1796 D. F. Sotzmann Wall Map of the Partitioning of Poland

An exceedingly rare map of the great significance, this is Daniel Friedrich Sotzmann's 1796 large-format large-scale map of Poland prepared immediately after the 1775 Third Partition of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. When Sotzmann made this map, he was the official geographer oh the Royal Prussian Academy of Sciences in Berlin with access to the most up to date cartographic information, finest engravers, and royal patronage. There can be no doubt that this is the largest and best map of Poland following the Third Partition. We have found few bibliographic references to this chart, but it's date, size, association with the Royal Prussian Academy of Sciences, and rarity suggest that is was most likely an official rather than commercial production intended for administration of the partition.

The map covers from Brandenburg to Russia and from the Gulf of Livonia to Moldova and Hungary, including all of Poland and the former Grand Duchy of Lithuania, parts of Prussia, Russia, Livonia, Hungary, Germany and Austria. The whole is beautifully engraved with a large allegorical cartouche in the upper left corner. Color coding defines the regions annexed in all three partitions. Cartographically it is derived from Prussian financed surveys completed between 1791 and 1795.

The Partitioning of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth

By the mid-18th century Poland, due to an inefficient and corrupt internal bureaucracy, had lost much of its autonomy to its aggressive and powerful neighbors: Russia, Austria and Prussia. The First Partition occurred in 1772 with Prussia occupying Poland's long coveted western territories, Austria seizing Galicia, and Russia taking part of Livonia. In the aftermath of the First Partition, the Second Partition was almost inevitable. Poland allied with Prussia to thwart the ambitions of Russia in the east. This, along with a number of other factors, lead to the War in Defense of the Constitution between Poland and Russia. Largely abandoned by their Prussian allies, Poland could not hope to stand against the powerful Russian military. Poland's defeat resulted in the loss of nearly 50% of its remaining territory to Russia and Prussia, who signed an accord in 1793. The Third Partition of Poland would dissolve what remained of the reduced Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, ending Polish autonomy in the 18th century.

This map was drawn and engraved by D. F. Sotzmann and published in Berlin in 1796. It is today quite rare, with examples in the Library of Congress, Harvard, and at a couple of German libraries. There is no sales history and we are aware of no examples in private hands.