Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1899 American Edition.djvu/937

 RELIGION — INSTRUCTION

581

The following are the results of three complete religious censuses : —

Creed

1871

Per Ct. of Pop.

ISSO

Per Ct. of Pop.

1890

Per Ct. of Pop.

Protestants Roman Catholics Other Christians Jews.

Others and un- classified

25,581,685

14,869,292

82,158

512,153

13,504

62-3

36-2 0-2 1-3

03

28,331,152

16,232,651

78,031

561,612

30,615

62-6

35-9

0-2

1-2

•07

31,026,810

17,674,921

145,540

567,884

13,315

62-8 35-8 •29 1-1

•03

Adherents of the Greek Church are included in * Roman Catholics. ' Roman Catholics are (1890) in the majority in only three of the German

States, and form more than 20 per cent, of the population in only foiu*

others, as follows : —

A. States with 20 per Cent

of Roman

Catholics.

States

Prot. p. Ct.

Rom. Cath. p. Ct.

Other Chris- tians

Jews p. Ct.

Others p. Ct.

Oldenburg

77-31

21-91

•34

•44

•006

Wiirttemberg.

69-10

29-94

•33

•62

•009

Hesse

67^09

29-58

•74

2-57

-019

Prussia.

64-20

34-22

•32

1-24

•016

B. Predominantly Ri

iman Catho

lie.

Alsace-Lorraine

21 -05

76-53

•23

2-16

-025

Bavaria.

28^10

70-83

•10

-96

•009

Baden.

3611

62-02

•24

1-61

•017

In all the other States the Roman Catholics form less than 4 ^6 per cent, of the population. (For further particulars, see the various States. )

Instruction.

Education is general and compulsory throughout Germany. The laws of Prussia, which provide for the establishment of elementary schools (Volksschulen), supported from the local rates, in every town and village, and compel all parents to send their children to these or other schools, have been adopted, with slight modifications, in all the States of the Empire. The school age is from six to fourteen. The system of secondary education is also practically homogeneous. Above the elementary schools rank the middle schools of the towns, the BUrgerschulen and IJohere Biirgerschulen, which fit their pupils for business life. Children of the working clas.ses may continue their education at the Fortbildungs Scliulen or continuation schools, which are open in