Game Map of Czechoslovakia

Published in 1974, this colourful pictorial Game Map of Czechoslovakia presents the country as a paradise for hunting, combining cartography with detailed illustrations of its abundant wildlife. Designed by Czech cartographer and graphic artist Jaroslav Béza, the map shows deer, wild boar, mouflon, bears, birds and other game distributed across the landscape, with major cities, rivers and hunting areas identified throughout Czechoslovakia.

The reverse turns the map into a remarkably revealing piece of Cold War tourism promotion. Bilingual English and French text describes Czechoslovakia's “age-old hunting tradition” and “modern, advanced gamekeeping,” while promoting its forests, castles, game preserves, hunting traditions and Czech and Slovak cuisine.

The publication also makes clear that hunting was an important form of organised international tourism. Foreign hunters were directed to ČEDOK and INTERLOV, which arranged hunting licences, insurance, accommodation, weapons and ammunition. Particularly interesting is the practical information for foreign visitors: they were not permitted to bring Czechoslovak currency into the country and were instead required to exchange foreign currency at designated state exchange offices at the border, airports, hotels, banks and travel agencies. This detail illustrates the importance of attracting hard currency from Western visitors.

The map even includes a price list for hunting different species, giving the publication an unusually commercial character. Among the listed prices was $1,518 for shooting a bear, with other species carrying their own fees according to their rarity and value as hunting trophies.

Published during the period of Communist normalisation, only six years after the Soviet-led invasion of Czechoslovakia, the map presents a carefully curated image of the country for an international audience. Political tensions and restrictions on ordinary travel are absent; instead, Czechoslovakia appears as a picturesque, hospitable and professionally managed hunting destination. This was not accidental: controlled foreign tourism, particularly activities such as trophy hunting, provided a valuable source of hard currency for the socialist state.

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