Polish Cartographical Review Vol. 52, 2020, no. 3, pp. 124–139 DOI: 10.2478/pcr-2020-0011 EUGENIUSZ SOBCZYŃSKI Received: 2.11.2020 Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń Accepted: 28.12.2020 Faculty of History Toruń, Poland orcid.org/0000-0002-4092-940X;
[email protected] ADAM SZULCZEWSKI Żyrardów, Poland orcid.org/0000-0002-2519-4513;
[email protected] Camouflaging of areas occupied by units of the Soviet Army Northern Group of Forces (NGF) on Polish and Soviet military topographic maps Abstract. The authors present the political conditions in Poland after World War II which influenced the development of military topographic maps. The article shows examples of camouflaging on topographic maps of garrisons and field facilities occupied in Poland by the Northern Group of Forces of the Soviet Army (NGF). Keywords: military topographic maps, camouflaging military facilities, Northern Group of Forces of the Soviet Army (NGF) 1. Introduction These Soviet activities also extended to the area of mapping. In the countries of the In order to explain the secrets of camouflaging Eastern Bloc, within one to two years, legal on topographic maps of military facilities, it is acts modelled on Soviet solutions were intro- necessary to outline the political and military con- duced. The first such act, which limited the ditions which accompanied their development. free development of mapping in Poland, was After World War II, as a result of the decisions the decree of April 26, 1948 on the right to take of the leaders of world powers, Poland found aerial photos. In the following year (October 26, itself within new borders.