- Dispute over population: Hanau to attract scientists
Hanau is contesting the results of the recent census, which shows that the city had only 93,632 inhabitants as of May 15, 2022, a decrease of 6,675 people compared to 2021. For the upcoming meeting with the State Statistical Office in August, which the city hopes will correct the numbers upwards, Hanau has enlisted the help of sociologist Rainer Schnell, who teaches at the City University London and the University of Duisburg-Essen.
"The question is why a statistical projection based on around ten percent of the population should be more accurate than the continuously updated resident registration statistics," explained Hanau's mayor Claus Kaminsky (SPD). Schnell has already dealt with the census in 2011 and is known as a critic of the procedure. According to the city's statements, Jürgen Dieter from the Hessian Towns Association will also participate in the meeting with the state office.
Population has an impact on financial resources
The dispute over the actual population is not just about vanity, whether Hanau is now a large city with more than 100,000 inhabitants or not. According to the State Statistical Office, the results of the census are the basis for how much money cities and municipalities will receive in the future through state and municipal financial equalization as well as through EU funding.
With the census, a kind of population census, statisticians determine approximately every ten years how many people live in Germany, how they live and work. The 2022 census is based on official registers and the survey of twelve percent of the population.
In other calculations, Hanau had over 100,000 inhabitants
In earlier calculations, the state office had come to a Hanau population of 100,307 for the year 2022, according to the city's statements. Accordingly, the 100,000 mark was exceeded in October 2022.
According to the census, Frankfurt, Kassel, Darmstadt, and Offenbach also had lower population numbers than in the so-called population forecast. Only Wiesbaden had a slight increase. In Hanau, the decrease was the largest at minus 6.7 percent.
The scientific analysis conducted by sociologist Rainer Schnell, who has criticized the census procedure in the past, could provide valuable insights into Hanau's population dispute. The accuracy of the census data significantly impacts the city's financial resources, as it serves as the basis for state and municipal financial equalization and EU funding.
