Europe and North Africa – 1939–1945 World War II Campaign Map

Europe and North Africa – 1939–1945 World War II Campaign Map

The men who fought across Europe and North Africa between September 1, 1939 and May 8, 1945 are traced on this campaign map, drawn by Erwin Tschudi, published by Kümmerly & Frey of Bern, Switzerland around 1947, and offered here as a museum-quality reproduction. It was made after the fighting ended, as a record of the whole war and not a plan for any part of it. Red arrows mark Axis forces, blue the Western Allies and green the Soviet armies, each with its date. A family can find the campaign their soldier fought in and follow it, date by date, to the end of the war in Europe.

Historical Context

The war in Europe opened on September 1, 1939 with the German invasion of Poland and ended with Germany's surrender in May 1945. By late 1942 German forces and their allies stood from the Atlantic coast to the Volga and the Caucasus, and the map tints the territory Germany occupied between 1939 and 1942. From that point the arrows reverse. Soviet armies drive west from Stalingrad, and the Western Allies land in North Africa on November 8, 1942 and in Normandy on June 6, 1944. The chronology printed in the margin closes with the meeting of American and Soviet troops at Torgau on April 25, 1945, the surrender of Berlin on May 2 and the armistice of May 8. Printed in neutral Switzerland, the map sets out both sides' movements in three languages.

The Map's Features

The legend assigns red to Axis troops, blue to Allied troops and green to Russian troops, and hundreds of arrows carry the day and month of each advance. Commanders' names are printed beside their armies: Eisenhower, Montgomery, Bradley and Dempsey over the Channel next to the Overlord arrows of June 6, 1944, Rommel and von Rundstedt in France, Zhukov (spelled Schukow) in Poland. Inset maps cover North-Western Europe and the Eastern Front from 1939 to November 1942, along with Finland and the Balkans. Four desert panels follow the fighting across Cyrenaica under Wavell, Graziani, Rommel and Auchinleck, the last reaching the approaches to Alexandria on July 1, 1942. Place names are in German, and dated chronologies in German, French and English run down the margins.

Historical Significance

Most wartime maps show one sector on one day. This one was drawn once the outcome was known, and it places every major campaign in Europe and North Africa on a single sheet. The Eastern Front receives as much space as the West, which gives a fair sense of where the armies were. For a veteran's family it answers a plain question: where one man's campaign sat within the whole war.

Framing Options

This map is available unframed or professionally framed and ready to hang. Our framing partner uses museum-quality materials to protect and present your map for long-term display. Choose from a classic Black frame or a warm Walnut Brown frame — both available with your order. Please allow 3–4 weeks for delivery on framed orders.

Museum-Quality Reproduction

This is a high-quality reproduction of the original historic map, professionally printed on premium archival paper using the Giclée printing process to preserve fine cartographic detail, line clarity, and period authenticity for long-term display.

Perfect For

Families of veterans who served in Europe or North Africa
World War II collectors and military historians
Veterans and serving military professionals
Teachers and serious students of the war in Europe
Home offices, libraries and studies

Specifications

Depicts: Military campaigns in Europe and North Africa, September 1, 1939 – May 8, 1945
Conflict: World War II, European and North African theaters
Original Publication: Circa 1947
Publisher: Kümmerly & Frey, Bern, Switzerland (drawn by Erwin Tschudi)
Style: Postwar campaign overview map with text in German, French and English
Original Scale: 1:5,000,000
Product Type: Giclée reproduction on premium archival paper
Printed In: Rochester Hills, Michigan

Dimensions (Width x Height): 28 x 20 inches (71.1 x 50.8 cm)

Each map is printed using the finest materials and methods. Your map will be handled with white gloves from start to finish. We use the Giclée printing method on premium archival paper, which produces a clear, extremely detailed, durable map perfect for proud display in your home or office.