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Highlights from a low-level area: infant mortality and social structure in eight East Frisian parishes, 1740–1839

2002; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 7; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/s1081-602x(02)00125-2

1873-5398

Ines Elisabeth Kloke,

Historical Economic and Social Studies

Abstract Considerable variations in infant mortality rates have occurred within the low-lying region of northern Germany's East Frisia. Individual parishes can be assigned to three specific groups by registered mortality levels for the period 1740–1839. Differences also existed between parishes containing Geest (heathland), bogs, and marshland reflecting specific geographical and environment factors, as well as the structure of the local economy. In both Geest and bog parishes, the level of infant mortality and its trend over time were not homogeneous. In the two marshy river parishes, only environmental factors were significant; both registered the lowest rates of infant mortality. They had fertile soil, extensive grazing land, an exceptionally high number of large agricultural holdings, and households that were above average in size. By contrast, the highest rates of infant mortality were found in one bog and two Geest parishes, but these communities remained heterogeneous in terms of geographical size and population growth and density. Keywords: Infant mortalityEast FrisianGeest Notes 1 Comparative results derived from German local investigations have been compiled in CitationFlinn (1981, Table 10, p. 135), CitationImhof et al. (1990, Graph 1.1, p. 199), CitationKnodel (1988, Fig. 3.1 and Table 3.1, pp. 42–44), and CitationLee (1979, Table 4.10, p. 186). CitationImhof (1981, p. 362) pointed to the constant relationship in the European North–South divide. CitationMedick (1996, p. 362) emphasized the variability of lower values in North, Northwest, and Middle Germany not only for regions whose socioeconomic structures were dominated by agriculture but also for those where living and work conditions were characterized by rural proto-industry. Examples were the rural communities of Ditfurt, north of the Harz, on one hand Citation(Stephan, 1993, p. 45), and Belm near Osnabrück on the other Citation(Schlumbohm, 1994, Table 3.16, p. 153). 2 In six data sets, the Berlin Database provides individual life data from tens of thousands of people from surveyed regions of East Frisia (Lower Saxony), Schwalm (Hesse), Hartum (Westphalia), Ortenau (Baden), Herrenberg (Württemberg), and Saarland. The database, directed by A.E. Imhof, was established in 1986–1990 during a project on the history of life expectancy in Germany. Gehrmann was in charge of the choice and calculation of data. The author thanks both scientists for their kind support. The life data were derived from Ortssippenbücher (village community genealogies) and Stammtafeln (genealogical tables) in the case of the Schwalm region. Both sources are based on baptismal, marriage, and burial records. The database is the foundation of the author's dissertation, published by the Department of History, Free University, Berlin on the internet: http://www.diss.fu-berlin.de/1998/19.html (CitationKloke, 1998. Infant mortality in Germany in the 18th and 19th centuries: six rural areas in comparison). The infant mortality values given in this article are taken from the dissertation. Both a previously published article in English on the source material and a concise description of the surveyed region of East Frisia can be found in CitationImhof et al. (1990, pp. 15–17, 67–72, 93–113). 3 In Germany, constant levels of infant mortality ranging from 250 to 400 deaths per 1000 live births were also found in Laichingen in the Swabian Mountains Citation(Medick, 1996, p. 356) and in the Bavarian villages of Anhausen, Gabelbach, and Kreuth Citation(Knodel, 1988, p. 42), Gabelbach Citation(Imhof, 1981, p. 363), and Thalhausen and Massenhausen Citation(Lee, 1979, p. 186). Consistently, lower infant mortality levels reported from the German northwestern coastal region are registered for the following communities: Stollham in the Butjadingen region in 1751–1775: 161 infant deaths per 1000 births, 1776–1800: 185, 1801–1825: 117, 1826–1850: 131, and Langwarden in the same region during the same time periods: 171, 141, 130, and 144 per mille Citation(Norden, 1984, pp. 62–63); Hohenfelde, Neuenbrook, and Marne in Holstein in 1760–1849: 133, 102, and 223 infant deaths per 1000 live births Citation(Lorenzen-Schmidt, 1983, p. 167); District Segeberg in Holstein in 1742–1753: 164 and 1754–1766: 193 infant deaths, Münsterdorf in Holstein 1767–1789: 152 and 1790–1819: 118 infant deaths per 1000 births Citation(Hanssen, 1912, pp. 191 and 198); Leezen in Schleswig-Holstein 1720–1769: 136, 1770–1819: 165, 1820–1869: 103 infant deaths per 1000 live births Citation(Gehrmann, 1984, p. 132); Middels in Ostfriesland 1750–1900+: 122, Werdum in Ostfriesland 1700–1899: 167 infant deaths per 1000 births Citation(Knodel, 1988, p. 44); Krummhörn region in Ostfriesland 1720–1769: 100, 1770–1819: 112 infant deaths per 1000 live births. E. Voland, University of Giessen, provided the Krummhörn data. 4 The data on population and herds (Wohnplätze) that are repeatedly quoted in the entire text are taken from the state descriptions (Landesbeschreibungen) and the statistical reviews by CitationArends (1824), CitationUbbelohde (1823), and CitationRingklib (1853).