Paperback
1939 · Bruxelles
Bruxelles: Imprime sur les presses d;Heliogravure C. Van Cortenbergh, 1939. Paperback. [24] pp., map, illustrations, oblong printed wraps. 8.75 x 10.25 in. Folded once, with a vertical crease running through the entire booklet; front cover just starting to split along the crease. A heavily illustrated promotional booklet touting the many amenities of the Belgian resort town of Ostend. The seaside town is known for its beaches, baths, luxury hotels, and facilities, which include a horse race track and a royal residence. The rear cover has a color illustration with an aerial view of the Ostend airport and a diagram showing its routes to the United Kingdom, central Europe, and North Africa. The concluding text also notes its convenient location to transcontinental railroads and highways (proclaiming one could travel all the way to Istanbul by car). Produced for the city of Ostende's booth at the 1939 Exposition internationale de l'eau held in Liege. The conference opened May 20, 1939, but was cut short when World War 2 broke out in September. Ostend was occupied by Nazi Germany during the war and reinforced as part of the Atlantic Wall defense system. (Inventory #: 297413)