Establishing democracy from 1949

Question 1

When did Germany become a member of NATO?

Answer 1

May 1955

Question 2

How long was Konrad Adenauer the Chancellor?

Answer 2

1949-1963

Question 3

Despite the creation of ‘Basic Law’, how was the German government still restrained?

Answer 3

• The Allies retained a veto on German Law

- The new state was not free to determine its foreign policy

Question 4

Under Basic Law, what role did the Bundestag play?

Answer 4

• The Bundestag or Federal Parliament, elected by universal suffrage in elections, was to be held every four years
• Half of the seats allocated proportionally, and half on a first past the post system
• The Bundestag debated and passed laws

Question 5

What role did the Chancellor play?

Answer 5

• Head of the government and the most powerful politician
• The Chancellor was appointed by the President
• Needed the approval of the Bundestag
• Usually the head of the largest party in the Bundestag

Question 6

What was the Federal Convention and what could a Federal Constitutional Court do?

Answer 6

• The President had limited, ceremonial powers and was appointed by a Federal Convention for a maximum of two five-year terms
• The Federal Convention was made up of half Bundestag members and half members of local state parliaments
• A Federal Constitutional Court could rule on what was constitutional

Question 7

What was the Bundesrat?

Answer 7

• Made up of members of local state parliaments

- Had a veto over legislation passed by the Bundestag

Question 8

What does a federal system mean?

Answer 8

• State parliaments were elected every four or five years

- Had considerable powers to enact laws at local level

Question 9

How did Basic Law try to deal with the flaws of the Weimar Consitution in theirs?

Answer 9

• The powers of the President were limited
• Parties needed to get a minimum of 5% of the vote to get any representation in the Bundestag
• A Chancellor and his government could be brought down by a vote of no confidence if another party was ready to govern and able to form a government that had the support of more than half of the members of the Bundestag
• Half of the seats determined by proportional representation in order to try and make it easier to form stable governments
• The constitutional court upheld basic civil rights and could rule on whether government actions were illegal
• The Basic Law also emphasised human rights and pledged the government to uphold them

Question 10

What was the CDU?

Answer 10

• Christian Democratic Union of Germany
• Formed after WW2 out of Catholic and conservative Centre Party
• Catholic conservatism was less tainted by the Nazis than other strains of right-wing policies
• Headed by Adenauer, it did not promote itself as a Catholic party, proved very successful in attracting the votes of right-wing and centrist Protestants
• The party also contained Christians who held socialist beliefs
• Adenauer was firmly anti-socialist and a believer in capitalism and pro-American foreign policy

Question 11

What was the SPD?

Answer 11

• Social Democratic Party
• Had continued to exist in exile and underground throughout the war
• Re-established itself first as a Marxist party in favour of the unification of Germany
• First post-war leader was Kurt Schumacher