From North and South and East and West - How Migration Behaviour in Germany Depends on Regional Mentalities

After reunification, East Germans were much more willing to migrate internally than West Germans. This tendency to emigrate has hampered the catching-up process of the eastern German states. It is generally assumed that the strong out-migration from eastern Germany is mainly due to economic reasons. However, it is by no means certain whether economic incentives for migration actually determine migration decisions. Therefore, this article examines whether region-specific cultural differences also influence internal migration in Germany in addition to the known causes such as unemployment, age and education. The results show that northern and eastern German migrants react more strongly to economic incentives than southern and western German migrants. In addition, East Germans are generally more willing to migrate, which has increased the migration away from East Germany.