FRG - How significant was the contribution of Adenauer in the establishment of a stable political base in FRG 1949-89?

Question 1

Give evidence that Adenauer caused stability in the FRG

Answer 1

• Adenauer’s negotitations with Germany’s former enemies resulted in a plan of West European unity & prosperity
• FRG’s transformation from defeated power to one fully intergrated into Western Europe with political sovereignty & on equal level with other West European states was impressive
• Adenauer signed French-German treaty in 1963, securing basis of lasting political friendship

Question 2

Give evidence that Adenauer caused instability in the FRG

Answer 2

• As chancellor, Adenaur was often criticised for behaving more autocratically than the Basic Law (consititution) of 1949 intended
• Revival of remilitarisation in Germany was criticised for taking away any chanced of reunification with East Germany
• Adenauer was accused of sacrificing national interest of reunification to Western intergration
• Ultimately had to resign due to repressive government practises

Question 3

Summarise how successful Adenaeur was at creating political stability

Answer 3

• Despite criticism from the SPD, by 1963 living standards in the FRG were the highest in the West
• He was less popular in his fourth term but he had created a politically & economically stable West Germany

Question 4

Who were the next 2 chancellors after Adenauer

Answer 4

• Erhard - 63-69
• Kiesenger - 66-69

Question 5

Kiesinger entered into a …………. with the ………
Whilst the CDU became divided between the…

Answer 5

• Grand coalition with the SPD
• Atlanticists and Gaullists

Question 6

What was notable action taken by Erhard whilst being Chancellor 1963-66

Answer 6

• Erhard tried to introduce emergency laws to search phones but was blocked by the
• SPD
• However by 1968 this law was approved by the SPD due to increasing
• from extremist parties

Question 7

Brandt caused stability

What was Brandt’s main policy

Answer 7

• His main policy was that of ‘Ostpolitik’, as he tried to create closer ties between West and East Germany and improve relations with Poland and the Soviet Union.
• This was also known as ‘change through convergence’ - normalising relations with the East without threatening the peace of Europe
• Brandt began to speak of one nation but two Germanies.

Question 8

How did Ostpolitik take shape under Brandt in 1969

Answer 8

• 1969 - a draft treaty was prepared including recognition of both countries and the entry of the GDR to the United Nations as a sovereign nation

Question 9

How did Ostpolitik take shape under Brandt in 1970

Answer 9

• 1970 - Brandt visited the GDR city of Erfurt, the 1st FRG leader to do so
• Though no agreements were reached -
• He received an enthusiastic welcome, which convinced him that reapproachment was worthwile & possible

Question 10

How did Ostpolitik take shape under Brandt in 1970, by way of Willy Stoph

Answer 10

• 1970 - The East German minister-president visited the FRG city Casel by way of reciprocation
• Stoph was a hardliner - so asked for 100DM million compensation to the DGR by emigrants who left before the building of the Berlin Wall
• & recognition of the GDR by FRG - but no agreements were made

Question 11

How did Ostpolitik take shape under Brandt in 1973

Answer 11

• The Basic Treaty of June 1973 - the 2 Germanies recognised eachothers right to exist

Question 12

What was the Basic Treaty of June 1973

Answer 12

• spoke of normalising relations through developung commercial, tourist, cultural & communication links
• so FRG citizens could travel freely to GDR - but not vice versa

Question 13

How did Ostpolitik take shape under Brandt in 1974

Answer 13

• May 1974 - the 2 countries exchanged diplomats - effectively formally recognising eachother

Question 14

What were the reasons for Ostpolitik

Answer 14

• Given that the reunification of Germany was far from an international priority, many West German leaders had adopted a pragmatic line that division was a fact of life that needed to be accommodated
• Brandt and his advisers understood that more would be gained by negotiating with the GDR directly
• They began to speak of change through convergence’, by which they meant normalising relations without threatening the peace of Europe

Question 15

What was Ostpolitik

Answer 15

• Policy which rejcted the approach of the Hallstein Doctrine & the intransigent policies of the CDU/CSU towards the GDR
• Instead, the policy focused on reducing tensions to allow closer relations, mutually beneficial economic developments and more contact,
• leading to families presently divided between the two countries being reunited, at least for a time

Question 16

With Ostpolitik, there seemed no reason why they could not co-operate in the ineterst of…

Answer 16

both international harmony and restoring human contacts

Question 17

What was a key area of support Brandt aquired displaying stability

Answer 17

• Won support for his opposition to Berlin wall - he represented a new era of politicians
• —> break from the past/dropped to his knees on visit to Warsaw ghetto memorial

Question 18

Brandt & stability - * In 1971 he was awarded the….

Answer 18

…Nobel Prize for Peace for his work.

Question 19

Brandt & stability - Brandt’s govt concluded a …………………,
& also neutralized relations with ……………., …………, & ………..

