This mid-century pocket atlas is a fascinating piece from a city poised between the rubble of World War II and the rigid division of the Cold War. Published by the storied Ullstein-Verlag and meticulously edited by Max Spindler, this circa 1953 edition captures the occupied German capital during its brief, tense window as an “Open City.” Dozens of color-printed maps offer an informative overview of the city’s transportation network, public buildings, monuments, and important infrastructure. Political boundaries are heavily emphasized, with British and Soviet zones highlighted in purple, as well as a definitive border between East and West Berlin. Despite the image, this was before the Berlin Wall, and transportation between each side of the city was relatively commonplace. Thousands of Berliners crossed sector lines daily for work or leisure, and as Soviet and Western powers were constantly renaming streets and plazas for political influence, these pocket atlases were invaluable sources of reliable information.
