No more Mutterkreuz? German masterace shrinking in 2006+

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jon_j_rambo
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No more Mutterkreuz? German masterace shrinking in 2006+

Beitrag von jon_j_rambo »

BERLIN (Reuters) - Are Germans an endangered species?


Stunning as it may seem, a steep decline in the German population since 1972 and fears the trend will gain pace have led demographers to warn of unsettling consequences.

The number of Germans has declined by 3.2 million -- the population of Berlin -- over the last 30 years but demographers' concerns have mostly been ignored until now in a country scarred by the Nazis' nefarious procreation pressures.

German leaders have now lifted the birth rate to the top of the political agenda for the first time since the Nazi era, and the two ruling parties are trying to outdo each other with pro-family measures.

"Germans are at risk of dying out if the trend continues," said Harald Michel, managing director of the Institute for Applied Demography. He fears the German population could shrink from 75 million to 50 million by 2050 and further after that.

"The birth rates have been below the replacement rate for 35 years -- a lethal development," he added. "Germans could become an 'endangered people.' It's hypothetical now but we may have to think about 'the last German' at some point. The problem is compounded each generation. Children not born 30 years ago obviously aren't there to have children now."

SILENT SHRINKING

Germans have long had one of the lowest birth rates in the European Union at 1.3 children per woman -- far below the "replacement rate" of 2.1 needed to keep the population stable and about half the rate of 40 years ago.

More than 30 percent of east and west Germans born from 1960 to 1967 will remain childless. Among Germans with higher education, the childless rate is even higher at 38 percent.

"Each generation is being reduced by about a third," said Norbert Walter, chief economist at Deutsche Bank.

"The consequences are foreseeable," he added, referring to the financial havoc a shrinking population is causing in areas ranging from the increasingly underfunded state pension system to weak consumer spending and sagging property values.

"I think it's an exaggeration to talk about Germans becoming 'extinct'. But when a country that once had more than 80 million people ends up with only 60 million at some point down the road, well, that will be a completely different country then."

The silent shrinking has so far been masked by immigrants.

But Germany's anemic economy is no longer a magnet and the total population, which includes 7 million foreigners, has actually declined in recent years -- from a peak of 82,536,680 in 2002 to 82,500,849 in 2004.

NAZI PROMOTIONS, PRESENT TABOO

Low birth rates plague other nations like Italy, Russia and Japan where the Yomiuri daily said last month that the average number of children a woman bears in her lifetime fell to a record low in 2005.

But demographers say Germany is worse off because the problem has been ignored for so long. In other leading industrial nations like the United States, Britain and France, birth rates are much closer to the replacement rate.

"Why did we show so little interest the last 40 years as we went from a republic rich with children to one with a children shortage?" ex-Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder asked last year.

Now, interest has revived. Chancellor Angela Merkel's government -- formed late last year -- recently agreed to give new mothers generous one-year wage replacement subsidies. Plans to eliminate fees for kindergarten are also being floated.

"It's the first time since 1945 that a German government has come out of the closet about population policy," wrote the Berliner Zeitung newspaper. "Family policy is suddenly chic."

Despite state financial support of 150 billion euros ($180 billion) a year for child support programs including monthly subsidies of 154 euros per child, many Germans are reluctant to start families due to a generally frosty attitude to children.

Parents with young children are often made to feel unwelcome in restaurants, employers rarely make arrangements for workers with small children, preschool care in some places is hard to find and fees far exceed costs for university. Many schools also close at noon, making it difficult for working parents.

"It's an extremely complex issue," said Walter. "It's a delicate topic and it's going to remain sensitive in Germany where it can't be handled as it might in a normal country."

Although it was 60 years ago, Nazi methods to encourage women to have children to bolster Hitler's future armies weigh on the collective consciousness.

The Nazis gave women a "Mutterkreuz," or "mother's cross of honor," and a certificate signed by Hitler thanking them "in the name of the German people."

A bronze "Mutterkreuz" went to women with four to five children, silver for six to seven and gold for eight or more.

"That history is still playing a role in Germany," said Michel. "Population policy was long a taboo topic."

Michel said he did not believe the sudden talk of greater state support for child care or a host of other state plans to boost the birth rate will change very much.

"We're on a downward trend; it can't be stopped," he said. "We should come to terms with a shrinking German population."
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HerrLiam
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Beitrag von HerrLiam »

In The UK and and in other European Nations the population is shrinking. Europeans an the all are having less children, although I think it has to do more with the headache of taking care of children these days. Think of all the responsability, the pedafiles, rapists, murderers? When I was a boy I went out and played at 4 years old on my big wheel in Giessen. I road up and down the hills with the other Military Brats... In a Military Family installation handed down by Germans I believe. It was in fact the tallest apartment complex I've ever lived in!

