Hungarian Military Mapping Abroad 1919–1990

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe Hungarian military cartography scarcely mapped foreign areas until World War II. The 1:50 000 survey of the areas occupied temporarily by Hungarian soldiers in the Soviet Union in 1941–1942 was an interesting event. The transformation of Hungary into a Soviet-type system was practically completed by 1950. Being part of the Warsaw Pact, the socialist countries systematically produced maps of the areas of NATO countries: 1:100 000 and 1:200 000 maps (and even smaller scale sheets of larger areas) were made. The topographic maps were completed with many city plans at larger scales. This type of city maps became a special product of Hungary: the Hungarians prepared maps of numerous cities lying outside the mapped area. The Hungarian army was thrown into open combat only once in the Cold War era when it took part in the invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968. This event also has its interest for cartography historians.