This map by German illustrator Alphons Woelfle (1938) shows the extent and the divisions of Bücherland (the Land of Books). The Land consists of about half a dozen distinct territories, most of which are explicitly named: Leserrepublik (Reader’s Republic), Vereinigte Buchhandelsstaaten (United States of Booksellers), Recensentia (a realm for Reviewers), Makulaturia (Waste Paper Land), and Poesia (Poetry). The capital of the US of B is the city of Officina (Latin for workshop, and the origin of our ‘office’; the name seems remarkably unremarkable. Possibly there is an old reference or a German word-joke here we’re not getting).
Plotting out imagined places on a map as if they were “real” countries is a favourite trope in curious cartography. The artificial equation of place and meaning allows for double-entendres and other humorous leaps of the imagination on which this allegorical form of cartography thrives. As a sub-genre of cartography, it has been around since at least La carte de tendre, an 18th-century French map of love’s topography (discussed in entry #245 of this blog). Other examples previously discussed include a Map on Temperance (#258) or a German map of the Empire of Love (#59).
This map was possibly commissioned by the Heimeran Verlag (publishing house) of Munich, a frequent employer of Mr Woelfle’s artisanship – although no information could be found relating to the specific circumstances of this map. One can only presume that it illustrated a book about books, or more precisely, a book about publishing. The look and feel of the map is definitely older than its mid-20th-century age; in a positive case of antiquarianism (i.e. lending something respectability by increasing its age), it has been made to resemble the maps of earlier times (17th, 18th century, I’d say).
Many thanks to Paul K. (of the brilliant BibliOdyssey) for the map, found in the digital archives of the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek.
PS – I had written up an extensive overview of all areas of the Land of Books, discussing in depth some of the more meaningful ‘place-names’ on the map, but lost all of that while uploading the picture. I did plan to ask anyone who has some insight into the double entendres used to contribute their views… So please feel free to comment!
[...] A map of the land of book [...]
Pingback by [links] Link salad hangs in Beijing | jlake.com — April 8, 2009 @ 10:16 pm
I’m native speaker but I don’t get the “Officina” joke either. I ran a Google search but all I found that’s slightly related is a font called Officina. It isn’t as old, though.
So I guess it’s just a reference to Officina meaning atelier/workshop.
Still, a beautiful map.
Comment by TCHe — April 8, 2009 @ 10:30 pm
Thanks for posting this, I had a lot of fun with this map.
Many of the placenames are actually very funny. For example, in the yellow area we have “Blühende Phantasiegefilde” (Realms of flowering fantasy) and right next to it “Hungertuchwebeverein” (Society for the weaving of hunger sheets). This is a reference to the idiomatic expression “am Hungertuch nagen” (nibbling on the hunger sheet), which means being poor. Hence, right next to the flowering fantasy of writers, we have rampant poverty.
Other funny placenames are “Bucht der Eintagsfliegen” (Bay of one-hit wonders), “Kap der gescheiterten Hoffnungen” (Cape of dashed hopes), “Bastsellerie Plantagen” (Bestcelery Plantations), “Schlucht der Druckfehlerteufel” (Ravine of the typo devils), “Höhle der Bücherwürmer” (Cave of the Bookworms) and Volksausgabenteich (Lake of popular editions). Schloß Platitüde (Castle Platitude) is located directly next to “Gemeinplätze” (common grounds) and “Abgegraste Gebiete” (Grazed off lands, i.e. horses flogged dead).
Finally, in the top right corner of the map there is the “Unerforschtes Absatzgebiet”, i.e. the unexplored market.
Comment by Cora — April 8, 2009 @ 11:01 pm
Underneath “Papiermühlen” and to the right of “Volksausgabenteich” lies “Zwiebelfischereien”, a mixture of “Zwiebelfisch” (verbatim: ‘onion fish’) and “Fischerei” (‘fishery’).
A Zwiebelfisch is a single letter printed in a different font or style, as found in Strangemaps’ “Bücherland” above (the “ü”).
At the bottom of the map sails the “Narrenschiff” (‘fool’s ship’), one of the most popular German books of the 15th/16th century.
I guess that “Schatzinsel der Abenteuerromane” (‘Treasure Island of adventure stories’) in the middle on the right side refers to Stevenson’s book, the German title is “Die Schatzinsel”.
Comment by Kristin — April 9, 2009 @ 12:04 am
I do like the fact that Poesia is shaped like a lyre, or maybe a uterus.
