The turnaround in internal migration between East and West Germany over the period 1991 to 2018

Abstract

BACKGROUND After losing a population of more than 1.2 million through migration to the West, in 2017 East Germany recorded net internal migration gains for the very first time since reunification. OBJECTIVE In consideration of this trend reversal, we investigate internal migration patterns between East and West Germany since reunification and discuss their consequences for population dynamics. METHODS We use annual inter-county migration flows for the period 1991 to 2018 to calculate the yearly total number of registered moves and internal migration rates differentiated by citizenship, age, and sex. RESULTS East Germany currently experiences small net population gains through internal migration among almost all age groups and noticeable net population losses only among labor market entrants (25-29 year olds). In addition, the results show that men have dominated West-East migration throughout the entire study period and East-West migration since about 2008. CONCLUSIONS Internal migration between East and West Germany has changed significantly since reunification. The continuing population losses among labor market entrants reveal that the West German labor market is still more attractive for young adults. The sex

On the role of cultures of (out-)migration in the migration decisions of young people in shrinking regions of Central Germany

“…We can conclude that the decisions to move or stay put are influenced by both the local context (e.g. economy, infrastructure, migration history) and by classed and gendered competencies, considerations, and expectations at the individual level (Farrugia et al, 2014;Stockdale and Catney, 2014).…”

“…In the 30 years since reunification, eastern Germany has lost 1.2 million people to the western part of the country through internal migration. Young adults between the ages of 18 and 25 have been especially likely to "go west" (Stawarz et al, 2020) leaving behind an ageing population, especially in rural areas (Leibert, 2020a). In addition to this age selectivity, outmigration from rural areas of eastern Germany is also sex-selective with young women being more likely to leave, resulting in highly skewed sex ratios in many rural districts (Leibert, 2016).…”

“…For the first time in decades, eastern Germany had positive (albeit small) net migration gains with Western Germany in 2017. The east-west migration of young adults, the outmigration of this age group from rural areas in eastern Germany, and the sex selectivity of these migration streams have also declined in recent years (Leibert, 2020b;Stawarz et al, 2020). However, given the severe demographic problems of rural eastern Germany -ageing, depopulation, and unbalanced sex ratios -it would be premature to celebrate these changes as a turning point in the demographic fate of this regions (Stawarz et al, 2020).…”

“…Halfacree and Merriman (2015) make another important point: migration is a process with no obvious endpoint, which implies that migration decision-making also has a temporal dimension and that the decision to leave can be seen as a practice that is nested in an individual's life-course biography and unfolds over time (see Coulter et al, 2016). The production of biographies and subjectivities is hence connected to and intertwined with space, place, and history (Farrugia and Wood, 2017;Stockdale and Catney, 2014). Outmigration of young adults from rural eastern Germany is a good example.…”

Psychological and Socio-Economical Determinants of Health: The Case of Inner German Migration

“…In addition, it should be noted that a migration from East- to West-Germany (or vice-versa) is likely much less stressful than a “typical” migration, where an individual has to adapt to a completely different culture. Especially coupled with the fact that the migration to the West was largely perceived as an opportunity [e.g., better job and career perspectives; ( 14 – 16 , 61 ), p. 15; ( 62 , 63 )], a positive effect of migration seems more likely ( 16 , 64 , 65 ).…”