LAUSR

Abstract Recent migratory shocks call for in-depth, structured studies of both the benefits and drawbacks of these phenomena. Using records from the European Patent Office, this paper documents the influence of Soviet inventors that migrated to Germany following the collapse of the Soviet Union on the patent production of local inventors. The evidence points to an increase in patent production in the technology fields in which the Soviet Union was most active, and a tendency for local inventors who had directly collaborated with their Soviet counterparts to explore new technology domains.