Open AccessThe Economic Integration of Forced Migrants: Evidence for Post‐War Germany
Author(s) -
Bauer Thomas K.,
Braun Sebastian,
Kvasnicka Michael
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
the economic journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.683
H-Index - 160
eISSN - 1468-0297
pISSN - 0013-0133
DOI - 10.1111/ecoj.12023
Subject(s) - forced migration , quarter (canadian coin) , world war ii , demographic economics , displacement (psychology) , displaced person , first world war , economic integration , population , economics , geography , agriculture , development economics , political science , refugee , economic history , demography , sociology , history , international trade , ancient history , archaeology , psychology , psychotherapist
The flight and expulsion of Germans from Eastern Europe after World War II constitutes one of the largest forced population movements in history. We analyse the economic integration of these migrants and their offspring in West Germany. A quarter century after displacement, first‐generation migrants still tend to fare worse economically. Displaced agricultural workers, however, exhibit higher incomes than comparable natives, as displacement caused large‐scale transitions out of low‐paid agriculture. Differences in economic outcomes of second‐generation migrants resemble those of the first generation.