Consolidation of the FRG (1949-65) Flashcards
How long was Adenauer chancellor for? When did his final term start and end?
- From 1949 to 1963
- 1961 - 1963
What were 3 successful aspects of Adenauer’s leadership?
- His forceful personality kept coalitions working until the CDU/CSU won a majority
- He controlled both domestic and foreign policy until 1955 as foreign minister as well as chancellor
- The CDU had a strong position in the Bundestag throughout his time as chancellor
What advantage did Adenauer have that his successors didn’t?
- He had the job to establish the German government and its institutions from scratch, which gave him a unique position of authority
How successful was the CDU in the early years of the FRG? Give 2 examples.
- They won a majority in 1957, and were the first and only party to do so
- The chancellor always came from their party until 1969
What was Adenauer generally criticised for?
- His leadership was forceful and authoritarian, and was even described as a ‘Chancellor democracy’
Give an example of Adenauer being somewhat undemocratic.
- He excluded political opposition and made it harder for small parties to gain seats, which made the Bundestag a three-party house that all supported the status quo
- Some saw this stability as running against the spirit of the Basic Law
Give 2 examples of parties being banned, and when they were banned.
- The right-wing Socialist Reich Party was banned in 1952
- The KPD was banned in 1956
What sign was there that people in the FRG supported democracy?
- There was huge support for democratic parties, and no real protest when extremist parties were banned
Which 2 areas did Adenauer’s policies focus on?
- Domestic and foreign policy
Give 4 examples of Adenauer’s domestic policies.
- Rebuilding infrastructure
- Compensation for victims of war-bombing and those expelled from the East
- Supporting welfare reform
- He supported the policy of ‘co-determination’; workers were encouraged to take part in decisions in the workplace
How successful were Adenauer’s domestic policies? Give 4 examples.
- By 1957 4 million new homes had been built
- By 1983 DM126 billion had been raised to be redistributed to victims of bombing and displacement
- There was a 60-75% rise in pensions
- Tensions between employers and workers were reduced, so there were fewer strikes, which aided political stability
What were Adenauer’s 2 aims in terms of foreign policy?
- To improve relations with the West
- To unite Germany
Why did Adenauer want to improve relationships with the West? What was the problem with him wanting to do this?
- It was the quickest way for the FRG to become self-governing, and to rebuild the economy
- It made it harder to reunite Germany
How successful were Adenauer’s attempts to bring the FRG closer to the West?
- In 1955 the FRG joined NATO, which allowed them to rearm
What was Adenauer’s approach to the GDR known as? Starting from when?
- The Hallstein Doctrine
- 1955