1919 Mid-Week Pictorial: Germany’s Expiation - Maps of the New World Created by Peace Treaty,
DESCRIPTION
This issue of the Mid-Week Pictorial, published in New York by the New York Times Company on May 22, 1919, captures the immediate aftermath of the First World War as the Treaty of Versailles reshaped global borders. Headlined “Germany’s Expation,” it presents a visual and geographic account of the dismantling of German territorial holdings, combining contemporary reportage with historical context across Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Pacific.
The cartographic content is central, with maps illustrating the redistribution of German territories. These include Schleswig and the Kiel Canal, Heligoland and its dismantled defenses, and a broader map of Africa showing former German colonies reassigned to Allied powers. Additional maps depict German possessions in China, particularly the Kiaochow concession, and extend into the Pacific, where island groups are shown transferred to Japanese and Australian control. A final map traces proposed transatlantic flight routes, reflecting the growing importance of aviation.
The issue is richly illustrated with photographs that reinforce these themes. Views of Kiel, Heligoland, and colonial infrastructure in Africa and China emphasize the extent of German influence, while images of returning soldiers, liberated cities such as Namur, and American victory parades convey the human dimension of the war’s end. A “Roll of Honor” memorial page further underscores the cost of the conflict.
The Mid-Week Pictorial, a weekly photographic supplement to The New York Times, served as both a news vehicle and visual record. Issues such as this are particularly significant for documenting the rapid redrawing of global geography in a format accessible to a broad American audience.
CONDITION
1200 W. 35th Street #425 Chicago, IL 60609 | P: (312) 496 - 3622