Kartographische Nachrichten

Summary

This article reviews the history, scope, and disciplinary significance of Kartographische Nachrichten, a leading German-language journal of cartography founded in 1951 and jointly published by cartographic organizations in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. Using a historical and descriptive approach, it outlines the journal’s editors, prominent contributors, publication formats, and increasing internationalization. KN has functioned both as a scientific and technical periodical and as a professional chronicle reporting on society activities, practical developments, and publications. Its coverage has encompassed printing technologies, cartographic semiotics, projections, modeling, generalization, computer-assisted cartography, GIS, multimedia and interactive visualization, usability, commercialization, and intellectual property. The introduction of English-language contributions in 2003 and full-color printing in 2004 marked major stages in its modernization. Overall, the journal documents the evolution of German and German-speaking cartography and provides an important bridge between academic research, professional practice, and institutional communities.