Description:

GEN. FRANZ HALDER'S MAP OF THE WESTERN FRONT IN SEPTEMBER, 1939
An important hand-drawn map overlay, 10.75 x 15.5 in, originating from from the personal files of German General FRANZ HALDER (1884-1972), Chief of Staff of the German ‘Oberkommando des Heeres' (OKH), or Army High Command, from 1938 until his removal in 1942. The map, executed entirely in black ink and titled ‘LAGE IM WESTEN DIE ERSTEN KRIEGSWOCHEN 1939 (Situation in the West During the First Weeks of the War 1939)', presents a view of French and German defensive lines during the Polish campaign in September of that year, showing the southern Netherlands, including the Maas and Waal rivers, in the north, Luxembourg and the Franco-German frontier at center, and eastern Belgium, including Liege and the Ardennes, in the west. The map is annotated to show German positions as thick black lines, with French forces as open bars, and with German army formations indicated by large numerals, all defined by a legend at lower left. A pencil notation at top left, reading ‘K. T. B. G. O. Halder Band I', indicates that the map was prepared to accompany Halder's ‘Kriegestagebuch', or war diary, a version of which is offered elsewhere in this sale. An indistinct set of initials, likely those of a cartographer, appear in pencil at the bottom right corner. The map captures the static, defensive posture of the German Western Front during the first weeks of the war, when the Wehrmacht focused on defeating Poland while avoiding a major clash with France and Britain. It shows the Siegfried Line fully manned, French forces entrenched along the Maginot Line, and mobile German units held in reserve rather than committed to offensive action. This ‘Phoney War' phase reflects Hitler's short-term strategy of securing Germany's western border through a defensive shield while concentrating on rapid victory in the east, setting the stage for the dramatic shift to the 1940 Blitzkrieg through the Ardennes, a sector here shown as quiet and thinly held, foreshadowing its later exploitation. Shows a horizontal fold at center, with a 1.5 in. split thereto at the right edge repaired on the verso with archival tape, and with three small chips to the left edge, otherwise in very good to fine overall condition.

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April 21, 2026 10:00 AM EDT
Elkton, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $499 $20
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $999,999 $10,000
$1,000,000 $1,999,999 $50,000
$2,000,000 + $100,000