
Thanks if anyone can point me to a link.
Comment by Harriett — February 23, 2007 @ 5:59 am
I recommend Gunter Grass’ haunting novel “The Tin Drum” (1959)which evokes Danzig’s separateness from both Germany and Poland.
Comment by Robert — March 11, 2007 @ 4:55 am
Harriett, today the village’s name is Bożepole. you can easily track it on any internet map.
Comment by Alex — December 6, 2007 @ 5:31 pm
I have been collecting Danzig stamps and postcards. I badly need a detailed city map to locate the places/buildings/churches I see on the postcards? Can anybody supply me with such a map or recommend the way I can find map on the net?
Comment by Laszlo Fesus — August 29, 2008 @ 4:11 pm
thanks.
Comment by hero — October 15, 2008 @ 1:28 pm
thanks for this map
good
luck
Comment by Solomon — May 11, 2009 @ 7:07 am
merci
Comment by aspicco . — May 17, 2009 @ 4:49 am
teşekkür ederim
Comment by yory — June 12, 2009 @ 8:09 pm
Vielen Dank
Comment by moon — July 3, 2009 @ 3:48 am
Muchas gracias
Comment by sun — July 4, 2009 @ 6:29 am