[German Army Map – Brenner Pass, Italy]

German troop-issued topographic map of Italy’s Brenner Pass.

This German Army (Wehrmacht) map, marked Not Intended for the Public! at the top, was designed by Italy’s Istituto Geografico Militare in 1943. The image shows a detailed topographic overview of the strategically important Brenner Pass, an access point through the imposing Alpine mountain barrier that divides the territory of Italy and Austria.

Elevation data and contour lines give some indication of the impenetrable terrain. Various geographic features, infrastructure elements, and relevant buildings are identified throughout and labeled according to the legend on the right side.

German forces would eventually occupy the Brenner Pass after Italy’s capitulation to the Allies in September 1943. Following Mussolini’s fall, Hitler established a puppet state in the north called the Italian Social Republic, ensuring additional bloodshed and prompting the Italian Civil War.

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