Cartographers, beer and vocals: A look at the Gotha of the 19th century!

Cartographers, beer and vocals: A look at the Gotha of the 19th century!

Gotha, Deutschland - The University of Erfurt's research library will carry out an exciting event in the "Perthes in conversation" on Wednesday, June 18. Anna-Maria Hünnes from Frankfurt a.M. will be discussed on the topic “Cartographers in Pubs-the Verlagshaus Justus Perthes Gotha and the Natural Science Association 1875–1920”. The lecture begins at 6.15 p.m. in the ancestral hall of the Perthes Forum in Gotha, and admission is free. This event aims to examine the leisure behavior of the cartographers and their commitment in various clubs in the city of Gotha in the 19th century.

employees of the Justus-Perthes publishing house actively took part in a large number of Gotha clubs, including the shooting club, ancientian association and many more. In these clubs, especially in the scientific association, weekly meetings took place in inns in which theories about the emergence of the world and scientific publications were discussed, often accompanied by beer and singing. The formative figures included Hermann Hermannicht, who worked as a cartographer at the publisher from 1859 to 1914 and had a wide range of interests. According to blog-fbg.uni-erfurt.de documented.

The takeover led to a change in the use of the collection, which is now available to international research and the public. To celebrate this development, a series under the title "Treasury of Cartography" will also introduce treasures of this collection in the coming months.

The history of cartography

Cartography has a long and varied story that goes back to early history. According to the Wikipedia , maps have been in various forms for thousands of years, starting with engravings on Mamuts ivory and ending in modern digital cartography. In the 19th century, cartography with institutes such as Justus Perthes in Gotha achieved a new dimension of precision and scientific progress. The development of lithograph and multicolored printing revolutionized the card display and contributed to the spread of geographical knowledge.

Today we are faced with the challenges and possibilities of digital cartography that has set new standards with technologies such as Google Earth. The influence of historical publishers like Justus Perthes on cartography is undeniable and becomes alive in today's event, which combines both historical and cultural aspects.