FRG - How did Adenauer create political stability in West Germany? Flashcards
What political problems faced Adenaur’s government in 1949
- The FRG was still under the control of the Occupation Statute & did not have sovereignty
- the allies still had to approve many aspects of government
What economic problems faced Adenaur’s government in 1949
- Despite currency reform,
- the economy still faced difficulties & went into recession in 1940-50
- prices were rising, despite unemployment rising to 13%
What were Adenaur’s aims
- Economic
- Social
- Western Integration
- The German Question
Explain Adenaur’s aim of sorting out Germany (The German Question)
- He believed that reunifying the Federal Repubic of Germany & the DDR had to be on the terms of ensuring a Western Capitalist - oriented state
- He did not want to make concessions to communism
- With Western support he believed West Germany could attract East Germans - magnet theory (brain drain)
Explain Adenaur’s aim of Western Integration
- Like most West Germans Adenauer mistrusted & feared the Soviets & therefore wanted protectionvfrom the West
- He wanted to revive the restrictions of the Occupational Statute & become a strong economic partner of the West
Explain Adenaur’s social aims
- he wanted the poor & refugees to be helped by social legislation, industrial peace & a growth in living standards
- hopefully this would then counter the threat of communism
Explain Adenaur’s economic policy
- he wanted to create ecnomic stability using a ‘social market’ policy
- this aimed to create a free market with limited social regulations by the state
this became known as the economic miracle
Instability
He was criticised for ………………………. whom he treated as mere advisers
- appointing weak ministers
Instability
His leadership was known as a ……………….. suggesting he had more power than the ………… allowed
- Chancellor democracy
- Basic Law
Instability
His critics in the SPD and FDP objected to his…
- authoritarian style & forceful management of the Bundestag and his Atlantacist approach (ties with the West)
Instability
Adenauer denounced …., preferring to….
This was known as a …..
He allowed too many…..
- denazification
- integrate ex Nazis into post-war Germany
- Year Zero approach
- ex-Nazis into his govt in his haste to build a Federal and regional civil service
Instability
Why did Adenaur not promote de-nazification
- In 1939 all government workers had to join the Nazis or lose their jobs and so Adenauer argued that it was fair to employ ex-Nazis and the only way to establish an effective civil service
Instability
What was introduced on 11th May 1951
Article 131 was added to the Basic Law, allowing ex-Nazis to work in the civil service
Instability
How can it be perceived that Adenauers employment of ex-Nazis went to far
- Many argued it showed sympathy with Nazis in the CDU
- e.g 1952 - Bundestag report named 4 ex-Nazis working in the foreign ministry - could damage the FRG’s reputation abroad
- Refusal to sack state secretary Hans Globke - drafted anti-semitic laws.
Instability
What opposition arose against the Hallstein Doctrine
- In 1956 the FDP broke away from Adenauer’s coaltion and supported the SPD, who openly criticised it
Instability
In February 1961 the Supreme Court ruled in …. when Adenauer tried to set up …….
showing ……. for Adenauer’s decisions (too much executive interference)
- unconstitutional
- a government controlled television station
- showing lack of support
Instability
Adenauer worked to …….. in a way that caused concern (especially amongst the ….. members) about a shift away from democracy and the Basic Law
- limit freedom of speech
- SPD
Instability
The CDU vote fell from:
….% in 1957 to ….% in 1961
- 50
- 46
Instability
How was the SPD modernising by the late 1950s
- became a viable alternative to the CDU
- focusing on German reunification
Instability
What was Adenauer like by 1961
- Adenauer was in his eighties and his political judgement seemed to be in decline
Instability
How did Adenaur manage to get an SPD coalition
- by promising to resign in 1963
Instability
Describe Adenauer’s terms in office
- Adenauer had 3 terms in office:
- the first three were successful
- but the last one saw problems emerging
Stability
Adenaur’s political moves (removing parties/changes in vote allocations) was stabilising but resulted in a……
Some saw this as a stability that went against the …….. of basic law
- three party house with shifting coalitions
- democratic spirit
Stability
The benefit of his ….. personality was that he kept FRG …….. working together ……
- forceful
- coalitions
- until 1957 when the CDU/CSU won a majority
Stability
In domestic and foreign policy, Adenauer wanted …..&….. , although members of the SPD argued that focus on the West would stop Germany becoming united
- to unite Germany & work for closer European integration
Stability
Which political parties were formed
- 1952 the extreme right-wing Socialist Reich Party was banned
- 1956 KPD was banned
Stability
Adenauer worked to exclude ……. political opposition, for example by….
- left wing
- making changes to vote allocations and seats in the Bundestag it was harder for small parties to gain seat
Stability
By 1961 the FRG was a ….. state at the heart of Europe
- stable, prosperous
Stability
Adenauer and his Economics minister Erhard…
This helped to create…
- pursued a free market economy
- social harmony and strong economic growth leading to stability
Stability
What would suggest that Adenauer worked for the greater good of Germany
- Adenauer did not speak out about the building of the Berlin Wall in 1961,
- despite protests in the West - showing his indifference to unification
- & he was criticised for this
- BUT ultimately the wall eased tensions
Stability
What law with Adenauer instrumental to
- The Basic Law - 1949
Stability
Adenauer took control of …….. after …… when the ACC allowed him to
- FOREIGN POLICY
- 1951
Stability
How did Adenaeur effectively go about reintegration
- He built 4 milion new homes for Germans &
- helped refugees to integrate into the FRG
Stability
How did Adenauer raise the international status of the FRG
- Adenauer sought and achieved germany’s entry into the council of europe & the OEEC
Stability
How did Adenauer improve the work place
- He supported the co-determination policy —>
- allowed workers to participate in the decision making process within the workplace
- This reduced tension between worker and employer & allowed his govt to focus on growing the economy —> fewer strikes
Stability
How did Adenauer bring passivity to the German political climate
- He developed policies that appealed to the middle ground of politics and appealed to moderates
Stability
How did Adenauer strengthen Germany’s position in Europe
- pushed formembership NATO - attained in 1955
- created a degree of unity with France through the creation of the European Coal and Steel Community
- 1957 Germany joined the EEC again strengthening links with France
Stability
How did Adenauer effectively use the media to ensure stability
- October 1962- The magazine Der Spiegel published an article criticising the performance of West German troops in recent NATO exercises
- Adenauer supported the arrest of the journalists who had been critical
Give a stat that shows support for the CDU/CSU increased
31%-50.2% by 1957
Adenauer passed ……………. in ………….. to compensate Jews
- Restitution Laws
- 1953
