Historical Map: East Berlin U-Bahn and S-Bahn, c. 1989

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Historical Maps

As a direct contrast to my previous post, here’s the East Berlin perspective of transit in that divided city.

Notice anything?

West Berlin has almost been entirely excised from the map: a small, empty, featureless area totally encircled by extensive East German rail lines as well as the Berlin Wall: here referred to as the “state border”. A powerful statement of East German superiority if there ever was one.

Have we been there? Yes.

What we like: As before, the historical and political snapshot of a map like this is astounding.

What we don’t like: Not actually hugely useful as a route map – all the S-Bahn tracks are the same shade of neon green, making it impossible to tell where trains begin and end their journey. Eye-jarring colours: I think there’s actually two different neon greens, but it’s very difficult to tell!

Our rating: Mapping as propaganda. An amazing piece of history. Four-and-a-half stars.

Source: Frank Jacobs’ awesome Strange Maps blog

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