Adenauer And The CDU

Question 1

Why was the CDU popular with Western occupying powers?

Answer 1

Because of its strong economic policies and its anti-communist stance

Question 2

What did Ludwig Erhard’s economic programme do?

Answer 2

Meant that GNP trebled during the 1950s

Question 3

How did Marshal Aid money help West Germany?

Answer 3

Helped them move to an advanced economy based on electronics, cars, banking and education

Question 4

Why did the CDU receive large support from the Catholic Church?

Answer 4

It was seen as a strong barrier against communism because Adenauer was violently opposed to East Germany and believed reunification needed a compromise with the SED

Question 5

Why was support from catholics crucial?

Answer 5

45% of West Germans were catholic as opposed to 30% in the pre-1945 united Germany

Question 6

When was Adenauer elected as chancellor?

Answer 6

15th September 1949

Question 7

When did Adenauer remain chancellor until?

Answer 7

1963

Question 8

When did the CDU remain in power until?

Answer 8

1969

Question 9

Who became the first president of the FRG?

Answer 9

Theodor Heuss

Question 10

What did SPD leader Schumacher believe about Adenauer?

Answer 10

He criticised Adenauer as leading a weak coalition, similar to those that had failed during the Weimar period

Believed that Adenauer would become a puppet of the USA

Question 11

What did Adenauer believe the survival of the West Germany and Europe lay in?

Answer 11

Greater economic and political cooperation

Question 12

What did the European Coal and Steel Community do?

Answer 12

1951

Combined heavy industry in France, West Germany, Italy, Belgium, Holland and Luxembourg into one common market

Question 13

What did the European Economic Community do?

Answer 13

1957

Abolished tariffs between member states and therefore improved West German exports - increases wages and stability

Question 14

What did Adenauers social policies in the 1950s help?

Answer 14

Improve home-ownership and access to consumer goods

Question 15

What happened to real wages between 1950-64?

Answer 15

They doubled

Question 16

What were women discouraged from and why?

Answer 16

The workforce

CDU wanted women to focus on family life

Question 17

What did Adenauer do during the Korean War?

Answer 17

Communist North Korea invaded the capitalist south

Adenauer fearing that Germany might attempt a similar invasion, proposed the creation of an FRG army of 150,000 men in 1950

Question 18

What was the result of the 1953 election ands why is this?

Answer 18

CDU won 45.2%, a 14% increase from 1949

People of WG feared communist aggression and supported Adenauer

Question 19

What happened on the 5th May 1955?

Answer 19

The General Treaty came into force which handed over control of foreign policy to the FRG within NATO

Question 20

What was the FRG able to have?

Answer 20

It’s own military force

Question 21

What did the 1957 election show?

Answer 21

The CDU became the first and only party to win an overall majority with 50.2%

Question 22

What was the slogan of the CDU campaign?

Answer 22

‘No Experiments!’

Question 23

What did the CDU campaign do?

Answer 23

Called for the people of WG to stick with the party that had successfully led the country since the end of the war and not to risk the unknown by supporting the SPD

Question 24

What did Adenauer negotiate in 1955?

Answer 24

The release of Germanys prisoners of war from the USSR in return for the FRG’s recognition of the USSR

Question 25

How did the Hungarian uprising in 1956 increase support for Adenauer?

Answer 25

He was seen to have the support of the USA and their military might

Question 26

How did Adenauer link the SPD with the GDR?

Answer 26

Through their left-wing policies