I recall, when the sun rose I went out and I played till the Sun set.

Now I see Mother's afraid to let their babies outside at all, they force them on PCs and Playstations. Prefer the TV or a book to the outdoors, more than likely due to urbanization... they fear their children will fall pray to the many disasters in cities as well. Such as Automobile accidents!

Parents today aren't as they were yesterday.. Less and less people want to care for the new breed, more and more they want to kick back, have an Tea and Watch the sun themselves, not have a heart attack over whether George is getting good grades and has potential for College. Hell, shall we afford College for George? What about if he gets a young girl pregnant? Lordy, we shall be taking care of his children, he'll be incompetent, we've not taught him the ways of the World!

This is the Future of Western Civilization.....those bills for low income families mostly is benificial for minorities, most White families in America do not find a few hundred dollars value enough to share with the world the joy of Children!

To regain that spirit we need more Love and less War. More Social settings and less PCs. More Hiking, More biking, More chess, Coffee Scenes, More Money for schooling, HUGE tax breaks for family's... Many MANY days off, because how can Dad watch George when he has 1 hour and 30 minutes a night...he feels mostly like watching TV himself, so George is overweight and so is Dad and both die too young from heart attacks...on and on and on and on

:p that is why us Westerners have stopped breeding we see no incentives, and the joy of parenthood is poopy diapers and Marie, starts shooting herione at age 16 from falling into the wrong crowd

Change the World we live in and make it worth our children then perhaps we shall change our views, the World today doesn't deserve them!
If there was someone with more skill than myself I would be shocked, Meglomania

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jon_j_rambo
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Agree 100%. Growing up in the Midwest, we played outside all day with no worries. Baseball, basketball, golf, and building treeforts. Society has gone to crap. Lawsuits, Pyschos, & a falling away from God. What is the point of a family? Kids gotta grow up fast. Drugs, alcohol, sex sin, name it. Only way to have a family is outside the city. The pleasures of this world have taken over in the adult society. Divorce rate is 62% !!!!! People laugh at marraige like it's a stupid curse. Doesn't surpirse me, God evented the marraige between man & woman, people don't believe in God, so why would they believe in marraige?
"The Lord is my shield, and He in whom I trust"

HerrLiam
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Beitrag von HerrLiam »

To earn more faith in the modern era we need more positive energies, and less of these unfaithful sinners. They need to be converted. a Revolution, but not a Nazi one needs to be undergone. When the Apple gets bad, you throw out the bad apples and preserve the good ones, salvation of those that are worth something for the long run.

Perhaps one Day, the World will be a Place that is habitable for my Younglings, until then I will not have Daughters and I will consider strongly before having a Boy. I may never procreate to be honest, I do not want the hassle nor the worry. My own childhood was quite sad and pathetic and I will admit it has worsened for those I see in this generation. The Hearts of Youth are poisoned with useless meaningless crap. They need Strong Parental Figures, they need Lives that are both creative and full of things to occuppy themselves... They need a Brighter Future, with a Good Harvest :) Thus my Name Liam stands for, bringer of a good Harvest! Gaelic

Let us hope Brother Rambo tomorrow is a Day that the Sun shines upon the Children of this Earth and they are happy Little Ones with all the things that were once taken for Granted

I believe we can create that World again, with lots of work, to Hell with the Evil, and bring forth the masses to Stand Up for what is Right...

Goto Amnesty International to see what you can do for your World

~Liam


jon_j_rambo hat geschrieben:Agree 100%. Growing up in the Midwest, we played outside all day with no worries. Baseball, basketball, golf, and building treeforts. Society has gone to crap. Lawsuits, Pyschos, & a falling away from God. What is the point of a family? Kids gotta grow up fast. Drugs, alcohol, sex sin, name it. Only way to have a family is outside the city. The pleasures of this world have taken over in the adult society. Divorce rate is 62% !!!!! People laugh at marraige like it's a stupid curse. Doesn't surpirse me, God evented the marraige between man & woman, people don't believe in God, so why would they believe in marraige?
If there was someone with more skill than myself I would be shocked, Meglomania

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jon_j_rambo
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Beitrag von jon_j_rambo »

What I posted previously is the negative side, the world as it is seen. The positive, the Kingdom of God is not seen with the eyes, it is, "Christ in you, the hope of glory". Jesus Christ died on a cross for sinners, was buried, and rose again 3-days later from the dead.

Jesus saves.
"The Lord is my shield, and He in whom I trust"

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