▁ph yl lo x era , ▁down y ▁mil de w ▁and ▁v ine ▁moth ). ▁ ▁The ▁deeper ▁cause ▁of ▁the ▁decl ine ▁were ▁the ▁changed ▁so cio - e conom ic ▁conditions . ▁ ▁Until ▁the ▁ 1 9 th ▁century , ▁there ▁were ▁few ▁other ▁opportun ities ▁for ▁paid ▁employ ment ▁in ▁the ▁Rh ine ▁Valley , ▁so ▁many ▁workers ▁migr ated ▁to ▁areas ▁where ▁the ▁emer ging ▁manufact uring ▁indust ries ▁were ▁creating ▁new ▁employ ment ▁opportun ities . ▁The ▁economic ▁situation ▁on ▁the ▁left ▁bank ▁improved ▁after ▁the ▁Second ▁World ▁War . ▁Until ▁then , ▁the ▁only ▁indust ries ▁on ▁the ▁left ▁bank ▁were ▁vit icult ure ▁and ▁tour ism . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 0 s , ▁ 9 2 % ▁of ▁the ▁s lop es ▁was ▁cons olid ated ▁into ▁larger ▁v ine y ards . ▁ ▁Nevertheless , ▁the ▁wine ▁industry ▁decl ined ▁further , ▁due ▁to ▁lack ▁of ▁prof its . ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 0 ▁the ▁Mittel r hein ▁region ▁bo asted ▁ ▁of ▁v ines ▁under ▁cultiv ation ▁[ int . ▁document ▁of ▁the ▁win eg ro wer ' s ▁association ▁Middle ▁Rh ine ]. ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 9 ▁it ▁still ▁had ▁ ▁( − 5 3 %). ▁From ▁ 1 9 8 9 ▁to ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁the ▁total ▁area ▁of ▁vit icult ure ▁in ▁the ▁Middle ▁Rh ine ▁region ▁shr unk ▁by ▁another ▁spir aling ▁− 1 9 % ▁to ▁. ▁