Answer 19

non-agression treaty with the Soviet Union
Poland, Czechoslovakia & finally, East Germany

Question 20

Give evidence that Brandt caused instability in the FRG

Answer 20

• Even though formally Brandt did not give up on the objective of German unification, many Germans at the time seemed to have their doubts
• CDU/FDP tried to remove Brandt with a vote of no confidence
• Opposition to his liberal measures on homosexuality and reducing voting age

Question 21

How did Brandt’s resignation & seamless transition to Schmidt highlight thr dtsbility of thr political system in the FRG

Answer 21

• Guillame, a close adviser to Brandt was arrested for spying for the GDR in 1974
• Brandt effectively made himself scapegoat, resigining immediately - displaying personal integrity
• Though, he did this in the confidence that the SPD govt would stay in tact,
• but this was the result of his own curated political stability
• Schmidt 10 days later, began continuing his policies

Question 22

Give evidence that Helmut Schmidt caused stability in the FRG

Answer 22

• In foreign affairs he sought reconciliation with the Soviet-bloc countries of eastern Europe
• while at the same time maintaining West Germany’s partnership with the United States
• Continued to support Ostpolitik & showed the ability to deal with a series of threats such as terrorism posed by the Red Army Faction

Question 23

Give evidence that Helmut Schmidt caused instability in the FRG

Answer 23

• Accused of introducing right wing economic measures such as cutting welfare
• He faced growing opposition for his failure to push through economic policies & from a new party the Greens
• Forced to resign in 1982 via a vote of no confidence

Question 24

What did Schmidt’s party suffer from divisions over

Answer 24

• policies aimed at reducing inflation
• whether to allow nuclear weapons to be based in FRG territory
• growing support for Green issues
• growing tensions with the FDP

Question 25

What was Schmidt’s stance on the issue of the deployment of nuclear weapons in the 1970s under Schmidt

Answer 25

• 70s - Soviet Union began to develop a new generation of intermediate-range nuclear missiles Schmidt realised Europe itself could become a nuclear battleground between the superpowers,
• so he supported the deployment of NATO intermediate missiles in the FRG

Question 26

What was the reaction to Schmidt supporting the deployment of NATO intermediate missiles in the FRG

Answer 26

• Triggered widespread protests —>
• Anti-nuclear protests in October 1981 involved 250,000 people
• Willy Brandt spoke to a meeting of 300,000 in October 1983, urging them to oppose missiles on FRG soil
• More than 2.7 million people signed the Krefield Appeal against the deployment of missiles.

Question 27

Summarise how successful Helmut Schmidt was at creating political stability,

Answer 27

• Not very successful - political stability degraded under him - as SPD was stable when he took over from Brandt

Question 28

How did Schmidt’s resignation come about

Answer 28

• Collapse of the SPD/ FDP —>
• In September 1982, unable to agree on a cost-cutting budget, members of the FDP crossed over to the CDU/ CSU and campaigned for a change of government.
• On 1 October 1982 the Reichstag approved a vote of no confidence
• This was the only time such a vote was successful in the history of the FRG
• Schmidt resigned

Question 29

How did Schmidt make the SDP/FDP coalition collapse

Answer 29

During the worldwide recession of the early 1980s, however, his refusal to cut West Germany’s social welfare programs prompted the centrist Free Democrats to defect from his governing coalition

Question 30

Give evidence that Helmut Kohl caused stability in the FRG

Answer 30

• He followed Ostpolitik
• His main focus was stability due to threats of terrorism
• He also wanted reunification with the GDR which happened by 1989
• He was able to form a new coalition government
• Overcame Flick affair in 1984 & Barschel-Engholm affaie 1989

Question 31

How did Kohl react to economic difficulties such as rising deprivation

Answer 31

• Reduced govt spending and introduced tax cuts that were to be implemented over 7 years
• maintained comparatively high spending levels on welfare and kept subsidies to areas such as farming and coal mining
• He avoided a radical programme that could impact too adversely on the less affluent or the contrary
• After 1985, as oil prices declined, the FRG’s exports began to rise, bringing more wealth, and the economy began to improve

Question 32

Give evidence that Helmut Kohl caused instability in the FRG

Answer 32

• Relations with Eastern European countries worsened slightly
• Opposition from Greens - Kohl ignored the depth of protest against missile in the FRG
• Hohl was criticised for not dealing with corruption linked to members of the FDP & Flick Corporation
• Unemployment rates remained high

Question 33

Describe the decline of the CDU / CSU, & how it affect Kohl’s political stability in the FRG

Answer 33

• In 1987 the electoral position of Kohl and the CDU/CSU seemed precarious on the surface as a result of the scandals and continuing economic problems
• Although Kohl was able to establish another coalition with the FDP —>
• the CDU CSU share of the vote had declined
• However, the collapse of the GDR in 1989 & the successful reunification of Germany in 1990 served to reverse this trend

Question 34

Explain how Kohl’s government never actually seemd under significant threat

Answer 34

• While the 1980s was beset by economic difficulties and accusations of corruption,
• the system continued intact without substantial reform
• & Kohl himself survived into the 1990s as first Chancellor of a reunited Germany

Question 35

Give evidence that Kohl ensured economic stability

Answer 35

• early 1985 - corrected inflation
• the gross national product grew 1.3 percent in 1983, the first real growth since 1980.

Question 36

What did Kohl’s government do in May 1990

Answer 36

• Kohl’s government concluded a treaty with East Germany that unified the two countries’ economic and social-welfare systems