Erwin Rothbarth

Erwin Rothbarth (1913–1944) was a German economist and statistician known for his contributions to GDP measurement and the study of consumer valuation of new goods. Born in Frankfurt to a Jewish family, he joined the Social Democratic Party and pursued law before shifting to economics, earning degrees from the London School of Economics (LSE) and Cambridge University, where he became John Maynard Keynes's research assistant.

During World War II, Rothbarth was interned by the British from May to August 1940. After his release, he married Myfanwy Charles and enlisted in the British Army, where he was killed in action in the Netherlands in 1944.

Rothbarth's work with Keynes on national income statistics advanced GDP measurement, introducing Gross National Income using double-entry accounting. He also pioneered the "new goods" concept, estimating consumer valuation through virtual reservation prices in his 1941 article. His contributions were recognized in multiple academic journals and articles.