Description:

GEN. FRANZ HALDER'S MAP OF THE EASTERN FRONT, JUNE 27, 1942
Most important map from the personal files of German Gen. FRANZ HALDER (1884–1972), titled: 'Ubersichtsskizze 10 - Ostfront vom 8. Mai bis 27. Juni 1942 / Lage am 27. Juni 1942' ('Overview sketch 10 – Eastern Front from May 8 to 27 June 1942, situation on 27 June 1942', 12.5 x 21.5 in. and drawn 1:4,000,000 scale in India ink and colored pencil on coated heavy drafting paper. The map is drawn as a vertical strip of the Eastern Front with Narwa (Narva) at the extreme northwest, the Gulf of Finland, Leningrad, Demjansk, the Rzhev Salient, cities west and southwest of Moscow, frontline cities of Brjansk and Orel, Belgorod, Charkow, Rostow, and eastwards toward Stalingrad and the Volga. A thick black line demarcates the German front line as of 27 June 1942 with dashed lines showing the boundaries between the major German army groups and between individual armies. Army Groups North, Centre, and von Weichs are indicated, as are three Panzer armies and Gruppe von Wietersheim. The map records the operational situation immediately before Operation Fall Blau (Case Blue), the German summer offensive of 1942. Army Group North still holds the siege lines around Leningrad as Army Group Centre maintains the Rzhev Salient, with no major offensive movement yet. In the south, a massive German concentration and forward positioning around Kharkov, Belgorod, and Rostov shows preparation for the drive to Stalingrad and the Caucasus oil fields. In Crimea, the German 11th Army has taken Sevastopol (completed early July 1942), freeing forces for redeployment. The front line and unit boundaries show exactly how Army Groups North, Centre, and South were positioned before the massive southern push. The northern and central sectors are static, revealing the strategic decision to hold defensive lines there while concentrating resources in the south. The heavy concentration of Panzer armies (1st, 2nd, and 4th) and key infantry formations in the southern sector further demonstrates the German doctrine of 'Schwerpunktbildung' — massing strength at a decisive point. By freezing operations in the north and center, the German High Command accepted the risk of Soviet counterattacks there in order gable success ion the East on a southern victory. This map visually represents that strategic gamble. As part of Halder's Kriegstagebuch, this exact map would have been used for staff briefings and operational planning, meaning it was not an abstract record but an active tool in shaping German military planning on the Eastern Front. Lightly toned, with very light folds, otherwise in excellent condition.

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

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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