A comparative research of German railways in the 20th century

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K01791
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 07070:Economic history-related
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: Banzawa Ayumu 大阪大学, 大学院経済学研究科, 教授 (90238238)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 経済史 / ドイツ史 / 鉄道史 / 帝国史

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The management system of the railway industry in 20th century Germany was observed and analyzed with a focus on the transfer of relationships, technologies, and organizational components among railway industries in different regions and countries. The study observed and analyzed the process of active negotiation and integration among multiple state-owned railways, as well as the relationship between foreign railway industries (such as those in the Middle East, Eastern and Western Europe, and Japan) and the unified German National Railway (Reichsbahn). As a result, it was found that (1) the integration of the "German" railway at the national level was not necessarily inevitable or rational, and (2) the interest in the integrated Reichsbahn and the railway industry in East Asia was asymmetrical.

Free Research Field

経済史

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

・第一次大戦前にドイツ語圏に複数存在した独立的な邦有鉄道には必ずしも一考レベルの鉄道組織としての統合の合理性がないという検証結果を得ているが、ここからは国民経済単位での独占的な組織統合には非合理が生じる可能性が示され、経済史研究における「地域」の重要性が示唆される。また、民営化にあたって一国レベルでの独占企業を選択したドイツ鉄道とJRなどとの比較において含意が少なくない。
・日本の鉄道業（日本帝国圏鉄道）と欧州とりわけドイツの鉄道業との間の関心の著しい非対称を明らかにしたことで、技術水準に見られる戦前期日本経済の位置づけを再確認するとともに、国際関係のありかたへの示唆が得られる。