I thought to myself "Ronald, you shouldn't keep this to yourself. You owe it to your loyal readers to post it." So, generous-spirited as ever, that's exactly what I've done. Well, not quite yet, because I'm still writing it. By the time you read this I will have done it. If you follow me.
Most revealing is the very limited amount of cross-border trade. Exports didn't get much above 1% of production in the pre-WW I period. Imports were even less significant. Contrast that with the more recent figures. In 2004 14% of production was exported.
Consumption per head, that's striking for a different reason. It's about the same now as it was 100 years ago. When people talk of a decline in beer drinking in recent years in Germany, they usually forget to point out that it was at an unusually high level in the 1970's and 1980's. The 153 litres a year it hit in 1986 was the highest ever. In 1935 consumption was only 56 litres per head. A little bit of historical perspective never hurts.
I haven't given up with posting by numbers. Oh no. There are loads more coming. I promise.
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