Census in Germany
Encyclopedia
A census in Germany was held every five years from 1875 to 1910. After the World Wars, only few full population census
es were held, the last in 1987. Germany
, which since has relied on population samples, will participate in the EU-wide census in 2011.
in 1471 held a census, to be prepared in case of a siege. Brandenburg-Prussia in 1683 began to count its rural population. The first systematic population survey on the European continent was taken in 1719 in the Mark Brandenburg of the Kingdom of Prussia
, in order to prepare the first general census of 1725.
In the Habsburg ruled Austrian part of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation, a population count had been introduced in 1754, but due to resistance by nobility and clerics, no full census was held after 1769. A century and many political changes later, census resumed in 1869, and were held also in 1880, 1890, 1900, 1910, in the same years as the German Empire census. Between the wars, census were held in 1920, 1923, 1934 and 1939, to be resumed in 1951 with a ten year rhythm.
For 1806, a population of 24,241,000 for several Imperial Circle
s is quoted in the "Statistik des deutschen Reiches", even though the old Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation had fallen apart, and a new German Empire did not exist yet as a political entity. By 1821, the population within the newly founded German Confederation had grown to over 30 million.
had been founded in 1815, some states had been anxious to prove they had a small population in order to contribute fewer soldiers to the Federal Army. On the other hand, when the first custom union between southern states were formed, they wanted to show they had a large population in order to claim a larger share of the custom revenue. The German Customs Union, the Zollverein
, conducted population counts from 1834 to 1867, every three years on December 3, in order to share its revenue among the member states accordingly. The date of December 3 was chosen as most people of the „Zollabrechnungsbevölkerung“, the custom accounting population, were expected to be at home then. The Eastern parts of Prussia remained outside of the Confederation for most of the time, but the whole of Prussia was part of the Zollverein. While most states joined the Zollverein sooner or later, the Austrian Empire
never did until the German Confederation and the Zollverein broke up in the civil war of 1866. The Zollverein regrouped and held another census in 1867, but the census of 1870 was postponed due to the ongoing Franco-German War and the foundation of the German Empire.
, continuing every five years from 1875 to 1910. The first large-scale census in the German Empire took place in 1895 (see German census of 1895
). Those censuses were affected by the Kulturkampf
policies of the era; for example, Catholic population count was deflated.
The last pre-war census was held on 1 December 1910, the 1915 census was canceled, but two war censuses were held on 5 December 1916 and 1917 to organize the sharing of food. Due to allied blockades preventing the import of food, the civil population suffered malnutrition and starvation. On 8 October 1919 and 16 June 1925, regular census resumed in the areas which had remained with Germany after the Treaty of Versailles
.
The 1930 census was delayed by the Depression until 1933, and another one was carried out in 1939, both were affected by the bias of the Nazi government. Initially planned for 1937, the 1939 census now also included the areas of Austria, Sudetenland and Memelland. About 750,000 counters covered 22 million households and roughly 80 million inhabitants. Made in atmosphere of terror, attacks on members of Polish minority, and demolishing of Polish shops and libraries, the census resulted in many Poles living in Germany giving their nationality as German out of fear of losing life or well-being of their families.
After another World War which resulted also in the death or dislocation of many million Germans, both citizens of Germany or ethnic Germans from other states, the occupying powers started to count the population in their zones, first the Soviets on 1 December 1945, then the French on 26 January 1946. On 29 October 1946, a census was held in all four zones.
as their first and only language, plus 252.918 bilingual Germans. The largest minority was the Polish, with 3.086.489 (not including 142.049 Masurians and 100.213 Cassubians). The census results also listed the districts with a minority larger than 5%, including many districts in which German speakers were a minority.
held four census during its existence from 1949 to 1990, of which only the 1964 results were published in full. Unlike most other countries, which saw a significant growth of their populations (baby boom
), the GDR suffered a drop. Until the erection of the Berlin Wall
in 1961, over three million Germans had "defected" from the GDR (Republikflucht
) to the free Western counterpart, the Federal Republic of Germany. As many young adults had chosen to leave, this also affected the numbers of babies born in the decades to come.
