Strong emtional disturbances can be suspected from the Russian and Ukrainian data. Euphoria in the mid 20s,followed by a second one ten years later, and a sharp downturn in the early 1940s.The subsequent recovery peaked in the 1950s to decline yet again by the mid 60s.

By contrast little Moldova, and Slovenia had a more moderated history, while all showed a marked reduction from the late 1980s onwards.

Southern Europe has had less momentous events. The four countries are remarkably similar though Spain shows signs of a setback in the mid 1930s, which are well understood. All suffere a precipitous decline from the 1960s onwards although Italy's birth rate declines the more rapidly.