Fertility transition in the Czech lands (1895–1919): new evidence from reconstructed age-specific rates

This article analyzes fertility development in the Czech lands during the crucial period at the turn of the 20th century (1895–1919) using newly reconstructed national age-specific fertility series. The study’s primary contribution lies in the first continuous reconstruction of annual age-specific fertility rates (ASFR) and the total fertility rate (TFR), indicators previously unavailable on a national scale for this era in the Czech lands. By harmonizing diverse statistical sources, the study overcomes the limitations of prior research based on crude birth rates or localized reconstructions. These refined data allow a more detailed examination of both the intensity and the age structure of fertility decline during the second phase of the demographic revolution. The findings show that TFR declined from approximately 5.0 children per woman in 1895 to 3.7 in 1913. At the same time, ASFR reveal that fertility decline became increasingly concentrated among women aged 30 years and over, while younger age groups remained comparatively more stable. This age-asymmetric pattern is consistent with the broader diffusion of fertility limitation and with stopping behaviour becoming an increasingly important component of reproductive decision-making during the second phase of the demographic revolution. Furthermore, the study re-evaluates the impact of WWI, demonstrating that while fertility plummeted to a historical minimum of 1.44 in 1918, the conflict was not the primary driver of the long-term decline. Instead, it acted as a powerful catalyst, accelerating a pre-existing transformation toward a modern reproductive regime that continued into the post-war era. By situating these findings within the European context, the article argues that the Czech demographic transition followed a distinct Central European trajectory. These newly reconstructed age-specific fertility series provide a vital bridge between historical demography and modern statistical series, providing a new basis for studying the timing and age structure of fertility decline in the Czech lands.