The determinants of East-West German migration: some first results

Determinants of the propensity to migrate are explored using data collected in a survey of East German residents following German reunification in 1991. The author notes that in the period 1989-1992, some 870,000 individuals migrated to West Germany, representing about 5% of the total East German population and 10% of the work force. He suggests that "recent developments in the literature on the option value of waiting may yield important insights into these determinants."