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Railway Construction (1850-1873)

Railway construction was a key factor in Germany’s rapid industrial growth during the third quarter of the nineteenth century. Here, we see that the total length of railroad track in the country quadrupled between 1850 and 1873. Initially, German railways transported more passengers than freight cargo. By the end of the period under consideration, however, that situation had been reversed. The railway also became the largest employer in Germany: between 1850 and 1870 the number of employees increased tenfold. This table also shows that railway construction, which demanded huge amounts of capital, played a central role in the development of Germany’s financial institutions.

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Figures Indicating the Success of German Railway Construction, 1850-1873

 

 

1850

1855

1860

1865

1870

1873

1

German Confederation/
German Reich
Prussia

5,875

2,967

7,862

3,822

11,157

5,762

14,034

6,895

18,810

11,460

23,853

14,461

2

Workers employed (Germany)

ad hoc basis
Permanently
In Prussia, permanently

 

78,700
26,084
13,706

 

112,800
51,480
27,380

 

171,300
85,608
44,852

 

189,100
113,570
62,294

 

220,400
161,014
106,542

 

396,900
234,114
162,114

3

Passengers per km
Freight per km

783
303

1,090
1,095

1,733
1,675

2,676
3,672

4,447
5,876

5,693
10,060

4

Capital stock

891

1,329

2,152

2,772

3,945

5,531

5

Net investments

41

85

241

153

320

654

6

Average dividend of Prussian private railroads

4.4

6.6

5.4

8.9

7.6

5.6

7

Net domestic product

German Reich
Prussia

 

48.2
28.9

 

102.4
56.9

 

173.2
96.1

 

275.9
157.0

 

397.8
274.5

 

537.5
365.5


Explanatory note:
1. Length of rail network in the German Confederation/German Reich and Prussia in km.
2. Workers employed (ad hoc and permanent) by the German and Prussian railroad companies.
3. Passengers and freight transported by German railroads in passengers per km and freight per km.
4. Capital stock of German railroad companies at purchase prices (in million marks).
5. Net investments by German railroad companies at market prices (in million marks).
6. Average dividend of Prussian private railroads in percent.
7. Net domestic product of German and Prussian railroads at market prices (in million marks).



Source: Hans-Ulrich Wehler, Deutsche Gesellschaftsgeschichte [German Social History], vol. 3, Von der „Deutschen Doppelrevolution” bis zum Beginn des Ersten Weltkrieges 1849-1914 [From the “German Double Revolution” to the Beginning of the First World War 1849-1914], Table 63. Munich: Beck, 1995, pp. 69-70.

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