Cartographic image vs. reality: spatial overlay analysis of maps depicting the Czech-German ethnic border (1840s–1930s)

This article introduces a GIS-based analytical approach to the study of ethnolinguistic maps as instruments of political and ideological negotiation in Central Europe between the mid-19th and mid-20th centuries. The proposed approach is demonstrated on the example of Czech-German ethnic border using a representative subset of maps by Czech, German, and Austrian mapmakers. By applying spatial overlay analysis tools, the cartographic representations of this highly contested borderline are compared over time and against historical census data, revealing systematic differences and national biases in the portrayal of the ethnic structure of the population within the studied area. The results of the analysis are presented through a series of thematic maps. Part of the outcomes has been released as an open-access thematic map database and an interactive web application, which allow users to explore and compare ethnolinguistic maps and their spatial narratives.