Town Twinning and German City Growth

33 Pages Posted: 9 May 2014

See all articles by Steven Brakman

Steven Brakman

University of Groningen - Department of Economics; CESifo (Center for Economic Studies and Ifo Institute)

Harry Garretsen

Utrecht University - School of Economics; CESifo (Center for Economic Studies and Ifo Institute); Radboud University Nijmegen - Department of Economics

Abdella Oumer

University of Groningen - Faculty of Economics and Business

Date Written: April 8, 2014

Abstract

After World War II, town twinning became popular, notably in Germany. This was mainly a reaction to the war experience, and it was aimed at creating renewed international understanding and co-operation between German cities and cities in other countries. The contacts created by town twinning also resulted in increased international access of the cities involved. This potentially stimulates growth in these cities compared to cities that do not have (as many) twinning partners. In this paper we investigate the effects of town twinning on population growth in German counties and municipalities. Our results show that German counties and municipalities that engage in town twinning often have had a significantly higher population growth compared to German cities that do not have twinning partners. Especially the number or intensity of twinning relations as well as town twinning with French cities, and with neighboring countries more generally, turn out to have a positive effect on city growth. We also find that the positive population growth effects of town twinning are confined to the larger German cities.

Keywords: town twinning, German cities, economic integration, population growth

JEL Classification: F190, F200, J190, R120

Suggested Citation

Brakman, Steven and Garretsen, Harry and Oumer, Abdella, Town Twinning and German City Growth (April 8, 2014). CESifo Working Paper Series No. 4754, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2434482 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2434482

Steven Brakman

University of Groningen - Department of Economics ( email )

P.O. Box 800
9700 AV Groningen
Netherlands
+31 50 363 3746 (Phone)
+31 50 363 3730 (Fax)

CESifo (Center for Economic Studies and Ifo Institute)

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Munich, DE-81679
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Harry Garretsen

Utrecht University - School of Economics ( email )

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Adam Smith Building
Utrecht, 3584 EC
Netherlands
+31 0 30 253 9810 (Phone)

CESifo (Center for Economic Studies and Ifo Institute)

Poschinger Str. 5
Munich, DE-81679
Germany

HOME PAGE: http://www.cesifo.de

Radboud University Nijmegen - Department of Economics ( email )

Nijmegen, 6500 HK
Netherlands
+31 24 361 5889 (Phone)
+31 24 361 1846 (Fax)

Abdella Oumer (Contact Author)

University of Groningen - Faculty of Economics and Business ( email )

Postbus 72
9700 AB Groningen
Netherlands

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