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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274 KÖNIGSBERG. The town and fortress of Königsberg lies on the river Pregel at the extreme north-east of the kingdom of Prussia, at a distance of 366 miles north eastward from Berlin. It is almost circular in shape, being confined within a ring of moated defences, which are continuous, except for about a mile on the south-east, where the swampy nature of the soil appears to have been con sidered a sufficient defence in itself. This disc-shaped agglomeration, which ranks as a “ first-class fortress,” is traversed from east to west, and divided into a northern and a southern half by the Pregel, about five miles east of where that river flows into the Frische Haff. At a point about 1,000 yards east of where it enters the town, the river forms a loop, enclosing an island about 500 yards long, and 200 yards wide, which is the centre, and, at the same time, one of the oldest and most densely built parts of the town. At the eastern end of this island the river again divides, one branch, which maintains an easterly direction, being called the New Pregel, and the other, which flows first south and then south-east, the Old Pregel. Five bridges (the widest having a span of some 60 yards) connect the island with the surrounding town, and the raising of these bridges for the convenience of passing ships is a frequent cause of congestion in the street traffic. The general impression which Königsberg is apt to leave on its visitors is one of noisy streets, many of them too narrow for the traffic which they have to accommodate ; of bridges frequently uncrossable because raised for passing ships ; of narrow quays lined with quaint, high-gabled, half-timber-work ware houses, and used at certain points as market places for the sale of fruit, fish, cheese, vegetables, meat, and other eatables ; and of sailing craft moored bow- onwards to the quays, competing with the stalls on shore in the sale of pro duce. Among other features likely to impress the visitor as distinctive of this locality are the comparative scarcity of open spaces for recreation and the marked prominence of the military element among the population. The noisiness of the streets is due to the nature of the paving (stone setts and rough, unevenly laid cobbles), in conjunction with traffic largely made up of drays laden with coal, ironwares, timber, cereals, flax, and other bulky merchan dise, the distribution of which constitutes the chief business of the port. The frequent necessity for crossing bridges is unavoidable, owing to the peculiar formation of the town. The use of the narrow quays as market places for the sale of produce is doubtless due to the scarcity of space arising from the fact that the town has been prevented from expanding with the growth of its population, owing to the enclosing ring of ramparts and moats, and the restrictions on building enforced by the military authorities on all land lying within a certain distance of the defences. Thus, within the first zone of 1,000 metres (about 1,093 yards) from the ramparts, no houses whatever may be built ; within a second and outer zone of prescribed width, only half-timberwork structures (capable of being rapidly demolished if necessary) are allowed. These restrictions are still in full force, and will remain so until an agreement can be reached between the town and the Government as to the price to be paid by the former for the land occupied by these extensive military works, which are now admittedly obsolete. There are, indeed, few German towns whose expansion has so long been hampered by fortifications. The mean population in 1890 amounted to 161,000, and, 10 years later, a further 27,000 people had to find accommodation within the same area, thus increasing the density of the population from 114 to 135 persons per acre. In one of the chief working-class quarters-^-Haberberg—close against the southern fortifications, the population increased during the same period from 158 to 218 per acre ; and, in the year 1895, there were only 68 unoccupied dwellings in the whole town. Under the circumstances it would be surprising if public parks and open spaces were a prominent feature in Königsberg. Unlike so many other of the larger German

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