as-1902
1940: German WW2 invasion preparations for England's South Coast
Generalstab des Heeres [German General Staff] :
Südküste. Text- und Bildheft mit Kartenlagen
Berlin: [Department for War Maps and Surveying], 15th August 1940.
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An exceedingly scarce and difficult-to-find 446-page book containing some 380 half-tone photographs, printed both sides, of coastal towns and locations on England's South coast plus 50 maps annotated with landing conditions (flat coast, steep coast, cliffs, beaches, etc).
In near-immaculate condition internally, as issued in original green wrappers. As shown above, the outer top wrapper has a faint military cancellation stamp dated 1947 and shows the marks of another taped or pasted-on label, long-removed.
This extensive book of photographs and maps was issued in Berlin in 1940 as part of Militärgeographische Angaben über England (effectively translating as Military/geographical Report on England) by Abteilung für Kriegskarten und Vermessungswesen (Department for War Maps and Surveying), and was intended Nur für den Dienstgebrauch! (For official use only) by the Generalstab des Heeres (German General Staff).
The work was prepared in the early months of 1940, and Abgeschlossen am 15. August 1940 (Corrected to 15 August 1940), to be used in the planning and execution of Unternehmen Seelöwe (Operation Sealion), the intended invasion of England in late 1940 by large-scale troop landings along the English South Coast, and was issued for the use of high ranking military planners, officers and their staff within the top echelons of the German war machine in Berlin.
A lovely original example of a German invasion document which seldom comes onto the market.
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© 1890-2010: The Clique, York YO24 1DY, UK. 01904 631752. . Information on old and rare books for 120 years.
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