Comment by Charlene — April 9, 2009 @ 12:41 am
Officina is the word originally used in German for the workshop of a printer publisher in the 16th and 17th centuries. It refers not just to a workshop but specifically to a print shop. Its also in translation (i.e. office) the official terminus in English when talking of the workshop of an early printer.
Comment by Thony C. — April 9, 2009 @ 6:20 am
While I also can’t see any book-related reference in German, the Polish word “oficyna wydawnicza” is a slightly old-fashioned term for “publishing house”.
Comment by Pixelmatsch — April 9, 2009 @ 6:51 am
[...] il Regionale « Le bisce d’acqua Land of Books Aprile 9, 2009 via Strangemaps. In caso qualcuno si chiedesse dove è finito [...]
Pingback by Land of Books « Aspettando il Regionale — April 9, 2009 @ 7:01 am
I would like to help translating, too.
Unerforschte Absatzgebiete – Unexplored marketing areas
Zelte der Büchergemeinde – Campingground of reader community
Tor des geflügelten Wortes – gate of ditums
Liebesgarten – garde nof love
Asphaltliteratur Bergwerke – Mines of asphalt literature. It’s a term used under the nazis for so called “degenerated art”
Verbotene Provinz – forbidden province
Siedlung der Schleuderer – settlement of hurlers
Urquell des Wissens – Source of knowledge
Zellulose Wälder – woods of cellulose
Tintensee – Ink lake
Detektiv Kellereien – detective cellars (Kellereien is usually wine cellars)
Zensur-Fort – Censorship Fort
Ausfuhr Hafen – export harbour
Raub-Bauplätze – Buildingplace of plagiarism
Roman-Rennbahn – novell racecourse
Schatzinsel des Abenteuerromane – treasure island of adventure novells
Leuchtturm des Börsenvereins – Lighthouse of stock exchange society
Versandete Unternehmungen – shoaled enterprises
Pyramiden der Vergessbücher – pyramids of forgotten books
erlosch. dramat. vulkan – extinct vulcano of drama
alter Exerzierplatz – former parade ground
Literatur Wendekreis – tropic of literature (like tropic of cancer)
Lorbeerhain – laurel grove
Philolog. Pachtland – philological leasehold
Vorgebirge der Klassiker – forelands of classic
Hope it helps!
Bye trillian
Comment by trillian — April 9, 2009 @ 7:06 am
and here is the translation of the townmap
1. Büchermarkt – Bookmarket
2. Boulevard der Massenauflagen – boulevard of mass circulation
3. Neues Bücherviertel – quarter of new books
4. Villenviertel der Verleger – exclusive residential area of publishers
5. Vertragshaus mit Irrgarten und Vorschuß – publisherhouse with labyrinth and advance money
6. Bibliothek – library
7. Wall der Lektoren – bank of lectors
8. Brücke der guten Bezierungen – bridge of good relationship
9. Konjunkturbrunnen – fountain of business cycle
10. Autorensteig – authors steep track
11. Restposten – remnants (outlet store)
12. Haus der Dichter – poetics house
Comment by trillian — April 9, 2009 @ 7:15 am
The German for “officina” is Offizin, which I discovered this morning is also used for an apothecary’s workshop. My German-English dictionary gives the following translations for Offizin: workshop; dispensary; laboratory; chemist’s shop; printing-house.
Comment by Thony C. — April 9, 2009 @ 10:30 am
Just adding to the list so far, I rather liked the Meeresbusen der Enttäuschung, which would be the Gulf of Disappointment. Or perhaps Bight would be better.
Comment by DemetriosX — April 9, 2009 @ 1:08 pm
“Officina” has been glossed as “workshop,” “atelier,” or “office.” I wonder if it is also one of the many euphemisms for “toilet.” I think I have heard “the offices” used in this sense.
Comment by Christopher Henrich — April 9, 2009 @ 3:25 pm
[...] Vía Strange Maps [...]
Pingback by Mapa de la Tierra de los Libros « Pasa la vida — April 9, 2009 @ 3:46 pm
[...] Xogando con lugares imaxinarios sobre un mapa e amosándoos coma se formasen territorios nun mundo real, o ilustrador alemán Alphons Woelfle (1938) cartografiou a Terra dos Libros nesta Karte des Bücher Landes, coa que din en Strange Maps, [...]
Pingback by Bücherland, a Terra dos Libros · Opaco — April 9, 2009 @ 11:37 pm
Is it just me, or does the layout of Officina look a lot like Vienna?
Comment by Joe White — April 10, 2009 @ 2:11 am
If this could be translated (The map itself) it would be the coolest thing to print as a poster and hang up.
