# Landesaufnahme (Kartographische Abteilung)

> Prussia (Germany)

**Wikidata**: [Q120730072](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q120730072)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/landesaufnahme-kartographische-abteilung

## Summary
The Landesaufnahme (Kartographische Abteilung) was a government agency in Prussia (Germany) that functioned as the cartographic department of the Prussian Land Survey. Officially known by its historical alias, the Königlich Preußische Landesaufnahme. Kartogr. Abtheilung, the agency specialized in the fields of military cartography and the production of military maps. 

## Key Facts
- **Entity Type:** Government agency.
- **Location:** Prussia (Germany).
- **Parent Organization:** Preußische Landesaufnahme (Prussian Land Survey).
- **Alternative Name:** Königlich Preußische Landesaufnahme. Kartogr. Abtheilung.
- **Primary Fields of Work:** Military cartography and military mapping.
- **VIAF ID:** 300856636.
- **GND ID:** 1237916879 (Integrated Authority File).
- **Library of Congress Authority ID:** n92044967.
- **NUKAT ID:** n2006046432 (Polish union catalog).
- **BIBSYS ID:** 2016947 (Norwegian library system).
- **Libraries Australia ID:** 49785912.
- **NLA Trove People ID:** 1505346 (National Library of Australia).
- **National Library of Poland MMS ID:** 9810642057105606.
- **National Library of Lithuania ID:** LNB:oHC;=BQ.
- **National Library of Israel J9U ID:** 987007451492005171.
- **NL CR AUT ID:** ko2016928918 (National Library of the Czech Republic).
- **Yale LUX ID:** group/69fb189f-c8df-4419-8c6b-d8a372954810.
- **Available Media:** An official seal image (Siegelmarke) is archived and accessible via Wikimedia Commons.

## FAQs
**What was the primary function of the Landesaufnahme (Kartographische Abteilung)?**
The agency functioned as a specialized cartographic division within the Prussian government. Its specific operational focus was on military cartography and the creation of military maps.

**Where did the Landesaufnahme (Kartographische Abteilung) operate?**
The agency operated within Prussia, which is geographically located in what is now modern-day Germany. 

**What was the relationship between the Kartographische Abteilung and the Preußische Landesaufnahme?**
The Kartographische Abteilung (Cartographic Department) was a direct subordinate or child entity of the broader Preußische Landesaufnahme (Prussian Land Survey).

**How is this agency tracked in international library and authority systems?**
Due to its historical significance, the agency is widely cataloged across global databases. It holds unique authority and bibliographic identifiers in major international repositories, including the Virtual International Authority File (VIAF), the Library of Congress (USA), BIBSYS (Norway), the National Library of Israel, the National Library of Lithuania, and the National Library of Poland, among others.

## Why It Matters
The Landesaufnahme (Kartographische Abteilung) represents a critical component of Prussia's governmental and military infrastructure. By functioning as the specialized cartographic arm of the Preußische Landesaufnahme, this agency held the responsibility for the precise geographic and spatial intelligence required for military operations. Its extensive cataloging across major global libraries and authority files (such as VIAF, GND, and the Library of Congress) demonstrates its enduring historical, academic, and archival value. The preservation of its official seal and the strict tracking of its historical records underscore its significant role in shaping the administrative and military landscape of its era.

## Notable For
- Serving as the official cartographic department for the Prussian state.
- Specializing exclusively in military cartography and military maps, distinguishing it from civilian mapping agencies.
- Operating under the formal historical title of "Königlich Preußische Landesaufnahme. Kartogr. Abtheilung."
- Holding a massive international archival footprint, with dedicated catalog records spanning at least nine different national library systems across the globe (from Australia and Israel to Lithuania and the United States).

## Body

### Organizational Structure and Purpose
The Landesaufnahme (Kartographische Abteilung) was formally classified as a government agency operating within the borders of Prussia (Germany). As indicated by its name, it served as a specific departmental subdivision dedicated to mapping and spatial data. 

The agency was structurally governed by and operated as a subordinate component of the **Preußische Landesaufnahme** (the overarching Prussian Land Survey). Its core mandate revolved around two highly specialized fields of work: the creation of **military maps** and the broader discipline of **military cartography**. This indicates that the department's output was primarily geared toward defense, strategic planning, and military administration rather than civilian or commercial use. 

Historically, the entity carried the alias **Königlich Preußische Landesaufnahme. Kartogr. Abtheilung** (Royal Prussian Land Survey, Cartographic Department). Official documentation and branding for the agency are preserved in its official seal mark (Siegelmarke), which is hosted digitally on the Wikimedia Commons platform. 

### International Authority and Library Cataloging
The Landesaufnahme (Kartographische Abteilung) is extensively indexed in international bibliographic and authority control databases. This ensures its accurate identification in historical and academic research worldwide. Its global footprint is tracked through numerous unique identifiers:

*   **Central Europe:** The agency holds a German Integrated Authority File (GND) ID of `1237916879` and a Czech National Library (NL CR AUT) ID of `ko2016928918`. 
*   **North America:** In the United States, it is registered under the Library of Congress Authority ID `n92044967`, and it possesses a Yale LUX ID (`group/69fb189f-c8df-4419-8c6b-d8a372954810`) for linked open data integration.
*   **Scandinavia:** It is indexed in the Norwegian library system (BIBSYS) with the ID `2016947`.
*   **Eastern Europe and Middle East:** The department is tracked in Poland via the NUKAT ID `n2006046432` and the National Library of Poland MMS ID `9810642057105606`. It is also cataloged in the National Library of Lithuania under the ID `LNB:oHC;=BQ` and in the National Library of Israel with J9U ID `987007451492005171`.
*   **Oceania:** Australian archives list the agency under the NLA Trove People ID `1505346` and the broader Libraries Australia ID `49785912`.

These records are extensively cross-referenced, with many of the regional catalog entries sourcing their data from the agency's primary Virtual International Authority File (VIAF) ID, `300856636`. Additional specialized academic references, such as those from the Czech National Library (P691: ko20191024627), explicitly validate the agency's functional roles regarding military maps and military cartography.

## References

1. Czech National Authority Database
2. Virtual International Authority File