Aspects of life in Germany and West Germany, 1946-89 Flashcards
How did the Allies change the education system?
De-Nazified the curriculum and tried to prevent the reintroduction of confessional education and to stop with the early selection of career paths at the age of ten. Allied reforms focused on pre-university education, although they weeded out Nazis in the universities. They removed Nazi teachers and textbooks.
What educational crisis did the FRG face in the 1960s?
There was concern that the university system was failing to serve Germany’s needs. Student numbers had risen. Facilities such as lecture theatres and student accommodation were inadequate. Critics said the curriculum was too old fashioned.
What was the increase in university student numbers from 1960-80?
239000 students in 1960 and 749000 in 1980.
What generational tensions arose in the 1960s?
Many of the older generation wanted to see 1945 as ‘year zero’ and many of the younger generation wanted to confront the past.
How did opinions over culture vary in the FRG?
Older people wanted a familiar, traditional German culture and also wanted a comfortable consumerist lifestyle after the shortages of the 1940s. Many younger people wanted a less consumerist culture that faced both the present and the immediate past.
What did the economic boom of the 1950s and 1960s result in?
Influx of ‘guest workers’. Economic boom created a need for more workers. By 1955 there was full employment and the government wanted to recruit workers from abroad.
What type of work were the foreign workers mainly given?
Heavy manual labour.
What problem did the influx of foreign workers cause?
Increasing number of ‘illegal ‘ foreign workers arrived, without a work permit or a job.
What impact did the recession have on the foreign workers?
Produced a significant amount of hostility to guest workers, especially those who did not speak much German or try to integrate.
What did the government do in November 1973?
Put a stop on hiring and banned permits for families of workers already in the country. The number of guest workers fell to just under two million.
When was the ban on guest workers removed?
1977
How did the number of foreign children in schools change from 1976-83?
Rose from 165,000 in 1976 to almost 200,000 in 1983.
