Adenauer and Erhard: consolidation of the FRG, 1949-65

Question 1

What anti-democratic parties were banned under Adenauer?

Answer 1

KPD (1956) and SRP, Socialist Reich Party, (1952)

Question 2

What was Adenauer’s foreign policy?

Answer 2

• Re-integration into Europe
• Achieve full acceptance for the FRG both as an independent country in its own right and as the voice of Germany

Question 3

How many terms did Adenauer have?

Answer 3

4

Question 4

What did Adenauer’s policies attract?

Answer 4

The middle ground of politics, appealing to the moderates who favoured stability over experiment.

Question 5

How many former Nazis did Adenauer’s foreign ministry contain in 1949?

Answer 5

39

Question 6

Why did Adenauer employ former Nazi officials?

Answer 6

In order to exploit their experience to rebuild West Germany.

Question 7

Despite embracing ex-Nazis, how did Adenauer show that he wasn’t trying to minimise German guilt over the Holocaust?

Answer 7

• The government made payments to the victims of Nazi war crimes, especially Jews
• Paid DM100 billion to the Israeli state for the horrors committed to the Jews

Question 8

Which 1950 domestic policy contributed to the rebuilding of German infrastructure?

Answer 8

Construction Law - grants provided to the Lander and cities to encourage large scale building projects and to reduce the need for temporary accommodation.
- Resulted in the building of 4 million homes by 1957, helping German refugees and those expelled from other countries become integrated into the FRG.

Question 9

What 1952 domestic policy provided compensation to the victims of wartime bombing campaigns and those expelled from the lands in the east?

Answer 9

Equalisation of Burdens Act
- Was financed by a tax of 5% on every citizen with a net worth of more than DM 5,000, payable in 30 instalments.
- By 1983, DM126 billion had been raised by this measure.

Question 10

How did the government support the welfare reform?

Answer 10

Pensions Act (1957): rise of 60-70% in pension payments
- ‘Contract between generations’ - those presently working would make contributions through their taxes towards the pensions of those who were retired. The value of the workers’ pensions was linked to their level of contribution.