THE IMPACT OF WARS AND EPIDEMICS OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES ON SELECTED DEMOGRAPHIC PARAMETERS OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC POPULATION IN LUBLIN IN THE 19th CENTURY

This study addresses the question of whether, and to what extent, wars and epidemics of infectious diseases affected selected demographic parameters of the Roman Catholic population of Lublin between 1811 and 1900. The analysis was based on vital statistics extracted from selected parish records in Lublin. The article aims to reconstruct the population’s status and age structure, alongside key demographic indicators such as the Gross Reproduction Rate (GRR), Net Reproduction Rate (NRR), and life expectancy at birth. The method of Inverse Projection was employed. The simulations conducted provided insights into the processes of population reproduction, the long-term evolution of gross and net reproduction rates, and trends in life expectancy at birth (e₀). These demographic parameters and their dynamics were examined in the context of external factors potentially influencing demographic behaviour. A marked decline in vital indica tors was observed as a consequence of the 1831 war with Russia and the associated cholera epidemic, as well as subsequent recurrences of the disease in the mid-19th century.