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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233 ESSEN. Essen, a town of the Prussian province of Rhineland, lies in the very centre of the great coal and iron district of Western Germany. Though noted at different epochs for weaving and the manufacture of weapons, and in the eighteenth century of some repute as a coal-mining centre, it was still only a village with just over 3,000 inhabitants at the commencement of the nineteenth century. Its progress continued to be very slow, even during the period of German industrial development after 1X40 ; and as late as 1850 its population was less than 10,000. Its rapid advance began with the rise to importance of the Krupp works in the decade following 1850. It has been estimated that nearly 70 per cent, of the inhabitants of the town are directly or indirectly dependent upon the Krupp firm, and this fact, taken in conjunction with the institutions founded by the firm, makes the conditions in Essen altogether abnormal. The municipal boundaries have been very greatly extended in recent years, and the following Table shows the increase of area (by incorporation) and the rise of population :— Year. 1860 1870 1880 1890 1895 1900 1905 Area. 2,415g acres. 2,415| ,, 2,415& „ 2,415j „ 2,4154 acres. 4,709* „ 6,245i „ Population. 18,435 43,528 56,944 78,706 96,128 182,100 231,396 No. of Dwelling Houses. 4,227 4,869 5,710 9,738 12,769 The increase of population since 1880 in each of the three districts which make up the present Essen is shown in the next Table :— Year. Essen. Altendorf. Rüttenscheid. 1880 1890 1895 1900 1905 56,944 78,706 96,128 118,862 130,490 22,229 31,892 40,280 63,238 78,472 2,751 4,457 6,040 14,735 22,434 Total. 81,924 115,055 142,448 196,835 231,396 The increase of population in these three districts during the twenty-five years, amounting to about 182 per cent., is due partly to a large influx of workmen, and partly to a high birth-rate. The next Table gives the birth and death rates for the five years 1901-5 : — Year. 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 Birth* per 1,000 of Population. 47-0 442 43 6 41*7 40-3 Deaths per 1.000 of Population. 211 17*7 19-8 17-7 15*5 Infantile Mortality per 1,000 Births. 163 146 172 152 150 In 1905 the population consisted of 119,661 males and 111,735 females. The town of Essen may be divided into three areas, or groups of areas : (a) The " old town,” which lies on the slopes of a small hill, in the centre of the town, with narrow streets, and squares which are used as market places. In this district there are many survivals of old Essen, in the shape of low houses of “ Fachwerk ” (Le., a wooden frame tilled in with brick or rubble, often faced with slates) ; these are often crowded together in picturesque and 2908$ 2 G

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