Settlement location shapes the integration of forced migrants: Evidence from post-war Germany⁎

Sebastian Braun and Nadja Dwenger

Explorations in Economic History, 2020, vol. 77, issue C

Abstract: Following one of the largest displacements in human history, almost eight million forced migrants arrived in West Germany after WWII. We study empirically how the settlement location of migrants affected their economic, social and political integration in West Germany. We first document large differences in integration outcomes across West German counties. We then show that high inflows of migrants and a large agrarian base hampered integration. Religious differences between migrants and natives had no effect on economic integration. Yet, they decreased intermarriage rates and strengthened anti-migrant parties. Based on our estimates, we simulate the regional distribution of migrants that maximizes their labor force participation. Intra-German migration in the 1950s brought the actual distribution closer to its optimum.

Keywords: Forced migration; Regional integration; Post-war Germany (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J15 J61 N34 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (13)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:exehis:v:77:y:2020:i:c:s0014498320300164

DOI: 10.1016/j.eeh.2020.101330

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