1936 – W. Horn – Die Familiensprache der Schüler

Title:  “Das Ergebnis der Elternbefragung im Memelgebiet (1. April 1921). Gezeichnet von Dr. Werner Horn.”
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“A. Die Familiensprache der Schüler”

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Description:

A detailed map of the family language of the school children in the Memel Territory (Klaipėda Region) in 1921. Each dot stands for five pupils: blue for German, red for Lithuanian, and a red ring for Curonian (“kurisch”), the Latvian dialect of the fishermen of the Curonian Spit and the coast. Blue and red dots stand side by side in most villages, which shows how mixed the population of the countryside was.

• The survey: in 1920 the Treaty of Versailles separated the Memel Territory from Germany and placed it under a French administration on behalf of the Allied Powers. By a decree of 14 March 1921, the administration ordered a survey of the parents of the children in the rural schools. On 1 April 1921 the parents stated their family language and the language in which they wanted their children to be taught religion and reading and writing. Plates 13 and 14 of the series show the answers to these two questions.
• The series: this is plate 12 of seven maps of the Memel Territory drawn by Dr. Werner Horn and published by Justus Perthes in Gotha in Petermanns Geographische Mitteilungen for 1936 (plates 12–18), under the direction of Prof. Paul Langhans. Three plates show the parents’ survey of 1921, and four show the elections to the parliament of the Memel Territory (Landtag; Seimelis) in 1925, 1927, 1930 and 1932.
• The base map: the results are printed in blue and red over a grey topographic map at 1:300,000. It covers the whole Memel Territory, from Nemirseta (Nimmersatt) in the north to Smalininkai (Schmalleningken) in the east, with Klaipėda (Memel), Šilutė (Heydekrug), the Curonian Spit and the Curonian Lagoon. It also covers the neighbouring parts of Lithuania and East Prussia with Palanga (Bad Polangen), Kretinga (Krottingen), Gargždai (Gorzdy) and Tilsit. The border of the territory is marked by a blue band.

Werner Horn (1903–1978) was a German geographer and cartographer in Gotha and later the editor-in-chief of Petermanns Geographische Mitteilungen (1954–1968). The series appeared in 1936, at a time of sharp tension between Germany and Lithuania over the Memel Territory, and it presents the German view of the territory. Today it is an exceptional, detailed record of the languages and politics of Lithuania Minor (Mažoji Lietuva) between the two World Wars.

It is rare on the market.

Cartographer:                 Werner Horn (1903 – 1978)

Publisher, Place:            Justus Perthes, Gotha

Sheet size:          52,7 x 41,7 cm
Year:                     1936
Technique:          colour lithograph

Condition:
Good condition. Folded as issued. Split along the horizontal fold from the right edge, about 20 cm; short split at the upper end of the vertical fold; a small brown spot in the lower margin, light toning.

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This is an original antique map published in 1936 and NOT a modern copy or reprint

On your request I will provide a Certificate of Authenticity