1949-63 Political And Economic Flashcards
When was Adenauer chancellor
1949-63
When was the Basic law
May 1949
What did the Basic Law do
Created the democratic Federal Republic of Germany
What was contained in the basic law
Fundamental rights, such as right to life, constitutional principles such as ensuring German democracy rested on right to vote and seperate branches of government
What was the 5% rule
While Germany elected the Bundestag using proportional representation, any party required 5% of the vote to be given any seats to minimise the impact of marginal parties
How did the power of the president change under the basic law
Term was reduced to five years, with only one additional term possible. Role became more of a figurehead
What was the 131 Law
The 131 law of 1951 allowed former Nazis to be employed as civil servants
What was the Collective Bargaining Law
The Collective Bargaining Law of 1949 established ground rules for labour relations between government and trade unions
What were the results of the 1949 election
The CDU were the largest party with 139 seats, but a large turnout represented faith in the democratic system
What were the results of the 1953 election
The coalition of Christian and Free democrats increased their majority, with 243 seats
What were the results of the 1957 election
The CDU won the only absolute majority in democratic German history, with 50.2% of the vote
What was the Der Spiegel Affair
Der Spiegel was Germanys largest newspaper, who published an article the compromised defence ministry affairs. This led to conflict between the defence minister and the journalist, who was arrested and held for 103 days
Why did the public react badly to the Der Spiegel affair
Anything that compromised the free press in such a heavy-handed manner reminded the German People of the Nazi Regime
Why did Der Spiegel Affair affect German politics
Defence minister Strauss was forced to resign. Led to FDP threatening to pull out of coalition if Adenauer resigned in favour of Erhard
When was Adenauer meant to resign
After the 1961 election, the deal between the CDU and FDP was made on the condition that Adenauer would resign within 2 years
What was Ohne Mich
“Count me out” described the philosophy of most Germans in the early FGR, where they were happy to enjoy a quiet private life, only voting to continue the success of an incumbent party
What was the 1953 election slogan for the CDU
“Keine experimente” meaning no experiments- showed how German people were bored of political games and wanted stability
How did Adenauer and Erhard fall out
When the President, Theodor Hess, resigned in 1959, Erhard and Adenauer tried to prevent the SPD nominee. To prevent having to hand over power, Adenauer asked Erhard to become President. Erhard saw through this and refused, leading to Adenauer to run for President himself, to block Erhard. After days of internal feuding, Adenauer was forced to withdraw
How did Adenauer slip up politically with the Berlin Wall
When the wall was built in August 1961, Adenauer did not immediately head to Berlin, preferring to remain on the campaign trail for upcoming federal elections
What was the outcome of the 1961 election
The CDU lost its absolute majority, losing 1 million votes. Coalition negotiations were difficult, and a CDU/FDP coalition only occurred when Adenauer agreed to resign after two years
