Hermann Haack

On his recommendation, Haack was subsequently transferred to Friedrich Wilhelm University Berlin where he became an assistant to Ferdinand von Richthofen.

In 1896 Haack successfully completed his studies with his Thesis Über die mittlere Höhe von Süd Amerika (About the middle elevation of South America).

He further developed the existing colour symbolism for physical maps: green = soil; red = cities; blue = body of water; brown = mountains.

This 'physical colouring', developed by the cartographer Emil von Sydow in the 19th century, has hardly lost any importance for school lessons to this day.

Until 1989, 'Haack Gotha' was the GDR's monopoly publishing house for cartographic school publications (mainly atlases and wall maps).