Cost of living in German towns

Bibliographic data

Monograph

Identifikator:: 866449027

URN:: urn:nbn:de:zbw-retromon-93831

Document type:: Monograph

Title:: Cost of living in German towns

Place of publication:: London

Publisher:: Stat. Off.

Year of publication:: 1908

Scope:: 1 Online-Ressource (LXI, 548 Seiten)

Collection:: Economics Books

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94 BREMEN. The historic Hansa City of Bremen is a State as well as a municipality, for though Bremen parted with its independence in customs matters in 1888 it has retained its political independence, and its government is still the limited republican form under which it has lived for so many centuries. Though Bremen is famous as a maritime trading town, it lies 75 miles distant from the open sea, and 37^ miles from its harbour, Bremerhaven, with which it is con nected by the river Weser. The entire area of the State territory is 63,357 acres (about 99 square miles), of which 13,178 acres fall to the town of Bremen proper, 173 acres to the small town of Vegesack, 2,172 acres to Bremerhaven, 47,000 acres to a number of villages lying on both sides of the Weser, and 833 acres to the river bed. The town itself has been extended six times since 1848 r the last extensions (of 1901-2) taking in the villages of Walle, Gröpelingen, Hastedt, Schwachhausen, and Woltmershausen, with an area of 7,478 acres. The whole of the adjacent country lies low and but little above the.sea level, and banks have had to be constructed outside Bremen as a protection against the river floods. At the census of December, 1905, the State of Bremen had a population of 259,433, and the town one of 211,931. The modern growth of Bremen has been marked by no such startling leaps as have been experienced by some German towns more closely identified with industry, but its history has since 1871 been a history of steady and healthy progress. The following Table shows the movement of the towns’ population during the intercensal periods since 1871 Year, Population. Intercensal Increase. Increase Per Cent. 1871 1875 1880 1885 1890 1895 1900 1905 82,969 102,499 111,940 118,043 124,955 141,133 161,184 211,931 19,530 9,441 6,103 6,912 16,178 20,051 50,747 23 5 92 5'5 59 12 9 142 315 The increase during the period 1900-1905 was enhanced by the incorpora tion in 1902 of townships having a population of 21,940. The population of the whole State increased from 112,402 in 1871 to 156,723 in 1880, 180,443 in 1890, 224,882 in 1900, and 259,433 in 1905. The increase of population in recent years has been confined to the suburbs, for in the older districts, the “ Old Town ” and the “Hew Town,” a gradual decline has for a long time been in progress owing to the conversion of dwelling houses into business premises and the clearances made for the erection of public buildings. The “ Old Town,” indeed, reached its highest figure in 1842, since when it has more and more taken the “ City” character, and the 26,372 inhabitants of that year fell to 18,088 in 1905. So, too, the “ New Town ” had in 1905 13,708 inhabitants against 15,070 in 1895, when its highest popu lation was recorded. It is noteworthy that of Bremen’s population in December, 1900, 54*3 per cent, were born in the town. Like Hamburg, Bremen was crippled as an industrial centre so long as it did not form part of the German Customs Union, for goods produced within or imported into the City Republic were dutiable directly they crossed the adjacent frontiers of Prussia or Oldenburg. Since 1888, however, the industrial importance of Bremen has rapidly increased, and the State authorities are doing their utmost, by the extension of the existing harbours and docks, to attract capital and enterprise to the town. The census of December, 1900, showed that 45'6 per cent, of the population were engaged in industry, 36*7 per cent, in trade and commerce (including domestic service), 2*2 per cent, in agriculture and gardening, while the remaining 15*5 per cent, represented the official, professional, and leisured classes. The local industries include shipbuilding, which is also carried on at Bremerhaven, Geestemünde, and Vegesack ; engineering works, corn and rice milling, jute spinning and weaving, wool combing and washing, tobacco and cigar manufactures, beer brewing and spirit distilling, oil mills, small chemical works, timber yards, and the manufacture of sails, rope, and ships’ tackle. In the jute factories are many Poles and foreigners, chiefly women.

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