Germany

1. Name and address of the organization responsible for the census:

Statistisches Bundesamt, D-65180 Wiesbaden.

2. Population censuses conducted since 1945 (years):

Federal Republic of Germany:  1946, 1950, 1961, 1970 and 1987.

German Democratic Republic:  1946, 1950, 1964, 1971 and 1981.

The present description relates to the population census conducted in the Federal Republic of Germany on 25 May 1987 (i.e. before the German reunification).

3. Coverage of the census:

(a) Geographical scope: Whole country (within the borders of the Federal Republic of Germany, i.e. excluding the former German Democratic Republic).  

(b) Persons covered: All persons of all ages.   

4. Reference period:

The day of the census (i.e. 25 May 1987).

5. Main topics:                                  

(a) Total population, by sex and age:  yes.   

Economically active population by:

(b) Sex and age group:  yes

(c) Industry:  yes                    

(d) Occupation:  yes

(e) Status in employment:  yes

(f) Highest educational level:  yes

(g) Hours of work:  yes

(h) Other characteristics:  yes

Re (a): The age is determined in terms of year of birth and month (1 January to 24 May or 25 May to 31 December) of birth.  

Re (g): Hours of work relate to the number of hours normally worked per week.  Full-time work: over 36 hours per week and part-time work: up to 36 hours per week.

Re (h): The census also collected information on: main source of livelihood; additional economic activity; length of practical occupational training; name and address of place of work or study; means of transport used and time normally spent to reach the workplace; citizenship and religious affiliation.

6. Concepts and definitions:

(a) Economically active population:  It comprises all persons aged 15 years and over who, at the time of the census, were either employed or unemployed, according to the definitions given below.

(b) Employment:  Considered as employed are all persons who, at the time of the census, had a work contract, as well as persons who had their own business and persons who were self-employed.  The criterion for being considered as employed does not depend on the amount of profit made or the number of hours actually worked.  The question used to determine whether a person is to be counted as employed is “Are you:  1) Economically active (also farmer, family helper, apprentice, soldier, person doing alternative civilian service) - Full-time (over 36 hours per week) or Part-time (up to 36 hours per week); 2) Unemployed, looking for work; 3) Not economically active; 4) Housewife, ‘houseman’; 5) Pupil, student?”.         

It is reported that the following categories are included:                                        

i)         persons doing unpaid work in family firm or business;          

ii)        persons engaged in production for own consumption;            

iii)       employed persons, temporarily absent from work;                            

iv)       working students with a part-time job;                                   

v)         seasonal or occasional workers (providing they were working on the day of the census);

vi)       conscripts for military/civilian service;

vii)      apprentices and trainees.

Persons belonging to categories (i) and (vii) can be identified separately.

(c) Unemployment: Considered as unemployed are all persons who, at the time of the census, were not working, but were considered to be looking for work irrespective of whether they were registered at the National Labour Office.  The question used to determine whether a person is to be counted as unemployed is the same as that indicated under 6 (b) above.

7. Classifications used:

Only employed persons are classified by industry, by occupation and by status in employment.           

(a) Industry:   Based on the question “To which line of business (branch of economic activity, government agency) belongs the establishment (firm, office) at which you are working?”.  For coding industry, 100 groups of the national classification were used.   Links to ISIC-rev.2 were established at the division (2-digit) level.

(b) Occupation:  Based on the question “What kind of activity, occupation/profession do you perform?”.  For coding occupation, 328 groups of the national classification were used.    Links to ISCO-68 were established at the unit group level.

(c) Status in employment: Based on the question “Are you presently working as: 1) Skilled worker; 2) Other wage earner; 3) Salaried employee; 4) Apprentice; 5) Official, judge soldier, person doing civilian alternative service; 6) Self-employed employing paid labour; 7) Self-employed without paid labour; 8) Family helper?”.   For coding status in employment, the above eight groups were used.

(d) Level of education: Based on the questions:  “What is the highest level of general education you have completed: 1) Elementary school, post-primary school; 2) Intermediate school or equivalent (e.g. completed 10^th grade); 3) Qualifying for higher education (final high school exam), qualifying for vocational college?” and “Which is the highest level at a vocational school or a university you have completed: 1) Full-time vocational school (e.g. commercial or administrative school); 2) Advanced full-time vocational school; 3) Higher technical college (engineering school, vocational college); 4) Institution of higher education (incl. teacher training)?”.  Respondents who had attended a vocational school or university were also asked to state the main special field of their completed education/training.  For coding level of education the groups listed above were used.  No links were established with the International Standard Classification of Education.

8. Main differences compared with the previous census:

In the 1970 census only a ten percent sample of the population was asked certain questions relating to economic activity, whereas in the 1987 census everybody was asked these questions.

9. Publication of the census results:

The final results of the census were published in July 1991 in “Fachserie 1, Bevölkerung und Erwerbstätigkeit. Einzelveröffentlichungen zur Volkzählung vom 25 Mai 1987”. 

The organization responsible for the publication is the Statistisches Bundesamt, D-65180 Wiesbaden.

The census data are also available in the form of diskettes and magnetic tapes.