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