Antique map - Kiel 1917

Pharus map of Kiel in 1917: the German Empire’s great naval base on the fjord, the naval port (Reichs-Kriegs-Hafen), the central railway station and the district of Gaarden.

This Pharus map shows Kiel in 1917. At the time, the city was part of the Prussian province of Schleswig-Holstein following its annexation in 1866 after the Duchies War. Today it lies in the state of Schleswig-Holstein, of which it is the capital and largest city. Having become the German Empire’s principal naval port in 1871 (Reichskriegshafen), its population grew spectacularly, from around 24,000 in 1867 to nearly 210,000 in 1917.

Kiel’s history during the First World War is inseparable from its maritime and military role. The Reich’s leading naval center, the city was home to major shipyards (such as Germaniawerft) and the fleets of the North Sea and Baltic Sea. It was in Kiel that the famous sailors’ mutiny broke out in November 1918, triggering the German Revolution and the end of the Empire. In 1917, Kiel was also a strategic crossroads, thanks to the opening of the Kiel Canal (Kaiser-Wilhelm-Kanal) in 1895, which links the Baltic Sea to the North Sea.

Places and districts shown:

• The naval port (Reichs-Kriegs-Hafen) and the fjord: the vast roadstead of Kiel Fjord (Kieler Hafen) forms the backbone of the map, highlighting the naval basins and anchorage areas of the imperial fleet.

• The central railway station (Hauptbahnhof) and city center: the central station, drawn in red in perspective at the far end of the Handelshafen, serves the historic heart of the city, the old town and the commercial basins.

• The shipyards and the district of Gaarden: on the eastern shore of the Förde, the district of Gaarden and the enormous shipyard facilities (Germaniawerft) feature prominently.

• The Kleiner Kiel and the university: in the center, the waters of the Kleiner Kiel border the university district (Christian-Albrechts-Universität) and the parks in the city center.

• The northern suburbs and districts: the map extends north toward Brunswik, Düsternbrook and Wik, following the fjord’s waterfront promenades.

• The municipalities and districts on the eastern shore: east of the fjord are Neumühlen-Dietrichsdorf, Wellingdorf and Ellerbek, with their industrial and port facilities.

• Railways and regional connections: the railway network serves the port basins, while the legend marks major roads to neighboring towns in orange.

Map reference: this “Pharus-Plan Kiel” belongs to the same series as the 1917 maps of Berlin, Frankfurt, Hanover, Aachen, Bremen, Breslau, Koblenz, Cologne, Darmstadt, Dresden, Duisburg and Düsseldorf, with railway stations in red and buildings drawn in perspective. The masthead of the Magdeburgische Zeitung appears above the map, and the legend marks roads for cars and bicycles in orange, with orange labels indicating nearby towns. A grid of letters and numbers makes it possible to locate each place.

In brief: for anyone with ties to Kiel or Schleswig-Holstein, interested in naval history, the First World War, major shipyards or the growth of Baltic ports, this map shows the city at the height of its role as the Empire’s naval capital, with a population of more than 200,000.

What area does this map of Kiel cover? It covers the city of Kiel and both shores of the fjord: the old town, central railway station and Kleiner Kiel to the west, extending east to the industrial districts and shipyards of Gaarden, Ellerbek, Wellingdorf and Neumühlen-Dietrichsdorf.

What year was this map published? This map dates from 1917. It was published by Pharus-Verlag of Berlin.

Reproduction of the “Pharus-Plan Kiel,” published in 1917 by Pharus-Verlag in Berlin.

Printed on 200 g/m² textured art paper. Landscape orientation, standard sizes 50x70 and 70x100: easy to frame.