1939 German WWII Map of the Poland Campaign of the 1st Battalion, 20th Artillery Reg.

German invasion of Poland that ignited World War II.

This is a c. 1939 German World War II route map of the Poland Campaign of the 1st Battalion, 20th Artillery Regiment. The map follows the battalion's advance from August 20, 1939 (11 days before the German invasion of Poland), to October 10, 1939. The 20th Artillery Regiment supported the 20th Infantry Division during the month-long Poland campaign.

Nazi Battalion's War through Poland

The map follows the battalion from just north of Frankfurt, Germany, on their way to Neudorf, where they spent August 23 and 24. They advanced to Stepen (August 25) and then to Flötenstein, where they spent from August 26 through the 31, before moving out to invade Poland and begin World War II. The battalion crossed the German-Polish border on the morning of September 1, 1939, between Firchau, Germany, and Chojnice (here as Konitz), Poland, where the battalion engaged the Polish on September 1. After the battle at Chojnice, the battalion headed east to Nowe (Neuenburg) before advancing north to just outside Gdańsk (Danzig) on September 5-6. The battalion continued their advance east, and dates mark battles and towns where they bivouacked or 'requisitioned' lodging. The advance ended on September 21, 1939, at Wlodawa on the Bug River. From here, the battalion reversed course and returned along much of the same route of their advance on September 22 and eventually returned to Firchau, Germany, on October 9, 1939 (the final date on the map).

A Closer Look

Coverage embraces from Cottbus, Germany, east to Hrodno (Grodno), Belarus, and from the North Sea and Tilsit, Germany, to Wrocław (Breslau), Poland. At the time, the region depicted was eastern Germany and western Poland, along with part of the German Empire around Tilsit. The borders of the Free City of Danzig are illustrated. Cites are labeled in German, disregarding historical Polish names. Arrows illustrate the 1st Battalion, 20th Artillery Regiment's advance from Germany east through Poland, and bars mark their return to Firchau. Rivers, key barriers in wartime, are included.

Publication History and Census

This map was drawn by Unteroffizier Brodack (or at least signed by him) and published around October 1939. This is the only known cataloged example.

Condition

Good. Wear along original fold lines. Verso repairs at fold intersections. Two small areas of infill.