HOW DID THE KRUMMHORN ELITE MALES ACHIEVE ABOVE-AVERAGE REPRODUCTIVE SUCCESS

The wealthy elite males of nineteenth-century Krummhorn (Ostfriesland, Germany) achieved an above-average reproductive success. Membership i n the elite class was determined from a list of the 300 richest men in the Ostfriesland district compiled by authorities in 1812. The main c omponents establishing the link between cultural success and reproduct ive success are 1. differences in the number of offspring owing to dif ferences both in time spent in fecund marriage (mating success) and in rate of reproduction; 2. differences in the probabilities of one's ad ult offspring marrying locally vs. emigrating unmarried owing to diffe rential ability to allocate resources that enhance the ''social placem ent'' of adult offspring; and 3. differences in the probability of tot al reproductive failure (lineage extinction). Contrary to what might b e expected, infant survivorship was lowest amongst the richest familie s. We conclude that to a great extent females' reproductive decisions contribute to the greater reproductive success of the elite males.