April 13, 2012 | News | In the Press

Family structures in Eastern Germany are similar to those found in Scandinavia

“Family structures in Eastern Germany are in many respects more modern than those in Western Germany,” MPIDR researcher Michaela Kreyenfeld said in an interview with the news agency dpa.

More than 20 years after the reunification of Germany, the family behaviours of Eastern and Western Germans still differ significantly. “In terms of family structure, Eastern Germany resembles the Scandinavian countries more than Western Germany,” MPIDR researcher Michaela Kreyenfeld observed. High rates of female employment and low marriage rates – both are found in Scandinavia and in Eastern Germany. “Family structures in Eastern Germany are in many respects more more modern than those in Western Germany,” the researcher said.

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