1.1 Political and Governmental Change - FRG Flashcards
Revision
When was the Potsdam Conference?
17 July - 2 August 1945
What was decided at Potsdam?
Germany and Berlin divided into 4 zones
single economic unit
aim for same systems
What was the first party established and when?
KPD
11 June 1945
What was the second party to form and when?
SPD
15 June 1945
What was the outcome of the October 1946 elections?
SED (KPD + SPD) won in Soviet zone, did much worse in others
When was Basic Law announced?
23 May 1949
What was the main concept of Basic Law?
free and liberal democracy
- equal rights to all citizens
- free speech
What did Articles 20 and 21 allow?
right to resist anyone undermining the constitution
right to ban any undemocratic parties
How was the President elected?
Every 5 years by Bundestag and Bundesrat
How was the Bundestag elected?
Ever 4 years, vote for both a regional representative and a party
How was the Bundesrat chosen?
representatives from and chosen by the Lander
When was the FRG’s first election?
14 August 1949
What was the outcome of the FRG’s first election?
CDU/CSU 31%
SPD 29%
Adenauer Chancellor
When was the GDR’s constitution announced?
7 October 1949
What was the Hallstein Doctrine?
1955
refused to legally recognise GDR
FRG spoke for all of Germany
cut off relations with countries with relations to GDR
What countries did FRG cut off for having relations with the GDR?
Yugoslavia 1957
Cuba 1963
When was Adenauer chancellor?
1949-63
What was Adenauer’s leadership style?
authoritarian, forceful
appointed weak ministers
amount of power criticised - ‘Chancellor democracy’
What did Adenauer do to voting?
1953 - changed vote allocation - harder for smaller parties to gain seats
1957 - limited even further - became 3 party house with shifting coalitions (CDU/CSU, SPD, FDP)
