German unemployment highest since 1933

[Karmadillo]

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2005/mar2005/germ-m05.shtml

At more than 5.2 million, the number of unemployed in Germany has reached its highest level since 1933, the year in which the National Socialists seized power.

The Federal Agency for Labour (BA) announced a figure of 5,216,434 persons officially registered as unemployed for the month of February. That corresponds to a national ratio of 12.6 percent—averaging 10.4 percent in western Germany and 20.7 percent in the east of the country. The eastern state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern has the highest percentage, with nearly every fourth inhabitant without a job. Nationally, more than one third of the jobless are long-term unemployed—i.e., they have been without a job for one year or longer.

The federal government tried to downplay these numbers by referring to changed methods of assessing unemployment linked to the government’s so-called Hartz IV laws, as well as the cold weather conditions in February. But even if one considers these factors, the number of unemployed has still reached the highest level since 1998, when the SPD (German Social Democratic Party) and the Greens took over government. Of the 161,000 increase since January, just 16,000 are due to seasonal winter unemployment.

In addition, the new counting methods do not take into account several hundred thousands of unemployed and underemployed persons. Participants in government training schemes (ABM measures), who work temporarily at the expense of the Labour Agency, are not included in the official figures, and the same applies to those who no longer register as unemployed because they have no prospect of receiving unemployment pay. An additional 76,000 Hartz IV recipients are not included in the statistics because their details were not promptly passed on to the BA by the municipalities. The numerous so-called “mini jobbers” (earning less than 400 euros per month)—whose numbers also rose last year to around 322,000—and the 220,000 so-called I Inc., who receive some funding from the BA, are not counted in the statistics. The actual number of persons seeking a proper job, therefore, is estimated to be anywhere between 6 million and 8 million.

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In contrast to the coalition of 1969, a new coalition would not augur a new period of social reforms. The global economy, dominated by transnational companies and international financial markets, excludes such a possibility. Such a coalition would be the inevitable prelude to intensified attacks on democratic and social rights.

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[Igel]

1. That's an absurdly misleading headline.

"Unemployment" usually refers to the rate.

OK, Germany in 1933 had about 63.5 million people. (http://www.tacitus.nu/historical-atlas/population/germany.htm)

2004: 82.4 million.

And since the birthrate's dropped off, a greater percentage of the 2004 Volk are working age (or ready to retire) than they were in 1933.

It's not as bad as it was in 1933.

Still, it is an attention getting headline.

[applegrove]

2. They face much competition from their new other half & all of former

communist asia. They also have illegal immigrants who have always been able to walk into Germany. And yes - all Western Countries face an adjustment of sorts. USA too. Though perhaps 'the pentagopanasian wars' will hide that for a while.

Stats can be made to say just about anything.

But it is nice that someone loves Germany so much they keep bringing them up!

[Name removed]

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