In the 1980s, attempts at introducing a census in West Germany
sparked strong popular resentment since some felt that the questions to be asked were quite personal. Comparisons to Orwell's 1984
were drawn. Some campaigned for a boycott, or for intentional false statements. The Constitutional Court stopped the census in 1980 and 1983, and required a revision of the process. The modified census was eventually held in 1987.
For 1991, a year in which also Austria held a census, a concurrent census in both West and East Germany had been planned , but it was canceled due to reunification, and replaced by a "micro census" population sample
among 1 percent of house holds. Due to reunification and immigration from former Eastern Bloc states and the war-torn Balkans, the population has grown to c. 82 million in the 1990s, but no census was held since 1987. The CIA Factbook estimates the population at 82,329,758 (as of July 2009), and ranks Germany as 17th in the world (including the EU as third).
Former population censuses in Germany were complete enumerations obtained direct from the entire population in personal interviews or by questionnaire. That method produces very accurate results, but involves much effort. For the 1987 population census, some 500 000 enumerators were required. For 2011, a change in methodology is planned, and the costs of the largely register-based census are expected to be only about one third of the expenditure of a traditional population census. Mainly the data already stored in the registers of the administrative authorities, in the population registers of the municipalities and the registers of the Federal Employment Agency will be used. Additional data, like information on education, training and occupation, will be collected by an interview-based sample survey. The data on buildings and dwellings, for which there are no registers in Germany, will be collected by mail from all owners.
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
es were held, the last in 1987. Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, which since has relied on population samples, will participate in the EU-wide census in 2011.
Early history
NurembergNuremberg
Nuremberg[p] is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, it is located about north of Munich and is Franconia's largest city. The population is 505,664...
in 1471 held a census, to be prepared in case of a siege. Brandenburg-Prussia in 1683 began to count its rural population. The first systematic population survey on the European continent was taken in 1719 in the Mark Brandenburg of the Kingdom of Prussia
Kingdom of Prussia
The Kingdom of Prussia was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918. Until the defeat of Germany in World War I, it comprised almost two-thirds of the area of the German Empire...
, in order to prepare the first general census of 1725.
In the Habsburg ruled Austrian part of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation, a population count had been introduced in 1754, but due to resistance by nobility and clerics, no full census was held after 1769. A century and many political changes later, census resumed in 1869, and were held also in 1880, 1890, 1900, 1910, in the same years as the German Empire census. Between the wars, census were held in 1920, 1923, 1934 and 1939, to be resumed in 1951 with a ten year rhythm.
For 1806, a population of 24,241,000 for several Imperial Circle
Imperial Circle
An Imperial Circle comprised a regional grouping of territories of the Holy Roman Empire, primarily for the purpose of organizing a common defensive structure and of collecting the imperial taxes, but also as a means of organization within the Imperial Diet and the Imperial Chamber Court.Each...
s is quoted in the "Statistik des deutschen Reiches", even though the old Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation had fallen apart, and a new German Empire did not exist yet as a political entity. By 1821, the population within the newly founded German Confederation had grown to over 30 million.
1834 - 1867 Deutscher Zollverein
When the German ConfederationGerman Confederation
The German Confederation was the loose association of Central European states created by the Congress of Vienna in 1815 to coordinate the economies of separate German-speaking countries. It acted as a buffer between the powerful states of Austria and Prussia...
had been founded in 1815, some states had been anxious to prove they had a small population in order to contribute fewer soldiers to the Federal Army. On the other hand, when the first custom union between southern states were formed, they wanted to show they had a large population in order to claim a larger share of the custom revenue. The German Customs Union, the Zollverein
Zollverein
thumb|upright=1.2|The German Zollverein 1834–1919blue = Prussia in 1834 grey= Included region until 1866yellow= Excluded after 1866red = Borders of the German Union of 1828 pink= Relevant others until 1834...
