FRG - How did Adenauer create political stability in West Germany?

Question 2

What political problems faced Adenaur’s government in 1949

Answer 2

• 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

Question 3

What economic problems faced Adenaur’s government in 1949

Answer 3

• Despite currency reform,
• the economy still faced difficulties & went into recession in 1940-50
• prices were rising, despite unemployment rising to 13%

Question 4

What were Adenaur’s aims

Answer 4

• Economic
• Social
• Western Integration
• The German Question

Question 5

Explain Adenaur’s aim of sorting out Germany (The German Question)

Answer 5

• 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)

Question 6

Explain Adenaur’s aim of Western Integration

Answer 6

• Like most West Germans Adenauer mistrusted & feared the Soviets & therefore wanted protectionvfrom the West
• He wanted to revise the restrictions of the Occupational Statute & become a strong economic partner of the West

Question 7

Explain Adenaur’s social aims

Answer 7

• 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

Question 8

Explain Adenaur’s economic policy

Answer 8

• 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

Question 9

Instability

He was criticised for ………………………. whom he treated as mere advisers

Answer 9

• appointing weak ministers

Question 10

Instability

His leadership was known as a ……………….. suggesting he had more power than the ………… allowed

Answer 10

• Chancellor democracy
• Basic Law

Question 11

Instability

His critics in the SPD and FDP objected to his…

Answer 11

• authoritarian style & forceful management of the Bundestag and his Atlantacist approach (ties with the West)

Question 12

Instability

Adenauer denounced …., preferring to….
This was known as a …..
He allowed too many…..

Answer 12

• 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

Question 13

Instability

Why did Adenaur not promote de-nazification

Answer 13

• 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

Question 14

Instability

What was introduced on 11th May 1951

Answer 14

Article 131 was added to the Basic Law, allowing ex-Nazis to work in the civil service

Question 15

Instability

How can it be perceived that Adenauers employment of ex-Nazis went to far

Answer 15

• 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.

Question 16

Instability

What opposition arose against the Hallstein Doctrine

Answer 16

• In 1956 the FDP broke away from Adenauer’s coaltion and supported the SPD, who openly criticised it

Question 17

Instability

In February 1961 the Supreme Court ruled in …. when Adenauer tried to set up …….
showing ……. for Adenauer’s decisions (too much …………..)

Answer 17

• unconstitutional
• a government controlled television station
• showing lack of support
• executive interference

Question 18

Instability

Adenauer worked to …….. in a way that caused concern (especially amongst the ….. members) about a shift away from democracy and the Basic Law

Answer 18

• limit freedom of speech
• SPD

Question 19

Instability

The CDU vote fell from:
….% in 1957 to ….% in 1961

Answer 19

• 50
• 46

Question 20

Instability

How was the SPD modernising by the late 1950s

Answer 20

• became a viable alternative to the CDU
• focusing on German reunification

Question 21

Instability

What was Adenauer like by 1961

Answer 21

• Adenauer was in his eighties and his political judgement seemed to be in decline

Question 22

Instability

How did Adenaur manage to get an SPD coalition

Answer 22

• by promising to resign in 1963

Question 23

Instability

Describe Adenauer’s terms in office

Answer 23

• Adenauer had 3 terms in office:
• the first three were successful
• but the last one saw problems emerging

Question 24

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

Answer 24

• three party house with shifting coalitions
• democratic spirit

Question 25

# Stability The benefit of his ..... personality was that he kept FRG ........ working together ......

Answer 25

* forceful * coalitions * until 1957 when the CDU/CSU won a majority

Question 26

# Stability In domestic and foreign policy, Adenauer wanted .....&..... , although members of the SPD argued that focus on the West would stop Germany becoming united

Answer 26

* to unite Germany & work for closer European integration

Question 27

# Stability Which political parties were formed

Answer 27

* 1952 the extreme right-wing Socialist Reich Party was banned * 1956 KPD was banned

Question 28

# Stability Adenauer worked to exclude ....... political opposition, for example by....

Answer 28

* left wing * making changes to vote allocations and seats in the Bundestag it was harder for small parties to gain seat

Question 29

# Stability By 1961 the FRG was a ..... state at the heart of Europe

Answer 29

* stable, prosperous

Question 30

# Stability Adenauer and his Economics minister Erhard... This helped to create...

Answer 30

* pursued a free market economy * social harmony and strong economic growth leading to stability

Question 31

# Stability What would suggest that Adenauer worked for the greater good of Germany

Answer 31

* 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

Question 32

# Stability What law with Adenauer instrumental to

Answer 32

* The Basic Law - 1949

Question 33

# Stability Adenauer took control of ........ after ...... when the ACC allowed him to

Answer 33

* FOREIGN POLICY * 1951

Question 34

# Stability How did Adenaeur effectively go about reintegration

Answer 34

* He built 4 milion new homes for Germans & * helped refugees to integrate into the FRG

Question 35

# Stability How did Adenauer raise the international status of the FRG

Answer 35

* Adenauer sought and achieved germany’s entry into the council of europe & the OEEC

Question 36

# Stability How did Adenauer improve the work place

Answer 36

* 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

Question 37

# Stability How did Adenauer bring passivity to the German political climate

Answer 37

* He developed policies that appealed to the middle ground of politics and appealed to moderates

Question 38

# Stability How did Adenauer strengthen Germany's position in Europe

Answer 38

* 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

Question 39

# Stability How did Adenauer effectively use the media to ensure stability

Answer 39

* 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

Question 40

Give a stat that shows support for the CDU/CSU increased

Answer 40

31%-50.2% by 1957

Question 41

Adenauer passed ................ in .............. to compensate Jews

Answer 41

* Restitution Laws * 1953