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
