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Birthplace Urbanicity and Lifetime Labor-Market Outcomes: Evidence from Forced Migration Due to World War II

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  • Möller, Joachim

    (University of Regensburg and Institute for Employment Research (IAB), Nuremberg)

Abstract

During and after World War II, West Germany absorbed around eight million refugees and displaced persons, including nearly two million children. This provides a natural experiment to examine whether birthplace characteristics exert persistent effects on later labor-market outcomes. Using administrative labor-market biographies for the 1935–1950 birth cohorts combined with geocoded information on birthplaces and workplaces, we find that birthplace urbanicity is strongly associated with later labor-market outcomes not only among both native-born individuals but also among expellees. Individuals originating from urban regions earn systematically higher daily wages than those born in rural areas, even after controlling for workplace region, education, and occupation. Among displaced individuals, the effects are considerably stronger for women than for men and are especially pronounced for expellees from the Czech lands. The findings suggest that urban-origin advantages were transmitted across generations through education, occupational sorting, and family-specific social and cultural capital.

Suggested Citation

  • Möller, Joachim, 2026. "Birthplace Urbanicity and Lifetime Labor-Market Outcomes: Evidence from Forced Migration Due to World War II," IZA Discussion Papers 18725, IZA Network @ LISER.
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp18725
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • R12 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Size and Spatial Distributions of Regional Economic Activity; Interregional Trade (economic geography)
    • R23 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis - - - Regional Migration; Regional Labor Markets; Population
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J61 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers
    • N34 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy - - - Europe: 1913-

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