, conducted population counts from 1834 to 1867, every three years on December 3, in order to share its revenue among the member states accordingly. The date of December 3 was chosen as most people of the „Zollabrechnungsbevölkerung“, the custom accounting population, were expected to be at home then. The Eastern parts of Prussia remained outside of the Confederation for most of the time, but the whole of Prussia was part of the Zollverein. While most states joined the Zollverein sooner or later, the Austrian Empire
Austrian Empire
The Austrian Empire was a modern era successor empire, which was centered on what is today's Austria and which officially lasted from 1804 to 1867. It was followed by the Empire of Austria-Hungary, whose proclamation was a diplomatic move that elevated Hungary's status within the Austrian Empire...
never did until the German Confederation and the Zollverein broke up in the civil war of 1866. The Zollverein regrouped and held another census in 1867, but the census of 1870 was postponed due to the ongoing Franco-German War and the foundation of the German Empire.
| Date | Area in km² | Population | Pop. per km² | Area changes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 December 1834 | 420.301 | 23.478.120 | 56 | |
| 3 December 1837 | 439.420 | 26.008.973 | 59 | since 1835 including Land Baden and Herzogtum Nassau, since 1836 including Freie Stadt Frankfurt |
| 3 December 1840 | 439.420 | 27.142.116 | 62 | |
| 3 December 1843 | 447.507 | 28.498.136 | 64 | since 1841 including Herzogtum Braunschweig, since 1842 including Luxemburg |
| 3 December 1846 | 447.507 | 29.461.381 | 66 | |
| 3 December 1849 | 447.507 | 29.800.063 | 67 | |
| 3 December 1852 | 447.507 | 30.492.792 | 68 | |
| 3 December 1855 | 492.621 | 32.721.344 | 66 | since 1854 including Königreich Hannover, Großherzogtum Oldenburg and Schaumburg-Lippe |
| 3 December 1858 | 492.621 | 33.542.352 | 68 | |
| 3 December 1861 | 492.621 | 34.670.277 | 70 | |
| 3 December 1864 | 492.621 | 35.886.302 | 73 | |
| 3 December 1867 | 510.628 | 37.512.005 | 73 | since 1867 including Fürstentum Lübeck, Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Mecklenburg-Strelitz |
1871 - 1945 Deutsches Reich
Starting in 1871, the census resumed in the newly united German EmpireGerman Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
, continuing every five years from 1875 to 1910. The first large-scale census in the German Empire took place in 1895 (see German census of 1895
German census of 1895
The German census of 1895 was one of the first full-scale German censuses, organized on all territories of the German Empire.Prior to 1871 many German counties organized various local census records, however most of the results did not survive World War II...
). Those censuses were affected by the Kulturkampf
Kulturkampf
The German term refers to German policies in relation to secularity and the influence of the Roman Catholic Church, enacted from 1871 to 1878 by the Prime Minister of Prussia, Otto von Bismarck. The Kulturkampf did not extend to the other German states such as Bavaria...
policies of the era; for example, Catholic population count was deflated.
The last pre-war census was held on 1 December 1910, the 1915 census was canceled, but two war censuses were held on 5 December 1916 and 1917 to organize the sharing of food. Due to allied blockades preventing the import of food, the civil population suffered malnutrition and starvation. On 8 October 1919 and 16 June 1925, regular census resumed in the areas which had remained with Germany after the Treaty of Versailles
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles was one of the peace treaties at the end of World War I. It ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers. It was signed on 28 June 1919, exactly five years after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The other Central Powers on the German side of...
.
The 1930 census was delayed by the Depression until 1933, and another one was carried out in 1939, both were affected by the bias of the Nazi government. Initially planned for 1937, the 1939 census now also included the areas of Austria, Sudetenland and Memelland. About 750,000 counters covered 22 million households and roughly 80 million inhabitants. Made in atmosphere of terror, attacks on members of Polish minority, and demolishing of Polish shops and libraries, the census resulted in many Poles living in Germany giving their nationality as German out of fear of losing life or well-being of their families.
