1980s Flashcards
How many children did the average German woman have in 1980 and how was it changed from 1960
1.42 children down from 2.4 in 1960
When did Bundestag parties have a quota of women candidates
1980
When was there an attempted Neo-Nazi meeting and when
In Harzburg in the 1980
How strong were neo-Nazi groups in the 1980s
Posed no real political threat but dominated right wing media
Affect of Neo-nazi bomb in Oktoberfest and when
1980
Bomb in Munich Oktoberfest killed 15
How many right wing groups in 1989
Over 18,000 extreme right wing groups
How did the income of private households change between 1950-85
Increased by 1600%
What % of German workers in service sector in 1980:
16%
Number of university students by 1989
49 universities catered for over 1 million people
How did the economy affect the 1980 election
Expanding economy helped Schmidt win the 1980 election
How did the FRG economy change in 1981
Growth dipped
Increasing unemployment and inflation
Contributed to end of Schmidts premiership in 82
What policy did Kohl implement and what did it do
A policy of De Wende
Government spending cut
Tax cuts phased in over 7 years
Early retirement and retraining schemes introduced
Privitisation of state owned industry such as Lufthansa and Volkswagen
How did role of state in the economy change between 82 and 90
Went from 52% to 46%
How did Germanys proportion of world output change between 75 and 87 and why
Went from 7.9% to 7.4%
Caused by increasing competition from Asian countries
Growth rate of 1980s
0.7%
Growth of economy in 1984
2.6%
FRG economy throughout the 80s
Kohl abandoned high public spending
Kept annual budget increases to max of 3%
Continued welfare spending
Kohl suggested a return to social market economy but status quo remained
Change in inflation between the 81 and 87
Went from 6.2% to 0.6%
Unemployment in 1987
Unemployment remained over 2.2 million
When was the Green Party formed
1980
How did Green Party gain national notoriety
Opposition to nuclear missiles being placed in Germany in 1983
Vote share of Green Party in 83 and 87
83- 5.6% - first Bundestag representation
87- 8.3%
When did Kohl become Chancellor
1982
Why was sleaze a feature of Kohls government
Industry had been making secret and illegal donations to coalition parties
Lambsdorff scandal
1984- FDP finance minister Lambsdorff resigned as it was revealed he had taken $50k in exchange for lucrative tax waivers
What was the Bitburg affair
Ceremony of reconciliation with Reagan planned, later revealed to be on SS burial ground
Result of 1987 election
CDU/CSU vote declined to lowest point since 49 (44.3%) while the FDP raised to 9.1%
FDP-CSU/CDU coalition formed
How was Kohl involved in reunification
Continued Ostpolitik policy
Invited GDR leader to FRG in 1987
Made agreements over environmentalism and scientific issues
Co-operated over nuclear policy
Kohl and Honecker (FRG leader) issued joint statement that war must not emanate from Germany
How GDR led to reunification
70% of FRG supported unification
GDR had been bankrupt since 1983- propped up from FRG loans
Before rise of Gorbachev there were fears of USSR invasion
GDR left isolated as Eastern Bloc regimes began to reform due to Gorbachev
Hungary opened its Austrian border in May 89- led to refugees flooding FRG
Honecker forced out after peaceful protests in Leipzig etc
What was the ten point plan
Set out basic framework for reunification to be possible
Called for “immediate medical assistance and a foreign currency for travel”, “common institions to be set up” and to create “joint policies in the pursuit of international co-operation”
Heavily supported by the Bundestag
CDU/CSU called it a “historic contribution”
Key points on path to reunification
1989- Kohl met with wide cheers and applause during speech in Dresden- led him to believe that reunification was feasible
Brandenburg gate symbolically opened in Dec 89
50,000 continued to protest in GDR
Mass Domestic support meant Kohl could focus on international support
Gave France a commitment to European integration
FRG Sent economic aid to USSR to gain support of Gorbachev
Currency Union
Key step to reunification was a standardised currency
Kohl agreed that Deutschmark could be exchanged 1:1 with Ostmark for salaries, wages and pensions
Savings converted 1:1 to an extent
Currency Union signed and took effect from July 90
Was an important symbolic gesture that provided a rallying point, the rate was too high, hindering the economic progress of poorer ex-GDR areas
International opinion on reunification
Of the 2+4 parties, only USA initially onboard
2+4 negotiations began at “open skies” conference in Ottawa feb 90
Poland involved in meetings concerning Polish-German border
Key issues surrounded NATO membership, membership of EEC and Polish-German border
July 90- Bush issues the London Declaration- made Germanys NATO membership seem political- led to support of Gorbachev
Key points of “miracle of Moscow”
Germany renounced all claims to foreign eastern territories
Germany provided financial assistance to USSR/Russia
German military installations scaled back
Russia/USSR withdrew troops over a 4 year period
Germany given full sovereignty
Germany becomes NATO member
When was the reunification treaty signed and came into effect
Signed 31st August 1990 and came into effect 3rd October 90
Result of 1990 elections
First all-German, free election since November 1932
CDU/CSU became largest party
CDU/CSU - FDP coalition
Endorsed Kohls policies
Green Party and NPD won no seats
Return of reformed Communist Party
German involvement in Gulf War
Kohl on the sidelines in 91 gulf war- majority of Germans supported UN involvement but didn’t wish to intervene
