Work in Progress

East-West Migration, Knowledge, and Economic Growth: Evidence from the Iron Curtain (joint with Antonin Bergeaud, Michael Wyrwich, and Maria Greve)

Abstract: We explore the effects of migration on economic prosperity in the destination country, using the specific example of inventor migration from autocratic East to democratic West Germany after World War II. We track individual inventors and their patents over time, identifying those who migrated to the West before the building of the Berlin Wall in 1961. Using patent records from East and West Germany, we estimate the share of incoming patentees on subsequent regional growth in West German destination counties. To establish a causal relationship, we instrument the location choice of East German inventors with a variable capturing the prevalence of the inventor’s surname in West German destination counties.

The Church of Resistance: Religion and Protests in an Autocracy (joint with Johannes Buggle and Martin Lange)

Abstract: Mass protests have long been recognized as effective political actions, particularly in autocratic regimes where they serve as a potent tool for opposition movements. This paper examines the case of East Germany, specifically the Peaceful Revolution of 1989, which stands out as a rare example where protests successfully contributed to the democratization of an autocracy. The study focuses on the role of the Protestant Church in East Germany and investigates whether it supported or hindered the occurrence of protests. Our analysis explores the relationship between church membership rates and the frequency of protests using a linear regression framework. Preliminary findings indicate a positive association between church membership rates and protests. This paper contributes to our understanding of the dynamics between religious institutions, social movements, and political change, shedding light on the factors that facilitate or impede successful opposition movements in autocratic contexts.

The Effects of Protests on Regime Support - Evidence from an Autocracy (joint with Kalle Kappner, and Hans Lueders)

Capital Cities and Long-run Development in Communism (joint with Moritz Hennicke and Felix Rösel)