I wonder what “States” comprize the USB? Plagiary for one, it looks like Treasure Island is part of that country. I wonder if it is a full State or just a Territory (Probably the latter, it sounds more wild and remote, which is appropriate for adventure stories)? Also having Fort Censorship guarding the sea-lanes of commerce was an inspired comment. I can just see Commandant Comstock firing shots across the bows of any ship and ordering the 177th Corps for the Suppression of Vice aboard to search for medical textbooks!
Comment by Lurker — April 11, 2009 @ 7:18 pm
And there is the river “Papierfluss” (literally: paperflow) through the capital (see inset map).
Comment by Werner Schulz — April 13, 2009 @ 8:13 am
I notice “Poesia” is shaped like an urn… any significance?
Comment by Lurker — April 13, 2009 @ 8:43 pm
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Pingback by Land of Books « Thing of the Day — April 21, 2009 @ 7:47 am
I’m pretty sure poesia is shaped like a lyre; Greek epics were meant to be recited by bards and were usually accompanied with a stringed instrument such as “the lyre or the harp”(Larousse Encyclopedia of Music page 73 in the English language edition published in 1986).
Comment by Joey Cazares — April 26, 2009 @ 7:07 pm
[...] 373 – A Map of the Land of Books [...]
Pingback by myReport » Land of books: 1938 notional map — April 30, 2009 @ 5:47 am
true, this map really has some similarities to Vienna with the river Danube crossing (Papierfluss, paperflow) – and indeed, sometimes you find some wet paper passing by.
http://www.your-friend.info/fileadmin/staticSiteContent/de/images/stadtplan/nur_karte.gif
Comment by Lena — April 30, 2009 @ 8:53 am
[...] From the Strange Maps blog comes this gem of a map! [...]
Pingback by Map of the Land of Books (in German!) « Kilgarlin Center Denizens — April 30, 2009 @ 1:42 pm
I agree with the comment about translation – if someone could put all these translations in the map would be fabulous!
Comment by Sarah — April 30, 2009 @ 2:03 pm
As a couple of people have noted “officina” is Latin for “office/workshop” but it appears here because it was commonly used to refer to a typesetter’s workshop (from “Glossary of Common Latin Terms Found in Imprints of Early Printed Books” on the Website above):
“officina : shop, printing establishment (Ex officina Gulielmi Young, bibliopolae, no. 52 Secunda-Platea, angulo Castaneae-Plateae, M.DCC.XCIII = From the shop of William Young, bookseller, 52 Second Street, on the corner of Castanea Street, 1793; In officina Sylvani Otmari = [Printed] in the shop of Silvan Otmar) “
Comment by Steven — April 30, 2009 @ 4:51 pm
Very impressive, thx for sharing!
Comment by bibman — April 30, 2009 @ 10:02 pm
I am a native German as well, but like Pingback I don’t get the joke. I was thinking about it and think that the illustrator just chose a name … no joke intended.
Who knows.
I love the map though, very pretty!
Comment by Aileen — April 30, 2009 @ 10:52 pm
[...] 373 – A Map of the Land of Books « Strange Maps (tags: Books Maps Vintage) [...]
Pingback by links for 2009-04-30 | Nerdcore — May 1, 2009 @ 6:02 am
Nice! The map has been disappeared from the Munich server due to copyright reasons.
Comment by Klaus Graf — May 1, 2009 @ 3:01 pm
[...] go look at this. Really. It’s delightful. Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)two thingsI am a [...]
Pingback by Friday at last « Readers Guide to . . . — May 2, 2009 @ 12:34 am
Officina is a popular typeface.
Some points:
Lorbeerhain: Laurel copse
Asphaltliteratur-Bergwerk: Asphalt literature is a defamation of Naturalism. Bergwerk = mine
Comment by Karsten — May 2, 2009 @ 5:27 pm
It would be lovely to somehow procure a print of this map for personal libraries as well…
Comment by Brian — May 6, 2009 @ 1:33 am
[...] den Autoren des Blog Strange Maps entstammt die von Alphons Woelfle ausgerechnet im Jahr 1938 als als LESE- REPUBLIK entworfene [...]
Pingback by Karte der Lese- Republik at in|ad|ae|qu|at — May 7, 2009 @ 12:37 pm
I love it. Rather than making the joke obvious, as John Held Jr. and Saul Steinberg might have, the authentic styling of it places it in a different pastiche category. Enjoyable. Thanks, and thanks to the Guardian for telling me about it.
Comment by Eric Hanson — May 10, 2009 @ 12:17 am