consolidation under Adenauer and Erhard, 1949-65 Flashcards
LO: Konrad Adenauer, Ludwig Erhard
what were Adenauer’s main qualities?
anti-Nazi credentials, moral integrity, strong anti-communist stance, and determination to lead West Germany into a strong alliance with the West
how did Adenauer impact West Germany politically?
he won 4 elections for his party (CDU) from 1949 to 1961, established a stable democracy, and helped rebuild Germany’s economy, making it Europe’s strongest
what was Adenauer’s approach to dealing with critics?
he faced criticism for being seen as a ‘chancellor of the Allies’, and for sacrificing Germany’s national interests, esp. with his refusal to consider a nautral or reunified Germany during the Cold War
what were some of Adenauer’s domestic policies?
rebuilding infrastructure, offering compensation to war victims (Equalisation of Burdens Act), social welfare reforms (Pensions Act), and labor laws promoting worker rights
what were Adenauer’s foreign policy achievements?
he placed FRG firmly in the Western camp, pursued full acceptance of the FRG, secured NATO membership, and supported European integration through the EEC and other organisations
what was the significance of the Berlin Wall for Adenauer?
while initially silent, the Berlin Wall ultimately stabilised the German situation by halting mass migration from East to West, though it also led to criticim of his inaction
why did Adenauer resign in 1963?
his popularity waned by 1961, and he faced challenges like his failed presidential bid and the Der Spiegel affair.
his rigidity and failure to adapt to political changes led to his resignation
what were some successes of Adenauer’s leadership?
under Adenauer, FRG became the most powerful economic state in Europe, achieved political stability, joined NATO and was a founding member of the EEC
what were some criticisms of Adenauer’s leadership?
Adenauer was criticised for authoritarian tendencies, his alignment with the Allies, incorporation of former Nazi officials, and his initial silence on the Berlin wall
who succeeded Adenauer as chancellor in 1963?
Ludwig Erhard succeeded Adenauer, continuing many of his economic and social policies
what were Erhard’s key contributions to West Germany?
he supported the development of the economic ‘miracle’, saw a rise in production and wages, and promoted cooperation within the social market economy
why did Erhard’s chancellorship end in 1966?
he resigned after facing an economic recession caused by excessive public spending, inflation, and conflict with the FDP over govt spending cuts
how did Adenauer manage to maintain conservative voter support throughout the FRG?
Hans Globke as director of the federal chancellery established an effective and widespread party apparatus with simple slogans developped, such as ‘Affluence for All’ and ‘No Experiments’, whcih appealed to conservative voters
how did Adenauer attract the middle-ground of politics?
he developed policies that appealed to both rural and urban voters
how else did Adenauer appeal to voters throughout the FRG?
he sought the support and votes of farmer supporters of Nazis and ethnic Germas expelled from Eastern Europe by developing policies towards their integration, and attracted votes due to strong anti-communist sentiment during 1950s
what was the Construction Law (1950) and its impact
In April the law resulted in grants being provided to the Lander and cities to encourage large-scale building projects and to reduce the need for temporary accommodation. By 1957 this resulted in the building of 4 million new homes and helped German refugees become integrated into FRG
what was the Equalisation of Burdens Act (1952) and its impact
It offered compensation to victims due to impact of war, and this saw the most significant redistribution of income in German history. By 1983 DM 126 billon had been raised by this measure
what was the impact of the Pensions Act (1957)
it saw a rise of 60-75% in pension payments through an arrangement known as ‘contract between generations’. was a costly policy
what was the Collective Bargaining Law on Industrial Relations (1959)
it meant various had legal rights to negotiate on behalf of their members and to take industrial action if necessary
what was the policy of ‘co-determination’?
workers were encouraged to participate in the decision making process within the workplace
what law further encouraged the establishment of worker consultation councils?
the 1952 Works Consultation Law
what was the impact of co-determination on labour relations ?
it reduced tensions between employers and employees and allowed Adenauer’s govt to focus on continuing to grow the economy during this period. it also meant there were fewer strikes, which aided political stability
when did the ACC give the FRG control over its foreign policy and who was foreign minister?
1951; Adenauer
what was the Council for Europe and when did the FRG join it?
aims included upholding human rights and democracy; 1951
what was the OEEC and when did the FRG join it?
the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation in 1951 had the purpose of encouraging European economic co-operation
why was the FRG’s position within Europe important to the USA?
important buffer against further spread of communism in Europe
what were the conditions for the agreement of FRG rearmament in 1954?
- FRG had to renounce adoption of nuclear weapons
- it had to limit the size of the army, which would remain under direct civilian control
when was the AHC abolished thus making FRG an independent state?
1954
when was FRG admitted to NATO
May 1955
which policy did Adenauer agree to that cut off relations with GDR?
the Hallstein Doctrine of 1955
how may people migrated from GDR?
over 2 million people
give a statistic that shows Adenauer’s position weakened in the 1961 election
CDU/CSU vote fell to 46%, from 50% in Sept 1957
what did the SPD under Kurt Schumacher and Erich Ollenhauer support?
the SPD supported more govt intervention in economy, neutral foreign policy, and focused on German reunification
what change did the SPD make to its constitution?
removed the demand for the overthrow of capitalism, signaling a shift towards a more moderate stance
why did the SPD reinvent itself in the late 1950s?
to have a greater chance of winning power and due to concerns about excessive govt centralisation, as seen in the GDR’s dictatorship
what was significant about the SPD’s position at the Bad Godesberg Party Congress in 1959?
the SPD committed to defense, European economic integration, NATO membership, social market economy, and continued membership in the EEC
give a statistic to show economic was improving under Erhard’s chancellorship
production figures up by 8% and wages by 8.5% in 1964
what did the FDP and Erhard disagree about that resulted in Erhard’s and FDP’s resigning in November 1966?
The FDP wanted further government spending cuts while Erhard supported the raising of taxes (it’s worth noting that following the 1965 elections Erhard was able to form another government coalition with the FDP).
