Education in the FRG (4)

Question 1

Goal of Allies in 1945 regarding education

Answer 1

• Wanted to remove Nazi influence and educate children for a democratic society.
• Shut down all schools as soon as they took over to de-Nazify both the curriculum and the teachers.

Question 2

Post-war reeducation policies

Answer 2

• Hoped to prevent the reintroduction of confessional education and the early selection of career paths at 10 yrs.
• Allied reforms focussed on pre-university education, although weeding out Nazis in Uni.
• Removed Nazi teachers/textbooks but due to the disagreement over the type of system between the Allies meant the school system was handed back to the local German state govts.
• Well received who favoured the continunity, compared to the sweeping reforms of the East Germany.

Question 3

Educational programmes and its issues

Answer 3

• Strongly dictated by Adenauer’s govt - restricted on content regarding history and social science = very little of Germany’s recent fascist history was taught - done of questionable authority and Hitler as an individual.
• Received little funding and few resources in the 1950s/60s - more focus on economy and recovery from the war. ranked the lowest in European countries in educational spending.
• In 1971, the Brandt govt tried to introduce a federal framework for restructuring schools that the Lander would adopt, giving extra help for the disadvantaged, less streaming by ability, more mobility within secondary schools and reform uni structure = passed narrowly in the Bundenstag but did not get the majority required by the Budenstrat to become law = did not happen.
• Did not promote the system of democracy that the country had adopted.
• Initial dismissal of Nazi-affiliated teachers was reversed because of just how few ‘clean teachers’ remained in their jobs - to some degree was involved with the party, and any young new recruits were products of Nazi-based education.
• Right-wing and fascist ideology still infiltrated classrooms and lessons.

Question 4

Educational crisis regarding unis

Answer 4

• early 1960s = concern the system failed to serve Germany’s needs.
• Student numbers had risen and facilities such as lecture theatres and student accommodation were inadequate.
• ‘Old-fashioned’ curriculum - teaching neither technology or economics, and still catering for children of academics, civil servants and the well off.
• Calls to make the system more democratic.
• State provided free education until the end of secondary school, encouraging parents to keep their children in secondary education.
• In 1971, the Federal Education Promotion Act provided a mixture of state funding and state loans to encourage students from working class families to go university.

Question 5

Statistics

Answer 5

• Children in Gymnasium rose from 853,400 in 1960 to 2,019,000 in 1980.
• Most went to university, from 239,000 in 1960 to 740,000 in 1980.