After another World War which resulted also in the death or dislocation of many million Germans, both citizens of Germany or ethnic Germans from other states, the occupying powers started to count the population in their zones, first the Soviets on 1 December 1945, then the French on 26 January 1946. On 29 October 1946, a census was held in all four zones.
| Date | Area in km² | Pop. | Pop. per km² | Area changes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 December 1871 | 541.561 | 41.058.792 | 76 | |
| 1 December 1875 | 539.829 | 42.727.360 | 79 | |
| 1 December 1880 | 540.522 | 45.234.061 | 84 | |
| 1 December 1885 | 540.597 | 46.855.704 | 87 | |
| 1 December 1890 | 540.504 | 49.428.470 | 91 | |
| 2 December 1895 German census of 1895 The German census of 1895 was one of the first full-scale German censuses, organized on all territories of the German Empire.Prior to 1871 many German counties organized various local census records, however most of the results did not survive World War II... |
540.658 | 52.279.901 | 97 | |
| 1 December 1900 | 540.743 | 56.367.178 | 104 | |
| 1 December 1905 | 540.778 | 60.641.489 | 112 | |
| 1 December 1910 | 540.858 | 64.925.993 | 120 | |
| 1 December 1916 | 540.858 | 62.272.185 | 115 | |
| 5 December 1917 | 540.858 | 62.615.275 | 116 | |
| 8 October 1919 | 474.304 | 60.898.584 | 128 | since 1919 without Elsaß-Lothringen, Provinz Posen and Westpreußen |
| 16 June 1925 | 468.718 | 62.410.619 | 133 | since 1920 without Memelland, Nordschleswig, Ostbelgien and Saargebiet, since 1922 without Ostoberschlesien |
| 16 June 1933 | 468.787 | 65.362.115 | 139 | |
| 17 May 1939 | 583.370 | 79.375.281 | 136 | since 1935 with Saargebiet, since 1938 with Ostmark and Sudetenland, since March 1939 with Memelland |
| 27 May 1942 | ||||
| 1 March 1943 | ||||
| 29 October 1946 | 353.460 | 65.137.274 | 184 | since 1945 without Ostgebiete des Deutschen Reiches, since 1946 without Saarland |
Ethnic minorities in 1900
According to the census of 1900, among the total population of 56.367.178 there were 51.883.131 with German languageGerman language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
as their first and only language, plus 252.918 bilingual Germans. The largest minority was the Polish, with 3.086.489 (not including 142.049 Masurians and 100.213 Cassubians). The census results also listed the districts with a minority larger than 5%, including many districts in which German speakers were a minority.
1949 - 1990 Deutsche Demokratische Republik (East Germany)
The communist East German Democratic RepublicGerman Democratic Republic
The German Democratic Republic , informally called East Germany by West Germany and other countries, was a socialist state established in 1949 in the Soviet zone of occupied Germany, including East Berlin of the Allied-occupied capital city...
held four census during its existence from 1949 to 1990, of which only the 1964 results were published in full. Unlike most other countries, which saw a significant growth of their populations (baby boom
Baby boom
A baby boom is any period marked by a greatly increased birth rate. This demographic phenomenon is usually ascribed within certain geographical bounds and when the number of annual births exceeds 2 per 100 women...
), the GDR suffered a drop. Until the erection of the Berlin Wall
Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall was a barrier constructed by the German Democratic Republic starting on 13 August 1961, that completely cut off West Berlin from surrounding East Germany and from East Berlin...
in 1961, over three million Germans had "defected" from the GDR (Republikflucht
Republikflucht
"Republikflucht" and "Republikflüchtling" were the terms used by authorities in the German Democratic Republic to describe the process of and the person leaving the GDR for a life in West Germany or any other Western country .The term...
