1961 Klettner Map of Brazil and Uruguay, Routes of Varig

A colorful 1961 airline route map prepared by Edgar Klettner covering coastal Brazil and Uruguay. It demonstrates the network of Varig, the earliest and one of the most prominent Brazilian airlines.

A Closer Look

The recto covers the eastern coast of South America between Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires, with the routes of Varig traced in bold red lines. Brazilian states are color-shaded for easy distinction, and a wide range of features are labeled, including cities and towns, railways, roads, airports and landing fields, lighthouses, and geographic features. Seven inset town plans appear at the right, covering Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paolo, Curitiba, Florianopolis, Porto Alegre, Montevideo, and Buenos Aires.

The verso is a continuation of the recto map, mapping the northern coastal states of Brazil. Features are noted as on the recto, while inset city plans detail Recife, Salvador, Rio de Janeiro, and Brasilia, the nation's capital which had only been founded and designated as capital the previous year.

A Storied Aviation Pioneer

Varig (Viação Aérea Rio-Grandense) was Brazil's first airline and one of the most significant in South American aviation history. It was founded in 1927 by German immigrant Otto Ernst Meyer (1897 - 1966) in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Being a pioneer in the industry, the company's early operations grew slowly. Due to Meyer's background, German aircraft and practices were employed, which became a hindrance during the Second World War, as engines and parts could not be imported. The company really took off after the Second World War, switching to American planes (attainable at a reasonable price given the amount produced during the war) and adding more routes, including international routes to New York City and Europe. The company was also an early adopter of jets among South American airlines. By the time of this map's production, Varig had established itself as one of the leading Latin American airlines, and in the following years, its position became even more dominant. But like many large airlines, the 1970s oil crisis caused setbacks and spawned more efficient rivals that dogged the company for years afterward. By the 1990s, the company's financial situation was dire, and its services suffered as a result, and in the mid-2000s, it went bankrupt and sold off its assets, with Gol Linhas Aéreas acquiring the lion's share. Nevertheless, the legacy of Varig remains as both a Latin American aviation pioneer and a symbol of Brazil's modernization in the 20th century.

Publication History and Census

This map was prepared by Edgar Klettner of the Cartography Section of Livraria do Globo for Varig in June 1961. A map with this title was issued in at least three editions: one in 1959, one in 1960, and the present edition. Examples of the 1959 edition are noted in the OCLC among the holdings of Southern Methodist University, the University of Iowa, Pennsylvania State University, and the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin, while no institutions are listed as holding the present edition. An example of the 1960 edition is held by the Instituto Histórico e Geográfico do Rio Grande do Sul.