Journal Article

Die historische Entwicklung der Sterblichkeit in Mecklenburg-Schwerin im 19. Jahrhundert

Abstract

Embedded in the Rostock research group of historical demography "A History of Aging Societies", the authors examined the demographic transition of Mecklenburg in the 19th century. On the basis of statistical population data from the late 18th up to the early 20th century, which survived in the form of statistics manuals and census listings, the increase of life expectancy and mortality decline was analysed for the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. In an optimization procedure the mortality conditions were calculated with the "Generalised Inverse Projection" (GIP), a mathematic and statistic method using the historical birth, death and population totals. The results gained from the study allowed an integration of this north German province into the European context and was used for the comparison with its Scandinavian neighbours Denmark and Sweden, which were the forerunner countries of historical mortality decline. The study showed that 19th century Mecklenburg rather followed the Scandinavian scheme of low mortality, in contrast to other German regions. Little correlation exists between the favourable historical development of mortality in Mecklenburg-Schwerin and the relatively high mortality rates in today's Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR].