[en] It is the intention of the International Heat Flow Commission (IHFC) of the International Association of Seismology and Physics of the Earth's Interior to initiate and promote projects to compile up-to-date maps of the subsurface temperature and the heat flow density in both global and continent-wide scales. Geothermal maps are of basic importance for studying the nature of large and small scale geothermal anomalies, for analyzing the geothermal regime in the Earth's interior and for understanding the relations between the geothermal field and tectonic units as well as the geodynamic processes which are going on in the lithosphere and the sublithospheric upper mantle. Convection in the mantle contributes to large-scale geothermal anomalis; the age of the last thermotectonic event in a given tectonic structure and the age dependence of the heat generation are further key parameters for understanding the geothermal anomalies. Furthermore, near-surface processes such as underground water circulation and their relation to the fault pattern strongly influence the occurrence and distribution of small scale geothermal anomalies. Deep drilling projects showed that water circulation is active even to a depth of 10 km. Thus, the nature of the geothermal field is very complex. The project 'Geothermal Atlas of Europe' gives an excellent basis for further scientific studies as well as for economic purposes of geothermal energy utilization. (orig.). 36 maps