) to the free Western counterpart, the Federal Republic of Germany. As many young adults had chosen to leave, this also affected the numbers of babies born in the decades to come.
| Date | Area in km² | Pop. | Pop. per km² |
|---|---|---|---|
| 31 August 1950 | 107.862 | 18.388.172 | 170 |
| 31 December 1964 | 108.304 | 17.003.655 | 157 |
| 1 January 1971 | 108.178 | 17.068.318 | 158 |
| 31 December 1981 | 108.333 | 16.705.635 | 154 |
Since 1949 Bundesrepublik Deutschland
| Date | Area in km² | Pop. | Pop. per km² | Area changes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 September 1950 | 245.770 | 49.842.624 | 203 | since 1949 without East Germany, East Berlin and Saarland, with West Berlin |
| 25 September 1956 | 245.860 | 52.195.100 | 212 | |
| 6 June 1961 | 248.456 | 56.174.826 | 226 | since 1957 with Saarland |
| 27 May 1970 | 248.469 | 60.650.584 | 244 | |
| 25 May 1987 | 248.626 | 61.077.042 | 246 | |
| 9 May 2011 | 357.093 | ... | ... | since 1990 with Ostdeutschland and Ost-Berlin |
In the 1980s, attempts at introducing a census in West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
sparked strong popular resentment since some felt that the questions to be asked were quite personal. Comparisons to Orwell's 1984
Nineteen Eighty-Four
Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell is a dystopian novel about Oceania, a society ruled by the oligarchical dictatorship of the Party...
were drawn. Some campaigned for a boycott, or for intentional false statements. The Constitutional Court stopped the census in 1980 and 1983, and required a revision of the process. The modified census was eventually held in 1987.
For 1991, a year in which also Austria held a census, a concurrent census in both West and East Germany had been planned , but it was canceled due to reunification, and replaced by a "micro census" population sample
Sampling (statistics)
In statistics and survey methodology, sampling is concerned with the selection of a subset of individuals from within a population to estimate characteristics of the whole population....
among 1 percent of house holds. Due to reunification and immigration from former Eastern Bloc states and the war-torn Balkans, the population has grown to c. 82 million in the 1990s, but no census was held since 1987. The CIA Factbook estimates the population at 82,329,758 (as of July 2009), and ranks Germany as 17th in the world (including the EU as third).
Former population censuses in Germany were complete enumerations obtained direct from the entire population in personal interviews or by questionnaire. That method produces very accurate results, but involves much effort. For the 1987 population census, some 500 000 enumerators were required. For 2011, a change in methodology is planned, and the costs of the largely register-based census are expected to be only about one third of the expenditure of a traditional population census. Mainly the data already stored in the registers of the administrative authorities, in the population registers of the municipalities and the registers of the Federal Employment Agency will be used. Additional data, like information on education, training and occupation, will be collected by an interview-based sample survey. The data on buildings and dwellings, for which there are no registers in Germany, will be collected by mail from all owners.
See also
- Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis)
- Demographics of GermanyDemographics of GermanyThe Demographics of Germany were determined also by a series of full Census in Germany, with the most recent held in 1987. Since reunification, German authorities rely on a micro census....
- German census of 1895German census of 1895The German census of 1895 was one of the first full-scale German censuses, organized on all territories of the German Empire.Prior to 1871 many German counties organized various local census records, however most of the results did not survive World War II...
- Judenzählung
Literature
- Kaiserliches Statistisches Amt (Hrsg.): Statistisches Jahrbuch für das Deutsche Reich, 1880–1918
- Statistisches Reichsamt (Hrsg.): Statistisches Jahrbuch für das Deutsche Reich, 1919-1941/42
- Statistisches Bundesamt (Hrsg.): Statistisches Jahrbuch für die Bundesrepublik Deutschland, 1952 ff.
- Staatliche Zentralverwaltung für Statistik (Hrsg.): Statistisches Jahrbuch der Deutschen Demokratischen Republik, 1955–1989