FRG Opposition Flashcards
Why was there a lot of Youth Opposition starting in the 1960’s?
- Didn’t like US influence and the war in Vietnam
- Universities were overcrowded and underfunded
- Didn’t like the increase in military spending
- Lacked representation of governing bodies
- Didn’t like ex-Nazis still having power in society
Who were the SDS and what happened after they started protesting in 1965?
Student wing of the SPD who were more radical
There was an increase in funding for research and it doubled by 1966
Explain who the APO were?
APO (Opposition Outside of Parliament) were a loose grouping of left wing students and trade unions. Believe radical protests were the only way to make change. They didn’t have a great impact as many left after they finished Uni
When and why did the SPD become less radical?
Became less radical in 1959 after the FRG joined NATO as they dropped the idea of a command economy
Explain who the RAF were?
Red Army Faction were mainly young middle class educated Germans who were disillusioned with the FRG’s political system of consumerism and capitalism. Believed direct action was necessary
Who were the leaders of the RAF and when were they arrested?
Baader and Meinhof
1972
Name some events the RAF caused
German Autumn 1977- over 28 people killed and 30 banks robbed
1968-Two department stores in Frankfurt fire bombed
1972-Two staff at West German embassy in Stockholm killed
1977-Arab supporters of RAF hijack German plane and land it in Somalia
What was the public opinion on the Baader-Meinhof gang/RAF?
One in five Germans felt sorry for them whilst 5% said they would allow a gang member to stay for the night
When was the introduction of the Emergency Law and give some details about this?
- 1968
- Wasn’t included in the original Basic Law
- Refused In 1958, 60 and 63
- FDP opposed the law
- Widespread protests (30,000 students and trade unions marched in May)
- Reminiscent of Article 48 in the Weimar/Enabling Act In Nazism and a more authoritarian government
Which section of the Emergency Law was the most controversial and why?
Article 10 it states:
•Mail/phone calls could be intercepted
•Freedom of movement could be restricted
•Certain jobs could be barred
What were some of the governments responses to extremism?
- Anti-Radical Decree 1972 introduced people being barred from state jobs
- Reforms In 1969 have students a stronger voice in universities
- By 1977 over 6,000 people were under surveillance
- The German Communist Party was allowed to reform in 1969
Who were the NPD and what evidence showed them as successful?
National Democratic Party (Neo Nazi group)
Von Thadden was an effective leader
Won 15 seats in Bavaria, 10 seats in Lower Saxony and others
Received 4.3% of the vote in 1969 election
Why weren’t the NPD very successful?
Never received 5% of the vote to gain seats in parliament
They deteriorated after the coalition between the CDU and SPD fell apart
List strengths of the De-Nazification process
- 60% of Germans believed it was necessary between 1945-1949
- Banned Nazi textbooks and brought back old teachers
- Adenauer called 1945 ‘Year Zero’ saying people should move on
- By 1947 85% of Bavarian teachers who lost their jobs during the Nazi era got them back
List weaknesses to the process of de-Nazification?
- By 1951 only 25% thought it was necessary
- Many Germans who joined the Nazis and could be punished joined in fear and to keep their jobs
- Many wanted to avoid bringing it back up to examine
- Education system was not thoroughly de-Nazified
- Around 1500 ex-Nazis kept jobs as doctors etc as they were best qualified to help
