The variable LOC1989 in the meta-file PPFAD / PPATH provides information about a person’s residence prior to German reunification, distinguishing among “(1) German Democratic Republic [GDR]”, “(2) Federal Republic of Germany [FRG] (including West Berlin)”, and “(3) abroad”. Respondents born after 1989 (GEBJAHR in PPATH) were coded as “(-2) does not apply” on LOC1989. This information has been generated for all individuals who were ever a member of a SOEP household (i.e., the population from PPFAD, PPATH or PPATHL). LOC1989 combines information from two main sources: In 2003, the individual questionnaire included information on the place of residence before German reunification (dataset TP). Since 2004, this question has been included in the biography questionnaires (dataset BIOL). Along with these sources, the following indicators were used to code the variable LOC1989 (with descending priority):
- HID in PPATHL: Place of residence in the former FRG before German reunification
- IMMIYEAR in PPATH: Respondents who first immigrated to Germany after 1989 were coded as living “(3) abroad” in 1989
- IMMIYEAR, CORIGIN in PPATH: Respondents from countries holding agreements on labor recruitment with the FRG who immigrated to Germany before 1990 were assumed to have been living in the “(2) Federal Republic of Germany [FRG] (including West Berlin)” in 1989
- IMMIYEAR, CORIGIN in PPATH: Respondents from countries holding agreements on labor recruitment with the GDR who immigrated to Germany before 1990 were assumed to have been living in the “(1) German Democratic Republic [GDR]” in 1989
- PSAMPLE in PPATH: Respondent’s sample affiliation in 1990, differentiating between members of the former West samples (A, B) and the former East sample (C)
- SAMPREG in PPATHL & BRMOVEIN and SYEAR in BIORESID: Respondents who moved into their current dwelling in the former FRG or GDR before 1989
- SAMPREG in PPATHL: Respondent living in the West or East sample region in 1990
The vast majority of information given in LOC1989 is based on information from these sources. For the remaining respondents, indirect information is derived from the following proxies to code their place of residence in 1989:
- PZUG in PBRUTTO: New entrants to the SOEP who previously lived in East Germany or abroad
- BSSCHEND and BSSCHWO in BIOSOC: Place and year of the last school attended
- PGRUPPE in PBRUTTO: Place of birth that was asked in 1995
- PL: Country of origin GDR
- PNAT_V2 in PBRUTTO: Citizens of (former) GDR
- PL: Place of residence in 1984
- BIOPAREN and PPATH: Parental residence in 1989 for individuals younger than 18 in 1989
The variable LOC1989 in the meta-file PPFAD / PPATH provides information about a person’s residence prior to German reunification, distinguishing among “(1) German Democratic Republic [GDR]”, “(2) Federal Republic of Germany [FRG] (including West Berlin)”, and “(3) abroad”. Respondents born after 1989 (GEBJAHR in PPATH) were coded as “(-2) does not apply” on LOC1989. This information has been generated for all individuals who were ever a member of a SOEP household (i.e., the population from PPFAD, PPATH or PPATHL). LOC1989 combines information from two main sources: In 2003, the individual questionnaire included information on the place of residence before German reunification (dataset TP). Since 2004, this question has been included in the biography questionnaires (dataset BIOL). Along with these sources, the following indicators were used to code the variable LOC1989 (with descending priority):
- HID in PPATHL: Place of residence in the former FRG before German reunification
- IMMIYEAR in PPATH: Respondents who first immigrated to Germany after 1989 were coded as living “(3) abroad” in 1989
- IMMIYEAR, CORIGIN in PPATH: Respondents from countries holding agreements on labor recruitment with the FRG who immigrated to Germany before 1990 were assumed to have been living in the “(2) Federal Republic of Germany [FRG] (including West Berlin)” in 1989
- IMMIYEAR, CORIGIN in PPATH: Respondents from countries holding agreements on labor recruitment with the GDR who immigrated to Germany before 1990 were assumed to have been living in the “(1) German Democratic Republic [GDR]” in 1989
- PSAMPLE in PPATH: Respondent’s sample affiliation in 1990, differentiating between members of the former West samples (A, B) and the former East sample (C)
- SAMPREG in PPATHL & BRMOVEIN and SYEAR in BIORESID: Respondents who moved into their current dwelling in the former FRG or GDR before 1989
- SAMPREG in PPATHL: Respondent living in the West or East sample region in 1990
The vast majority of information given in LOC1989 is based on information from these sources. For the remaining respondents, indirect information is derived from the following proxies to code their place of residence in 1989:
- PZUG in PBRUTTO: New entrants to the SOEP who previously lived in East Germany or abroad
- BSSCHEND and BSSCHWO in BIOSOC: Place and year of the last school attended
- PGRUPPE in PBRUTTO: Place of birth that was asked in 1995
- PL: Country of origin GDR
- PNAT_V2 in PBRUTTO: Citizens of (former) GDR
- PL: Place of residence in 1984
- BIOPAREN and PPATH: Parental residence in 1989 for individuals younger than 18 in 1989