The book published by Walther G. Hoffmann in 1965 is still regarded as the standard work on Germany's historical national accounts from 1850 onwards. Economists, economic and social histo-rians as well as political historians have uncritically used its time-series as starting point and basic...

Using data on physical output per worker for twenty-three industries, it is shown that contrary to popular belief, German industry had not forged ahead of Britain by the 1930s. The pattern of Britain's comparative advantage is reflected in the fact that, although German productivity was...